A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar system and images from a video system to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory of a target. The system estimates this trajectory in two stages: a first stage in which the range and Doppler measurements from the lidar system along with various feature measurements obtained from the images from the video system are used to estimate first stage motion aspects of the target (i.e., the trajectory of the target); and a second stage in which the images from the video system and the first stage motion aspects of the target are used to estimate second stage motion aspects of the target. Once the second stage motion aspects of the target are estimated, a three-dimensional image of the target may be generated.

A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar system and images from a video system to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory of a target. The system estimates this trajectory in two stages: a first stage in which the range and Doppler measurements from the lidar system along with various feature measurements obtained from the images from the video system are used to estimate first stage motion aspects of the target (i.e., the trajectory of the target); and a second stage in which the images from the video system and the first stage motion aspects of the target are used to estimate second stage motion aspects of the target. Once the second stage motion aspects of the target are estimated, a three-dimensional image of the target may be generated.

In an embodiment, a distance measuring device comprises an absolute distance measuring module, a tracking module, a two-axis rotating mechanism and a signal controlling and processing module to track an object and measure a distance between the distance measuring device and the object. The absolute distance measuring module measures an absolute distance between the distance measuring device and the object. The absolute distance measuring module and the tracking module are combined by using a dichroic beam splitter, and then all of them are further disposed in the two-axis rotating mechanism. When the object moves, a tracking optical path changes accordingly. A quadrant photodetector of the absolute distance measuring module detects the changes to avoid the distance measuring optical path being interrupted, and generates and transmits the signal to the signal controlling and processing module for controlling the two-axis rotating mechanism to rotate, thereby tracking the object.

In described examples, an integrated circuit includes a modulator configured to modulate a driving signal for an optical transmitter with a narrow band modulation signal in which the driving signal with a fixed duration is transmitted to the optical transmitter periodically. The integrated circuit also includes a demodulator configured to receive a signal from an optical receiver that is configured to receive a reflection of light transmitted by the optical transmitter off an object, the demodulator configured to discriminate the narrow band modulation signal and estimate a distance of the object using the narrow band modulation signal.

Described example aspects include an integrated circuit includes a timing controller configured to select a selected time slot in a measurement period having a plurality of time slots and a transmit driver configured to provide a transmit signal in accordance with the selected time slot, in which the transmit signal is transmitted to an optical transmitter. The integrated circuit also includes a range estimator configured to receive a received signal after the selected time slot from an optical receiver that is configured to receive a reflection of light transmitted by the optical transmitter off an object, the range estimator configured to determine an estimated distance of the object based on the received signal.

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) time of flight (TOF) sensor for inputting and outputting simultaneously and 3-dimensional laser scanning system including the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the sensor includes a substrate and a light receiving element array provided on the substrate and including a plurality of light receiving elements. The sensor also includes readout circuits configured to receive electrical signals from the light receiving elements and perform signal processing on the electrical signals. The sensor further includes metal lines disposed on the light receiving element array in parallel, provided to correspond to the number of the light receiving elements, and configured to connect the light receiving elements to the readout circuits in one-to-one correspondence.

A method for corrected depth measurement with a time-of-flight camera using amplitude-modulated continuous light. In order to enable an accurate and efficient depth measurement with a time-of-flight camera, the method includes, for each of a plurality of pixels of a sensor array of the camera: acquiring with the camera a raw depth value r.sub.m for the pixel; and automatically calculating a ground truth value r.sub.t according to: r.sub.t=g(r.sub.m−c.sub.m)+c.sub.t, to correct a systematic depth error of the raw depth value r.sub.m, wherein c.sub.m is a pixel-dependent first offset, g is a pixel-independent first function and c.sub.t is a pixel-independent second offset.

A method for corrected depth measurement with a time-of-flight camera using amplitude-modulated continuous light. In order to enable an accurate and efficient depth measurement with a time-of-flight camera, the method includes, for each of a plurality of pixels of a sensor array of the camera: acquiring with the camera a raw depth value r.sub.m for the pixel; and automatically calculating a ground truth value r.sub.t according to: r.sub.t=g(r.sub.m−c.sub.m)+c.sub.t, to correct a systematic depth error of the raw depth value r.sub.m, wherein c.sub.m is a pixel-dependent first offset, g is a pixel-independent first function and c.sub.t is a pixel-independent second offset.

A 3D imaging apparatus includes: a first image capturing camera generating a base image to be used for obtaining a first range image showing a three-dimensional character of an object; a second image capturing camera generating a reference image to be used for obtaining the first range image; a stereo matching unit searching for corresponding pixels between the base image and the reference image, and generating a first range image by calculating a disparity between the corresponding pixels; and a light source emitting to the object infrared light whose intensity is modulated. The first image capturing camera further generates a second range image by receiving a reflected light in synchronization with the modulated intensity. The reflected light is the infrared light reflected off the object. The second range image includes range information on a range between a point of reflection off the object and the first imaging unit.

TOF distance sensor for capturing the distance to an object by receiving radiation reflected by the object, said radiation emanating from a radiation source modulated by a modulation frequency, comprising a pixel matrix for recording a pixel image. The pixel matrix consists of demodulation pixels which are designed for rear-side reception of the radiation. The demodulation pixels comprise a conversion region for generating charge carriers from the received radiation, and a separating device for separating the charge carriers in accordance with the modulation frequency, and also a stop for partitioning-off the conversion region from the separating device in relation to the charge carriers, and also an aperture for passing the charge carriers from the conversion region into the separating device. The TOF distance sensor is embodied in such a way that in each case at least two demodulation pixels form a common aperture.