Patent ID: 6856352

Claim:
An image pick-up apparatus comprising: an image sensing element operable to generate an image signal; a timing signal generating arrangement to generate timing signals to control the image sensing element; a driving circuit operable to generate driving signals to drive the image sensing element, the driving signals being generated in accordance with the timing signals; and a power supply circuit operable to supply a first power supply voltage to the timing signal generating arrangement, and operable to supply a second power supply voltage to the image sensing element and to the driving circuit after the first power supply voltage is supplied to the timing signal generating arrangement; wherein the timing signal generating arrangement is controllable to operate in a plurality of operating modes, the plurality of operating modes including a standby mode, the timing signal generating arrangement generating the timing signals while operating in the standby mode so that leakage currents do not flow through the driving circuit before the second power supply voltage is supplied to the image sensing element and to the driving circuit.