Image sensor with charge binning

摘要

An x-y addressable image sensor comprising:
(a) a plurality of photodetectors arranged in an array of rows and columns that convert the light to a signal;
(b) means for reading out two or more samples of a same signal from each photodetector in at least one row, wherein the same signal is produced after a single integration period for all of the photodetectors in the at least one row;
(c) at least two signal storage banks comprised of individual signal storage elements; each of the at least two storage banks having enough individual storage elements to store the two or more signals from the at least one row of photodetectors in the array, wherein the two or more samples of the same signal are concurrently stored in different individual storage elements; and
(d) at least two select mechanisms which can direct signals from the plurality of photodetectors to any single or combination of the signal storage banks.