Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090115995 | Method and system for fast calibration of three-dimensional (3D) sensors - Rapid calibration of a TOF system uses a stationary target object and electrically introduces phase shift into the TOF system to emulate target object relocation. Relatively few parameters suffice to model a parameterized mathematical representation of the transfer function between measured phase and Z distance. The phase-vs-distance model is directly evaluated during actual run-time operation of the TOF system. Preferably modeling includes two components: electrical modeling of phase-vs-distance characteristics that depend upon electrical rather than geometric characteristics of the sensing system, and elliptical modeling that phase-vs-distance characteristics that depending upon geometric rather than electrical characteristics of the sensing system. | 05-07-2009 |
20110188027 | MULTIPLE SYNCHRONIZED OPTICAL SOURCES FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGE FINDING SYSTEMS - TOF system optical power is augmented using auxiliary optical emitter unit(s) that may be a wireless (WOE), or a plug-wired (PWOE). WOE units sense emitted TOF system optical energy S | 08-04-2011 |
20110188028 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HIERARCHICAL DE-ALIASING TIME-OF-FLIGHT (TOF) SYSTEMS - A TOF system acquires depth data using n≧3 modulation frequencies f | 08-04-2011 |
20110285910 | Video manipulation of red, green, blue, distance (RGB-Z) data including segmentation, up-sampling, and background substitution techniques - RGB-Z imaging systems acquire RGB data typically with a high X-Y resolution RGB pixel array, and acquire Z-depth data with an array of physically larger Z pixels having additive signal properties. In each acquired frame, RGB pixels are mapped to a corresponding Z pixel. Z image resolution is enhanced by identifying Z discontinuities and identifying corresponding RGB pixels where the Z discontinuities occur. Thus segmented data enables RGB background substitution, which preferably blends foreground pixel color and substitute background color. The segmented data also enables up-sampling in which a higher XY resolution Z image with accurate Z values is obtained. Up-sampling uses an equation set enabling assignment of accurate Z values to RGB pixels. Fixed acquisition frame rates are enabled by carefully culling bad Z data. Segmenting and up-sampling enhanced video effects and enable low cost, low Z resolution arrays to function comparably to higher quality, higher resolution Z arrays. | 11-24-2011 |
20110291164 | CMOS three-dimensional image sensor detectors with assured non collection of late arriving charge, more rapid collection of other charge, and with improved modulation contrast - A CMOS-implementable TOF detector promptly collects charge whose creation time can be precisely known, while rejecting collection of potentially late arriving charge whose creation time may not be precisely known. Charges created in upper regions of the detector structure are ensured to be rapidly collected, while charges created in the lower regions of the detector structure, potentially late arriving charges, are inhibiting from being collected. | 12-01-2011 |
20110291988 | Method and system for recognition of user gesture interaction with passive surface video displays - A system recognizes user-object gesture interactions with the surface of a monitor display, with hover space defined spaced-apart from the display surface, or in virtual scroll regions defined on the periphery of the monitor display. The system recognizes user-object interactions, e.g., gestures, and can affect what is displayed commensurately. The system includes at least a first time-of-flight (TOF) system and at least one of a second TOF, a two-dimensional camera, and a mirror, each TOF system processing at least one of z-depth data and A-brightness data. User-object interactions, e.g., touching(s) of the display surface, location(s) in a hover region, or location(s) in a virtual scroll region, are recognized passively in that the user-object need not have capacitance, resistance, exert force, or deform during gesture interaction. The system may be attached retroactively to the monitor, which may be a large (>22 cm) monitor, or a small cell phone sized monitor. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292370 | Method and system to maximize space-time resolution in a Time-of-Flight (TOF) system - Phase-based TOF systems operate with reduced depth error due to motion blur, and/or spatial blur, and/or pixel offset by intelligently determining how best to combine pixel values, and how best to compensate for individual pixel offsets. Such determination(s) may be carried out on a per pixel basis, dynamically, in real-time during TOF operation, or on archived TOF data. Offsets for individual pixels may be dynamically calculated and subtracted from the values acquired by those pixels Individual pixel offsets may be calculated for example by combining data acquired by the same pixel at two acquisitions, 180° out of phase with respect to each other. Calculated offsets may be averaged, or on a per pixel basis, and if target object motion is detected, one or more offset calculations can be discarded rather than averaged to reduce motion blur. Offsets acquired a priori during a TOF system calibration procedure may be used. