Distance measurements including supplemental accuracy data

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processing system of a distance sensor including at least one processor, wherein, when executed by the processing system, the instructions cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• causing a light projecting system of the distance sensor to project a three-dimensional pattern onto an object, wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of points of light;
• causing a light receiving system of the distance sensor to capture an image of the three-dimensional pattern projected onto the object;
• calculating a first set of three-dimensional coordinates for a first point of the plurality of points of light, wherein the calculating is based on an appearance of the first point in the image and knowledge of a trajectory of the first point;
• retrieving a first distance measurement characteristic for the first point from a memory of the distance sensor, wherein the first distance measurement characteristic is measured during a calibration of the distance sensor;
• appending the first distance measurement characteristic to the first set of three-dimensional coordinates;
• and
• outputting a set of data including the first set of three-dimensional coordinates appended with the distance measurement characteristic.

A distance sensor, comprising:

• a processing system including at least one processor;
• and
• a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by the processing system, wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• causing a light projecting system of the distance sensor to project a three-dimensional pattern onto an object, wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of points of light;
• causing a light receiving system of the distance sensor to capture an image of the three-dimensional pattern projected onto the object;
• calculating a first set of three-dimensional coordinates for a first point of the plurality of points of light, wherein the calculating is based on an appearance of the first point in the image and knowledge of a trajectory of the first point;
• retrieving a first distance measurement characteristic for the first point from a memory of the distance sensor, wherein the first distance measurement characteristic is measured during a calibration of the distance sensor;
• appending the first distance measurement characteristic to the first set of three-dimensional coordinates;
• and
• outputting a set of data including the first set of three-dimensional coordinates appended with the distance measurement characteristic.