Using a scene illuminating infrared emitter array in a video monitoring camera for depth determination

Abstract

A process creates a depth map of a scene. The process is performed at a computing device having one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors. For each of a plurality of distinct subsets of illuminators of a camera system, the process receives a captured image of a first scene taken by a 2-dimensional array of image sensors of the camera system while the respective subset of illuminators are emitting light and the illuminators not in the respective subset are not emitting light. The image sensors are partitioned into a plurality of pixels. For each pixel, the process uses the captured images to form a respective vector of light intensity at the pixel and estimates a depth in the first scene at the respective pixel by looking up the respective vector in a respective lookup table.