SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR

An image sensor is described which provides a smoothed output without storing data from photoelectric conversion elements at off-chip data storage device(s). The image sensor includes a plurality of neuron MOSFETs and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each photoelectric conversion element corresponding to one of the plurality of neuron MOSFETS. Each neuron MOSFET has at least a primary input gate, two or more secondary input gates and an output. The primary input gate of each neuron MOSFET is coupled to its corresponding photoelectric conversion element. The secondary input gates are coupled to selected ones of the other photoelectric conversion elements. A switch is coupled to the output of each of the plurality of neuron MOSFETs. The switch selectively couples each of the plurality of neuron MOSFETs to an output of the image sensor. In order to provide edge detection, a plurality of MOSFETs are provided, each having an input coupled to a respective photoelectric conversion element. A second switch is provided to selectively couple an output of each MOSFET to an pixel output of the image sensor. When the difference between the smoothed output and pixel output changes drastically over a short distance (e.g. 2 photoelectric conversion elements), an edge is identified.