Infineon Technologies Ag

Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Hannes Plank

Armin Josef Schoenlieb

Norbert Druml

Caterina Nahler

Markus Dielacher

Martin Flatscher

Robert Lobnik

Heinrich Guenther Heiss

David Lugitsch

Thomas Herndl

Christoph Steffan

Theresa Egger

Josef Steinbaeck

Armin Josef Schönlieb-stalzer

Sebastian Handel

Wolfgang Schickbichler

A time-of-flight (ToF) imaging system includes a photonic mixer device configured to perform ToF measurements using at least one photo-sensitive element. Each photo-sensitive element includes at least a first element with a modifiable first charge level, a second element with a modifiable second charge level, and a gate for transferring charges to a fixed potential. The ToF imaging system includes control circuitry configured to provide a control signal for the photonic mixer device. The control signal is configured to drive the at least one photo-sensitive element such that charge carriers generated in the at least one photo-sensitive element by received light are directed either to the first element, the second element or the gate, or such that charge carriers generated in the at least one photo-sensitive element by received light are directed either to the first element, the second element, the gate, or to the first and the second element.

Time-of-flight imaging system and method and computer program for operating a time-of-flight imaging system

A display device is provided. The display device includes a plurality of first light-emitting elements configured to emit light for displaying an optical image on a front side of the display device. Additionally, the display device includes at least one second light-emitting element configured to emit infrared light for illuminating a scene in front of the front side of the display device.

Display device and electronic device including the display device

A method for time-of-flight sensing is provided. The method includes for at least one pixel position performing at least one continuous wave measurement to obtain at least one first measurement value for the pixel position. Further, the method includes performing at least one coded modulation measurement to obtain at least one second measurement value for the pixel position. The method additionally includes determining an estimate of a distance value of the pixel position based on the at least one first measurement value and the at least one second measurement value using a mapping function.

Time-of-flight sensing using continuous wave and coded modulation measurements

An apparatus for detecting a specular surface in a scene is provided. The apparatus includes an illumination device configured to emit polarized light towards the scene. The apparatus further includes an imaging system configured to capture a first image of the scene based on light emanating from the scene. The light emanating from the scene includes one or more reflection of the emitted polarized light. The imaging system is further configured to capture a second image of the scene based on filtered light. The apparatus further includes a polarization filter configured to generate the filtered light by filtering the light emanating from the scene. The apparatus further includes processing circuitry configured to determine presence of the specular surface in the scene based on a comparison of the first image and the second image.

Apparatus for detecting a specular surface in a scene and method for controlling an apparatus for detecting a specular surface in a scene

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display device configured to display an optical image on a front side of the display device. Further, the electronic device includes at least one sensor configured to measure electromagnetic radiation received from a scene in front of the front side of the display device. The display device includes a first display region using a first display technology and exhibiting a first transmissivity for the electromagnetic radiation. The display device further includes a second display region using a second display technology and exhibiting a second transmissivity for the electromagnetic radiation. The first transmissivity is higher than the second transmissivity. The at least one sensor is arranged on a back side of the display device and faces the first display region.

Electronic device

An imaging system includes an illumination element for emitting light and an imaging sensor having at least one photo-sensitive element that includes a first element with a modifiable first charge level and a second element with a modifiable second charge level. Control circuitry is configured to, during a first phase, control the illumination element to emit light towards a scene and drive the photo-sensitive element such that charge carriers generated in the photo-sensitive element by light received from the scene modify the first charge level. The control circuitry is configured to, during a second phase, control the illumination element to pause emission of the light and drive the photo-sensitive element such that charge carriers generated in the photo-sensitive element by light received modify the second charge level, and to generate a gray-scale image of the scene based on the first and second charge levels.

Method and imaging system for generating a gray-scale image

A method for determining a reflectivity value indicating a reflectivity of an object is provided. The method includes performing a Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurement using a ToF sensor. A correlation function of the ToF measurement increases over distance within a measurement range of the ToF sensor such that an output value of the ToF sensor for the ToF measurement is independent of the distance between the ToF sensor and the object. The method further includes determining the reflectivity value based on the output value of the ToF sensor for the ToF measurement.

Method and apparatus for determining a reflectivity value indicating a reflectivity of an object

Examples relate to a method, an apparatus and a computer program for determining distance information based on Time of Flight (ToF) sensor data. The method includes obtaining the ToF sensor data, determining one or more saturated regions within the ToF sensor data, determining distance information for one or more boundary regions located adjacent to the one or more saturated regions based on the ToF sensor data, and determining distance information for at least a part of the one or more saturated regions based on the distance information of the one or more boundary regions.

