# US 2019/0170878 A1 · Dual waveforms for three-dimensional imaging systems and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170878 A1 - Document ID: US20190170878A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/208,220 - Filed: 2018-12-03 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-03 - Assignees: Munro Design & Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Munro Design & Technologies, LLC - Inventors: James F. Munro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170878A1 ## CPC - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/484: Transmitters - G01S 7/4911: Transmitters - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 17/18: wherein range gates are used - G01S 17/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 17/36: with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal - 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 - G06T 1/20: Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining - G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light - G06T 7/55: from multiple images - G06T 7/586: from multiple light sources, e.g. photometric stereo - G06T 7/593: from stereo images - G06T 7/60: Analysis of geometric attributes - H04N 13/156: Mixing image signals - H04N 13/167: Synchronising or controlling image signals - H04N 13/254: in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects - H04N 13/296: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof - H04N 23/72: Combination of two or more compensation controls - H04N 23/75: by influencing optical camera components - G01S 13/342: {using sinusoidal modulation} - G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data - 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 - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A three-dimensional imaging system includes an image intensification subsystem and an illumination subsystem that are both capable of operating with sinusoidal or pulsed waveforms in accordance with phase-measuring or flash modes of operation, respectfully, of the three-dimensional imaging system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-dimensional imaging system comprising: a light emission system configured to be modulated with a selected one a first waveform or a second waveform to output light directed at a target; an image capture system configured to be modulated with the selected one of the first waveform or the second waveform to obtain an image from reflected light from the output light; and an image processing computing device coupled to the light emission system and the image capture system and comprising a processor and a memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon, the processor configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system between the first waveform or the second waveform based on a level of interference in a medium in which output light is directed into for imaging; and generate and provide a three-dimensional image based on the adjusted modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system and the obtained reflected light from the output light. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein for the adjust the modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust the modulation from the first waveform to the second waveform when a three-dimensional image of a target captured through the medium with the modulation with the first waveform is identified with a certainty above a set threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein for the adjust the modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust the modulation from the second waveform to the first waveform when a detected level of interference in the medium with the modulation with the second waveform is below a set threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the light emission system further comprises: a light source driver configured to be selectively modulated with the first waveform generated by a first waveform generator or the second waveform generated by a second waveform generator; and a switch coupled to the digital processing system and coupled between the light source driver and a first position to the first waveform generator or a second position to the second waveform generator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the light emission system further comprises: a first light source driver coupled to a first light source; and a second light source driver coupled to a second light source; wherein the first waveform generator which generates the first waveform and the second waveform generator which generates the second waveform is coupled to the image processing computing device; wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to switch from the first waveform generator to the second waveform generator when the level is above the threshold or from the second waveform generator to the first waveform generator when the level is below the threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first light source is an LED device and the second light source is a diode laser device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first waveform from a first waveform generator is a continuous modulation waveform and the second waveform from a second waveform is a binary modulation waveform. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the image capture system further comprises an image sensor, wherein a frame rate of the image sensor is greater than thirty frames per second when the continuous modulation waveform is selected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the image capture system further comprises an image sensor, wherein a frame rate of the image sensor is greater than two frames per second when the binary modulation waveform is selected. ### Claim 10 A method for making a three-dimensional imaging system comprising: providing a light emission system configured to be modulated with a selected one a first waveform or a second waveform to output light directed at a target; providing an image capture system configured to be modulated with the selected one of the first waveform or the second waveform to obtain an image from reflected light from the output light; and coupling an image processing computing device to the light emission system and the image capture system, the image processing computing device comprising a processor and a memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon, the processor configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system between the first waveform or the second waveform based on a level of interference in a medium in which output light is directed into for imaging; and generate and provide a three-dimensional image based on the adjusted modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system and the obtained reflected light from the output light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein for the adjust the modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust the modulation from the first waveform to the second waveform when a three-dimensional image of a target captured through the medium with the modulation with the first waveform is identified with a certainty above a set threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein for the adjust the modulation of the light emission system and the image capture system the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: adjust the modulation from the second waveform to the first waveform when a detected level of interference in the medium with the modulation with the second waveform is below a set threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the providing the light emission system further comprises: providing a light source driver configured to be selectively modulated with the first waveform generated by a first waveform generator or the second waveform generated by a second waveform generator; and coupling a switch to the image processing computing device and between the light source driver and a first position to the first waveform generator or a second position to the second waveform generator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the providing the light emission system further comprises: providing a first light source driver coupled to a first light source; and providing a second light source driver coupled to a second light source; wherein the first waveform generator which generates the first waveform and the second waveform generator which generates the second waveform are coupled to the image processing computing device; wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to switch from the first waveform generator to the second waveform generator when the level is above the threshold or from the second waveform generator to the first waveform generator when the level is below the threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the first light source is an LED device and the second light source is a diode laser device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising: providing a first waveform generator configured to generate the first waveform as a continuous modulation waveform; and providing a second waveform generator is configured to generate the second waveform as a binary modulation waveform. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the providing the image capture system further comprises providing an image sensor configured to provide a frame rate greater than thirty frames per second when the continuous modulation waveform is selected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein the providing the image capture system further comprises providing an image sensor configured to provide a frame rate greater than two frames per second when the binary modulation waveform is selected.