Column averaging/row binning circuit for image sensor resolution adjustment in lower intensity light environment

Abstract

A photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus is in communication with an array of image photo-sensors that are organized in columns and rows and have multiple sensor types arranged in a pattern such as a Bayer pattern to detect light. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus has a photo-sensor array decimation circuit to partition the array of image photo-sensors into a plurality of sub-groups. A column averaging circuit averages the light conversion electrical signals from common color photo-sensors within the sub-groups. A row averaging circuit averages the common color adjacent light conversion electrical signals from color adjacent rows within the sub-groups in high light intensity condition. In low light conditions, a row binning circuit integrates the common color adjacent light conversion electrical signals from color adjacent rows within the sub-groups.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor resolution adjustment An apparatus in communication with an array of sensors, wherein said array of sensors is organized in arrangements having a first dimension and a second dimension and has a plurality of sensor types arranged in a pattern to detect a phenomena and convert said phenomena to a conversion electrical signal, whereby each sensor type detects unique attributes of said phenomena, said sensor resolution adjustment apparatus adjusting sensor resolution for reception of the phenomena and comprising:
 a sensor array decimation circuit in communication with said array of sensors to partition said array of sensors into a number of designated sub-groups, each designated sub-group comprising any number of the sensors of the array of sensors and to generate partition control signals identifying addresses of said designated sub-groups, said number of sub-groups and the number of sensors per sub-group being determined by the pattern of the sensor types; 
 a first dimensionalan averaging circuit in communication with said array of sensors to receive said conversion electrical signals and in communication with said sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals, from said partition control signals selecting the designated sub-groups and comprising one from an array of sensors having multiple dimensions, wherein the array of sensors is partitioned into multiple designated sub-groups comprising any number of sensors, wherein said sub-groups and the number of sensors per sub-group being determined by a pattern of sensor types associated with the array of sensors, and wherein the averaging circuit comprises a first averaging device for averaging said to average conversion electrical signals from the any number of sensors detecting common attributes from the first dimension of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors for a first dimension of the designated sub-groups to generate first dimensional averaged electrical signals of said first dimension of for each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors and a second averaging device to selectively average said averaged electrical signals for a second dimensions of the designated sub-groups based on an intensity of light received by the array of sensors; and 
 a second dimensional binning circuit:
 in communication with said first dimensional averaging circuit to receive said first dimensional averaged electrical signals of each designated sub-group of sensors that detect said common attributes arranged on said first dimension within each sub-group of the array of sensors, and 
 in communication with said sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals and comprising an integration device that is based on the partition control signals to selectively integrate said first dimensional averaged electrical signals for sensors having said common attributes on the second dimension of each of said plurality the second dimension of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors to selectively generate second dimensional binning electrical signals for said second dimension of said designated sub-group of sensors having common attributes of said array of sensors based on the intensity of light received by the array of sensors. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an addressing, timing, anda control processor circuit in communication with the sensor array decimation circuit, the first dimensional averaging circuit and the second dimensional binning circuit to generate addressing, timing, control, and select signals to coordinate generation of the conversion electrical signals from the designated sub-groups of the array of sensors, averaging of the conversion electrical signals from selected sensors within said sub-group to generate the first dimensional averaged electrical signals, selectively binning of the first dimensional averaged electrical signals from selected sensors within said designated sub-group to generate the second dimensional binning electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       3. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of claim  2  1 further comprising a sample and hold circuit connected to the array of sensors to sample and hold the conversion electrical signals from selected sensors for transfer to said averaging circuit and in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals for sampling and holding said conversion electrical signals. 
     
     
       4. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the second dimensional binning circuit further comprises:
 a signal integrator that to additively combines combine said first dimensional averaged electrical signals for sensors having said common attributes on the second dimension of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors to selectively generate said second dimensional binning electrical signals for said second dimension of said designated sub-group of sensors having common attributes of said array of sensors. 
 
     
     
       5. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said signal integrator comprises:
 a sampling capacitor in communication with said first dimensional averaging circuit to receive and sample said first dimensional averaged electrical signals; 
 an operational amplifier in communication with said sampling capacitor to receive and amplify the sample of said first dimensional averaged electrical signals; and  
 a feedback capacitor connected to transfer an accumulation signal integrating said first dimensional averaged electrical signals for sensors having said common attributes on the second dimension of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors from an output of said operational amplifier to an input of said operational amplifier such that said accumulation signal and a current first dimensional averaged signal of one grouping of said second dimension of said sensors having said common attributes on the second dimension of each of said designated sub-group of said array of sensors are is additively combined with at least one of the averaged electrical signals from a sub-group to generate at least one of said second dimensional binning electrical signal signals. 
 
