Integrated Camera System Having Two Dimensional Image Capture and Three Dimensional Time-of-Flight Capture With A Partitioned Field of View

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016182891-A1
Application number	US-201414579732-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus is described that includes an integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system. The three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system includes an illuminator to generate light. The illuminator includes arrays of light sources. Each of the arrays is dedicated to a particular different partition within a partitioned field of view of the illuminator.

First claim

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
an integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system, comprising: an illuminator to generate light for the time-of-flight depth capture system comprising arrays of light sources, each of the arrays dedicated to a particular different partition within a partitioned field of view of the illuminator.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the integrated traditional two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight system further comprise an integrated image sensor having a first set of pixels to detect traditional images and second set of pixels to detect light from said illuminator that has been reflected from an object of interest.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the array of light sources further comprises an array of VCSEL lasers integrated on a same semiconductor die.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the arrays have the same size.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least of the arrays has a different shape than another of the arrays.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the arrays is:
square shaped;
rectangular shaped;
circular shaped;
oval shaped;
triangular shaped.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the partitioned field includes a center partition.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the illuminator further comprises an optical element having lens structures on an emission side to direct light received from a particular light source array to its dedicated partition.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the optical element further comprises micro-lenses on a side that faces the light source arrays.

10 . A method, comprising:
receiving a command to illuminate a particular partition of a partitioned field of view of an illuminator; enable an array of light sources that is dedicated to the particular partition; collect light from the light source array and direct the collected light toward the partition to illuminate the partition; detect at least a portion of the light after it has been reflected from an object of interest within the partition and compare respective arrival times of the light against emission times of the light to generate depth information of the object of interest.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein each of the partitions have the same shape.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the partitions is:
square shaped;
rectangular shaped;
circular shaped;
oval shaped;
triangular shaped.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the partitioned field of view includes a center partition.

14 . The method of claim 10 further comprising collecting light emitted from the array of light sources and passing the light thorough a lens structure to direct the light to the particular partition.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising illuminating a sequence of partitions in succession to effectively illuminate a region of interest that is larger than any one of the partitions.

16 . A computing system, comprising:
a plurality of general purpose processing cores; a memory controller coupled to a system memory; an image signal processor coupled to an integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system, comprising: an illuminator to generate light for the time-of-flight depth capture system comprising arrays of light sources, each of the arrays dedicated to a particular different partition within a partitioned field of view of the illuminator.

17 . The computing system of claim 16 wherein the computing system is a mobile computer having an applications processor, the plurality of genera purpose processing cores and the memory controller being integrated on the applications processor.

18 . The computing system of claim 17 wherein the image signal processor is integrated on the applications processor.

19 . The computing system of claim 17 wherein the mobile computer is one of:
a tablet computer;
a smartphone.

20 . The computing system of claim 16 wherein the integrated traditional two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight system further comprise an integrated image sensor having a first set of pixels to detect traditional images and second set of pixels to detect light from said illuminator that has been reflected from an object of interest.

21 . The computing system of claim 16 wherein at least of the arrays has a different shape than another of the arrays.

22 . The computing system of claim 16 wherein at least one of the arrays is:
square shaped;
rectangular shaped;
circular shaped;
oval shaped;
triangular shaped.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Ko Jamyuen
• Wan Chung Chun

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N13/296

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title

• G01S7/4815

  using multiple transmitters · CPC title

• H04N13/254 Primary

  in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects · CPC title