Gated sensor based imaging system with minimized delay time between sensor exposures

A passive imaging system comprising:

• at least one image sensor comprising an array of photodetectors, configured to receive radiation emitted or reflected from objects located in a region to be imaged, and to convert said received radiation into an image,
• wherein each frame of said image comprises a plurality of gating cycles, each of said gating cycles comprising a respective exposure period of said image sensor, and wherein a delay-time (TDELAY) is defined as the duration between the sensor exposure periods of successive gating cycles;
• and
• a controller, coupled with said image sensor, said controller configured to control the operation of said image sensor, and to minimize said delay-time (TDELAY) for at least one gating cycle of an image frame, wherein said delay-time (TDELAY) is adaptively determined in accordance with at least one system parameter or environmental condition.

A method for active imaging, the method comprising the procedures of:

• emitting a series of light pulses toward a region of interest, using at least one light source;
• detecting the reflections of said pulses reflected from objects located in at least one depth of field (DOF) to be imaged, and converting said reflections into an image, using at least one image sensor,
• wherein each frame of said image comprises a plurality of gating cycles, each of said gating cycles comprising the emission of a respective pulse of said series of light pulses, and the reception of reflections of said respective pulse by said image sensor, and wherein a delay-time (TDELAY) is defined as the duration between the sensor exposure periods of successive gating cycles;
• and
• minimizing said delay-time (TDELAY) for at least one gating cycle of an image frame, wherein said delay-time (TDELAY) is adaptively determined in accordance with at least one system parameter or environmental condition.

A method for passive imaging, the method comprising the procedures of:

• receiving radiation emitted or reflected from objects located in a region to be imaged, and converting said received radiation into an image, using at least one image sensor,
• wherein each frame of said image comprises a plurality of gating cycles, each of said gating cycles comprising a respective exposure period of said image sensor, and wherein a delay-time (TDELAY) is defined as the duration between the sensor exposure periods of successive gating cycles;
• and
• minimizing said delay-time (TDELAY) for at least one gating cycle of an image frame, wherein said delay-time (TDELAY) is adaptively determined in accordance with at least one system parameter or environmental condition.