     
     
       6. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said signal integrator further comprises:
 a first sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said first dimensional averaging circuit to control said sampling of said first dimension averaged electrical signals; 
 a second sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said operational amplifier to control additively combining of said first dimensional averaged electrical signals and the accumulation signal; and 
 a feedback capacitor reset switch in communication between a top and a bottom plate of the feedback capacitor to remove said second dimensional binning electrical signals at completion of said additive combining of said first dimensional averaged electrical signals for sensors having said common attributes on the second dimension of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors. 
 
     
     
       7. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said signal integrator further comprises an amplifier connected to selectively receive one of a group of electrical signals consisting including at least one of the conversion electrical signals, the second dimensional averaging electrical signals, and the second dimensional binned electrical signals wherein the signal integrator is configured to amplify and condition said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
     
     
       8. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of claim  2  1 wherein the first dimensional averaging circuit comprises:
 a first plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the conversion electrical signal from the sensors of an associated sensor of the array of sensors on the first dimension signals; and 
 a first plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the electrical signal from an adjacent sensor on said first dimension to selectively transfer said conversion electrical signal signals from said correspondingly adjacent sensor sensors to a first selected said averaging capacitor such that the electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent sensors are averaged, each of said first plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals capacitors, and to selectively connect one said averaging capacitors to average the conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of sensors on the first dimension. 
 
     
     
       9. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first dimensional averaging circuit further comprises:
 a second plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the conversion electrical signal from the sensors of an associated sensor of the array of sensors on the first dimension; and 
 a second plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the conversion electrical signals from an adjacent sensor on said second dimension to selectively transfer said conversion electrical signal signals from said correspondingly adjacent sensor sensors to a selected said second averaging capacitor to average the electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent sensors, each of said second plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to selectively connect said second plurality of averaging capacitors to average the conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of sensors on the second dimension. 
 
     
     
       10. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 1  of wherein the first dimension of the array of sensors is a column of said sensors and the second dimension of the array of sensors is a row of said sensors further comprising a decimation circuit to partition said array of sensors into said multiple designated sub-groups. 
     
     
       11. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said sensors are active pixel sensors, said phenomena is light impinging upon said array of sensors converts said light to the conversion electrical signal, and said pattern is a Bayer pattern. 
     
     
       12. The sensor resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of source follower circuits, each source follower connected to receive one of said conversion electrical signals, said first dimensional averaged electrical signals, and said second dimensional binned electrical signals to isolate said received one of said conversion electrical signals, said first dimensional averaged electrical signals, and said second dimensional binned electrical signals from effects of a parasitic capacitor present at an output bus of said sensor resolution adjustment circuit. 
 
     
     
       13. A photo-sensor image resolution adjustment An apparatus in communication with an array of image photo-sensors, wherein said array of image photo-sensors is organized in columns and rows and has a plurality of sensor types arranged in a pattern to detect light and convert said light to a light conversion electrical signal, whereby each sensor type detects unique colors of said light, said photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus adjusting sensor resolution for reception of the light and comprising:
 a photo-sensor array decimation circuit in communication with said array of image photo-sensors to partition said array of image photo-sensors into a number of designated sub-groups, each designated sub-group comprising any number of the image photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors and to generate partition control signals identifying addresses of said designated sub-groups, said number of designated sub-groups and the number of image photo-sensors per designated sub-group being determined by the pattern of the image photo-sensor types; 
 a column averaging circuit in communication with said array of image photo-sensors to receive said light conversion electrical signals and in communication with said photo-sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals, from said partition control signals selecting the designated sub-groups and from an array of image photo-sensors partitioned into multiple designated sub-groups comprising any number of sensors, wherein said sub-groups and the number of image photo-sensors per sub-group being determined by a pattern of image photo-sensor types associated with the array of image photo-sensors, and wherein the averaging circuit comprising one an averaging device for averaging to average said light conversion electrical signals from the any number of photo-sensors detecting common colors from the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to generate column averaged electrical signals of said columns of said designated sub-group of said array of image photo-sensors; 
 a row averaging circuit to selectively average said column averaged electrical signals for rows of each of designated sub-groups based on an intensity of light received by the array of image photo-sensors; and 
 a row binning circuit:
 in communication with said column averaging circuit to receive said column averaged electrical signals of each sub-group of photo-sensors that detect said common colors arranged on said columns within each sub-group of the array of image photo-sensors, and 
 in communication with said photo-sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals and comprising an integration device that based on the partition control signals integrates to selectively integrate said column averaged electrical signals for the any number of photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to selectively generate row binning electrical signals of said rows of said designated sub-group of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of image photo-sensors based on the intensity of light received by the array of image photo-sensors. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 an addressing, timing, anda control processor circuit in communication with the photo-sensor array decimation circuit, the column averaging circuit and the row binning circuit to provide addressing, timing, control, and select signals to coordinate generation of the light conversion electrical signals from the designated sub-groups of the array of image photo-sensors, averaging of the light conversion electrical signals from selected sensors within said designated sub-group to generate the column averaged electrical signals and binning of the column averaged electrical signals from selected photo-sensors within said designated sub-group to generate the row binning electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       15. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of claim  14  13  further comprising a sample and hold circuit connected to the array of image photo-sensors to sample and hold the light conversion electrical signals from selected photo-sensors for transfer to said column averaging circuit and in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals for sampling and holding said light conversion electrical signals. 
     
