Patent ID: 8054361

Claim:
An image sensor, comprising: a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels, organized into N selectable rows and M columns, wherein N and M are positive integers; M column output circuits, each of which can be actively coupled to pixels in the N rows in a respective column, each of said M column output circuits for respectively outputting a respective signal corresponding to a respective pixel of a selected row, said M column output circuits being organized into B blocks, B being a positive integer greater than 1, each of said B blocks comprising k of said M column output circuits, wherein k is a positive integer greater than 1 and k=M/B; B block output lines each for receiving signals from said k column output circuits of a respective block; and selection circuitry between said B block output lines and a master output line for actively coupling a single one of said B block output lines to said master output line at a time and thereby allow said k column output circuits associated with an actively coupled block output line to be actively coupled to said master output line through said selection circuitry.