CAMERA FOR MEASURING DEPTH IMAGE AND METHOD OF MEASURING DEPTH IMAGE USING THE SAME

• US 20150163474A1
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOU, Jang-woo, PARK, Yong-hwa, YOON, Hee-sun
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/894 3D imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a 2D array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone
• 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

Abstract

Provided are a depth camera and methods of measuring a depth image by using the depth camera. The depth camera is a time-of-flight (TOF) depth camera including: an illumination device that illuminates a patterned light to an object; a filter unit that reduces noise light included in light reflected by the object; and an image sensor that provides a depth image of the object by receiving light that enters through the filter unit. The illumination device includes: a light source; and a patterned light generator that changes the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light. The filter unit includes a band pass filter and an optical modulator. The patterned light generator may be a diffractive optical element or a refractive optical element.

Claims

1. A time-of-flight (TOF) depth camera comprising:

an illumination device which is configured to illuminate a patterned light to an object;

a filter device which is configured to reduce noise light included in light reflected by the object; and

an image sensor which is configured to provide a depth image of the object by receiving light that enters through the filter device.

2. The TOF depth camera of claim 1, wherein the illumination device comprises:

a light source; and

a patterned light generator which is configured to change light emitted from the light source into the patterned light.

3. The TOF depth camera of claim 1, wherein the filter device comprises:

a band pass filter; and

an optical modulator.

4. The TOF depth camera of claim 2, wherein the patterned light generator is a diffractive optical element.

5. The TOF depth camera of claim 2, wherein the patterned light generator is a refractive optical element.

6. A method of measuring a depth image, comprising:

irradiating a patterned light on an object;

measuring a phase delay of light that is reflected by the object; and

measuring a plurality of distances from a depth camera to each of a plurality of regions of the object using the measured phase delay.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the irradiating of the patterned light on the object comprises:

emitting light from a light source; and

changing the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the changing the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light comprises diffracting the light using a diffractive optical element.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the changing the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light comprises refracting the light using a refractive optical element.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the measuring the phase delay comprises:

reducing noise light included in the light reflected by the object; and

measuring the phase delay of a light signal included in the light that is reflected by the object.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the changing the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light comprises changing the light emitted from the light source into the patterned light having a plurality of spots where intensity of light is high relative to a plurality of surrounding regions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the refractive optical element is a micro-lens array.