Patent ID: 7852393

Claim:
A method for driving a photoelectric conversion apparatus that includes photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of first signal lines to which signals from the photoelectric conversion elements are outputted, signal holding units that hold the signals outputted to the plurality of first signal lines, wherein some of the signal holding units constitute one block, and wherein a plurality of blocks are provided, a plurality of block lines to which signals from the signal holding units are outputted, wherein each of the plurality of block lines is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of blocks of the signal holding units, a second signal line associated with the plurality of block lines, a plurality of switches for transferring signals from the plurality of block lines to the second signal line, a plurality of first resetting units for resetting potentials of the plurality of block lines, and a second resetting unit for resetting a potential of the second signal line, the second resetting unit being different from the plurality of first resetting units, the method comprising: simultaneously performing a resetting operation by one of the plurality of first resetting units and a resetting operation by the second resetting unit.