RANGE IMAGING SYSTEM AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20160259057A1
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: ITO, Junji
• Granted Patent: US 10,302,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/894 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 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4863 Detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4865 Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/51 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/28 Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/40 using time delay of the reflected waves, e.g. of ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/20 Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/135 based on four or more different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A range imaging system includes: a control unit that generates a light emission signal for instructing light irradiation and an exposure signal for instructing exposure; a pulsed-light source unit that emits pulsed light in response to the light emission signal; an imaging unit that includes a solid-state imaging device and performs exposure and imaging in response to the exposure signal; and a calculation unit that calculates range information. The solid-state imaging device includes a first pixel for receiving radiant light from a subject and a second pixel for receiving reflected light of the pulsed light. The calculation unit calculates the range information using an image capture signal from the first pixel and an imaging signal from the second pixel.

Claims

1. A range imaging system comprising:

a signal generation unit configured to generate a light emission signal for instructing light irradiation and an exposure signal for instructing exposure;

a light source unit including a light source and configured to emit an irradiation light beam in response to the light emission signal;

an imaging unit including a solid-state imaging device and configured to perform exposure and imaging in response to the exposure signal; and

a calculation unit configured to calculate range information,

wherein the solid-state imaging device outputs an image capture signal for detecting an object and an imaging signal for calculating a distance,

the light source unit is configured to irradiate an irradiation region with a plurality of the irradiation light beams divided from source light outputted from the light source, and

the range information of the object in the irradiation region is calculated using the image capture signal and the imaging signal based on light beams reflected from irradiation points on the object as a result of the light irradiation with the irradiation light beams reaching the irradiation points.

2. The range imaging system according to claim 1, being mounted to transportation equipment,

wherein the range information of the object present outside the transportation equipment and located in front of, behind, or on a side of the transportation equipment is calculated, and

the object is an obstacle that obstructs driving of the transportation equipment.

3. The range imaging system according to claim 2,

wherein the light source unit is provided in a front grille, a headlight, or a fog lamp of the transportation equipment, and

the imaging unit is provided near a rearview mirror, in the front grille, or in a front bumper of the transportation equipment.

4. The range imaging system according to claim 2, being provided near a license plate or in a sideview mirror section of the transportation equipment.

5. The range imaging system according to claim 2,

wherein the obstacle is another piece of transportation equipment or a person.

6. The range imaging system according to claim 2,

wherein at least a part of drive control of the transportation equipment including the range imaging system is performed using the range information of the obstacle.

7. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the irradiation region includes:

a center region having a small number of the irradiation points; and

a peripheral region having a large number of the irradiation points.

8. The range imaging system according to claim 7,

wherein the center region of the irradiation region includes an upper part having a small number of the irradiation points.

9. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the solid-state imaging device includes a dual-purpose pixel for outputting the image capture signal and the imaging signal.

10. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the solid-state imaging device includes a passive pixel for outputting the image capture signal and an active pixel for outputting the imaging signal.

11. The range imaging system according to claim 10,

wherein the passive pixel receives visible light and the active pixel receives infrared light.

12. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the object is detected using the image capture signal and a distance to the object is calculated as the range information using the imaging signal.

13. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the light source is a laser light source, and

the light source unit is configured to irradiate the irradiation region with a plurality of laser light beams divided from the source light.

14. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the light source unit includes a diffraction grating, and

the diffraction grating divides the source light into the irradiation light beams.

15. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the irradiation light beams is emitted in a shape of a spot.

16. The range imaging system according to claim 1,

wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate a distance by a time-of-flight method.

17. A range imaging system comprising:

a signal generation unit configured to generate a light emission signal for instructing light irradiation and an exposure signal for instructing exposure;

a light source unit including a light source and configured to emit an irradiation light beam in response to the light emission signal;

an imaging unit including a solid-state imaging device and configured to perform exposure and imaging in response to the exposure signal; and

a calculation unit configured to calculate range information,

wherein the solid-state imaging device outputs an image capture signal and an imaging signal, and

the image capture signal is used to detect an object in an irradiation region and the imaging signal is used to calculate a distance to the object in the irradiation region.

18. A solid-state imaging device that outputs an image capture signal and an imaging signal, the solid-state imaging device being included in a range imaging system that includes:

a signal generation unit configured to generate a light emission signal for instructing light irradiation and an exposure signal for instructing exposure;

a light source unit including a light source and configured to emit an irradiation light beam in response to the light emission signal;

an imaging unit including the solid-state imaging device and configured to perform exposure and imaging in response to the exposure signal; and

a calculation unit configured to calculate range information,

wherein the range imaging system irradiates an irradiation region with a plurality of the irradiation light beams divided from source light outputted from the light source, and calculates the range information of an object in the irradiation region using the image capture signal and the imaging signal based on light beams reflected from irradiation points on the object as a result of the light irradiation with the irradiation light beams reaching the irradiation points.