Patterned illumination for three dimensional imaging
Assigneeams International AG
InventorsMiguel Bruno Vaello Paños, David Stoppa, Stephan Beer, Thomas Jessenig
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Abstract
A method of operating a time-of-flight system includes projecting a light pattern from an illumination source into an environment; by an array of light sensors of a time-of-flight sensor of the time-of-flight system, detecting the light pattern reflected by an object in an environment; and generating a signal based on the light detected by a subset of the light sensors of the array of light sensors, the signal being provided to one or more processors for generation of a representation of the environment.
Claims19
A method of operating a time-of-flight system having an illumination source and a time-of-flight sensor, the time-of-flight sensor comprising an array of light sensors, the method comprising:
- receiving calibration information regarding an identified subset of light sensors in the array of light sensors;
- activating the identified subset of light sensors;
- projecting a projected light pattern from the illumination source into an environment, wherein the projected light pattern comprises a plurality of dynamically generated sub-patterns,
- wherein each sub-pattern impinges on a different illuminated subset of light sensors,
- wherein the dynamically generated sub-patterns are generated based at least in part on the calibration information, and
- wherein the calibration information comprises a plurality of macropixel definitions that are based on an alignment with a corresponding element of an illumination spot in a previously detected light pattern;
- detecting, by the different illuminated subset of light sensors, a detected light pattern reflected by an object in the environment;
- and
- generating a representation signal based on the detected light pattern by the different illuminated subset of light sensors, wherein the different illuminated subset of light sensors comprises fewer than all of the light sensors in the array of light sensors, and the representation signal being provided to one or more processors for generation of a representation of the environment.
A time of flight sensor for a time-of-flight sensor system comprising:
- an illumination source configured to project a light pattern into an environment;
- an array of light sensors each configured to detect light reflected from an object in the environment;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- activate a subset of the light sensors of the array of light sensors based on the light pattern wherein the subset comprises fewer than all of the light sensors of the array;
- project a projected light pattern from the illumination source into an environment, wherein the projected light pattern comprises a plurality of dynamically generated sub-patterns,
- wherein each sub-pattern impinges on a different illuminated subset of light sensors,
- wherein the dynamically generated sub-patterns are generated based at least in part on calibration information associated with the time of flight sensor, and
- wherein the calibration information comprises a plurality of macropixel definitions that are based on an alignment with a corresponding element of an illumination spot in a previously detected light pattern;
- detect, by the different illuminated subset of light sensors, a detected light pattern reflected by an object in the environment;
- receive signals from the different illuminated subset of light sensors, the received signals indicative of detection of light reflected from the object in the environment;
- and
- generate an output signal based on the received signals indicative of detection of light, the output signals being provided to one or more processors for generation of a three-dimensional image of the environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.