Patent ID: 8279316

Claim:
A method for capturing images with an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels each having an photosensitive area, vertical charge coupled devices (CCDs) each comprising a plurality of charge storage elements positioned adjacent to a respective column of pixels, and a transfer mechanism for transferring charge packets from each photosensitive area to a respective charge storage element, the method comprising: beginning light integration for all of the pixels, wherein the photosensitive areas accumulate charge packets; transferring charge packets from a first portion of pixels to respective charge storage elements in the vertical CCDs at a first time, wherein the charge packets from the first portion of pixels have a first integration period; transferring charge packets from a second portion of pixels to respective charge storage elements in the vertical CCDs at a second time that is different from the first time, wherein the charge packets from the second portion of pixels have a second integration period that is different from the first integration period; ending light integration for all of the pixels; reading out the charge packets from the vertical CCDs; transferring charge packets from the first and second portions of pixels to respective charge storage elements in the vertical CCDs, wherein the charge packets from the first portion of pixels have a third integration period and the charge packets from the second portion of pixels have a fourth integration period that is different from the third integration period; and reading out the charge packets from the vertical CCDs.