IMAGE SENSORS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20120154537A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHANG, Seung-Hyuk, PARK, Yoon-Dong, LEE, Yong-Jel
• Application Number:
  US13/239,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154537A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/50 Control of the SSIS exposure

Abstract

According to example embodiments, a method of operating a three-dimensional image sensor comprises measuring a distance of an object from the three-dimensional image sensor using light emitted by a light source module, and adjusting an emission angle of the light emitted by the light source module based on the measured distance. The three-dimensional image sensor includes the light source module.

Claims

1. A method of operating a three-dimensional image sensor, the method comprising:

measuring a distance of an object from the three-dimensional image sensor using light emitted by a light source module, the three-dimensional image sensor including the light source module; and

adjusting an emission angle of the light emitted by the light source module based on the measured distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring comprises:

emitting the light with desired emission angle at the light source module; and

measuring the distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor by detecting a time-of-flight of the emitted light.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting decreases the emission angle of the light as the distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor increases.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source module includes a light source and a lens, and wherein the adjusting adjusts an interval between the light source and the lens based on the measured distance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the adjusting moves the light source or the lens such that a separation between the light source and the lens increases as the distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor increases.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source module includes a light source and a lens, and wherein the adjusting

adjusts a refractive index of the lens based on the measured distance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting

increases the refractive index of the lens as the distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor increases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source module includes a light source and a lens, and wherein the adjusting

adjusts a curvature of the lens based on the measured distance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adjusting

increases the curvature of the lens as the distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor increases.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting an amplitude of the light emitted by the light source module according to an increment or a decrement of the emission angle of the light.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting

decreases the amplitude of the light as the emission angle of the light decreases.

12. A method of operating a three-dimensional image sensor, the method comprising:

obtaining position information of an object using light emitted by a light source module, the three-dimensional image sensor including the light source module having a light source and a lens; and

adjusting a relative position of the light source to the lens based on the obtained position information of the object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the position information of the object includes at least one of a distance of the object from the three-dimensional image sensor, a horizontal position of the object, a vertical position of the object and a size of the object.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the relative position of the light source to the lens includes at least one of an interval between the light source and the lens, a horizontal position of the light source and a vertical position of the light source.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the position information of the object includes a horizontal position and a vertical position of the object, and wherein the adjusting

moves the light source or the lens such that the object, the lens and the light source are positioned in a straight line.

16. A method of operating an image sensor, the method comprising:

obtaining position information of an object using light emitted by a light source module, the image sensor including the light source module; and

adjusting an emission angle of the light emitted by the light source module based on the obtained position information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the obtaining the position information of the object comprises:

emitting the light with a desired emission angle from the light source module; and

measuring a distance of the object from the image sensor by detecting a time-of-flight of the emitted light.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting adjusts the emission angle of the light based on the distance of the object from the image sensor.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting adjusts the emission angle of the light by adjusting a separation between a light source and a lens based on the measured distance, the light source module including the light source and the lens.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting adjusts the emission angle of the light by adjusting a refractive index of a lens included in the light source module based on the measured distance.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting adjusts the emission angle of the light by adjusting a curvature of the lens based on the measured distance.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting an amplitude of the light emitted by the light source module according to an increase or a decrease in the emission angle of the light.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the measuring at least twice samples light reflected from the object, calculates a phase difference between the emitted and reflected light based on the at least two samples and detects the time-of-flight of the emitted light.

24-30. -30. (canceled)