Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.

Teledyne Scientific and Imaging, LLC

The Boeing Company

Snaptrack Incorporated

Obsidian Sensors, Inc.

Omm, Inc.

Jian Jim Ma

John Hyunchul Hong

Tallis Young Chang

Sergiu Radu Goma

Bing Wen

Chong U Lee

Biay-Cheng Hseih

Shen-Ge Wang

Bruce Kevin Winker

Robert Sean Daley

Huanzhao Zeng

Frederick Duke Kim

Ion Bita

Jay Chunsup Yun

Songhe Cai

Todor Georgiev Georgiev

Cheonhong Kim

Steffen Gloeckner

Marek Mienko

Jonathan Martin Saint Clair

Graham J Martin

Yaoling Pan

William J Gunning, Iii

Edward Chan

Chialun Tsai

Dong-Feng Gu

Mitchell D Voth

Kristopher Andrew Lavery

Donald J Taber

Tallis Y Chang

Edward Keat Leem Chan

Brandon Hong

Philippe Marchand

Daniel J Reiley

Ezekiel John Joseph Kruglick

Steven L Chen

Dale Hollis

Alexander A Bogdanov

Sung J Choi

Systems and techniques are described for large field of view imaging. A device's first image sensor captures a first image based on first light from a scene redirected by a light redirection element (e.g., a first prism and/or first reflective surface), and the device's second image sensor captures a second image based on second light from the scene redirected by the light redirection element (e.g., a second prism and/or second reflective surface). The device can modify the first image and/or second image using perspective distortion correction and/or to align one or more properties of two respective depictions of a shared portion of a scene in the two images. The one or more properties can include brightness, contrast, positioning, sharpness, tint, hue, and/or saturation. The device can generate a combined image with a large field of view and smooth transitions by combining the first image and the second image.

Systems, methods, and devices for processing image data from multiple image sensors

Techniques and systems are provided for high resolution time-of-flight (ToF) depth imaging. In some examples, an apparatus includes a projection system including one or more light-emitting devices, each light-emitting device being configured to illuminate at least one portion of an entire field-of-view (FOV) of the projection system. The entire FOV includes a plurality of FOV portions. The apparatus also includes a receiving system including a sensor configured to sequentially capture a plurality of images based on a plurality of illumination reflections corresponding to light emitted by the one or more light-emitting devices. Each image of the plurality of images corresponds to one of the plurality of FOV portions. An image resolution associated with each image corresponds to a full resolution of the sensor. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to generate, using the plurality of images, an increased resolution depth map associated with the entire FOV.

High resolution time-of-flight depth imaging

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to depth sensing using a device. An example device includes a light projector configured to project light in a first and a second distribution. The first and the second distribution include a flood projection when the device operates in a first mode and a pattern projection when the device operates in a second mode, respectively. The example device includes a receiver configured to detect reflections of light projected by the light projector. The example device includes a processor connected to a memory storing instructions. The processor is configured to determine first depth information based on reflections detected by the receiver when the device operates in the first mode, determine second depth information based on reflections detected by the receiver when the device operates in the second mode, and resolve multipath interference (MPI) using the first depth information and the second depth information.

Resolving multipath interference using a mixed active depth system

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to depth sensing using a device. An example device includes a first light projector configured to project light towards a second light projector configured to project light towards the first light projector. The example device includes a reflective component positioned between the first and second light projectors, the reflective component configured to redirect the light projected by the first light projector onto a first portion of a scene and to redirect the light projected by the second light projector onto a second portion of the scene, and the first and second portions of the scene being adjacent to one another and non-overlapping relative to one another. The example device includes a receiver configured to detect reflections of redirected light projected by the first and second light projectors.

Wide-angle 3D sensing

Systems and techniques are described for large field of view digital imaging. A device's first image sensor captures a first image based on first light redirected from a first path onto a redirected first path by a first light redirection element, and the device's second image sensor captures a second image based on second light redirected from a second path onto a redirected second path by a second light redirection element. A virtual extension of the first path beyond the first light redirection element can intersect with a virtual extension of the second path intersect beyond the second light redirection element. The device can modify the first image and second image using perspective distortion correction, and can generate a combined image by combining the first image and the second image. The combined image can have a larger field of view than the first image and/or the second image.

Multiple camera system for wide angle imaging

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for sensing a scene. In one aspect, a device may illuminate the scene using a sequence of two or more periods. Each period may include a transmission portion during which a plurality of light pulses are emitted onto the scene. Each period may include a non-transmission portion corresponding to an absence of emitted light. The device may receive, during each transmission portion, a plurality of light pulses reflected from the scene. The device may continuously accumulate photoelectric charge indicative of the received light pulses during an entirety of the sequence. The device may transfer the accumulated photoelectric charge to a readout circuit after an end of the sequence.

