Patent ID: 8462248

Claim:
A method of operating a CMOS image sensor, the method comprising: exposing an array of active pixels of the CMOS image sensor to an image; reading out a first group of pixel analog signals from the array of pixels, while the pixels continue to generate charge from the exposure to the image, to generate a first group of circuitry analog signals associated with a first exposure of the pixels to the image; converting the first group of circuitry analog signals into a corresponding first group of digital signals associated with the first exposure of the pixels to the image; storing the first group of digital signals; reading out a second group of pixel analog signals from the array of pixels, while the pixels continue to generate charge from the exposure to the image, to generate a second group of circuitry analog signals associated with a second exposure of the pixels to the image; converting the second group of circuitry analog signals into a corresponding second group of digital signals associated with the second exposure of the pixels to the image; storing the second group of digital signals; combining the first group of digital signals with the second group of digital signals to produce a final group of digital signals representing the image; storing the final group of digital signals; and reading out the final group of digital signals.