# US 2014/0152989 A1 · Selectivity by polarization > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152989 A1 - Document ID: US20140152989A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,025 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG - Inventors: Franz DARRER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152989A1 ## CPC - G01J 4/04: Polarimeters using electric detection means (G01J4/02 takes precedence) - G01S 7/499: using polarisation effects - G01S 17/894: Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide selectivity for imaging devices and systems. Polarization may be applied to emitted light radiation and/or received light radiation to select a desired imaging result. Using polarization, an imaging device or system can pass desired light radiation having desired information and reject unwanted or stray light radiation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an emitter arranged to emit light radiation, illuminating at least a portion of a preselected area; a first polarizer associated with the emitter and arranged to polarize the light radiation in a first polarization; an image sensor arranged to detect an object within the preselected area based on receiving a reflection of the light radiation; and a second polarizer associated with the image sensor and arranged to pass light radiation having the first polarization and to attenuate light radiation not having the first polarization. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is arranged to receive the reflection of the light radiation emitted by the emitter at a substantially full intensity and is arranged to receive light radiation other than the reflection of the light radiation emitted by the emitter at a reduced intensity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer and the second polarizer are adjustable to selectively pass light radiation having the first polarization and to selectively attenuate light radiation not having the first polarization. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer and the second polarizer comprise one and a same polarizer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer and the second polarizer are arranged to provide a same planar-polarization. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the planar-polarization comprises a polarization having a predetermined angle with respect to horizontal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer and the second polarizer are arranged to provide a same circular-polarization having a same direction of circular rotation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is further arranged to capture an image of the object within the preselected area based on receiving the reflection of the light radiation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image sensor is further arranged to capture the image as a three-dimensional image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is arranged to detect an object within the preselected area based on time-of-flight principles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises a plurality of photosensitive pixels arranged to convert the reflection of the light radiation into a current signal. ### Claim 12 A system, comprising: an illumination module arranged to emit light radiation, illuminating at least a portion of a preselected area; a first adjustable polarizer associated with the illumination module and arranged to selectively polarize the light radiation in a first polarization; a sensor module arranged to receive a reflection of the light radiation and to detect an object within the preselected area based on receiving the reflection; and a second adjustable polarizer associated with the sensor module and arranged to selectively pass the reflection of the light radiation and to selectively attenuate another light radiation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a control module arranged to time-multiplex and/or frequency-multiplex the light radiation of the illumination module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the control module is arranged to time-multiplex and/or frequency-multiplex the sensor module to correspond to the light radiation of the illumination module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a modulation component arranged to modulate the light radiation of the illumination module and/or one or more photosensitive pixels of the sensor module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor module is arranged to receive the reflection of the light radiation emitted by the illumination module and is arranged to reject another light radiation emitted by another illumination module, based on the second polarizer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the system comprises a detection system arranged to detect a three-dimensional object within the preselected area, based on receiving a reflection of the light radiation and based on time-of-flight principles. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: emitting polarized light radiation to illuminate a preselected area, the polarized light radiation having a first polarization; receiving a reflection of the polarized light radiation having the first polarization; detecting an object within the preselected area based on the reflection received; and rejecting another light radiation not having the first polarization. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising polarizing the light radiation in a planar-polarization or a circular-polarization. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting a polarizer associated with an image sensor to selectively pass and/or selectively attenuate light radiation received by the image sensor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising time-multiplexing and/or frequency-multiplexing the polarized light radiation emitted. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising capturing a three-dimensional image of the object within the preselected area. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising arranging each of a plurality of discrete image sensing devices with a polarizer having a substantially same polarization, such that each image sensing device of the plurality of discrete image sensing devices receives a reflection of light radiation emitted by the image sensing device at a first intensity and receives light radiation and/or a reflection of light radiation emitted by another image sensing device of the plurality of discrete image sensing devices at a second, attenuated intensity. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising adjusting the polarizer of one or more of the plurality of discrete image sensing devices to selectively pass some light radiation and selectively reject other light radiation. ### Claim 25 A system, comprising: a plurality of imaging devices, each imaging device of the plurality of imaging devices including: a polarized emitter arranged to emit light radiation having a first polarization, illuminating at least a portion of a preselected area; and a polarized image sensor arranged to receive a reflection of the light radiation having the first polarization and to reject light radiation having another polarization than the first polarization, and to detect an object within the preselected area based on receiving the reflection of the light radiation having the first polarization. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein each imaging device of the plurality of imaging devices is operably coupled to a vehicle, each imaging device arranged to receive a reflection of light radiation emitted by the imaging device at a first intensity and to receive light radiation and/or a reflection of light radiation emitted by another imaging device of the plurality of imaging devices at a second, attenuated intensity.