Abstract: An imager with a slew rate control circuit that uses multiple digital control signals to control the rising and falling slew rates of boosted signals, such as transistor gate signals, and/or supply voltages used by an imager or other device. By using digital signals, the invention provides slew rate control that is less affected by power supply, temperature and process variations.

Abstract: An imager having special light shielded, optically black pixels in each row of the imager's pixel array. Ideally, the optically black pixels should only output black pixel and reset signals. Since the optically black pixels of each row experience the same row-wise noise as the active pixels in the associated row, the optically black signals are used as reference signals to cancel out the row-wise noise, from reset and pixel signals, seen in a particular row.