Patent ID: 8098316

Claim:
An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels overlaid with a color filter pattern of at least two colors having the same color on every other pixel in one direction; four or more charge-coupled devices for receiving charge from the plurality of pixels, wherein the four or more charge-coupled devices are oriented parallel to the one direction with each charge-coupled device having first and second gates for shifting charge through the charge-coupled device and all first gates are electrically connected together and all second gates are electrically connected together; and CCD-to-CCD transfer gates disposed between adjacent charge-coupled devices for transferring charge between the charge-coupled devices, wherein the first gate of a charge-coupled device is disposed on one side of a respective CCD-to-CCD transfer gate and the second gate of a charge-coupled device adjacent to the respective CCD-to-CCD transfer gate is disposed on an opposite side of the respective CCD-to-CCD transfer gate; and wherein all CCD-to-CCD transfer gates are electrically connected together.