US 11,629,949 B2Granted

Light distribution for active depth systems

AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated

InventorsAlbrecht Johannes Lindner, Kalin Mitkov Atanassov, Stephen Michael Verrall

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Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for structured light depth systems. An example active depth system may include a receiver to receive reflections of transmitted light and a transmitter including one or more light sources to transmit light in a spatial distribution. The spatial distribution of transmitted light may include a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points. A first density of the first plurality of light points is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points when a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution and the center of the second region.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An active depth system, comprising:

a receiver to receive reflections of transmitted light;
and
a transmitter including an array of light sources, the array of light sources configured to transmit light in a spatial distribution including a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points, the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a first set of pre-defined points of a plurality of pre-defined points for determining first depth information based on reflected light points, and the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a second set of pre-defined points of the plurality of pre-defined points for determining second depth information based on the reflected light points, wherein:
a first density of the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources;
and
a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and the center of the second region.

3 more elements

A method of performing active depth measurement, comprising:

transmitting, by a transmitter including an array of light sources, light in a spatial distribution including a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points, the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a first set of pre-defined points of a plurality of pre-defined points for determining first depth information based on reflected light points, and the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a second set of pre-defined points of the plurality of pre-defined points for determining second depth information based on the reflected light points, wherein:
a first density of the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources;
and
a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and the center of the second region;
and
receiving, by a receiver, reflections of the transmitted light.

3 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more programs containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, by a transmitter including an array of light sources, light in a spatial distribution including a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points, the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a first set of pre-defined points of a plurality of pre-defined points for determining first depth information based on reflected light points, and the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a second set of pre-defined points of the plurality of pre-defined points for determining second depth information based on the reflected light points, wherein:
a first density of the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources;
and
a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and the center of the second region;
and
receiving, by a receiver, reflections of the transmitted light.

3 more elements

An active depth system, comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, by a transmitter including an array of light sources, light in a spatial distribution including a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points, the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a first set of pre-defined points of a plurality of pre-defined points for determining first depth information based on reflected light points, and the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution including at least a second set of pre-defined points of the plurality of pre-defined points for determining second depth information based on the reflected light points, wherein:
a first density of the first plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources;
and
a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution transmitted by the array of light sources and the center of the second region;
and
receiving, by a receiver, reflections of the transmitted light.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/958,651Filed 20 Apr 2018
Published: US 2019/0323827 A124 Oct 2019
Granted: 18 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G01B 11/22
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques: for measuring depth
G01B 11/2513
By projecting a pattern, e.g. one or more lines, moiré fringes on the object: with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g.…
G01B 11/25
For measuring contours or curvatures: by projecting a pattern, e.g. one or more lines, moiré fringes on the object
G02B 27/0944
Using specific optical elements: diffractive optical elements, e.g. gratings, holograms