Patent ID: 8817153

Claim:
A method of operating an image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels, comprising: with a first input of a data converting circuit, receiving first signals from a first image sensor pixel in the plurality of image sensor pixels via a first output line; with a second input of the data converting circuit, receiving second signals from a second image sensor pixel in the plurality of image sensor pixels via a second output line; with the data converting circuit, simultaneously sampling the first and second signals; during a first phase, converting the first sampled signals with the data converting circuit; during a second phase that is different than the first phase, converting the second sampled signals with the data converting circuit, wherein simultaneously sampling the first and second signals comprises: with a first capacitor in the data converting circuit, receiving the first signals from the first output line, and with a second capacitor in the data converting circuit, receiving the second signals from the second output line, wherein the data converting circuit further includes a comparator that is coupled to the first capacitor through a first switch and that is coupled to the second capacitor through a second switch; with the comparator, receiving the first sampled signals from the first capacitor through the first switch while the second switch is inactive; and with the comparator, receiving the second sampled signals from the second capacitor through the second switch while the first switch is inactive.