Patent ID: 7106915

Claim:
A read-out circuit for reading out pixel signals from a pixel array of an image sensor, comprising: a row select register coupled with a pixel array to select first and second rows in the pixel array; a first column select register coupled with a first group of columns in the first row and the second row and a second column select register coupled with a second group of columns in the first row and the second row; a first multiplexer to read out pixels in the first group of columns and a second multiplexer to read out pixels in the second group of columns; and drive circuitry to control pixel readout, the drive circuitry configured to read out pixels in the first group of columns in the first row in a first readout period while pixels in the second group of columns in the first row are addressed, read out pixels in the second group of columns in the first row in a second readout period while pixels in the first group of columns in the second row are addressed, wherein the second readout period is contiguous and non-overlapping with the first readout period, and read out pixels in the first group of columns in the second row in a third readout period while pixels in the second group of columns in the second row are addressed, wherein the third readout period is contiguous and non-overlapping with the second readout period.