Macroscopic Interferometry with Swept-Frequency, Shuttered CMOS Sensors
The method of frequency depth sensing has a range of applications in industrial environments where 3D cameras are employed, such as automobile development and manufacturing. The technology has further applications in consumer grade technologies such as mobile devices, as well as a range of potential military and defense applications. In general, any context involving machine vision or human-computer interaction would be a potential area of application for this technology.
Researchers
-
methods and apparatus for time-of-flight imaging
United States of America | Granted | 10,191,154
Technology
The technology employs an alternate electronic technique for estimating distance and object depth using shuttered CMOS sensors, intended to overcome some practical and technological limitations which affect current technologies and methodologies. Existing systems make use of a method called phase sampling, involving the analysis of phase shifts exhibited by optical signals from a light source. While this is a generally viable method it is prone to three major issues that can affect estimation, phase wrapping, multi-path interference, and accuracy issues in situations with low signal-to-noise ratios. The invention avoids these problems by employing tone and frequency sampling from the dual frequency of a signal, facilitated by an amplitude-modulated light source and measures of incident light recorded on individual pixels.
Problem Addressed
Current time-of-flight camera technologies used to calculate distance and object depth by way of shuttered CMOS sensors make use of a technique called delayed phase sampling. This method makes use of a modulated light source to illuminate the desired scene and extracts the shifts in phase from the returning optical signals to calculate distance. While this method has been used successfully in the past, it suffers from three technologically based issues that impede its usefulness, phase-wrapping, multi-path interference, and inaccuracies when signal-to-noise ratio is low.
Advantages
- Avoids technological issues experienced by prior methods
- Makes use of similar hardware to existing methods
License this technology
Interested in this technology? Connect with our experienced licensing team to initiate the process.
Sign up for technology updates
Sign up now to receive the latest updates on cutting-edge technologies and innovations.