Patent ID: 7508432
Filing Date: 2009-03-24
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image sensor comprising: (a) a plurality of pixels for converting incident photons into electrical charge; (b) an overflow drain to draw off excess charge from at least one or more of the pixels; (c) a mechanism for summing charge from two or more of the pixels; (d) a first network of resistive devices generating a first overflow drain voltage where at least one of the resistive devices has, in parallel, a fuse that can be opened in response to an external stimulus to provide the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming protection and saturation signal level for when a plurality of pixels are summed together; and (e) a second network of resistive devices connected to the first network of resistive devices generating a second overflow drain voltage where the second overflow drain voltage is a fraction of the first overflow drain voltage and the second overflow drain voltage provides the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming and saturation signal level for when none or substantially none of the plurality of pixels are summed together.