Cmos image sensor for rgb imaging and depth measurement with laser sheet scan

An image sensor unit, comprising:

• a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in two or more rows that extend in a first direction, at least one pixel generating two-dimensional (2D) color information of an object based on a first light reflected from the object in a field of view of the pixel array and generating 3D-depth information of the object based on a line of light reflecting from the object, the light of light being oriented in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and the line of light being scanned across the field of view of the pixel array in substantially the first direction;
• and
• a time-to-digital converter that generates the 3D-depth information based on the at least one pixel detecting the line of light being reflected from the object.

A method, comprising:

• receiving at a pixel array a line of light that is oriented in a first direction and that is scanned across a field of view of the pixel array in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• generating at a pixel of the pixel array two-dimensional (2D) color information of an object in the field of view of the pixel array based on a first light reflected from the object and three-dimensional (3D) depth information of the object based on the line of light reflecting from the object, the pixel being capable of generating 2D color information of the object and 3D-depth information of the object, the pixel array being arranged in at least one row of pixels that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the second direction, and the pixel being in a row of the pixel array.