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292380 | CMOS three-dimensional image sensor detectors having reduced inter-gate capacitance, and enhanced modulation contrast - A CMOS detector with pairs of interdigitated elongated finger-like collection gates includes p+ implanted regions that create charge barrier regions that can intentionally be overcome. These regions steer charge to a desired collection gate pair for collection. The p+ implanted regions may be formed before and/or after formation of the collection gates. These regions form charge barrier regions when an associated collection gate is biased low. The barriers are overcome when an associated collection gate is high. These barrier regions steer substantially all charge to collection gates that are biased high, enhancing modulation contrast. Advantageously, the resultant structure has reduced power requirements in that inter-gate capacitance is reduced in that inter-gate spacing can be increased over prior art gate spacing and lower swing voltages may be used. Also higher modulation contrast is achieved in that the charge collection area of the low gate(s) is significantly reduced. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295562 | Method and system for noise simulation analysis useable with systems including time-of-flight depth systems - An analytical tool useable with complex systems receives as input various system parameters to predict whether sufficiently accurate quality depth data will be provided by the TOF system. Depth data quality estimates involve dividing system operation into smaller operations whose individual depth data quality contributions can be more readily computed. The effect of the individual operations is combined and the tool outputs a depth data quality estimate accounting for the net result of the various unique operations performed by the system. When used with a TOF system, input parameters may include magnitude and angular distribution of TOF emitted optical energy, desired signal/noise, sensor characteristics, TOF imaging optics, target object distances and locations, and magnitude of ambient light. Analytical tool output data can ensure adequate calculation accuracy to optimize the TOF system pre-mass production, even for TOF systems whose sequence of operations and sensor operations are flexibly programmable. | 12-01-2011 |
20110304841 | System architecture design for time-of- flight system having reduced differential pixel size, and time-of- flight systems so designed - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 12-15-2011 |
20120008128 | Method and system to reduce stray light reflection error in time-of-flight sensor arrays - Haze-type phase shift error due to stray light reflections in a phase-type TOF system is reduced by providing a windowed opaque coating on the sensor array surface, the windows permitting optical energy to reach light sensitive regions of the pixels, and by reducing optical path stray reflection. Further haze-type error reduction is obtained by acquiring values for a plurality (but not necessarily all) of pixel sensors in the TOF system pixel sensor array. Next, a correction term for the value (differential or other) acquired for each pixel in the plurality of pixel sensors is computed and stored. Modeling response may be made dependent upon pixel (row,column) location within the sensor array. During actual TOF system runtime operation, detection data for each pixel, or pixel groups (super pixels) is corrected using the stored data. Good optical system design accounts for correction, enabling a simple correction model. | 01-12-2012 |
20120011454 | Method and system for intelligently mining data during communication streams to present context-sensitive advertisements using background substitution - The present invention mines or extracts data present during interaction between at least two participants, for example in a chat session, a video session, etc. via the Internet. The data, which can include participant web camera generated video, audio, keyboard typed information, handwriting recognized information, is analyzed. Based upon the analysis, content-dependent information is determined and may be displayed to one or more participants in the chat session. In one aspect, a video foreground based upon a participant's generated video is combined with a customized computer generated background that is based upon data mined from the chat session. The customized background preferably is melded seamlessly with the participant's foreground data, preferably via background substitution that combines RGB video with depth data that predicts what background may substituted with new imagery. Content-based targeted information can include advertisement(s). | 01-12-2012 |
20120188530 | SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PIXEL SIZE, AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEMS SO DESIGNED - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 07-26-2012 |
