Patent ID: 8089036

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a photodiode to accumulate an image charge; a storage transistor to store the image charge; a transfer transistor coupled between the photodiode and an input of the storage transistor to selectively transfer the image charge from the photodiode to the storage transistor; an output transistor coupled to an output of the storage transistor to selectively transfer the image charge to a readout node; a reset transistor coupled to the readout node; a controller configured to apply a negative voltage to a gate of the storage transistor before activating the gate of the storage transistor to store the image charge; a first select transistor coupled between the transfer transistor and the storage transistor to selectively transfer the image charge from the transfer transistor to the storage transistor; and a second select transistor coupled between the readout node and a circuit node between the transfer transistor and the first select transistor, the controller further configured to reset the photodiode by activating the transfer transistor, the second select transistor, and the reset transistor.