Adaptable depth sensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349042-A1
Application number	US-201514722955-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an adaptable depth sensing (DS) system. A DS device may comprise a DS equipment module and a control module. The control module may configure the operational mode of the DS equipment module for close-range sensing, mid-range sensing or long-range sensing. The control module may receive at least depth data from the DS equipment module for determining the mode of operation. The control module may also receive condition data regarding the DS device and/or a host device to which the DS device is coupled, determine a configuration based on the condition data, and may utilize the condition data along with the depth data to configure the DS equipment module. Configuring the DS equipment module may comprise, for example, enabling components within the DS equipment module, configuring focus for the components, configuring image orientation for the components and/or selecting a DS methodology for the components.

First claim

1 . A depth sensing device, comprising:
a depth sensing equipment module to perform depth sensing, the depth sensing equipment module comprising at least a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor, an infrared (IR) emitter, a first IR sensor positioned apart from the IR emitter, and a second IR sensor positions proximate to the IR emitter, wherein the second IR sensor is repositionable with the depth sensing equipment module; and a control module to:
receive at least depth data from the depth sensing equipment module; and
configure a mode of operation for the depth sensor equipment module based at least on the depth data, wherein when said control module configures the depth sensing equipment for mid-range depth sensing, it causes the depth sensing equipment module to position the second IR sensor at a first position that is a first distance from the first IR sensor, and when said control module configures the depth sensing equipment module for long-range depth sensing, it causes the depth sensing equipment to physically move the second IR second to a second position that is a second distance from the first IR sensor, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the depth data comprises at least one of a distance from the depth sensing device to at least one pixel in a group of connected pixels sensed by the depth sensing equipment module or a size of the group of connected pixels.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further to:
receive condition data regarding at least the depth sensing device; determine a configuration for the depth sensing device based on the condition data; and configure the mode of operation for the depth sensor equipment module also based on the configuration.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the control module is further to:
determine whether the depth sensing device is coupled to a host device; receive condition data regarding the host device based on the determination that the depth sensing device is coupled to the host device; and determine the configuration for at least one of the depth sensing device or the host device based on the condition data received from the depth sensor device and the host device.

5 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the control module is further to:
determine if there has been scene change based on at least one of the condition data or depth data; and reconfigure the mode of operation for the depth sensor based on a determination that the scene has changed.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein in configuring the mode of operation the control module is to at least one of enable components in the depth sensing equipment module, adjust focus for components in the depth sensing equipment module, configure image orientation for components in the depth sensing equipment module or select a depth sensing methodology for components in the depth sensing equipment module.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein in configuring the mode of operation the control module is to enable the IR emitter and the first IR sensor for close-range depth sensing.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein in configuring the mode of operation the control module is to also enable the second IR sensor for mid-range depth sensing.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the depth sensing equipment module comprises a third IR sensor positioned at a greater distance from the first IR sensor than the second IR sensor; and
in configuring the mode of operation the control module is to enable the RGB sensor, the IR emitter, the first IR sensor and the third IR sensor for long-range depth sensing.

12 . A method for configuring a depth sensing device, comprising:
receiving condition data at a control module in a depth sensor device, the depth sensor device comprising at least a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor, an infrared (IR) emitter, a first IR sensor positioned apart from the IR emitter, and a second IR sensor positions proximate to the IR emitter, wherein the second IR sensor is repositionable with the depth sensing equipment module; determining a configuration for at least the depth sensor device based on the condition data; receiving depth data at the control module from the depth sensor device; and configuring a mode of operation for a depth sensor equipment module in the depth sensor device based at least on the determined configuration and the depth data; wherein:
configuring the mode of operation comprises configuring said depth sensor device for mid-range depth sensing or long-range depth sensing;
configuring said depth sensor device for mid-range depth sensing comprises positioning the second IR sensor at a first position that is a first distance from the first IR sensor; and
configuring said depth sensor device for long-range depth sensing comprises physically moving the second IR sensor to a second location that is a second distance from the first IR sensor, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether the depth sensor device is coupled to a host device; receiving condition data from the host device based on a determination that the depth sensor device is coupled to the host device; and determining the configuration based also on the condition data received from the host device.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the configuration comprises determining at least one of, if at least one of the depth sensor device or the host device are in an on-table configuration or if at least one of the depth sensor device or the host device are moving.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining if there has been scene change based on at least one of the condition data or depth data; and reconfiguring the mode of operation for the depth sensor based on a determination that the scene has changed.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein configuring the mode of operation comprises at least one of enabling components in the depth sensing equipment module, adjusting focus for components in the depth sensing equipment module, configuring image orientation for components in the depth sensing equipment module or selecting a depth sensing methodology for components in the depth sensing equipment module.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the mode of operation comprises:
configuring close-range depth sensing by enabling an infrared (IR) emitter and a first IR sensor in the depth sensing device; and configuring mid-range depth sensing by also enabling a second IR sensor in the depth sensing device.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the mode of operation comprises:
configuring long-range depth sensing by disabling the second IR sensor and enabling a third IR sensor, or moving the second IR sensor in the depth sensing device.

19 . At least one machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions for configuring a depth sensing device that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive condition data at a control module in a depth sensor device, the depth sensor device comprising at least a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor, an infrared (IR) emitter, a first IR sensor positioned apart from the IR emitter, and a second IR sensor positions proximate to the IR emitter, wherein the second IR sensor is repositionable with the depth sensing equipment module; determine

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Hsin Chih-Fan
• Krishnaswamy Prasanna

Classifications

• G01B11/22 Primary

  for measuring depth · CPC title

• H04N13/128

  Adjusting depth or disparity · CPC title

• H04N13/254

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

• G01B11/25

  by projecting a pattern, e.g. {one or more lines,} moiré fringes on the object (G01B11/255 takes precedence {; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50}) · CPC title

• H04N5/2226

  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