Patent ID: 7948541

Claim:
A signal reading apparatus, comprising: a signal generating unit that generates a plurality of signals; a plurality of readout lines that receives the plurality of signals from the signal generating unit; a plurality of common signal lines to which the signal generating unit provides an output, the plurality of common signal lines at least including a first common signal line, a second common signal line, a third common signal line, and a fourth common signal line; a plurality of first switches that control an electrical connection between the plurality of readout lines and the plurality of common signal lines; a plurality of signal lines at least including a first signal line and a second signal line; a plurality of second switches that control an electrical connection between the first common signal line and the first signal line, between the second common signal line and the second signal line, between the third common signal line and the first signal line, and between the fourth common signal line and the second signal line; a drive circuit unit including a scanning circuit that controls the plurality of second switches; an amplifier circuit unit at least including a first amplifier circuit amplifying a signal from the plurality of signal lines and a second amplifier circuit amplifying a signal from the second signal line; a plurality of third switches that control an electrical connection between the first common signal line and the second common signal line, and between the third common signal line and the fourth common signal line; and a control unit that controls switching between a first signal reading operation and a second signal reading operation, wherein, in the first signal reading operation, the third switches are turned OFF by the control unit to read signals from the first amplifier circuit and the second amplifier circuit, and wherein, in the second signal reading operation, the third switches are turned ON by the control unit to read signals of the first common signal line, the second common signal line, the third common signal line, and the fourth common signal line individually from the first amplifier circuit.