Time of flight-based systems operable for ambient light and distance or proximity measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295657-B2
Application number	US-201715689079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A time of flight-based system is operable for ambient light measurements. A method of operation includes detecting, in at least one active demodulation detection pixel, a first particular wavelength and generating amplitude data of the first particular wavelength; and detecting, in at least one spurious reflection detection pixel, a second particular wavelength and generating amplitude data of the second particular wavelength. In a computational device that stores spectrum data corresponding respectively to a plurality of different ambient light source types, an ambient lighting condition is determined based on the amplitude data of the first particular wavelength, the amplitude data of the second particular wavelength and the spectrum data of a particular one of the ambient light source types associated with the amplitude data of the first particular wavelength and the amplitude data of the second particular wavelength.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system comprising:
at least one active demodulation detection pixel operable to detect a first particular wavelength, and being further operable to generate amplitude data of the first particular wavelength;
at least one spurious reflection detection pixel operable to detect a second particular wavelength, and being further operable to generate amplitude data of the second particular wavelength;
outputs of the at least one active demodulation detection pixel and the at least one spurious reflection detection pixel being communicatively coupled to a computational device;
the computational device including a computer storage medium storing spectrum data that corresponds, respectively, to a plurality of different ambient light source types, wherein the amplitude data of the first particular wavelength and the amplitude data of the second particular wavelength are associated with spectrum data of a particular one of the ambient light source types,
wherein the computational device is operable to identify the particular one of the ambient light source types based on a ratio of the amplitude data of the first and second particular wavelengths and based on the stored spectrum data.

2. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 1 further including a component, wherein the computational device is operable to modify the component based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

3. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 1 wherein the computational device includes a component, wherein the computational device is operable to modify the component based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

4. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 3 wherein the component of the computational device is a display screen.

5. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 4 wherein the computational device is operable to modify at least one of brightness or color temperature of the display screen based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

6. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 1 wherein the at least one active demodulation detection pixel and the at least one spurious reflection detection pixel are operable to generate at least one of distance data or proximity data.

7. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 1 further including a first spectral filter disposed such that the first particular wavelength of the electromagnetic system is incident on the at least one active demodulation detection pixel, and further including a second spectral filter disposed such that the second particular wavelength of the electromagnetic system is incident on the at least one spurious reflection detection pixel.

8. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 7 wherein the first particular wavelength is 940 nm and the second particular wavelength is 660 nm.

9. The time-of-flight-based optoelectronic system of claim 1 further including:
a first light source operable to generate modulated electromagnetic radiation of the first particular wavelength; and
a second light source operable to generate modulated electromagnetic radiation of the second particular wavelength.

10. A method comprising:
detecting, in at least one active demodulation detection pixel, a first particular wavelength and generating amplitude data of the first particular wavelength;
detecting, in at least one spurious reflection detection pixel, a second particular wavelength and generating amplitude data of the second particular wavelength;
identifying, in a computational device that stores spectrum data corresponding respectively to a plurality of different ambient light source types, a particular one of the ambient light source types based on a ratio of the amplitude data of the first particular wavelength and the amplitude data of the second particular wavelength and based on the stored spectrum data.

11. The method of claim 10 including modifying a component based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

12. The method of claim 10 including modifying a component of the computational device based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

13. The method of claim 10 including modifying a display screen of the computational device based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

14. The method of claim 10 including modifying at least one of brightness or color temperature of the display screen based on the identified one of the ambient light source types.

Assignees

• Ams Sensors Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Buettgen Bernhard
• Geiger Jens
• Kiy Michael
• Chidley Oliver
• Rossi Markus

Classifications

• G01S7/497

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S2007/4975

  of sensor obstruction by, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating, e.g. by reflection measurement on front-screen · CPC title

• G01S17/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title

• G01S7/483 Primary

  Details of pulse systems · CPC title