Image sensor with variable resolution and sensitivity
View Patent ↗A charge-coupled device image sensor includes (a) a two-dimensional array of pixels having a plurality of rows and columns, the two-dimensional array includes: (i) a plurality of gates arranged as a charge-coupled device; wherein the array further includes a plurality of charge-coupled devices that are arranged to be clocked by one or more common timing signals; (ii) a transition region, electrically connected to the array, having a first and second row of gates in which the second row is electrically mated into a plurality of first and second pairs of gates in which first pairs of gates are clocked by a first common timing signal and second pairs of gates are clocked by a second common timing signal; wherein the first row of gates are all clocked with a third common timing signal; and (b) a horizontal shift register adjacent the second row of gates for receiving charge from the second row of gates.
1. A charge-coupled device image sensor comprising:
(a) a two-dimensional array of pixels having a plurality of rows and columns, the two-dimensional array comprising:
(i) a plurality of gates arranged as a charge-coupled device; wherein the array further includes a plurality of charge-coupled devices that are arranged to be clocked by one or more common timing signals;
(ii) a transition region, electrically connected to the array, having a first and second row of gates in which the second row is electrically mated into a plurality of first and second pairs of gates in which first pairs of gates are electrically connected to a first common signal line clocked by a first common timing signal and second pairs of gates are electrically connected to a second common signal line clocked by a second common timing signal; wherein the first row of gates are electrically connected to a third common signal line clocked with a distinct third common timing signal; and
(b) a horizontal shift register adjacent the second row of gates.
2. The charge-coupled device as in claim 1 , wherein the horizontal shift register includes a lateral overflow drain for draining signal exceeding its capacity.
3. The charge-coupled device as in claim 1 , wherein the horizontal shift register shifts bi-directionally.
4. A method for transferring charge in a charge-coupled device, wherein the charge-coupled device includes a transition region comprising a first and second row of gates and the second row is electrically mated into a plurality of first and second pairs of gates, the method comprising:
(a) transferring charge from an array of charge-coupled devices into the first row of gates in the transition region;
(b) selectively transferring pairs of charge from the first row of gates into a horizontal shift register, wherein one pair of the first and second pairs of gates in the second row of gates selectively transfer pairs of charge directly from the first row of gates into to the horizontal shift register while the other pair of the first and second pairs of gates maintain pairs of charge in first row of gates;
(c) serially shifting the charge in the horizontal shift register in a first direction so that like color pixels are aligned with the remaining charge in the first row of gates;
(d) transferring the remaining pairs of charge in the first row of gates into the horizontal shift register so that same colored pixel charge is combined;
(e) transferring another additional row of charge from the array of charge-coupled devices into the first row of gates of the transition region; and
(f) repeating (b) through (e) for the additional row of charge.
5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising shifting the charge in the horizontal shift register in an opposite second direction and repeating (b) through (e) for a third and a fourth additional row of charge from the array of charge-coupled devices.