Patent ID: 7486321

Claim:
An image sensor, comprising: a plurality of photoelectric converting elements that convert an optical signal to an electric signal, each of the photoelectric converting elements being provided with an electric charge output port; a common signal line that is connected to the electric charge output port of each of the photoelectric converting elements; a group of channel selection switches that are disposed between the common signal line and each of the photoelectric converting elements and that turns on and off between the electric charge output port and the common signal line; a resolution switching device that inputs a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal, that further reads an on-off pattern of the third signal by sampling whether the third signal is high or low, when the first signal is on, at a timing of a rising or falling edge of the second signal, and that sill further outputs a resolution switching signal according to the on-off pattern of the third signal; and a control signal generator that determines an ON-OFF control pattern of the group of channel selection switches, based on the resolution switching signal, and supplies a drive signal to the group of the channel selection switches, based on the determined ON-OFF control pattern.