Patent ID: 7408140

Claim:
A method of configuring an image sensor including an array of pixels having an optical center, each pixel of the array including a transistor region, a first metal segment disposed in a first metal layer on one side of the transistor region, a second metal segment disposed in the first metal layer and coupled to the transistor region, a third metal segment disposed in a second metal layer and an interlayer connect element coupled between the third metal segment and the first metal segment, the method comprising: modeling a base pixel configuration for each pixel of the array, the base pixel configuration including: the third metal segment at a first position in the second metal layer; and the interlayer connect element at a second position which is coincident with the first position; and for each pixel of the array: determining a shift distance for the pixel based on a distance of the pixel from the optical center; shifting the third metal segment from the first position toward the optical center by the shift distance to a shifted location; determining whether the first metal segment obstructs coupling between the third metal segment at the shifted location and the second metal segment; shifting the interlayer connect element from the second position toward the optical center by the shift distance if the first metal segment does not obstruct coupling between the third metal segment at the shifted location and the second metal segment; and maintaining the interlayer connect element at the second position and using a span element to couple the third metal segment at the shifted location to the interlayer connect element if the first metal segment obstructs the coupling between the third metal segment at the shifted location and the second metal segment.