Apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus has an illumination layer having an array of a plurality of illuminators, and a circuit layer having one or more drivers for controlling the plurality of illuminators. The laser layer and the circuit layer overlap at least partially, and each driver of the one or more drivers controls at least one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an illumination layer including an array of a plurality of illuminators; and   a circuit layer including one or more drivers for controlling the plurality of illuminators; wherein
 the illumination layer and the circuit layer overlap at least partially; and wherein 
 each driver of the one or more drivers controls at least one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the illuminator includes a Vertical Cavity Emitting Laser. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the illumination layer and the circuit layer are stacked to each other.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein
 the illumination layer is grown onto a support substrate and the circuit layer is stacked on the illumination layer or wherein the circuit layer is grown on the support substrate and the illumination layer is stacked on the circuit layer.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit layer includes a plurality of drivers for controlling the plurality of illuminators; and wherein
 illuminators of the plurality of illuminators are arranged in a first row and a second row, and   a first driver of the plurality of drivers is configured to control the illuminators of the first row, and a second driver of the plurality of drivers is configured to control the illuminators of the second row.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 each driver of the one or more drivers is configured to control one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators, or wherein each driver of the one or more drivers is configured to control a subset of illuminators of the plurality of illuminators.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a first optical element configured to adjust light emitted by at least one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators which is controlled by a first driver of the plurality of drivers, and   a second optical element configured to adjust light emitted by at least one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators which is controlled by a second driver of the plurality of drivers.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image sensor, and   circuitry configured to control the image sensor and the one or more drivers.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to sequentially drive at least a subset of drivers of the one or more drivers, thereby providing a zone shutter procedure. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the circuitry and the image sensor is further configured to control pixels in a zone of the image sensor on which a current region of interest is imaged to integrate light detection signals. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform a calibration procedure. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 illuminating, with illumination light originating from an illuminator apparatus, a scene, and acquiring an image of the scene; wherein   the illuminator apparatus comprises:
 an illumination layer including an array of a plurality of illuminators, and 
 a circuit layer including one or more drivers for controlling the plurality of illuminators, wherein 
 the illumination layer and the circuit layer overlap at least partially, and wherein 
 each driver of the one or more drivers controls at least one illuminator of the plurality of illuminators. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying regions of the image, based on illumination light detected.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 illuminating a first part of the scene corresponding to a first region of the image at a first time,   acquiring an image of the scene at a second time,   illuminating a second part of the scene corresponding to a second region of the image at a third time, and   acquiring an image of the scene at a fourth time.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising integrating light detection signals of pixels in a zone of the image sensor on which the current region of interest is imaged. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 performing an image processing procedure on a region of a first image while acquiring a second image.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 integrating, during image acquisition, a light detection signal of a first region of the image for a longer time than a light detection signal of a second region of the image.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 integrating, during image acquisition, a light detection signal of a region of the image until an amount of illumination light detected reaches a threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 integrating, during image acquisition, a light detection signal of a first region of the image, while not integrating a light detection signal of a second region of the image.