CAMERA INTEGRATED WITH LIGHT SOURCE

• US 20150138325A1
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: SEO, Young-kwang
• Application Number:
  US14/546,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/49
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4812 transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/12 using mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a camera integrated with a light source, and a method of operating the same. The camera includes: the light source configured to emit light; a scanning mirror configured to scan the light emitted from the light source toward an object; an optical detector configured to detect the light reflected from the object; and a controller configured to transmit a control signal for selectively adjusting a scanning angle of the scanning mirror, and to generate a depth image of the object using the reflected light detected by the optical detector.

Claims

1. A camera integrated with a light source, the camera comprising:

the light source configured to emit light;

a scanning mirror configured to scan the light emitted from the light source toward an object;

an optical detector configured to detect the light reflected from the object; and

a controller configured to transmit a control signal to the scanning mirror for selectively adjusting a scanning angle of the scanning mirror, and to generate a depth image of the object using the reflected light detected by the optical detector.

2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the light source emits the light of which a pulse width is modulated in sync with the transmitted control signal.

3. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising a collimation lens on an optical path between the light source and the scanning mirror to prevent the light emitted from the light source from being scattered.

4. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising an infrared or near-infrared band pass filter on an optical path to the optical detector.

5. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising an infrared or near-infrared band light beam splitter configured to direct the light emitted from the light source toward the scanning mirror.

6. The camera according to claim 5, further comprising an optical absorption section,

wherein the infrared or near-infrared band light beam splitter is configured to transmit light except infrared or near-infrared light to the optical absorption section which prevents the transmitted light from reflection, and

wherein the infrared or near-infrared band light band beam splitter is configured to direct the infrared or near-infrared light toward the scanning mirror.

7. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the scanning mirror comprises a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) minor of which an angle is adjustable in a two-dimensional (2D) direction.

8. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the scanning minor is adjustable, in accordance with the control signal, to scan the light within only a partial range of angles from among a full range of angles of the scanning mirror.

9. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising a wide-angle extending lens between the scanning mirror and the object to extend a scanning angle of the scanning minor.

10. The camera according to claim 8, wherein the wide-angle extending lens comprises at least one of acryl, glass, and sapphire.

11. The camera according to claim 8, wherein one or more sides of the wide-angle extending lens comprises at least one of an optical coating for anti-reflection (AR) and a band pass filter (BPF).

12. The camera according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control a modulation speed, a pulse width, and an optical intensity at pulse width modulation (PWM) for the light source.

13. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a distance between the camera and the object based on a light source PWM signal and an optical signal reflected from the object and returning toward the optical detector.

14. The camera according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to use time-to-digital conversion to determine the distance.

15. The camera according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to convert a depth distance calculated according to scanning sequences into a 2D image format for one frame image.

16. The camera according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the converted frame image to a gesture recognition engine or a host through a parallel data interface or a serial data interface of the controller.

17. A method of operating a camera integrated with a light source, the method comprising:

emitting, by the light source, light;

scanning, by a scanning mirror of the camera, the emitted light toward an object;

detecting, by an optical detector of the camera, the light reflected from the object; and

generating a depth image of the object using the detected light,

wherein the scanning comprises selectively adjusting a scanning angle of the scanning mirror.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the emitting comprises modulating a pulse width of the light in sync with a control signal.

19. A method of operating a camera integrated with a light source, the method comprising:

transmitting a first control signal to control the light source to emit light;

transmitting a second control signal to selectively adjust a scanning angle of a scanning mirror that scans the light emitted from the light source toward an object; and

generating a depth image of the object using detected light reflected from the object.

20. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program executable by a computer for performing the method of claim 19.