Back to results
US 11,443,447 B2Granted
Three-dimensional camera system
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsYibing Michelle Wang, Kwang Oh Kim, Lilong Shi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera system. In some embodiments, the camera system includes a first laser, a camera, and a processing circuit connected to the first laser and to the camera. The first laser may be steerable, and the camera may include a pixel including a photodetector and a pixel circuit, the pixel circuit including a first time-measuring circuit.
Claims21
A camera system, comprising:
- a first laser;
- a camera;
- and
- a processing circuit connected to the first laser and to the camera, the first laser being steerable,
- the camera comprising a pixel connected to a readout line, the pixel comprising a photodetector and a pixel circuit, the pixel circuit comprising a sensing circuit connected between the photodetector and the readout line to output a signal corresponding to light detected by the photodetector to a node between the sensing circuit and the readout line, and a first time-measuring circuit comprising a digital converter circuit connected to the node to output a time of flight measurement according to a pulse of light detected by the photodetector,
- wherein a readout circuit is connected to the readout line to receive the signal from the pixel circuit via the readout line, and
- wherein the first time-measuring circuit is connected between the node and the readout circuit via a separate line different from the readout line to provide the output of the digital converter circuit to the readout circuit via the separate line.
4 more elements
A method for measuring positions with a camera system,
- the camera system comprising:
- a first laser;
- and
- a camera,
- the camera comprising a pixel connected to a readout line, the pixel comprising a photodetector and a pixel circuit,
- the pixel circuit comprising a sensing circuit connected between the photodetector and the readout line to output a signal corresponding to light detected by the photodetector to a node between the sensing circuit and the readout line, and a first time-measuring circuit comprising a digital converter circuit connected to the node to output a time of flight measurement according to a pulse of light detected by the photodetector, the first time-measuring circuit having a precision of 10 ns,
- the method comprising:
- illuminating a first object with the first laser;
- measuring a distance to the first object using triangulation according to the signal;
- determining that the first object is more distant than a threshold distance;
- illuminating the first object with a flash;
- and
- measuring the distance to the first object using a direct time of flight measurement according to the output of the digital converter circuit,
- wherein a readout circuit is connected to the readout line to receive the signal from the pixel circuit via the readout line, and
- wherein the first time-measuring circuit is connected between the node and the readout circuit via a separate line different from the readout line to provide the output of the digital converter circuit to the readout circuit via the separate line.
12 more elements
A camera system, comprising:
- a first laser;
- a camera;
- and
- means for processing connected to the first laser and to the camera,
- the first laser being steerable,
- the camera comprising a pixel connected to a readout line, the pixel comprising a photodetector and a pixel circuit,
- the pixel circuit comprising a sensing circuit connected between the photodetector and the readout line to output a signal corresponding to light detected by the photodetector to a node between the sensing circuit and the readout line, and a first time-measuring circuit comprising a digital converter circuit connected to the node to output a time of flight measurement according to a pulse of light detected by the photodetector, the first time-measuring circuit having a precision of 10 ns,
- wherein a readout circuit is connected to the readout line to receive the signal from the pixel circuit via the readout line, and
- wherein the first time-measuring circuit is connected between the node and the readout circuit via a separate line different from the readout line to provide the output of the digital converter circuit to the readout circuit via the separate line.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.