Structured light and time of flight depth capture with a MEMS ribbon linear array spatial light modulator

A method for depth capture comprising:

• creating a structured light pattern using a MEMS-ribbon, linear-array spatial light modulator and obtaining structured light depth information;
• amplitude modulating a light source and obtaining time-of-flight depth information;
• and,
• resolving depth ambiguities in the structured light depth information using the time-of-flight depth information.

A system for depth capture comprising:

• a light source;
• a MEMS-ribbon, linear-array light modulator that modulates the optical phase of light emitted by the light source;
• drive electronics that convert spatial pattern data and full-field modulation data into electrical signals that drive ribbons in the MEMS-ribbon, linear-array light modulator;
• an optical phase discriminator that converts phase modulation imparted by the MEMS-ribbon linear array into amplitude modulation of the light;
• projection optics that project the light;
• and,
• a time-of-flight camera that:
• shares modulation frequency and phase information with the drive electronics, demodulates spatial patterns and temporal modulation signals to obtain structured light and time-of-flight depth information, phase unwraps the structured light depth information using the time-of-flight depth information, and outputs three-dimensional surface data.

A depth capture system comprising:

• a structured light system;
• a time-of-flight system;
• and,
• a controller that selects the structured light system for depth capture for objects that are closer than a crossover distance away from the depth capture system, and selects the time-of-flight system for depth capture for objects that are farther away than the crossover distance away from the depth capture system.