G01S17/02

TIME OF FLIGHT RANGING FOR FLASH CONTROL IN IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES
20170353649 · 2017-12-07 ·

A flash control circuit of an image capture device includes a time-of-flight ranging sensor configured to sense distances to a plurality of objects within an overall field of view of the time-of-flight ranging sensor. The time-of-flight sensor is configured to generate a range estimation signal including a plurality of sensed distances to the plurality of objects. Flash control circuitry is coupled to the time-of-flight ranging sensor to receive the range estimation signal and is configured to generate a flash control signal to control a power of flash illumination light based upon the plurality of sensed distances. The time-of-flight sensor may also generate a signal amplitude for each of the plurality of sensed objects, with the flash control circuitry generating the flash control signal to the control the power of the flash illumination based on the plurality of sensed distances and signal amplitudes.

Three dimensional scanning beam and imaging system

A three dimensional scanning beam and imaging system (800) enable economical and efficient three dimensional scans of an environment. The system (800) includes a ranging apparatus (805), and a reactive linkage mechanism (810) having a first end (815) and a second end (820). The first end (815) is connected to the ranging apparatus (805) and the second end (820) is connected to an object (825) that moves the system (800) through an environment. Additionally, an imaging apparatus (840) is operatively coupled to either the first end (815) or the second end (820) of the reactive linkage mechanism (810). In use acceleration of the object (825) with respect to the environment is converted by the reactive linkage mechanism (810) to motion of the ranging apparatus (805) with respect to the object (825), which increases the field of view of the ranging apparatus (805) with respect to the environment.

Automotive auxiliary ladar sensor

A vehicle and ladar sensor assembly system is proposed which makes use of forward mounted long range ladar sensors and short range ladar sensors mounted in auxiliary lamps to identify obstacles and to identify potential collisions with the vehicle. A low cost assembly is developed which can be easily mounted within a body panel cutout of a vehicle, and which connects to the vehicle electrical and computer systems through the vehicle wiring harness. The vehicle has a digital processor which interprets 3D data received from the ladar sensor assembly, and which is in control of the vehicle subsystems for steering, braking, acceleration, and suspension. The digital processor onboard the vehicle makes use of the 3D data and the vehicle control subsystems to avoid collisions and steer a best path.

Light sensing device
09835725 · 2017-12-05 · ·

A light sensing device having background suppression includes: a light transmitter, a light receiver, an evaluation unit for determining the spacing between the light sensing device and an object in a detection zone of the light sensing device, and a setting element for setting a sensing depth within which an object should be detected. A critical spacing region is defined between a set sensing depth and a background in dependence on the set sensing depth. A signal output outputs a signal if an object is detected within the set sensing depth and a display unit displays whether an object is present within the sensing depth. The set sensing depth can be displayed in relation to a maximum sensing depth of the light sensing device in a first display region and a second display region indicates if an object is located in the critical spacing region.

RECEIVER WITH A LIGHT COLLECTOR ARRAY AND A MASK FOR IMPROVING DETECTION RESOLUTION DURING A SCANNING PROCEDURE OF AN OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM
20230184903 · 2023-06-15 · ·

Embodiments of the disclosure include a receiver of an optical sensing system. The receiver may include a mask configured to resonate during a scanning procedure performed by the optical sensing system. The receiver may also include a photodetector array positioned on a first side of the mask. The photodetector array may be configured to detect light that passes through the mask during the scanning procedure to generate a frame. The receiver may further include a light collector array aligned with the photodetector array and configured to concentrate the light that passes through the mask during the scanning procedure before directing the light to the photodetector array.

RECEIVER WITH A LIGHT COLLECTOR ARRAY AND A MASK FOR IMPROVING DETECTION RESOLUTION DURING A SCANNING PROCEDURE OF AN OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM
20230184903 · 2023-06-15 · ·

Embodiments of the disclosure include a receiver of an optical sensing system. The receiver may include a mask configured to resonate during a scanning procedure performed by the optical sensing system. The receiver may also include a photodetector array positioned on a first side of the mask. The photodetector array may be configured to detect light that passes through the mask during the scanning procedure to generate a frame. The receiver may further include a light collector array aligned with the photodetector array and configured to concentrate the light that passes through the mask during the scanning procedure before directing the light to the photodetector array.

DEPTH SENSOR MODULE AND DEPTH SENSING METHOD
20170343675 · 2017-11-30 ·

The invention relates to a depth sensor module and depth sensing method. The depth sensor module and method is adapted to include a light detector part and emitting part with a least two light sources spatially offset in the direction of the triangulation baseline. In some of the embodiments, the pixel field of the image sensor in the light detector part consists of time-of-flight pixels. Depth measurements derived by triangulation can be used to calibrate depth maps generated by the time-of-flight measurements.

Optical sensor arrangement
11674842 · 2023-06-13 ·

An optical sensor arrangement comprises an optoelectronic device covered by a cover arrangement and being configured to emit or detect at least electromagnetic radiation with a first wavelength through an aperture of the cover arrangement. The optical sensor arrangement further comprises a mirror arrangement arranged between the optoelectronic device and the aperture and comprising a wavelength selective mirror with a passband and a stopband. The passband includes a first wavelength range including the first wavelength, the stopband includes a second wavelength range corresponding to visible light or vice versa.

MOVING OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM
20170344022 · 2017-11-30 ·

The present disclosure provides a moving object detection device including a first input circuitry that receives positional information indicating a position of an object present around a vehicle in time sequence from an object detector included in the vehicle, and a controller that processes the positional information received by the first input circuitry in time sequence, detects at least a first continuum along a traveling road of the vehicle, and when a shape of a detected first continuum of this time is changed in comparison with a shape of a previous first continuum, outputs information indicating that another moving object different from the vehicle is present to a vehicle control circuitry of the vehicle.

DIRECT DETECTION LIDAR SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) TRANSMITTER AND QUADRATURE RECEIVER
20170343652 · 2017-11-30 · ·

A LiDAR system and method include a signal generator generating an output signal having a variable frequency. A modulation circuit receives the output signal from the signal generator and applies the output signal from the signal generator to an optical signal to generate an envelope-modulated optical signal having a frequency-modulated (FM) modulation envelope. Optical transmission elements transmit the envelope-modulated optical signal into a region. Optical receiving elements receive reflected optical signals from the region. Receive signal processing circuitry receives the reflected optical signals and uses quadrature detection to process the reflected optical signals.