Objects are to accumulate electric charge in a capacitor so that light
intensity can be detected even when the amount of incident light is
small, and to operate a photoelectric conversion device without
increasing the number of elements such as a constant current source or a
switch. The photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric
conversion circuit, a capacitor, and a comparator for comparing a
potential of one electrode of the capacitor with a second potential. The
photoelectric conversion circuit includes a photoelectric conversion
element and an amplifier circuit for amplifying an output current from
the photoelectric conversion element In the capacitor, a first potential
is supplied through a first switch, and charging or discharging is
performed through a second switch in accordance with the current
amplified by the amplifier circuit.