Patent ID: 8493491

Claim:
A method for processing an image captured by a pixel array in an image sensor, the method comprising: transferring charge packets from the pixel array to a horizontal shift register; shifting each charge packet to a non-destructive sense node; non-destructively sensing each charge packet and producing a signal representative of a number of charge carriers in the charge packet; and for each charge packet: if the signal representative of the number of charge carriers in the charge packet indicates the charge packet will not saturate a charge multiplying horizontal shift register configured to accept charge packets from the horizontal shift register and multiply the number of charge carriers in the charge packet, directing the entire charge packet to the charge multiplying horizontal shift register, and if the signal representative of the number of charge carriers in the charge packet indicates the charge packet will saturate the charge multiplying horizontal shift register, either (i) directing the entire charge packet to bypass the charge multiplying horizontal shift register and enter a charge bypass horizontal shift register configured to accept charge packets from the horizontal shift register and shift charge packets without charge multiplication, or (ii) directing the entire charge packet to bypass the charge multiplying horizontal shift register and enter an amplifier configured to accept charge packets from the horizontal shift register and output a signal representing the number of charge carriers in the charge packet.