     
       16. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of claim  14  13 wherein the column averaging circuit comprises:
 a first plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo sensor of each of a designated sub-grouping of photo-sensors having a common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns signals; and 
 a first plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the electrical signal from an adjacent photo-sensor on said columns to selectively transfer said light conversion electrical signal signals from said correspondingly adjacent photo-sensor photo-sensors to a first selected averaging capacitor to average the conversion electrical signals from an attached photo-sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said first plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals capacitors, and to selectively connect one said averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns. 
 
     
     
       17. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the column averaging circuit further comprises:
 a second plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensor of each of the designated sub-groupings having the common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns signals; and 
 a second plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the light conversion electrical signals from the adjacent photo-sensor on said rows to selectively transfer said light conversion electrical signal signals from said correspondingly adjacent photo-sensor photo-sensors to a selected second averaging capacitor to average the electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said second plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals capacitors, and to selectively connect said second averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the rows. 
 
     
     
       18. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the row binning circuit comprises:
 a signal integrator that to additively combines combine said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors to selectively generate said row binning electrical signals for said rows of said designated sub-group of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       19. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said signal integrator comprises:
 a sampling capacitor in communication with said column averaging circuit to receive and sample said column averaged electrical signals; 
 an operational amplifier in communication with said sampling capacitor to receive and amplify the sampling sample of said column averaged electrical signals; 
 a feedback capacitor connected to transfer a row accumulation signal integrating said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors from an output of said operational amplifier to an input of said operational amplifier such that said row accumulation signal and a current column averaged signal of one row of said rows of said photo-sensors having said common color on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors are is additively combined with at least one of said column averaged signals to generate at least one of said row binning electrical signal signals. 
 
     
     
       20. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the signal integrator further comprises:
 a first sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said column averaging circuit to control said sampling of said column electrical signals; 
 a second sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said operational amplifier to control additively combining of said column averaged electrical signals and the row accumulation signal; and 
 a feedback capacitor reset switch in communication between a top and a bottom plate of the feedback capacitor to remove said row binning electrical signals at completion of said additive combining of said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common color on the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       21. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising:
 a plurality of source follower circuits, each source follower connected to receive one of said light conversion electrical signals, said column averaged electrical signals, and said row binning electrical signals, and to isolate said light conversion electrical signals, said column averaged electrical signals, and said row binning electrical signals from effects of a parasitic capacitor present at an output bus of said photo-sensor image resolution adjustment circuit. 
 
     
     
       22. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said photo-sensors are active pixel sensors and said light is impinging upon said array of active pixel sensors to convert the light to the light conversion electrical signal. 
     
