US 12,225,304 B2
Expanded image sensor pixel array
Nicholas Paul Cowley, Wroughton (GB); and Andrew David Talbot, Chieveley (GB)
Assigned to SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed by SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/660,860.
Prior Publication US 2023/0353896 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/63 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 25/63 (2023.01) [H01L 27/14609 (2013.01); H01L 27/14636 (2013.01); H01L 27/14643 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor comprising:
a first integrated circuit die including an image sensor pixel array having active pixels and non-active pixels arranged in a number of pixel columns; and
a second integrated circuit die mounted to the first integrated circuit die, the second integrated circuit die including pixel readout circuitry having a number of readout paths fewer than the number of pixel columns, wherein a first set of the pixel columns in the image sensor pixel array are coupled to the readout paths in the pixel readout circuitry via column lines, the first set of pixel columns including first non-active pixels coupled to at least some of the readout paths in the pixel readout circuitry, and wherein a second set of the pixel columns in the image sensor pixel array are decoupled from the pixel readout circuitry, the second set of pixel columns including second non-active pixels decoupled from the pixel readout circuitry.