Image sensor with chain-capability for multi-camera application

A method, comprising:

• illuminating, by a first illuminator associated with a first camera, a first scene of which the first camera is configured to capture;
• capturing, by a first image sensor of the first camera, a first image;
• generating, by the first image sensor, first image data;
• illuminating, by a second illuminator associated with a second camera, a second scene of which the second camera is configured to capture;
• and
• capturing, by a second image sensor of the second camera, a second image;
• generating, by the second image sensor, second image data;
• communicating, by the first and second image sensors, respective first and second illumination synchronization signals to the respective first and second illuminators, thereby causing the respective first and second illuminators to illuminate while the first and second image sensors are capturing images to generate the respective first image data and second image data;
• outputting, by each of the first and second image sensors, the respective first and second image data with corresponding rows and columns of pixel data, wherein the rows and columns of pixel data are different for the first image data and the second image data in at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of different dimensions, different pixel sizes, different pixel types, different resolutions, or operate over different spectral regions;
• communicating the first image data to the second image sensor;
• and
• outputting, by the second image sensor, a data stream inclusive of the first image data and the second image data.

A method comprising:

• illuminating, by a first illuminator associated with a first camera, a first scene of which the first camera is configured to capture;
• capturing, by a first image sensor of the first camera, a first image;
• generating, by the first image sensor, first image data;
• illuminating, by a second illuminator associated with a second camera, a second scene of which the second camera is configured to capture;
• and
• capturing, by a second image sensor of the second camera, a second image;
• generating, by the second image sensor, second image data;
• communicating, by the first and second image sensors, respective first and second illumination synchronization signals to the respective first and second illuminators, thereby causing the respective first and second illuminators to illuminate while the first and second image sensors are capturing images to generate the respective first image data and second image data;
• communicating the first image data to the second image sensor;
• and
• outputting, by the second image sensor, a data stream inclusive of the first image data and the second image data.