Patent ID: 7724294

Claim:
An image-sensing device comprising: an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns; a driver that controls the array of pixels to output a combined image signal that is a combination of at least two image signals for at least two aligned pixels in at least two columns or rows having a substantially same color pattern, wherein the combined image signal is generated by combining respective electric charges from said pixels in the columns or rows having a substantially same color pattern that are not adjacent columns and are not adjacent rows and without combining respective electric charges from pixels of any adjacent rows and without combining respective electric charges from pixels of any adjacent columns, and wherein the combined image signal is generated from the respective electric charges from N of the aligned pixels in N of the odd or even columns or rows having a substantially same color pattern, with N being an integer that is at least two; and a set of N select transistors turned on by the driver for transferring the respective electric charges to a common node from said N separate pixels of said N separate odd or even columns or rows to generate said combined signal.