Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Stmicroelectronics (research & Development) Limited

Stmicroelectronics (alps) Sas

Rui Xiao

Xiaoyong Yang

Arnaud Deleule

Alexandre Balmefrezol

Duncan Hall

Frederic Morestin

Chang Myung Ryu

James Kath

A time of flight range detection device includes a laser configured to transmit an optical pulse into an image scene, a return single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array, a reference SPAD array, a range detection circuit coupled to the return SPAD array and the reference SPAD array, and a laser driver circuit. The range detection circuit in operation determines a distance to an object based on signals from the return SPAD array and the reference SPAD array. The laser driver circuit in operation varies an output power level of the laser in response to the determined distance to the object.

Adaptive laser power and ranging limit for time of flight sensor

The present disclosure provides a device and method for depth sensing by utilizing the combination of a ranging sensor and an image sensor. The ranging sensor can accurately detect distance measurement from an object. The image sensor can take images with high resolution of the object. By combining each sensor data from the ranging sensor and the image sensor, accurate depth information with high resolution of the object may be obtained. A structured light having patterned shapes are used in conjunction with the ranging sensor to receive reflected patterned shapes of the object. These reflected patterned shapes are used to analyze distance measurements associated with the specific patterned shapes. These distance measurements from both the ranging sensor and the image sensor is aligned and combined to generate an accurate depth map with high resolution using a processor of an electronic device including the ranging sensor and the image sensor.

Depth sensing with a ranging sensor and an image sensor

A user identification based control system includes a time of flight ranging sensor configured to sense a distance to a person, where the time of flight ranging sensor is positioned so the sensed distance is a function of a height of the person. Processing circuitry is coupled to the time of flight ranging sensor and configured to identify the person based upon sensed distance and to generate control signals to control peripheral components based upon the identity of the person. The time of flight ranging sensor may also be used to sense speed of the person for identification purposes. In general, the time of flight ranging sensor is positioned a known height over a surface on which the person is present, such as in the doorway or on a ceiling of a room.

Time of flight user identification based control systems and methods

An electronic device includes a time-of-flight sensor configured to sense a distance between the electronic device and at least one object proximate the electronic device. Processing circuitry is coupled to the time-of-flight sensor and controls access to the electronic device based on the sensed distance. The electronic device may include a digital camera that the processing circuitry controls to perform facial or iris recognition utilizing the sensed distance from the time-of-flight sensor.

Time of flight sensing for providing security and power savings in electronic devices

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of determining a movement of a user's head with a ranging sensor. The ranging sensor transmits a ranging signal that is reflected off of a user's shoulder and received back at the ranging sensor. The received ranging signal can be used to determine distance between the user's head and the user's shoulder or to determine the reflectivity of the user's shoulder. With the distance or the reflectivity, a processor can be used to determine movement of the user's head. Furthermore, a multiple zone ranging sensor or multiple ranging sensors can be used to detect the user's shoulder in different spatial zones.

Time-of-flight head movement measurement for wearable device

The present disclosure is directed to an image sensor including a pixel array of both range pixels and color pixels. Each range pixel (or range pixel area) may be associated with multiple adjacent color pixels, with each side of the range pixel immediately adjacent to at least two color pixels. The association between the range pixels and the color pixels may be dynamically configurable. The readings of a range pixel(s) and the associated color pixels may be integrated together in the generation of a 3D image.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Rui Xiao