3D active depth sensing with laser pulse train bursts and a gated sensor

Various embodiments are directed to an image sensor that includes a first sensor portion and a second sensor portion. The second sensor portion may be positioned relative to the first sensor portion such that the second sensor portion may initially detect light entering the image sensor, and some of that light passes through the second sensor portion and may be detected by the first sensor portion. In some embodiments, one more optical filters may be disposed within the image sensor. The one or more optical filters may include at least one of a dual bandpass filter disposed above the second photodetector or a narrow bandpass filter disposed between the first photodetector and the second photodetector.

Solid state image sensor with on-chip filter and extended spectral response

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a device including a light projector. An example light projector includes a light source that emits a light, a first diffractive optical element block comprising a first diffractive optical element and a first refractive material, and a second diffractive optical element block comprising a second diffractive optical element and a second refractive material. The first diffractive optical element is configured to project a first distribution of light, and the first refractive material is configured to switch the first diffractive optical element between projecting the first distribution of light and being prevented from projecting the first distribution of light. The second diffractive optical element is configured to project a second distribution of light, and the second refractive material is configured to switch the second diffractive optical element between projecting the second distribution of light and being prevented from projecting the second distribution of light.

Multifunction light projector with multistage adjustable diffractive optical elements

Aspects relate to digital imaging. An example method includes receiving a first image frame of a scene captured by a first image sensor. The method also includes receiving a second image frame of the scene captured by a second image sensor. The second image frame is captured concurrently with capture of the first image frame. The method also includes receiving a third image frame of the scene captured by a third image sensor. The third image frame is captured concurrently with capture of the first image frame. The method also includes generating a combined image from the first image frame, the second image frame, and the third image frame. The combined image includes a first field of view that is wider than a field of view of the first image frame.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for active depth sensing. An example device includes a light projector. The light projector includes a light source to emit light and a diffractive element. The diffractive element is configured to receive the emitted light that is polarized, project a first distribution of light when the received light has a first polarity, and project a second distribution of light when the received light has a second polarity.

Adjustable light distribution for active depth sensing systems

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a device for active depth sensing with an adjustable distribution of light projected. An example device includes a light projector. The light projector includes a light source configured to emit a light and a diffractive element. The diffractive element includes a first diffractive optical element having a first refractive index and configured to project a first distribution of light, a second diffractive optical element having a second refractive index and configured to project a second distribution of light based on a refractive material between the first diffractive optical element and the second diffractive optical element, and the refractive material located between the first diffractive optical element and the second optical element. The refractive material is adjustable to have a second refractive index for the first mode and a third refractive index for the second mode.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an adjustable light projector for active depth sensing and flood illumination. An example device includes a light projector that includes a light source to emit a light along a first direction and a diffractive element positioned in a path of the emitted light along the first direction. The diffractive element includes a diffractive optical element having a first refractive index and configured to project a distribution of focused light from the emitted light during a first mode. The diffractive element also includes a diffusion element having a second refractive index and configured to diffuse the emitted light during a second mode.

Adjustable light projector for flood illumination and active depth sensing

Various embodiments are directed to a light pipe. The light pipe may include a channel within a substrate of an image sensor. The channel may be formed by a plurality of layers. The plurality of layers may include a first layer and a second layer. The second layer may be spaced apart from the first layer along an axis of the channel.

Metal mesh light pipe for transporting light in an image sensor

The various embodiments include a near-eye display having a transmissive display and a diffractive micro-lens array. The transmissive display may be positioned relative to the diffractive micro-lens array so that the distance between the transmissive display and the diffractive micro-lens array is be approximately equal to focal length of the diffractive micro-lens array. The transmissive display may also be positioned relative to the diffractive micro-lens array so that a percentage of light emitted from the transmissive display is diffracted by the micro-lens array and collimated into focus on a retina of a human eye. The transmissive display may be further positioned relative to the diffractive micro-lens array so that light from a real world scene passes through transparent portions of the transmissive display and is diffracted by the micro-lens array out of focus of the human eye.

See through near-eye display

Techniques are disclosed for generating a high resolution image from a plurality of images captured from a plurality of sensors. The pixels in one sensor have at least one of different size, shape, or orientation than pixels in another sensor. The difference in size, shape, or orientation of the pixels and the interconnection of pixels on respective sensors provides a high level of certainty that there will be sufficient difference in the captured images, with limited loss in image content, to generate a relatively high resolution image from the images captured by the respective sensors.

Growing community of inventors

Carlsbad, CA, United States of America

Jian Jim Ma