     
       23. The photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the row binning circuit further comprises an amplifier connected to selectively receive one of a group of electrical signals consisting including at least one of the light conversion electrical signals, the column averaging electrical signals, and the row binning electrical signals, wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify and condition said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
     
     
       24. An image photo-sensing device comprising:
 an array of image photo-sensors organized in columns and rows and having a plurality of sensor types arranged in a pattern to detect light and convert said light to a light conversion electrical signal, whereby each sensor type detects unique colors of said light; and 
 a photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus in communication with the array of image photo-sensors for adjusting sensor resolution for reception of the light of said array of photo-sensors, said photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus comprising:
 a photo-sensor array decimation circuit in communication with said array of image photo-sensors to partition said array of image photo-sensors into a number of designated sub-groups each designated sub-group comprising any number of the image photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors and to generate partition control signals identifying addresses of said sub-groups, said number of designated sub-groups and the number of image photo-sensors per designated sub-group being determined by the pattern of the image photo-sensor types, 
 a column averaging circuit in communication with said array of image photo-sensors to receive said light conversion electrical signals and in communication with said photo-sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals, from said partition control signals selecting the designated sub-groups and comprising one averaging device for averaging said light conversion electrical signals from the any number of photo-sensors detecting common colors from the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to generate column averaged electrical signals of said columns of said designated sub-group of said array of image photo-sensors, and 
 a row binning circuit:
 in communication with said column averaging circuit to receive said column averaged electrical signals of each sub-group of photo-sensors that detect said common colors arranged on said columns within each sub-group of the array of image photo-sensors, and 
 in communication with said photo-sensor array decimation circuit to receive said partition control signals and comprising an integration device that based on the partition control signals integrates said column averaged electrical signals for the any number of photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to selectively generate row binning electrical signals of said rows of said designated sub-group of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of image photo-sensors. 
 
 
 
     
     
       25. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 24  wherein the photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus further comprises:
 an addressing, timing, and control processor circuit in communication with the photo-sensor array decimation circuit, the column averaging circuit, and the row binning circuit to provide addressing, timing, control, and select signals to coordinate generation of the light conversion electrical signals from the designated sub-groups of the array of image photo-sensors, averaging of the light conversion electrical signals from selected sensors within each of said designated sub-group to generate the column averaged electrical signals, and selectively binning of the column averaged electrical signals from selected photo-sensors within each of said designated sub-group to generate the row binning electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       26. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 25  wherein the photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus further comprises a sample and hold circuit connected to the array of image photo-sensors to sample and hold the light conversion electrical signals from selected photo-sensors for transfer to said averaging circuit and in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals for sampling and holding said light conversion electrical signals. 
     
     
       27. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 25  wherein the column averaging circuit comprises:
 a first plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensors of a designated sub-grouping of photo-sensors photo sensors having a common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a first plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the electrical signal from an adjacent photo-sensor on said columns to selectively transfer said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a first selected averaging capacitor to average the conversion electrical signals from an attached photo-sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said first plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to selectively connect one said averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns. 
 
     
     
       28. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 27  wherein the column averaging circuit further comprises:
 a second plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensor of each of the designated sub-grouping having the common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a second plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the light conversion electrical signals from the adjacent photo-sensor on said rows to selectively transfer said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a selected second averaging capacitor to average the electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said second plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to selectively connect said second averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the rows. 
 
     
     
       29. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 24  wherein the photo-sensor image resolution adjustment apparatus wherein the row binning circuit comprises:
 a signal integrator that additively combines said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors to selectively generate said row binning electrical signals for said rows of said designated sub-group of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       30. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 29  wherein said signal integrator comprises:
 a sampling capacitor in communication with said column averaging circuit to receive and sample said column averaged electrical signals; 
 an operational amplifier in communication with said sampling capacitor to receive and amplify the sampling of said column averaged electrical signals; 
 a feedback capacitor connected to transfer a row accumulation signal integrating said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors from an output of said operational amplifier to input of said operational amplifier such that said row accumulation signal and a current column averaged signal of one row of said rows of said photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors are additively combined to generate said row binning electrical signal. 
 
     
     
       31. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 30  wherein the signal integrator further comprises:
 a first sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said column averaging circuit to control said sampling of said column electrical signals; 
 a second sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said operational amplifier to control additively combining of said column averaged electrical signals and the row accumulation signal; and 
 a feedback capacitor reset switch in communication between a top and a bottom plate of the feedback capacitor to remove said row binning electrical signals at completion of said additive combining said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common color on the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       32. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 24  wherein said photo-sensors are active pixel sensors, said light is impinging upon said array of active pixel sensors to convert the light to the light conversion electrical signal, and said pattern is a Bayer pattern. 
     
