Patent ID: 7821555

Claim:
A method for amplifying a pixel signal, comprising: generating said pixel signal in a pixel; sampling said pixel signal from said pixel in a sample and hold circuit; selecting a first amplifier from a first plurality of amplifiers to receive and amplify said pixel signal, wherein each amplifier of said first plurality of amplifiers has a different gain and approximately equal settling time; outputting said pixel signal from said sample and hold circuit to said first amplifier; amplifying said pixel signal with said first amplifier; selecting a second amplifier from a second plurality of amplifiers to receive and amplify said pixel signal from said first amplifier, wherein each amplifier of said second plurality of amplifiers has a different gain and approximately equal settling time, and wherein each of said second plurality of amplifiers is selectively configurable to receive said pixel signal from any of said first plurality of amplifiers; and further amplifying said pixel signal with said second amplifier, wherein at least one non-selected amplifier of one of said first and second pluralities of amplifiers is powered off.