Three-dimensional time-of-flight sensors for a transportation system
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsChang Myung Ryu, Frederic Morestin, Xiaoyong Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining space occupancy and performing volumetric measurement of a transportation system using a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor array are provided. In the method and apparatus, the TOF sensor array, which is mounted in a transportation system and includes a plurality of TOF sensors, outputs a plurality of distance measurements made by the plurality of TOF sensors, respectively. In the method and apparatus, a map of one or more objects positioned in the transportation system is generated based on the plurality of distance measurements. The map is output for display to a user by a display.
Claims18
A system, comprising:
- a first time-of-flight (TOF) sensor array including a plurality of first TOF sensors, a first TOF sensor of the plurality of first TOF sensors being configured to measure a distance between the first TOF sensor and one or more objects positioned in a transportation system and in a field of view of the first TOF sensor and output data representative of the distance measurement;
- a controller, communicatively coupled to the first TOF sensor array, configured to:
- receive a plurality of distance measurements made by the plurality of first TOF sensors, respectively;
- generate, based on the plurality of distance measurements, a three-dimensional (3-D) map of the one or more objects positioned in a transportation system;
- and
- output data representative of the 3-D map;
- an output device, communicatively coupled to the controller, configured to:
- receive the data representative of the 3-D map;
- and
- display the 3-D map;
- and
- a second TOF sensor array, mounted on a side wall of the transportation system and communicatively coupled to the controller, the second TOF sensor array including a plurality of second TOF sensors, a second TOF sensor of the plurality of second TOF sensors being configured to measure a lateral distance between the second TOF sensor and the one or more objects positioned in the transportation system and output the lateral distance measurement.
A method, comprising:
- measuring, by a first time-of-flight (TOF) sensor of a plurality of first TOF sensors of a first TOF sensor array, a distance between the first TOF sensor and one or more objects positioned in a transportation system and in a field of view of the first TOF sensor;
- outputting, by a first TOF sensor, data representative of the distance measurement;
- receiving, by a controller communicatively coupled to the first TOF sensor array, a plurality of distance measurements made by the plurality of first TOF sensors, respectively;
- generating, by the controller, a three-dimensional (3-D) map of the one or more objects positioned in the transportation system based on the plurality of distance measurements;
- outputting, by the controller, the 3-D map;
- receiving, by a display communicatively coupled to the controller, the 3-D map;
- displaying, by the display, the 3-D map;
- and
- measuring, by a second TOF sensor of a plurality of second TOF sensors of a second TOF sensor array, a lateral distance between the second TOF sensor and the one or more objects positioned in the transportation system and outputting the lateral distance measurement.
A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
- receive a plurality of distance measurements made by a plurality of first time-of-flight (TOF) sensors, respectively, of a first TOF sensor array, the first TOF sensor array being mounted in a transportation system, and a distance measurement of the plurality of distance measurements being between a respective first TOF sensor of the plurality of first TOF sensors and one or more objects positioned in the transportation system;
- receive a plurality of lateral distance measurements made by a plurality of second TOF sensors, respectively, of a second TOF sensor array, the second TOF sensor array being mounted on a side wall of the transportation system, and a lateral distance measurement of the plurality of lateral distance measurements being between a respective second TOF sensor of the plurality of second TOF sensors and the one or more objects positioned in the transportation system;
- generate a three-dimensional (3-D) map of one or more objects positioned in the transportation system based on the plurality of distance measurements and the plurality of lateral distance measurements;
- and
- output the 3-D map for display by a display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.