Global shutter image sensor with time-of-flight sensing capability

An apparatus (20) for optical sensing includes a first matrix (36) of optical sensing elements (40) arranged on a semiconductor substrate (41). A second matrix of storage nodes is arranged on the substrate such that respective first and second storage nodes (SNs) in the second matrix are disposed in proximity to each of the sensing elements within the first matrix. A switching circuit (45) is coupled to each of the sensing elements to transfer photocharges to the respective first and second storage nodes. A control circuit (22) controls the switching circuit in a depth sensing mode such that during a series of detection cycles, each of the sensing elements and a first adjacent sensing element are connected together to the respective first storage node during a first detection interval, and during a second detection interval, each of the sensing elements and a second adjacent sensing element are connected to the respective second storage node during a second detection interval. And each of the sensing elements