20120229790 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO REDUCE STRAY LIGHT REFLECTION ERROR IN TIME-OF-FLIGHT SENSOR ARRAYS - Haze-type phase shift error due to stray light reflections in a phase-type TOF system is reduced by providing a windowed opaque coating on the sensor array surface, the windows permitting optical energy to reach light sensitive regions of the pixels, and by reducing optical path stray reflection. Further haze-type error reduction is obtained by acquiring values for a plurality (but not necessarily all) of pixel sensors in the TOF system pixel sensor array. Next, a correction term for the value (differential or other) acquired for each pixel in the plurality of pixel sensors is computed and stored. Modeling response may be made dependent upon pixel (row,column) location within the sensor array. During actual TOF system runtime operation, detection data for each pixel, or pixel groups (super pixels) is corrected using the stored data. Good optical system design accounts for correction, enabling a simple correction model. | 09-13-2012 |
20120307229 | RESONANT MODULATION FOR LOW POWER RANGE IMAGING CAMERAS - An amplitude modulated continuous wave range imaging device has a signaling device configured to emit an intensity modulated illumination signal. An image sensor is configured to capture a plurality of images of a reflection of the modulated illumination signal. The captured images include intensity and/or phase components for a plurality of pixels of the image sensor. Each pixel includes a first modulation terminal having a first capacitive component. A first driver is configured to charge a first set of modulation terminals of the plurality of pixels. A second driver is configured to charge a second set of modulation terminals of the plurality of pixels. A charge transfer circuit is connected between the first set of modulation terminals and the second set of modulation terminals. The charge transfer circuit is configured to transfer charge between the first set of modulation terminals and the second set of modulation terminals. | 12-06-2012 |
20130114064 | SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PIXEL SIZE, AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEMS SO DESIGNED - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 05-09-2013 |
20140043598 | SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PIXEL SIZE, AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEMS SO DESIGNED - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 02-13-2014 |
20140300700 | BURST-MODE TIME-OF-FLIGHT IMAGING - An imager includes an emitter, an array of pixel elements, and driver logic. The emitter releases bursts of light pulses with pauses between bursts. Each element of the array has a finger gate biasable to attract charge to the surface, a reading node to collect the charge, and a transfer gate to admit such charge to the reading node and to deter such charge from being absorbed into the finger gate. The driver logic biases the finger gates with the modulated light pulses such that the finger gates of adjacent first and second elements cycle with unequal phase into and out of a charge-attracting state. To reduce the effects of ambient light on the imager, the driver logic is configured to bias the transfer gates so that the charge is admitted to the reading node only during the bursts and is prevented from reaching the reading node during the pauses. | 10-09-2014 |
20140333917 | INTERFERENCE REDUCTION FOR TOF SYSTEMS - Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to time-of-flight (TOF) systems, and methods for use therewith, that substantially reduce interference that the TOF system may cause to at least one other system that is configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light signals. Some such embodiments involve emitting IR light having a low frequency (LF) power envelope that is shaped to substantially reduce frequency content within at least one frequency range known to be used by at least one other system that may be in close proximity to the TOF system. Such embodiments can also involve detecting at least a portion of the emitted RF modulated IR light that has reflected off one or more objects. A TOF system can produce depth images in dependence on results of the detecting, as well as update an application in dependence on the depth images. | 11-13-2014 |
20140339401 | CMOS THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE SENSOR DETECTORS HAVING REDUCED INTER-GATE CAPACITANCE, AND ENHANCED MODULATION CONTRAST - A CMOS detector with pairs of interdigitated elongated finger-like collection gates includes p+ implanted regions that create charge barrier regions that can intentionally be overcome. These regions steer charge to a desired collection gate pair for collection. The p+ implanted regions may be formed before and/or after formation of the collection gates. These regions form charge barrier regions when an associated collection gate is biased low. The barriers are overcome when an associated collection gate is high. These barrier regions steer substantially all charge to collection gates that are biased high, enhancing modulation contrast. Advantageously, the resultant structure has reduced power requirements in that inter-gate capacitance is reduced in that inter-gate spacing can be increased over prior art gate spacing and lower swing voltages may be used. Also higher modulation contrast is achieved in that the charge collection area of the low gate(s) is significantly reduced. | 11-20-2014 |
20150036119 | MULTIPLE SYNCHRONIZED OPTICAL SOURCES FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGE FINDING SYSTEMS - TOF system optical power is augmented using auxiliary optical emitter unit(s) that may be a wireless (WOE), or a plug-wired (PWOE). WOE units sense emitted TOF system optical energy S | 02-05-2015 |