US Patent 7408140 Pixel with spatially varying metal route positions

A method for configuring an image sensor including an array of pixels having an optical center, each pixel of the array including a metal segment disposed in a second metal layer and an interlayer connect element coupled between the metal segment and a first metal layer. The method includes modeling a base pixel configuration for each pixel of the array, the base pixel configuration including the metal segment at a first position in the second metal layer, and the first interlayer connect element at a second position which is coincident with the first position. The method further includes, for each pixel of the array, determining a shift distance for the pixel based on a distance of the pixel from the optical center, determining a direction of the pixel from the optical center, shifting the metal segment from the first position toward the optical center by the shift distance, shifting the interlayer connect element from the second position toward the optical center by the shift distance if the pixel is in a first direction from the optical center, and maintaining the via at the second position and providing a span element to couple the metal segment at the shifted location to the interlayer connect element if the pixel is on a second direction from the optical center.