In an analog-to-digital conversion method for converting a difference
signal component representing a difference between a reference component
and a signal component in an analog signal to be processed into digital
data, in a first process, a signal corresponding to one of the reference
component and the signal component is compared with a reference signal
for conversion into the digital data. Concurrently with the comparison,
counting is performed in one of a down-count mode and an up-count mode,
and a count value at a time of completion of the comparison is held. In a
second process, a signal corresponding to the other one of the reference
component and the signal component is compared with the reference signal.
Concurrently with the comparison, counting is performed in the other one
of the down-count mode and the up-count mode, and a count value at a time
of completion of the comparison is held.