     
       33. The image photo-sensing device of  claim 24  wherein the row binning circuit further comprises an amplifier connected to selectively receive one of a group of electrical signals consisting of the light conversion electrical signals, the column averaging electrical signals, and the row binning electrical signals to amplify and condition said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
     
     
       34. A method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution comprising the steps of:
 providing an array of image photo-sensors, wherein said array of image photo-sensors is organized in columns and rows and has a plurality of sensor types arranged in a pattern to detect light and convert said light to a light conversion electrical signal, whereby each sensor type detects unique colors of said light; 
 partitioning said an array of image photo-sensors into a number of designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors, said number of designated sub-groups and the a number of image photo-sensor per designated sub-group being determined by the pattern of the image photo-sensor types; 
 providing partition control signals for addresses designating each of said sub-groups; 
 column averaging said light conversion electrical signals from photo-sensors detecting common colors from the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors from based on said partition control signals to create column averaged electrical signals of said columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors; and 
 selectivelybased on an intensity of light received by the array of image photo-sensors, selecting between binning or averaging said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensor with said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to generating binning electrical signals of said rows of said designated sub-group of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of image photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       35. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34  further comprising the steps of:
 providing addressing, timing, control, and select signals to coordinatecoordinating the generation of the light conversion electrical signals from the designated sub-groups of the array of image photo-sensors,; 
 coordinating the averaging of the light conversion electrical signals from selected sensors within each of said designated sub-groups to generate the column averaged electrical signals; and 
 coordinating the binning of the column averaged electrical signals from selected photo-sensors within each of said designated sub-groups to generate the row binningoutput electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       36. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34  further comprising the steps of:
 sampling and holding the light conversion electrical signals from selected photo-sensors for averaging; and 
 providing timing, control, and select signals for sampling and holding said light conversion electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       37. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34 , wherein selectively the binning is accomplished by a row binning circuit, said row binning circuit further comprising:
 a signal integrator that additively combines combining said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors to selectively generate said row binning output electrical signals for said rows of said designated sub-groups of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       38. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 37 , wherein said signal integrator comprises additively combining further comprising:
 a sampling capacitor connected to receive and samplesampling said column averaged electrical signals; 
 an operational amplifier in communication with said sampling capacitor to receive and amplifyamplifying the sampling of said column averaged electrical signals; 
 a feedback capacitor connected to transfer a row accumulation signal integrating said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors from an output of said operational amplifier to input of said operational amplifier such that said to generate a row accumulation signal; and a current column averaged signal of one row of said rows of said photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors are additively combined combining said row accumulation signal and column averaged electrical signals to generate said row binning output electrical signal. 
 
     
     
       39. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 38  wherein the signal integrator further comprises:
 a first sampling switch in communication with said sampling capacitor and to control said sampling of said column electrical signals; 
 a second sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said operational amplifier to control additively combining of said column averaged electrical signals and the row accumulation signal; and 
 a feedback capacitor reset switch in communication between a top and a bottom plate of the feedback capacitor to remove comprising removing said row binning output electrical signals at completion of said additive combining said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       40. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34 , wherein the column averaging is accomplished by a column averaging circuit, said column averaging circuit further comprising:
 a first plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receivereceiving the light conversion electrical signal from the photo sensor of each of the designated sub-groups of photo-sensors having a common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a first plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the electrical signal from an adjacent photo-sensor on said columns to selectively transfer said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a first selected averaging capacitor to average the conversion electrical signals from an attached photo-sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said first plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to selectively connect one said coupling averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns. 
 
     
     
       41. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 40 , wherein the column averaging circuit further comprises comprising:
 a second plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensor each of the designated sub-groupings having the common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a second plurality of averaging switches connected to receivereceiving the light conversion electrical signals from the adjacent photo-sensor photo-sensors on said rows to;  
 selectively transfer transferring said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a selected second averaging capacitor to average the light conversion electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said second plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to; and  
 selectively connect said second averaging capacitors to average averaging the light conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the rows. 
 
     
     
       42. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34 , wherein said photo-sensors are active pixel sensors and said light is impinging upon said array of active pixel sensors to convert the light to the light conversion electrical signal. 
     
