Volume dimensioning system and method employing time-of-flight camera

A method of operation in a dimensioning system to dimension a target object, the method comprising

• emitting an initial spatial illumination pattern of modulated illumination toward the target object by an illumination subsystem operable to successively emit a number of sequences of spatial patterns of illumination which are modulated, each of the sequences including at least the initial spatial illumination pattern and at least one refined spatial illumination pattern of modulated illumination subsequent to the respective initial spatial illumination pattern, the at least one refined spatial illumination pattern spatially different than the respective initial illumination pattern;
• detecting by a sensor illumination returned from at least the target object;
• and
• determining by a control subsystem an approximate boundary of at least a portion of the target object based at least in part on the detected illumination;
• determining by the control subsystem the at least one refined spatial illumination pattern based at least in part on the determined approximate boundary;
• causing the illumination subsystem to emit the at least one refined spatial illumination pattern;
• and
• determining by the control subsystem an at least approximate three-dimensional volume of the target object based at least in part on illumination returned from at least the target object when illuminated by the at least one refined spatial illumination pattern.

A time-of-flight based dimensioning system operable to dimension a target object, comprising

• an illumination subsystem operable to successively emit a number of sequences of two-dimensional patterns of modulated illumination toward the target object, each of the sequences including at least an initial two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination and at least one refined two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination subsequent to the respective initial pattern of modulated illumination, the at least one refined two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination spatially different than the respective initial two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination;
• a two-dimensional image sensor positioned to detect illumination returned from at least the target object;
• and
• a control subsystem communicatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image information therefrom representative of the returned illumination, and which identifies edge features in the image information that correspond to physical edges of at least a portion of the target object, based at least in part on the identified edge features determines the at least one refined two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination to reduce multipath reflection, causes the illumination subsystem to emit the at least one refined two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination, and determines an at least approximate three-dimensional volume of the target object based at least in part on illumination returned from at least the target object when illuminated by the at least one refined two-dimensional pattern of modulated illumination.