System for depth data filtering based on amplitude energy values

An electronic device comprising:

• a time of flight (ToF) camera to capture one or more raw depth images;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine a depth frame from the one or more raw depth images, the depth frame comprising an array of pixels, each pixel of the depth frame having a depth value;
• determine an amplitude frame from the one or more raw depth images, the amplitude frame comprising an array of pixels, each pixel of the amplitude frame having an amplitude energy value;
• determine a first energy threshold value based on the amplitude energy values of the pixels of the amplitude frame;
• and
• determine, for each pixel of the array of pixels of the amplitude frame, a corresponding confidence value representing a corresponding validity of a depth represented by the depth value of a corresponding pixel of the depth frame, based on a comparison of the amplitude energy value of the corresponding pixel of the amplitude frame to the first energy threshold value;
• filter the array of pixels of the amplitude frame based on the confidence values;
• and
• identify spatial features in imagery captured by a visible light camera of the electronic device of the electronic device based on the filtered array of pixels.

A method for determining a depth of each of one or more spatial features in imagery captured by a visible light camera of an electronic device using one or more processors of the electronic device, the method comprising:

• capturing one or more raw depth images using a depth sensor of the electronic device;
• determining, by one or more processors of the electronic device, a depth frame comprising pixels from the one or more raw depth images, the pixels of the depth frame having depth values representing a depth of the pixel;
• determining, by the one or more processors of the electronic device, an amplitude frame comprising pixels from the one or more raw depth images, the pixels of the amplitude frame having amplitude values representing a brightness of the pixel;
• determining, by the one or more processors of the electronic device, a threshold based on the amplitude values of the pixels of the amplitude frame;
• identifying the depth value of a first pixel of the depth frame as valid and using the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame for determining the depth of the one or more spatial features when the amplitude value of a corresponding first pixel of the amplitude frame is above the threshold;
• and
• identifying the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame as invalid and excluding the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame from use for determining the depth of the one or more spatial features when the amplitude value of the corresponding pixel of the amplitude frame is not above the threshold.

An electronic device for determining a depth of each of one or more spatial features the electronic device comprising:

• a visible light camera for capturing imagery including the one or more spatial features;
• a depth sensor for capturing one or more raw depth images;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• determine a depth frame comprising pixels from the one or more raw depth images, the pixels of the depth frame having depth values representing a depth of the pixel;
• determine an amplitude frame comprising pixels from the one or more raw depth images, the pixels having amplitude values representing a brightness of the pixel;
• determine a threshold based on the amplitude values of the pixels of the amplitude frame;
• identify the depth value of a first pixel of the depth frame as valid and using the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame for determining the depth of the one or more spatial features when the amplitude value of a corresponding first pixel of the amplitude frame is above the threshold;
• and
• identify the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame as invalid and excluding the depth value of the first pixel of the depth frame from use for determining the depth of the one or more spatial features when the amplitude value of the corresponding first pixel of the amplitude frame is not above the threshold.