CMOS image sensor for 2D imaging and depth measurement with ambient light rejection

    公开(公告)号:US11619483B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-04

    申请号:US17076790

    申请日:2020-10-21

    Abstract: Using the same image sensor to capture both a two-dimensional (2D) image of a three-dimensional (3D) object and 3D depth measurements for the object. A laser point-scans the surface of the object with light spots, which are detected by a pixel array in the image sensor to generate the 3D depth profile of the object using triangulation. Each row of pixels in the pixel array forms an epipolar line of the corresponding laser scan line. Timestamping provides a correspondence between the pixel location of a captured light spot and the respective scan angle of the laser to remove any ambiguity in triangulation. An Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) in the image sensor generates a multi-bit output in the 2D mode and a binary output in the 3D mode to generate timestamps. Strong ambient light is rejected by switching the image sensor to a 3D logarithmic mode from a 3D linear mode.

    Hybrid visible/NIR and LWIR sensor with resistive microbolometer

    公开(公告)号:US11454546B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-09-27

    申请号:US16937572

    申请日:2020-07-23

    Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a resistive microbolometer sensor portion, a visible image sensor portion, and an output path. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to an infrared (IR) image sensed by the resistive microbolometer sensor portion. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion uses no bias current. The visible image sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to a visible image sensed by the visible image sensor portion. The output path is shared by the resistive microbolometer sensor portion and the visible image sensor portion, and may be controlled to selectively output the signal corresponding to the IR image, the signal corresponding to the visible image, or a fused image based on the IR image and the visible image. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion may sense a near infrared image or a longwave infrared image.

    Increase depth resolution and depth accuracy in ToF sensors by avoiding histogrammization

    公开(公告)号:US11408998B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-08-09

    申请号:US16830254

    申请日:2020-03-25

    Abstract: A method is disclosed to determine a traveling time for a plurality of received light pulses that reflected and returned from an object. Each returned light pulse is associated with a timestamp indicating a time between a transmission time of a corresponding light pulse and a time of arrival of the returned light pulse. For each timestamp, a number C is determined of time stamps that are subsequent to the timestamp and within a predetermined time window after the timestamp. A maximum number C is determined, and an index i is determined for the maximum number C. A traveling time is determined for the plurality of light pulses as an average of the timestamp having a same index as the maximum number C and timestamps that are within the predetermined time window after the timestamp having the same index as the maximum number C.

    OPTICAL DEVICE FOR A THERMAL SENSOR AND A HYBRID THERMAL SENSOR

    公开(公告)号:US20220191410A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-06-16

    申请号:US17689883

    申请日:2022-03-08

    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a sensor to detect a first target spectrum, the first target spectrum corresponding to a thermal imaging region of an infrared (IR) spectrum; and an optical device to transmit external light to the sensor, the optical device including: a substrate; and a plurality of nanostructures on the substrate, and to collimate at least the first target spectrum in the external light on the sensor. The plurality of nanostructures are spaced apart from each other, and at least one of the plurality of nanostructures has a different geometric size from that of another.

    Optical device for a thermal sensor and a hybrid thermal sensor

    公开(公告)号:US11303827B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-12

    申请号:US16906917

    申请日:2020-06-19

    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a sensor to detect a first target spectrum, the first target spectrum corresponding to a thermal imaging region of an infrared (IR) spectrum; and an optical device to transmit external light to the sensor, the optical device including: a substrate; and a plurality of nanostructures on the substrate, and to collimate at least the first target spectrum in the external light on the sensor. The plurality of nanostructures are spaced apart from each other, and at least one of the plurality of nanostructures has a different geometric size from that of another.

    READOUT ARCHITECTURE FOR FMCW LIDAR

    公开(公告)号:US20220018945A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-01-20

    申请号:US17011813

    申请日:2020-09-03

    Abstract: Provided is a readout integrated circuit of a FMCW LiDAR system includes a transimpedance amplifier to receive an optical signal of optical mixer output from balanced PIN photo diode, convert the received optical signal into a current signal including a mixed signal of high and low frequencies, and convert the current signal into a voltage signal including a low frequency sinusoidal waveform, a comparator to receive the voltage signal, and generate a pulse signal from the voltage signal, a primary counter to receive a primary signal corresponding to the pulse signal, and count a number of pulses to generate primary counter data, a reference counter to receive a reference signal, and count a number of pulses to generate reference counter data, and an arithmetic logic unit to receive the primary and reference counter data, and calculate depth information corresponding to a distance of a target.

    High contrast structured light patterns for QIS sensors

    公开(公告)号:US11226197B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-01-18

    申请号:US16003014

    申请日:2018-06-07

    Abstract: A structured-light pattern for a structured-light system includes a base light pattern that includes a row of a plurality of sub-patterns extending in a first direction. Each sub-pattern is adjacent to at least one other sub-pattern, and each sub-pattern is different from each other sub-pattern. Each sub-pattern includes a first number of portions in a sub-row and a second number of portions in a sub-column. Each sub-row extends in the first direction and each sub-column extends in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. Each portion may be a first-type portion or a second-type portion. A size of a first-type portion is larger in the first direction and in the second direction than a size of a second-type portion in the first direction and in the second direction. In one embodiment, a first-type portion is a black portion and the second-type portion is a white portion.

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