US 2022/0021862 A1Published application

Passive three-dimensional image sensing based on chromatic focal differentiation

AssigneeShenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.

InventorsYi He, Bo Pi

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Abstract

Techniques are described for passive three-dimensional (3D) image sensing based on chromatic differentiation. For example, an object can be imaged by using a photodetector array to detect light reflected off of the object and focused through a lens onto the array. Light components of different wavelengths tends to be focused through the lens to different focal lengths, which can tend to impact the brightness of each wavelength as detected. For example, if the detector array is closer to a shorter-wavelength focal plane, a white spot will tend to be detected with a higher magnitude of blue light components than of red light components. Ratios of brightness magnitudes for different wavelengths vary in a manner that strongly correlates to object distance from the lens. Embodiments exploit this correlation to passively detect object distance. Some embodiments further provide various types of distance and/or chromatic calibration to further facilitate such detection.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A passive three-dimensional imaging system comprising:

a lens assembly to receive light reflected off of a target scene object and to focus the received light, such that a smaller-wavelength component of the received light is focused to a target smaller-wavelength focal plane, and a larger-wavelength component of the received light is focused to a target larger-wavelength focal plane;
an image sensor in optical communication with the lens assembly and comprising a plurality of photodetector elements, a first subset of the photodetector elements configured to produce a first set of chromatic responses to the smaller-wavelength component of the received light, and a second subset of the photodetector elements configured to produce a second set of chromatic responses to the larger-wavelength component of the received light;
and
a processor configured to:
receive raw image data from the image sensor indicating the first set of chromatic responses and the second set of chromatic responses;
compute a first magnitude of chromatic response (MCR) from the first set of chromatic responses and a second MCR from the second set of chromatic responses;
and
determine an target object distance of the target scene object away from the lens assembly based on a ratio between the first MCR and the second MCR.

5 more elements

A method for passive three-dimensional imaging, the method comprising:

receiving raw image data from an image sensor indicating a first set of chromatic responses and a second set of chromatic responses responsive to received light reflected off of a target scene object and focused by a lens onto the image sensor, such that a smaller-wavelength component of the received light is focused according to a target smaller-wavelength focal plane, and a larger-wavelength component of the received light is focused according to a target larger-wavelength focal plane, the first set of chromatic responses produced by the image sensor responsive the smaller-wavelength component of the received light, the second set of chromatic responses produced by the image sensor responsive to the larger-wavelength component of the received light;
computing a first magnitude of chromatic response (MCR) from the first set of chromatic responses;
computing a second MCR from the second set of chromatic responses;
computing a MCR ratio as between the first MCR and the second MCR;
and
determining a target object distance of the target scene object away from the lens based on the MCR ratio.

3 more elements

A system for passive three-dimensional imaging, the system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
non-transient memory having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
receiving raw image data from an image sensor indicating a first set of chromatic responses and a second set of chromatic responses responsive to received light reflected off of a target scene object and focused by a lens onto the image sensor, such that a smaller-wavelength component of the received light is focused according to a target smaller-wavelength focal plane, and a larger-wavelength component of the received light is focused according to a target larger-wavelength focal plane, the first set of chromatic responses produced by the image sensor responsive the smaller-wavelength component of the received light, the second set of chromatic responses produced by the image sensor responsive to the larger-wavelength component of the received light;
computing a first magnitude of chromatic response (MCR) from the first set of chromatic responses;
computing a second MCR from the second set of chromatic responses;
computing a MCR ratio as between the first MCR and the second MCR;
and
determining a target object distance of the target scene object away from the lens based on the MCR ratio.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/369,915Filed 7 Jul 2021
Priority: 17 Jul 2020
Published: 20 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04N 13/15
Processing image signals: for colour aspects of image signals
H04N 23/673
Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals: based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
H04N 13/128
Processing image signals: adjusting depth or disparity
H04N 13/254
Using stereoscopic image cameras: in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects

Family

Application63/052,960Us provisional application · filed 17 Jul 2020
US 11,582,436 B2Related patent
US 2022/0021862 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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