# US 10,321,115 B2 · Three-dimensional depth sensor

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- Number: US 10,321,115 B2
- Document ID: US10321115B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/828,838
- Filed: 2017-12-01
- Published: 2018-06-07
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-02
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Weiming Li; Mingcai Zhou; Ya Lu; Chun Wang; Myungjae Jeon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321115B2

## CPC

- H04N 13/271: wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
- G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters}
- G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone}
- G01S 17/36: with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
- G01S 17/894: Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
- G02B 5/201: {in the form of arrays}
- G02B 5/208: {for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation}
- G02B 27/0977: {Reflective elements}
- H04N 13/254: in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
- H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
- H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) depth sensor may include: a plurality of light sources configured to irradiate light to an object, the light having different center wavelengths; an optical shutter configured to allow reflected light reflected from the object to pass through; and an image sensor configured to filter the reflected light having passed through the optical shutter and detect the filtered light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A three-dimensional (3D) depth sensor comprising:
a plurality of light sources configured to irradiate light to an object, the light having different center wavelengths;
an optical shutter configured to allow reflected light reflected from the object to pass through; and
an image sensor configured to filter the reflected light having passed through the optical shutter and detect the filtered light,
wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to control intensity and a center wavelength of the light irradiated therefrom based on a magnitude of a driving voltage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise a first light source, a second light source, and a third light source, and the first through third light sources are configured to simultaneously irradiate the light having the different center wavelengths.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 2, wherein differences between the different center wavelengths of the light irradiated from the first through third light sources are between 10 nm and 1,000 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 3, wherein the different center wavelengths of the light irradiated from the first through third light sources are between 800-900 nm, between 900-1,000 nm, and between 1,000-1,100 nm, respectively.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 1, wherein the optical shutter comprises areas configured to respectively allow the reflected light having the different center wavelengths to pass through, the light having been irradiated from the plurality of light sources and reflected from the object.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 5, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise a first light source, a second light source, and a third light source which are configured to respectively irradiate the light having the different center wavelengths, and the optical shutter comprises a first area, a second area, and a third area which are respectively configured to allow light having different wavelengths to pass through, the different wavelengths corresponding to the different center wavelengths of the light irradiated from the first through third light sources.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 6, wherein the first through third areas of the optical shutter each have a same shape based on a surface of the optical shutter on which the reflected light is incident.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 7, wherein the first through third areas have a substantially same area size as each other.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 6, wherein the first through third areas of the optical shutter have different shapes from each other based on a surface of the optical shutter on which the reflected light is incident.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 9, wherein the first through third areas have a substantially same area size as each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 9, wherein the first area has a circular shape, the second area has a first ring shape surrounding the first area, and the third area has a second ring shape surrounding the second area.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The 3D depth sensor of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the plurality of light sources, the optical shutter, and the image sensor.