Selective reading in colour filter arrays having smallest repeating units with different sub-units

An imaging system comprising:

• an image sensor comprising:
• a plurality of photo-sensitive cells arranged on a photo-sensitive surface of the image sensor;
• and
• a colour filter array comprising a plurality of smallest repeating units, wherein:
• a given smallest repeating unit comprises at least a first sub-unit and a second sub-unit,
• the first sub-unit comprises colour filters of at least three different colours,
• the second sub-unit comprises at least one other colour filter that allows to pass through at least one of:
• (i) at least three wavelengths corresponding to respective ones of the at least three different colours, (ii) at least one infrared wavelength;
• and
• at least one processor configured to:
• read out image data from the image sensor, wherein when reading out, the at least one processor is configured to:
• selectively read out the image data from those photo-sensitive cells in a first region of the photo-sensitive surface that correspond to respective first sub-units of smallest repeating units in the first region;
• and
• selectively skip reading out from those photo-sensitive cells in a second region of the photo-sensitive surface that correspond to respective first sub-units of at least a first predefined percent of smallest repeating units in the second region;
• and
• process the image data to generate at least one image,
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
• obtain information indicative of a gaze direction of a user;
• and
• determine the first region and the second region in the photo-sensitive surface of the image sensor, based on the gaze direction,
• wherein the second region surrounds the first region.