Optical sensor device and method for operating a time-of-flight sensor

A method for operating a time-of-flight sensor, comprising:

• providing, by a device via a first read-out node, first photo-generated charge carriers from a plurality of pixels for read-out,
• the plurality of pixels including at least three pixels;
• providing, by the device via a second read-out node, second photo-generated charge carriers successively from one or more of the plurality of pixels for read-out;
• enabling, by a first transfer gate of the device, a read-out of a first pixel, of the plurality of pixels, using the first read-out node;
• disabling, by a second transfer gate of the device, a read-out of a second pixel, of the plurality of pixels, via the first read-out node during the read-out of the first pixel;
• disabling, by a third transfer gate of the device, a read-out of a third pixel, of the plurality of pixels, via the first read-out node during the read-out of the first pixel;
• and
• controlling, by the device, the first transfer gate, the second transfer gate, and the third transfer gate to perform a successive read-out of the plurality of pixels,
• each remaining pixel, of the plurality of pixels, being disabled for read-out via the first read-out node when one of the plurality of pixels is enabled for read-out via the first read-out node.

An optical sensor device, comprising:

• a pixel array having at least three pixels;
• a first read-out node configured to provide first photo-generated charge carriers from the at least three pixels for read-out;
• a second read-out node configured to provide second photo-generated charge carriers from the at least three pixels for read-out,
• the second photo-generated charge carriers being different from first the photo-generated charge carriers,
• each pixel, of the at least three pixels, comprising a first transfer gate configured to provide the first photo-generated charge carriers from a first storage region of each of the at least three pixels to the first read-out node,
• each pixel, of the at least three pixels, comprising a second transfer gate configured to provide the second photo-generated charge carriers from a second storage region of each of the at least three pixels to the second read-out node,
• the first storage region being configured to store the first photo-generated charge carriers derived from an electromagnetic signal having a first phase, and
• the second storage region being configured to store the second photo-generated charge carriers derived from the electromagnetic signal having a second phase;
• and
• a controller configured to control transfer gates of the at least three pixels connected to the first read-out node such that when one of the at least three pixels connected to the first read-out node is enabled for read-out, remaining pixels, of the at least three pixels, connected to the first read-out node are disabled for read-out to perform a successive read-out of the at least three pixels connected to the first read-out node.