Optoelectronic sensor with shuffled readout

Abstract

An integrated circuit suitable for use as a multi-spectral image array sensor ( ) comprises an array of pixels ( ) for sensing radiation of different wavelengths e.g. different colours. The array has at least one row of cells containing a plurality of series (R,G) of pixels which series are interspersed with each other. Each series consists essentially of pixels ( ) for sensing radiation of substantially the same wavelength e.g. the same colour. At least two horizontal shift registers ( ) are provided, each register being coupled to pixels ( ) of a respective one of the plurality of series (R,G) of pixels so as to enable the outputs from the pixels of each series to be read out consecutively at an array output ( ). In a preferred embodiment the pixels ( ) are preferably arranged in a Bayer matrix of Red, Green and Blue pixels and two interleaved shift registers ( ) are provided for reading out the pixel outputs for each colour consecutively, in each row. In an alternative embodiment, an address decode system ( ) is used to read out the pixel outputs instead of horizontal shift registers. The integrated circuit may be provided in a camera head ( ) and/or in a solid state camera system ( ) incorporating a signal processor ( ) for demultiplexing the pixel outputs into a plurality of channels e.g. different colour channels (R, G, B).