Integrated camera system having two dimensional image capture and three dimensional time-of-flight capture with movable illuminated region of interest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9918073-B2
Application number	US-201414579587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus is described having an integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system. The integrated two-dimensional image capture and three-dimensional time-of-flight depth capture system includes an illuminator to generate light for the time-of-flight depth capture system. The illuminator includes an array of light sources and a movable lens assembly. The movable lens assembly is to movably direct an emitted beam of the light to one of any of a plurality of locations within the illuminator's field of view to form an illuminated region of interest within the illuminator's field of view. The illuminated region of interest has a size that is smaller than the illuminator's field of view.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

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, the illuminator comprising:
an array of light sources, and
a movable lens assembly comprising:
a single lens that defines a z axis aligned with the optical axis of the single lens, and an x axis and a y axis that are each perpendicular to the z axis and to each other,
an x axis actuator that is configured to tilt the single lens about the x axis, and
a y axis actuator that is configured to tilt the single lens about the y axis,

wherein the x axis actuator and they axis actuator of the movable lens assembly are collectively configured to movably direct an emitted beam of the light that passes through the single lens to one of any of a plurality of locations within the illuminator's field of view to form an illuminated region of interest within the illuminator's field of view,
wherein the illuminated region of interest having a size that is smaller than the illuminator's field of view, and
wherein the single lens of the movable lens assembly is positioned to receive light from the array of light sources.

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 the x axis actuator of the movable lens assembly and they axis actuator of the movable lens assembly comprise voice coil motors.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the movable lens assembly is configured to scan the illuminated region of interest over a portion of the field of view to create an effectively larger illuminated region of interest.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the x axis actuator of the movable lens assembly and they axis actuator of the movable lens assembly are configured to move the single lens both vertically and laterally in relation to the light source array.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the movable lens assembly is configured to scan the illuminated region of interest over a portion of the field of view to create an effectively larger illuminated region of interest.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the emitted beam of the light has less divergence than light emitted from the light source array.

9. 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, the illuminator comprising:
an array of light sources,
and a movable lens assembly comprising:
a single lens that defines a z axis aligned with the optical axis of the single lens, and an x axis and a y axis that are each perpendicular to the z axis and to each other,
an x axis actuator that is configured to tilt the single lens about the x axis, and
a y axis actuator that is configured to tilt the single lens about the y axis,

wherein the x axis actuator and they axis actuator of the movable lens assembly are collectively configured to movably direct an emitted beam of the light that passes through the single lens to one of any of a plurality of locations within the illuminator's field of view to form an illuminated region of interest within the illuminator's field of view,
wherein the illuminated region of interest having a size that is smaller than the illuminator's field of view, and
wherein the single lens of the movable lens assembly is positioned to receive light from the array of light sources.

10. The computing system of claim 9 wherein the computing system is a mobile computer having an applications processor, the plurality of general purpose processing cores and the memory controller being integrated on the applications processor.

11. The computing system of claim 10 wherein the image signal processor is integrated on the applications processor.

12. The computing system of claim 10 wherein the mobile computer is one of:
a tablet computer;
a smartphone.

13. The computing system of claim 9 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.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the x axis actuator and the y axis actuator of the movable lens assembly comprise voice coil motors that are configured to move the single lens of the movable lens laterally and vertically with respect to the light source array.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the x axis actuator and the y axis actuator of the movable lens assembly comprise voice coil motors that are configured to tilt the movable lens with respect to the light source array.

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Ko Jamyuen
• Wan Chung Chun

Classifications

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/11

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title