Patent ID: 7460165

Claim:
A photo sensor array comprising: a plurality of sensors, each sensor including: an active area portion adapted to detect light and having a cross shape and a first surface area; and a support hardware area portion having a rectangular shape and a second surface area that is smaller than the first surface area; and a reference sensor; wherein, the plurality of sensors are separated into: a first set of sensors sized and arranged such that: the support hardware area portion of each sensor of the first set adjoins the active area portion of the sensor along a first concavity of the cross shape; and the first set of sensors tile a first region of the photo sensor array so that the active area portions of the sensors of the first set are aligned to a regular rectangular grid; and a second set of sensors sized and arranged such that: the support hardware area portion of each sensor of the second set adjoins the active area portion of the sensor along a second concavity of the cross shape; the second set of sensors tile a second region of the photo sensor array so that the active area portions of the sensors of the second set are aligned to the regular rectangular grid; the second region of the photo sensor array adjoins the first region of the photo sensor array such that at least one freed area that does not include the support hardware area portion of any sensor of the first set or the support hardware area portion of any sensor of the second set is formed between the first region and the second region of the photo sensor array, each freed area having the rectangular shape and the second surface area; and the reference sensor is formed in the at least one freed area.