Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Gregory Waligorski

Ilia Ovsiannikov

Yibing Michelle Wang

Hongyu Wang

Qiang Zhang

Deokha Shin

Yong-Hwa Park

Wang-Hyun Kim

Two-dimensional (2D) color information and 3D-depth information are concurrently obtained from a 2D pixel array. The 2D pixel array is arranged in a first group of a plurality of rows. A second group of rows of the array are operable to generate 2D-color information and pixels of a third group of the array are operable to generate 3D-depth information. The first group of rows comprises a first number of rows, the second group of rows comprises a second number of rows that is equal to or less than the first number of rows, and the third group of rows comprises a third number of rows that is equal to or less than the second number of rows. In an alternating manner, 2D-color information is received from a row selected from the second group of rows and 3D-depth information is received from a row selected from the third group of rows.

Concurrent RGBZ sensor and system

In embodiments, a T-O-F depth imaging device renders a depth image of an object that has corrected depth values. The device includes a pixel array that uses an Electronic Rolling Shutter scheme. The device also includes a light source that transmits towards the object light that is modulated at an operating frequency, and an optical shutter that opens and closes at the operating frequency. The optical shutter further modulates the light that is reflected from the object, before it reaches the pixel array. The transmission of the light and the operation of the shutter change phase relative to each other while at least one of the pixels is sensing the light it receives, which permits a faster frame rate. Depth is determined by the amount of light sensed by the pixels, and a correction is computed to compensate for the changing phase.

Correction of depth images from T-O-F 3D camera with electronic-rolling-shutter for light modulation changes taking place during light integration

A method and a system are disclosed that use a double-readout technique to generate timestamps and grayscale values for pixel-specific outputs of a pixel row in a pixel array in which the pixel array forms an image plane and the row of pixels forms an epipolar line of a scanning line on the image plane. For a pixel-specific output that exceeds a threshold, a timestamp value and a grayscale value are generated and associated with the pixel-specific output. If a pixel-specific output does not exceed the threshold and no timestamp is generated (i.e., a missing timestamp), a grayscale value for the pixel-specific output is generated and associated with the pixel-specific output. Timestamps errors may be corrected that may be caused by missing timestamps, timestamps that are associated with pixel clusters and outlier timestamps, i.e., pixel-specific outputs that are not consistent with a monotonic relationship of timestamp values under normal conditions.

Timestamp error correction with double readout for the 3D camera with epipolar line laser point scanning

An embodiment includes a method, comprising: receiving a modulated signal having modulation; generating a first signal in response to the modulation and a first sampling signal; generating a second signal in response to the modulation and a second sampling signal; and generating a distance in response to the first signal and the second signal. A ratio of a frequency of the first sampling signal to a frequency of the second sampling signal is a rational number.

Time-of-flight ranging system and method with extended range

Imaging systems, such as time-of-flight imaging systems, and methods with pixel sensitivity adjustments. An embodiment includes a method, comprising: for a plurality of pixels having a first output and a second output, measuring the first outputs and the second outputs in response to a demodulation signal; and adjusting the demodulation signal such that a combination of the first outputs is substantially similar to a combination of the second outputs.

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Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Gregory Waligorski