Patent ID: 7417678

Claim:
A method for measuring a sense node voltage associated with a light-detecting element, the sense node voltage being related to light intensity incident upon the light-detecting element, comprising: (a) generating a first integration reset pulse to enable a resetting of the sense node voltage to a voltage value substantially equal to a reset voltage value associated with the first integration reset pulse, an edge of the first integration reset pulse triggering a beginning of a first integration period; (b) generating a second integration reset pulse to enable a resetting of the sense node voltage to a voltage value substantially equal to a reset voltage value associated with the second integration reset pulse, an edge of the second integration reset pulse triggering a beginning of a second integration period; (c) generating, subsequent to the generation of the first integration reset pulse and prior to the generation of the second integration reset pulse, a plurality of intra-period reset pulses to enable resetting of the sense node voltage to a plurality of voltage values, each voltage value being substantially equal to a reset voltage value associated with the generated intra-period reset pulse, the intra-period reset pulses progressively decreasing in pulse width; and (d) measuring, only once during an integration period, the sense node voltage generated in response to incident light intensity, the sense node voltage being measured subsequent to the generation of the plurality of intra-period reset pulses and prior to the generation of the second integration reset pulse.