Patent ID: 7612354

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor array which is formed by arranging a plurality of sensors, and which comprises a detection surface on which a medium is placeable; a drive controller for performing an image reading operation of supplying a predetermined drive control signal to each of the sensors of the sensor array, and reading an image pattern of the medium placed on the detection surface; a detection circuit comprising a medium detector and a connection switching controller, wherein the medium detector detects a placement state where the medium is placed on the detection surface, wherein at least when the medium detector detects that the medium is placed on the detection surface, the connection switching controller establishes an electrical connection between one end of each of the sensors and the drive controller as well as an electrical connection between another end of each of the sensors and a ground potential, and wherein at least when the medium detector detects that the medium is separated from the detection surface, the connection switching controller cuts off the electrical connection between the one end of each of the sensors and the drive controller as well as the electrical connection between said another end of each of the sensors and the ground potential; and an operation controller which controls an operational state of the drive controller, at least in accordance with a detection result of the placement state of the medium by the medium detector.