An imaging method includes acquiring one or more passive light images of a scene. A region of interest in the scene is identified based on the one or more passive light images. One or more illumination zones of a plurality of illumination zones that collectively cover the region of interest is determined. Each illumination zone is sized according to active illumination emitted from a steerable illumination source. For a determined illumination zone of the one or more illumination zones, the illumination zone is individually illuminated with the active illumination from the steerable illumination source. For a pixel of a sensor array that maps to the illumination zone, a depth value of an object locus in the scene reflecting the active illumination back to the pixel is determined.

An imaging method includes acquiring one or more passive light images of a scene. A region of interest in the scene is identified based on the one or more passive light images. One or more illumination zones of a plurality of illumination zones that collectively cover the region of interest is determined. Each illumination zone is sized according to active illumination emitted from a steerable illumination source. For a determined illumination zone of the one or more illumination zones, the illumination zone is individually illuminated with the active illumination from the steerable illumination source. For a pixel of a sensor array that maps to the illumination zone, a depth value of an object locus in the scene reflecting the active illumination back to the pixel is determined.

Image processing includes obtaining image I[0,0] of a picture captured by an image capture means, in a state where light is irradiated to the picture from a light source at a reference position relative to a normal line of the picture, obtaining image I[α1,0] of the picture captured by an image capture means, in a state where the light is irradiated to the picture from the light source at a position inclined from the reference position at an angle α1 in the first direction, obtaining image I[0, β1] of the picture captured by an image capture means, in a state where the light is irradiated to the picture from the light source at a position inclined by an angle β1 from the reference position in a second direction different from the first direction, creating a three-dimensional map of the picture, using a set of images I[0, β1] and I[0, β2], merging at least a part of each of image I[α1,0], image I[0,β1], and image I[0,β2] with respect to image I[0,0], and recording as two-dimensional image data the image subjected to the emphasizing process.

An image processing device includes a rotation processor and an image processor. The rotation processor receives an input image and generates a temporary image according to the input image. The image processor is coupled to the rotation processor and outputs a processed image according to the temporary image, wherein the image processor has a predetermined image processing width, a width of the input image is larger than the predetermined image processing width, and a width of the temporary image is less than the predetermined image processing width.

An image processing device includes a rotation processor and an image processor. The rotation processor receives an input image and generates a temporary image according to the input image. The image processor is coupled to the rotation processor and outputs a processed image according to the temporary image, wherein the image processor has a predetermined image processing width, a width of the input image is larger than the predetermined image processing width, and a width of the temporary image is less than the predetermined image processing width.

Indirect time-of-flight (i-ToF) image sensor pixels, i-ToF image sensors including such pixels, stereo cameras including such image sensors, and sensing methods to obtain i-ToF detection and phase detection information using such image sensors and stereo cameras. An i-ToF image sensor pixel may comprise a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel including a photodiode, a single microlens covering the plurality of sub-pixels and a read-out circuit for extracting i-ToF phase signals of each sub-pixel individually.

A unified imaging device used for detecting and classifying objects in a scene including motion and micro-vibrations by receiving a plurality of images of the scene captured by an imaging sensor of the unified imaging device comprising a light source adapted to project on the scene a predefined structured light pattern constructed of a plurality of diffused light elements, classifying object(s) present in the scene by visually analyzing the image(s), extracting depth data of the object(s) by analyzing position of diffused light element(s) reflected from the object(s), identifying micro-vibration(s) of the object(s) by analyzing a change in a speckle pattern of the reflected diffused light element(s) in at least some consecutive images and outputting the classification, the depth data and data of the one or more micro-vibrations which are derived from the analyses of images captured by the imaging sensor and are hence inherently registered in a common coordinate system.

A unified imaging device used for detecting and classifying objects in a scene including motion and micro-vibrations by receiving a plurality of images of the scene captured by an imaging sensor of the unified imaging device comprising a light source adapted to project on the scene a predefined structured light pattern constructed of a plurality of diffused light elements, classifying object(s) present in the scene by visually analyzing the image(s), extracting depth data of the object(s) by analyzing position of diffused light element(s) reflected from the object(s), identifying micro-vibration(s) of the object(s) by analyzing a change in a speckle pattern of the reflected diffused light element(s) in at least some consecutive images and outputting the classification, the depth data and data of the one or more micro-vibrations which are derived from the analyses of images captured by the imaging sensor and are hence inherently registered in a common coordinate system.

Provided is a 3D depth sensing system and method of providing an image based on a hybrid sensing array. The 3D sensing system including a light source configured to emit light, a hybrid sensing array comprising a 2D sensing region configured to detect ambient light reflected from an object and a 3D depth sensing region configured to detect the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object, a metalens on the hybrid sensing array, the metalens being configured to direct the ambient light reflected from the object towards the 2D sensing region, and to direct the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object towards the 3D depth sensing region, and a processing circuit configured to combine 2D image information provided by the 2D sensing region and 3D information provided by the 3D depth sensing region to generate a combined 3D image.

Provided is a 3D depth sensing system and method of providing an image based on a hybrid sensing array. The 3D sensing system including a light source configured to emit light, a hybrid sensing array comprising a 2D sensing region configured to detect ambient light reflected from an object and a 3D depth sensing region configured to detect the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object, a metalens on the hybrid sensing array, the metalens being configured to direct the ambient light reflected from the object towards the 2D sensing region, and to direct the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object towards the 3D depth sensing region, and a processing circuit configured to combine 2D image information provided by the 2D sensing region and 3D information provided by the 3D depth sensing region to generate a combined 3D image.