     
       43. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34  further comprising the step of amplifying and conditioning one of a group of electrical signals consisting including at least one of the light conversion electrical signals, the column averaging electrical signals, and or the row binning output electrical signals to amplify and condition said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
     
     
       44. The method for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 34  further comprising the steps of:
 isolating said light conversion electrical signals, said column averaged electrical signals and said row binning output electrical signals from effects of a parasitic capacitor. 
 
     
     
       45. An apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution comprising:
 means for providing an array of image photo-sensors, wherein said array of image photo-sensors is organized in columns and rows and has a plurality of sensor types arranged in a pattern to detect light and convert said light to a light conversion electrical signal, whereby each sensor type detects unique colors of said light; 
 means for partitioning said an array of image photo-sensors into a a number of designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors; 
 means for providing partition control signals for addresses designating each of said sub-groups; 
 means for column averaging said light conversion electrical signals from photo-sensors detecting common colors from the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors from based on said partition control signals to create column averaged electrical signals of said columns of said designated sub-group of said array of image photo-sensors; and 
 means for selectively selecting between binning or averaging said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors with said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of image photo-sensors to generating binning generate output electrical signals of said rows of each of said designated sub-groups of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of image photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       46. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45  further comprising:
 means for providing addressing, timing, control, and select signals to coordinate coordinating generation of the light conversion electrical signals from the designated sub-groups of the array of image photo-sensors, averaging of the light conversion electrical signals from selected, sensors within each of said designated sub-groups to generate the column averaged electrical signals and binning of the column averaged electrical signals from selected photosensors within each of said designated sub-groups to generate the row binning output electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       47. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 46  further comprising:
 means for sampling and holding the light conversion electrical signals from selected photo-sensors for averaging; and 
 means for providing timing, control, and select signals for sampling and holding said light conversion electrical signals. 
 
     
     
       48. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45  wherein means for selectively binning comprises a row binning circuit, said row binning circuit further comprising:
 a signal integrator that additively combines combining said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors to selectively generate said row binning output electrical signals for said rows of each of said designated sub-groups of photo-sensors having common colors of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       49. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 48 , wherein said signal integrator comprises additively combining further comprising:
 a sampling capacitor connected to receive and samplemeans for sampling said column averaged electrical signals; 
 an operational amplifier in communication with said sampling capacitor to receive and amplifymeans for amplifying the sampling of said column averaged electrical signals; and  
 a feedback capacitor connected to transfer a row accumulation signal integrating said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of sensors from an output of said operational amplifier to input of said operational amplifier such that said to generate a row accumulation signal and a current column averaged signal of one row of said rows of said photo-sensors having said common colors on the rows of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors are, wherein the means for additively combined combining said row accumulation signal and column averaged electrical signals is configured to generate said row binning output electrical signal. 
 
     
     
       50. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 49  wherein the signal integrator further comprises:
 a first sampling switch in communication with said sampling capacitor and to control said sampling of said column electrical signals; 
 a second sampling switch in communication between said sampling capacitor and said operational amplifier to control additively combining of said column averaged electrical signals and the row accumulation signal; and 
 a feedback capacitor reset switch in communication between a top and a bottom plate of the feedback capacitor to remove comprising means for removing said row binning output electrical signals at completion of said additive combining said column averaged electrical signals for photo-sensors having said common colors on the columns of each of said designated sub-groups of said array of photo-sensors. 
 
     
     
       51. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 48  wherein the row binning circuit further comprises an amplifier connected to comprising:
 means for selectively receive one of a group of receiving electrical signals consisting including at least one of the light conversion electrical signals, the column averaging electrical signals, and the row binning output electrical signals to; and  
 amplify and conditionmeans for amplifying said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
 
     
     
       52. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45  wherein means for column averaging comprises a column averaging circuit, said column averaging circuit further comprising:
 a first plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receivemeans for receiving the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensor of each of the designated sub-groupings having a common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a first plurality of averaging switches connected to receive the electrical signal from an adjacent photo-sensor on said columns to selectively transfer said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a first selected averaging capacitor to average the conversion electrical signals from an attached photo-sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said first plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control and select signals tomeans for selectively connect one saidcoupling averaging capacitors to average the light conversion electrical signals of said associated photo-sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns. 
 
