Patent ID: 7511866

Claim:
An image sensor, comprising: a row of first color sensors capable of sensing a first color light and of generating a plurality of first sub-pixels; and a row of second color sensors capable of sensing a second color light and of generating a plurality of second sub-pixels; a row of third color sensors capable of sensing a third color light and of generating a plurality of third sub pixels; wherein a position of the row of second color sensors is offset from a position of the row of first color sensors such that a distance between a first end of an effective sensing area of a first color sensor and a first end of an effective sensing area of a corresponding second color sensor in the linear direction of the image sensor is a first length greater than zero, and wherein a length of the first color sensor and a length of the second color sensor are the same; wherein a position of the row of third color sensors is offset from the position of the row of second color sensors such that the distance between a first end of an effective sensing area of each third color sensor and a first end of an effective sensing area of a corresponding second color sensor in the linear direction of the image sensor is a second length greater than zero; wherein each first color sensor of the first row of color sensors is coupled to three pixel outputs, each of the three pixel outputs coupled to a different combination of one of two second color sensors that overlap the first color sensor and one of two third color sensors that overlap the first color sensor; and wherein each second color sensor and third color sensor that are coupled to the same pixel output also overlap each other.