Patent ID: 7352497

Claim:
An image reading apparatus that reads an image from the outside by controlling an image sensor, comprising: the image sensor including: a first sensor having light receiving elements for respective pixels arranged in a primary scanning direction, a second sensor having light receiving elements for respective pixels which are arranged in the primary scanning direction and whose light receiving positions are set at a predetermined distance away from the first sensor in a secondary scanning direction and between the respective light receiving elements constituting the first sensor, a first shift register for transferring the respective pixel signals obtained from the respective light receiving elements constituting the first sensor and outputting the pixel signals according to the order of arrangement of the corresponding light receiving elements, a second shift register for transferring the respective pixel signals obtained from the respective light receiving elements arranged at even-numbered positions among the light receiving elements constituting the second sensor and outputting the pixel signals according to the order of arrangement of the corresponding light receiving elements, and a third shift register for transferring the respective pixel signals obtained from the respective light receiving elements arranged at odd-numbered positions among the light receiving elements constituting the second sensor and outputting the pixel signals according to the order of arrangement of the corresponding light receiving elements; and a transfer control device for shifting the transfer timing of the pixel signals in the second shift register by a half cycle relative to the transfer timing in the third shift register, while making the second and third shift registers operate with a transfer cycle which is the double of the transfer cycle of the pixel signals in the first shift register.