     
     
       53. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 52  wherein the means for column averaging circuit further comprises comprising:
 a second plurality of averaging capacitors, each averaging capacitor connected to receive the light conversion electrical signal from the photo-sensor of each of the designated sub-groupings having the common color of the array of image photo-sensors on the columns; and 
 a second plurality of averaging switches connected to receivemeans for receiving the light conversion electrical signals from the adjacent photo-sensor photo-sensors on said rows to; 
 means for selectively transfer transferring said electrical signal from said adjacent photo-sensor to a selected second averaging capacitor to average the light conversion electrical signals from an attached sensor and the adjacent photo-sensors, each of said second plurality of averaging switches in communication with said addressing, timing, and control processor circuit to receive said timing, control, and select signals to; and 
 means for selectively connect said second averaging capacitors to average averaging the light conversion electrical signals of said associated sensors of the array of image photo-sensors on the rows. 
 
     
     
       54. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45 , wherein said photo-sensors are active pixel sensors and said light is impinging upon said array of active pixel sensors to convert the light to the light conversion electrical signal. 
     
     
       55. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45  further comprising means for amplifying and conditioning one of a group of electrical signals consisting including at least one of the light conversion electrical signals, the column averaging electrical signals, and or the row binning output electrical signals to amplify and condition said selected electrical signals for external processing. 
     
     
       56. The apparatus for adjusting photo-sensor image resolution of  claim 45  further comprising:
 a means for isolating said light conversion electrical signals, said column averaged electrical signals and row binned output electrical signals from effects of a parasitic capacitor. 
 
     
     
       57. A device comprising:
 an image sensor array arranged in a row-column format and partitioned into multiple designated sub-groups based, at least in part, on a pattern of sensor types associated with the image sensor array, wherein the image sensor array is configured to capture image data; and   a readout control device configured to average image data from sensors in at least one column of the designated sub-groups, and to select between binning or averaging the averaged image data in at least one row of the designated sub-groups based on an intensity of light received by the image sensor array.   
     
     
       58. The device of claim 57, wherein the readout control device further comprising:
 a column control device configured to average the image data from sensors in at least one column of the designated sub-groups; and   a row binning device configured to selectively bin the averaged image data in at least one row of the designated sub-groups.   
     
     
       59. The device of claim 58, wherein the column control device further comprising an averaging device to average the image data from sensors in at least one column of the designated sub-groups. 
     
     
       60. The device of claim 58, wherein the row binning device further comprising an integration device to selectively integrate the averaged image data in the rows of the designated sub-groups. 
     
     
       61. The device of claim 57, wherein the readout control device further comprising a partition device to generate partition signals, and where the column control device is configured to define the designated sub-groups of the image sensor array based on the partition signals. 
     
     
       62. A method comprising:
 identifying a first subset of image sensors in an image sensor array based on a pattern of image sensor types in the image sensor array;   averaging image data captured by image sensors having a common color in the first subset of image sensors; and   selecting between binning or averaging the averaged image data based on an intensity of light received by the image sensor array.   
     
     
       63. The method of claim 62, wherein the averaging of image data captured by image sensors is performed in columns of the first subset of image sensors. 
     
     
       64. The method of claim 62, wherein the binning of the averaged image data and the averaging of the averaged image data is performed in rows of the first subset of image sensors. 
     
     
       65. The method of claim 62, wherein the binning of the averaged image data further comprising integrating the averaged image data in response to a low light intensity being received by the image sensor array. 
     
     
       66. The method of claim 62, further comprising averaging the averaged image data in response to a high light intensity being received by the image sensor array. 
     
     
       67. A system comprising:
 an image sensor array arranged in a row-column format and partitioned into multiple designated sub-groups based, at least in part, on a pattern of sensor types associated with the image sensor array, wherein the image sensor array is configured to capture image data;   means for averaging image data from sensors in at least one column of the designated sub-groups; and   means for selecting between binning or averaging the averaged image data in at least one row of the designated sub-groups based on an intensity of light received by the image sensor array.   
     
     
       68. The device of claim 67, wherein the means for averaging further comprising an averaging device to average the image data from sensors in at least one column of the designated sub-groups. 
     
     
       69. The device of claim 67 further comprising means for binning the averaged image data in the rows of the designated sub-groups in response to a low light intensity being received by the image sensor array. 
     
     
       70. The device of claim 67 further comprising:
 means for generating partition signals; and   means for partitioning the image sensor array into the designated sub-groups based on the partition signals.   
     
     
       71. The device of claim 67 further comprising means for averaging the averaged image data in at least one row of the designated sub-groups in response to a high light intensity being received by the image sensor array.