Systems, methods, and media for asynchronous single photon depth imaging with improved precision in ambient light

A method for determining depths, comprising:

• causing a light source to emit a plurality of pulses of light toward a scene point at a plurality of regular time intervals each corresponding to one of a plurality of light source cycles, each light source cycle corresponds to B time bins;
• causing a detector to enter, at a first time corresponding to a time bin j where 1≤j≤B, a first acquisition window during which the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons,
• wherein the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons, and in response to a photon detection event, enter a dead time during which the detector is inhibited from detecting arrival of photons;
• causing the detector to enter, at a second time corresponding to a time bin k where 1≤k≤B and k≠j, a second acquisition window during which the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons;
• recording a multiplicity of photon arrival times determined using the detector;
• associating each of the multiplicity of photon arrival times with a time bin i where 1≤i≤B;
• and
• estimating a depth of the scene point based on
• a number of photon detection events at each time bin, and
• a denominator corresponding to each time bin.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for determining depths, comprising:

• causing a light source to emit a plurality of pulses of light toward a scene point at a plurality of regular time intervals each corresponding to one of a plurality of light source cycles, each light source cycle corresponds to B time bins;
• causing a detector to enter, at a first time corresponding to a time bin j where 1≤j≤B, a first acquisition window during which the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons,
• wherein the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons, and in response to a photon detection event, enter a dead time during which the detector is inhibited from detecting arrival of photons;
• causing the detector to enter, at a second time corresponding to a time bin k where 1≤k≤B and k≠j, a second acquisition window during which the detector is configured to detect arrival of individual photons;
• recording a multiplicity of photon arrival times determined using the detector;
• associating each of the multiplicity of photon arrival times with a time bin i where 1≤i≤B;
• and
• estimating a depth of the scene point based on
• a number of photon detection events at each time bin, and
• a denominator corresponding to each time bin.