Patent ID: 7462810

Claim:
A photoelectric conversion apparatus, comprising: a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas each including: a photoelectric conversion element arranged to convert incident light into electric carriers, an amplifying unit corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element and arranged to read and supply signals based on the electric carriers of the photoelectric conversion element to an output line, a transfer unit corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element and arranged to transfer the electric carriers of the photoelectric conversion element to an input unit of the amplifying unit, and a voltage supply unit corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element and arranged to supply to the input unit voltages for setting the input unit to have at least first and second potentials, wherein the photoelectric conversion element, the amplifying unit, the transfer unit, and the voltage supply unit are disposed two-dimensionally; a plurality of power supply lines arranged to supply voltages to the plurality of voltage supply units of the plurality of photoelectric conversion areas; a plurality of voltage supply control circuits each disposed in a power supply channel between the plurality of power supply lines and corresponding voltage supply units of the plurality of voltage supply units and arranged to control a voltage supply to the corresponding voltage supply units; and a selecting line arranged to supply a pulse, wherein the plurality of power supply lines includes a first power supply line arranged to supply a first voltage and a second power supply line arranged to supply a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, and wherein the selecting line supplies the pulse to control switching between the first voltage and the second voltage.