Aggregation of active pixel sensor signals

An image sensor, comprising:

• a plurality of active pixel sensors arranged into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each active pixel sensor including
• a photo sensor configured to generate a sensor signal nominally indicative of an intensity of light incident on the photosensor;
• a follower-type amplifier configured to provide a buffered sensor signal based on the sensor signal;
• and
• sensor output selection circuitry configured to selectively couple the buffered sensor signal to an output of the active pixel sensor when the row to which the active pixel sensor belongs is selected based on one of a set of row select signals corresponding to that row;
• for each column, a column line coupling together the outputs of the active pixel sensors that belong to that column and terminating in a column node for that column;
• row select signal generating circuitry configured to generate the set of row select signals to select a corresponding set of plural particular rows such that each active pixel sensor in the selected corresponding set of particular rows provides the buffered sensor signal for that active pixel sensor to the column line for the column to which that active pixel sensor belongs;
• and
• column select signal generating circuitry configured to generate a set of column select signals to substantially simultaneously select a corresponding set of plural particular columns such that the column node for each column in the selected corresponding set of plural particular columns is substantially simultaneously coupled to an output node of the image sensor.

A method of controlling a group of active pixel sensors comprising:

• for each of a plurality of particular subgroups of the group of active pixel sensors,
• controlling the collection of active pixel sensors such that buffered sensor signals of the active pixel sensors of the particular subgroup are substantially simultaneously coupled to an output node to provide a collective output signal for the particular subgroup;
• and
• recording, at the output node, an indication of the collective output signal.

A camera, comprising:

• an image sensor that includes
• a plurality of active pixel sensors arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each active pixel sensor including
• a photosensor configured to generate a sensor signal nominally indicative of an intensity of light incident on the photosensor;
• a follower-type amplifier configured to provide a buffered sensor signal based on the sensor signal;
• and
• sensor output selection circuitry configured to selectively couple the buffered sensor signal to an output of the active pixel sensor when the row to which the active pixel sensor belongs is selected based on a row select signal corresponding to that row;
• for each column, a column line coupling together the outputs of the active pixel sensors that belong to that column;
• row select signal generating circuitry configured to generate the row select signals to substantially simultaneously select a set of plural particular rows such that each of the active pixel sensors in the selected set of plural particular rows substantially simultaneously provides the buffered sensor signal for that active pixel sensor to the column line for the column to which that active pixel sensor belongs, such that an output node of each column line indicates a collective output signal for the active pixel sensors in the selected set of plural particular rows, belonging to that column;
• column select signal generating circuitry configured to generate column select signals to substantially simultaneously select a set of columns such that the collective output signal for each column in the selected set of columns is substantially simultaneously provided to an output node of the image sensor;
• a controller configured to control the row select signal generating circuitry and the column select signal generating circuitry;
• and
• a memory configured to store signals provided at the output node of the image sensor.