Epipolar plane single-pulse indirect TOF imaging for automotives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021284-B2
Application number	US-201514960339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A method and a system are disclosed for detecting a depth of an object illuminated by at least one first light pulse. Detection of light reflected from the object illuminated by the at least one first light pulse by a first row of pixels of 2D pixel array is enabled for a first predetermined period of time in which the first row of pixels forms an epipolar line of a scanning line of a first light pulse. Enabling of the detection by the first row of pixels for the first predetermined period of time occurs a second predetermined period of time after a beginning of a pulse cycle T of the at least one first light pulse. Detection signals are generated corresponding to the detected light reflected from the object, and the generated detection signals are used to determine a depth of the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of detecting an image, comprising:
enabling for a first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from at least one object illuminated by a first light pulse by a first row of pixels of a two-dimensional (2D) pixel array, the first row of pixels forming an epipolar line of a scanning line of the first light pulse, the first light pulse comprising a pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the first light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse, the enabling of detection by the first row of pixels for the first predetermined period of time occurring a second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse, and the first predetermined period of time being substantially equal to the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse; and
enabling for the first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by a second light pulse by a second row of pixels of the 2D pixel array, the second row of pixels forming an epipolar line of a scanning line of the second light pulse, the second row of pixels being different from the first row of pixels, the second light pulse comprising the pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the second light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse, the enabling of detection by the second row of pixels for the first predetermined period of time occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse, and the first predetermined period of time being substantially equal to the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse; and
wherein the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse occurs after an end of the first predetermined period of time of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined period of time is selectably variable.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating detection signals corresponding to the detected light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse; and
generating detection signals corresponding to the detected light reflected from at the least one object illuminated by the second light pulse.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
generating depth information based on the generated detection signals corresponding to the detected light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse; and
generating depth information based on the generated detection signals corresponding to the detected light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the second light pulse.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enabling for the first predetermined period of time the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse further comprises:
enabling for the first predetermined period of time the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse by the first row of pixels, the enabling of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse; and
enabling for the first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from at least one object illuminated by a third light pulse by the first row of pixels, the third light pulse comprising the pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the third light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the third light pulse, the enabling of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the third light pulse occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the third light pulse, and the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the third light pulse occurring after an end of the first predetermined period of time of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the first light pulse, and
wherein enabling for the first predetermined period of time the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the second light pulse further comprises:
enabling for the first predetermined period of time the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the second light pulse by the second row of pixels, the enabling of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the second light pulse occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse; and
enabling for the first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by a fourth light pulse by the second row of pixels, the fourth light pulse comprising the pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the fourth light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the fourth light pulse, the enabling of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the fourth light pulse occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the fourth light pulse, and the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the fourth light pulse occurring after an end of the first predetermined period of time of the detection of the light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by the second light pulse.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising repeating the method of claim 1 for a predetermined number of rows of the 2D pixel array,
wherein the predetermined number of rows is less than or equal to a total number of rows of the 2D pixel array.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first row and the second row of pixels comprises a plurality of rows that forms the epipolar line of the scanning line of a corresponding light pulse.

8. An image sensor unit, comprising:
a two-dimensional (2D) pixel array comprising a plurality of rows of pixels; and
a controller to enable for a first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from at least one object illuminated by a first light pulse by a first row of pixels of the 2D pixel array, the first row of pixels forming an epipolar line of a scanning line of the first light pulse, the first light pulse comprising a pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the first light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse, the enabling of the detection by the first row of pixels for the first predetermined period of time occurring a second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse, the first period of time being substantially equal to the pulse cycle T of the first light pulse, and to enable for the first predetermined period of time detection of light reflected from the at least one object illuminated by a second light pulse by a second row of pixels of the 2D pixel array, the second row of pixels forming an epipolar line of a scanning line of the second light pulse, the second row of pixels being different from the first row of pixels, the second light pulse comprising the pulse cycle T and a leading edge of the second light pulse comprising a beginning of the pulse cycle T of the second light pulse, the enabling of detection by the second row of pixels for the first predetermined period of time occurring the second predetermined period of time after the beginning of the pu

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Yibing Michelle
• Ovsiannikov Ilia

Classifications

• H04N25/77

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N5/2226 Primary

  Determination of depth image, e.g. for foreground/background separation (determining depth by image analysis in general G06T7/50; segmentation by image analysis in general G06T7/10) · CPC title

• H04N5/2256 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N13/0271

  Electricity · mapped topic