Time of flight sensor module, method, apparatus and computer program for determining distance information based on time of flight sensor data

Techniques for obtaining reflectance measurements using a time-of-flight (ToF) measurement device. An example method comprises obtaining a distance measurement, using one or more pixels in a ToF sensor, obtaining an intensity measurement corresponding to the distance measurement, using the one or more pixels, and calculating a reflectance value, based on the distance measurement, the intensity measurement, and a reflectance calibration factor. In some embodiments, the calibration distance is obtained by measuring a reference distance to a calibration surface, using a reference pixel in the ToF sensor, and obtaining the calibration distance from the measured reference distance. In some of these embodiments, the reflectance calibration factor is obtained by obtaining a reference intensity corresponding to the reference distance, using the reference pixel, and calculating the reflectance calibration factor for the one or more pixels as a function of the reference intensity and a viewing angle for the one or more pixels.

Reflectance sensing with time-of-flight cameras

A sensor device is provided. The sensor device includes an image sensor having a plurality of photo-sensitive pixels configured to measure light received from a scene. The image sensor is configured to output image data indicative of measurement values of at least part of the plurality of photo-sensitive pixels. Additionally, the sensor device includes processing circuitry configured to determine a histogram based on the image data. The histogram represents a distribution of the measurement values. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether an object is present in the scene based on the histogram. In addition, the sensor device includes interface circuitry configured to output presence data indicating whether the object is present in the scene.

Sensor devices, electronic devices, method for performing object detection by a sensor device, and method for performing object detection by an electronic device

A localization apparatus includes: a time-of-flight circuit configured to emit a first modulated light signal and to receive reflections of the first modulated light signal from at least three devices; a processing circuit configured to determine, based on the first modulated light signal and the reflections, positions of the at least three devices in a first coordinate system associated with the apparatus; and a receive circuit configured to receive second modulated signals from the at least three devices, the second modulated signals including data indicating positions of the at least three devices in a second coordinate system. The processing circuit is further configured to determine a position and orientation of the apparatus in the second coordinate system based on the positions of the at least three devices in the first coordinate system and the data indicating the positions of the at least three devices in the second coordinate system.

Localization apparatus and method

A tag for time-of-flight (ToF) applications includes: at least three light sources configured to controllably emit light; a light detector configured to receive one or more modulated light signals from a ToF camera system; and a processing circuit configured to determine one or more time periods in which the ToF camera system is sensitive for light reception and control the at least three light sources to sequentially and individually emit light according to a predefined lighting pattern during the one or more time periods. Corresponding apparatuses and methods for determining rotation and/or translation parameters for conversion between different coordinate systems are also provided.

Methods and apparatuses for determining rotation parameters for conversion between coordinate systems

Provided is a method for compensating light reflections from a cover of a time-of-flight camera in an image of a scene that is sensed by the time-of-flight camera. The method includes receiving the image of the scene from the time-of-flight camera. Further, the method includes modifying the image of the scene using a reference image to obtain a compensated image of the scene. Pixels of the reference image indicate reference values exclusively related to light reflections from the cover of the time-of-flight camera. Additionally, the method includes outputting the compensated image.

Methods and apparatuses for compensating light reflections from a cover of a time-of-flight camera

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a display device including a plurality of light-emitting elements for displaying an optical image on a front side of the display device; an illumination element integrated into the display device and configured to emit light for illuminating a scene in front of the front side of the display device; an optical sensor configured to sense reflections of the light from the scene; an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical control signal encoded with control information for controlling light emission by the illumination element; and an optical receiver integrated into the display device and configured to receive the optical control signal and generate an electrical control signal based on the optical control signal. The electronic device further includes a driver circuit integrated into the display device and configured to drive the illumination element based on the electrical control signal.

Electronic device and method for an electronic device

A method for compensating stray light caused by an object in a scene that is sensed by a time-of-flight camera is provided. The method includes receiving an image of the scene from the time-of-flight camera. Further, the method includes controlling the time-of-flight camera to capture a reference image of the scene using a code modulated signal for illumination such that a measurement range of the time-of-flight camera is limited to a distance range around the object. The method additionally includes modifying the image of the scene or an image derived therefrom using the reference image to obtain a compensated image of the scene. The method includes outputting the compensated image.

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Hannes Plank