Projector for active stereo depth sensors
AssigneeSony Group Corporation
InventorsAnders Grunnet-Jepsen, Akihiro Takagi, John N. Sweetser, Paul Winer
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Abstract
Systems, devices, and techniques related to projecting dynamic feature patterns onto a scene for use in stereoscopic imaging are discussed. Such techniques may include implementing a dynamic transmissive element in an optical path between a projector and the scene to modify a static pattern emitted from the projector to illuminate the scene with a dynamic pattern.
Claims23
A stereoscopic imaging device comprising:
- a projector to project a pattern toward a scene;
- a lens moveably mounted in an optical path between the projector and the scene, wherein a lens mount of the lens is within the optical path, wherein the lens comprises a wedge portion having a wedge angle, and wherein the lens being moveably mounted in the optical path comprises the wedge portion of the lens being moveable within the optical path;
- and
- a controller to signal movement of the lens during illumination of the scene by the pattern,
- wherein, in any moveable position of the lens, the wedge portion always remains in the optical path between the projector and the scene.
A stereoscopic imaging device comprising:
- an infrared (IR) projector to project a static IR pattern toward a scene;
- a dynamic transmissive IR element in an IR path between the IR projector and the scene, wherein the dynamic transmissive IR element has a transmissive medium and is configured to transmit the static IR pattern through the transmissive medium and temporally modify the static IR pattern;
- a controller to signal the dynamic transmissive IR element during illumination of the scene;
- and
- first and second image capture devices to attain image data corresponding to the scene as illuminated by the temporally modified IR pattern,
- wherein the static IR pattern is a first two-dimensional IR pattern, and
- wherein the temporally modified IR pattern is a second two-dimensional IR pattern that is distinct from the first two-dimensional IR pattern.
A non-transitory machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that, in response to being executed on a device, cause the device to perform stereoscopic imaging by:
- controlling an infrared (IR) projector to project a static IR pattern toward a scene;
- controlling a dynamic transmissive IR element in an IR path between the IR projector and the scene, wherein the dynamic transmissive IR element has a transmissive medium and is configured to transmit the static IR pattern through the transmissive medium and temporally modify the static IR pattern;
- and
- capturing, via first and second image capture devices, image data corresponding to the scene as illuminated by the IR pattern,
- wherein the static IR pattern is a first two-dimensional IR pattern, and
- wherein the temporally modified IR pattern is a second two-dimensional IR pattern that is distinct from the first two-dimensional IR pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.