Patent ID: 8546737

Claim:
An image sensor, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a substantially continuous optically sensitive layer overlying the semiconductor substrate; a first electrode in communication with a first pixel region of the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer; a second electrode in communication with a second pixel region of the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer; a third electrode in communication with a third pixel region of the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer, the third pixel region to collect charge substantially equal to the sum of the charge collected from the first pixel region and the charge collected from the second pixel region; a pixel circuit for each pixel region, each pixel circuit comprising a charge store and a read out circuit for each subpixel region; and circuitry alternately to enable: a first mode, a non-binning full-resolution mode, in which photocharge generated in the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer corresponding to the first pixel region is to be collected into a first charge store, photocharge generated in the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer corresponding to the second pixel region is to be collected into a second charge store; and a second mode, a binning mode, in which photocharge generated in the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer corresponding to the third pixel region is to be collected simultaneously into a third charge store, the third charge store having a higher capacitance than either the first charge store or the second charge store thereby providing a mode with a higher dynamic range.