Patent ID: 7791658

Claim:
A timing generator integrated circuit that receives pixel information from an image sensor and is operable in a selectable one of a first mode and a second mode, the integrated circuit comprising: a first plurality of terminals, wherein in the first mode a first subset of bits of a first single-color-component multi-bit pixel value is output onto the first plurality of terminals in parallel at a first time, a second subset of the bits of the first single-color component multi-bit pixel value is output onto the first plurality of terminals in parallel at a second time, and a third subset of the bits of the first single-color component multi-bit pixel value is output onto the first plurality of terminals in parallel at a third time; and a second plurality of terminals, wherein in the second mode a second multi-bit pixel value is output in parallel from the integrated circuit such that a first plurality of bits of the second multi-bit pixel value is output onto the first plurality of terminals at the same time that a second plurality of the bits of the second multi-bit pixel value is output onto the second plurality of terminals, wherein the second plurality of terminals is disabled in the first mode, wherein the timing generator integrated circuit is one of three identical timing generator integrated circuits within an electronic device, and wherein each of the three timing generator integrated circuits outputs pixel values for a different color.