Image sensor with flexible interconnect capabilities

A method of operating an image sensor comprising first and second groups of image pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein the image sensor is coupled to a plurality of control circuits, the method comprising:

• sensing light with the first and second groups of image pixels;
• selectively routing control signals from a first control circuit of the plurality of control circuits to the first group of image pixels using configurable interconnect circuitry;
• selectively routing pixel output signals from the first group of image pixels to a second control circuit of the plurality of control circuits using the configurable interconnect circuitry;
• receiving selector bits at control inputs of an address generating multiplexer;
• receiving pixel address bits corresponding to a given pixel in the selected one of the first and second groups of image pixels at data inputs of the address generating multiplexer;
• and
• using the address generating multiplexer to output a selected pixel address bit of the pixel address bits based on the selector bits.

An image sensor comprising:

• a first group of image pixels that generates image signals and that is coupled to a plurality of control circuits;
• a second group of image pixels that generates image signals and that is coupled to the plurality of control circuits;
• configurable interconnect circuitry that routes signals from a selected control circuit of the plurality of control circuits to a selected one of the first and second groups of image pixels, and that routes the image signals generated by the first group of image pixels to an additional selected control circuit of the plurality of control circuits;
• and
• an address generating multiplexer having control inputs at which selector bits are received, and having data inputs at which pixel address bits corresponding to a given pixel in the selected one of the first and second groups of pixels are received, wherein the address generating multiplexer outputs a selected pixel address bit of the pixel address bits based on the selector bits.