Patent ID: 7541568

Claim:
An image sensor with functions of repairing column readout circuits comprising: a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel column groups; a column readout circuit array comprising: a plurality of column readout circuit groups, set in a row along a first direction, each column readout circuit group of the plurality of column readout circuit groups is individually coupled to a pixel column group of the pixel array in order and comprises a specific number of column readout circuits for reading out pixel values of each pixel column of the pixel column group, respectively; and a redundant column readout circuit group, set on a first side of the plurality of column readout circuit groups along the first direction, comprising a plurality of redundant column readout circuits, the number of the plurality of redundant column readout circuits is equal to the specific number; an addressing unit for generating a repair control signal according to a location of a first column readout circuit group of the plurality of column readout circuit groups in the column readout circuit array when column readout circuits of the first column readout circuit group have defects; and a repair unit, coupled to the pixel array, the column readout circuit array and the addressing unit, for switching all pixel column groups, originally coupled to column readout circuit groups starting from the first column readout circuit group along the first direction, to individually couple to column readout circuit groups starting from a second column readout circuit group along the first direction and the redundant column readout circuit group in order according to the repair control signal, wherein the second column readout circuit group is a column readout circuit group next to the first column readout circuit group along the first direction.