Pixel array with shared readout circuitry

Abstract

A pixel array comprises a plurality of photo-sensitive elements arranged in rows and columns and readout circuitry for reading a value of a photo-sensitive element. Shared readout circuitry is provided for a pair of adjacent photo-sensitive elements. Adjacent instances of the shared readout circuitry are staggered with respect to one another. For a layout having shared readout circuitry for a pair of photo-sensitive elements, adjacent instances of the shared readout circuitry are offset by a horizontal distance of one column and a vertical distance of one row of the array. The shared readout circuitry can serve a pair of adjacent photo-sensitive elements in a row or column of the array, or a pair of photo-sensitive elements which are diagonally adjacent in the array. An improved yield and symmetry results from staggering instances of the shared readout circuitry.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.