Range image system for obtaining subject image of predetermined distance position

• US 8,139,116 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Murayama, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US11/812,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 348/162, 348/164, 348/135, 356/5.04
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14837 Frame-interline transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14887 Blooming suppression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/045 using mosaic colour filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device has a single plate structure and is capable of imaging of visible light and infrared light. While imaging of the visible light and the infrared light is performed by the imaging device every one-frame scanning period, an IR pulse is emitted, every other one-frame scanning period, to a space to be shot. A visible-light image is produced every one-frame scanning period. A range image from which influence to be caused by infrared component of the ambient light is removed is produced every other one-frame scanning period by subtracting an IR pixel image (S2IR), which is obtained by imaging of non-emission time of the IR pulse, from an IR pixel signal (S1IR), which is obtained by imaging of emission time of the IR pulse.

Claims

1. A range image system comprising:

an infrared emitting device for emitting infrared pulsed light to a scene;

an imaging device in which first light receive elements for receiving visible light and second light receive elements for receiving infrared light are two-dimensionally disposed, said imaging device photoelectrically converting the visible light and the infrared light of said scene received by said first and second light receive elements to output a first pixel signal, which corresponds to a charge amount of a signal charge accumulated in said first light receive element, and a second pixel signal, which corresponds to a charge amount of a signal charge accumulated in said second light receive element, in time series;

an imaging controller for activating said imaging device to periodically output the first and second pixel signals of one frame every one-frame scanning period, said imaging controller delaying a light-receiving period of said second light receive element from the emission of said pulsed light of said infrared emitting device by a predetermined time so as to receive the pulsed light reflected from a predetermined distance position;

an emission controller for controlling emission timing of said infrared emitting device to perform emission of said pulsed light every other one-frame scanning period;

a first frame memory for storing the first and second pixel signals of one frame obtained by imaging of emission time of said pulsed light;

a second frame memory for storing the first and second pixel signals of one frame obtained by imaging of non-emission time of said pulsed light; and

a signal processor for producing a first visible-light image based on said first pixel signal stored in said first frame memory, and for producing a second visible-light image based on said first pixel signal stored in said second frame memory, said signal processor producing a range image by subtracting said second pixel signal stored in said second frame memory from said second pixel signal stored in said first frame memory,

wherein said imaging device is a solid-state imaging device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, in a surface layer of which a well layer of a second conductivity type is formed, said imaging device further including;

a vertical overflow drain for sweeping the signal charges of said first and second light receive elements to said semiconductor substrate;

a lateral overflow drain for sweeping the signal charge of said second light receive element to a drain region of the first conductivity type, which is formed in said well layer, via an elimination gate;

readout gates for reading the signal charges from said first and second light receive elements;

a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring the signal charge read by said readout gate;

a horizontal transfer portion for receiving the respective signal charges from said vertical transfer portion to horizontally transfer the received signal charges; and

a signal output portion for outputting the pixel signal after converting the signal charge, which is horizontally transferred by said horizontal transfer portion, into the pixel signal in accordance with the charge amount of the signal charge,

wherein said imaging controller individually sets light-receiving periods of said visible light and said infrared light so as to make these periods different from each other by activating said imaging device in an order of sweeping the signal charges from said first and second light receive elements through said vertical overflow drain, sweeping the signal charge from said second light receive element through said lateral overflow drain, and reading the signal charges from said first and second light receive elements through said readout gates.

2. The range image system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image memory for storing said first and second visible-light images and said range image produced by said signal processor.

3. The range image system according to claim 1, wherein said first light receive elements comprise:

blue-light receive elements for receiving the light of blue included in three primary colors of the visible light;

green-light receive elements for receiving the light of green included in said three primary colors; and

red-light receive elements for receiving the light of red included in said three primary colors.

4. The range image system according to claim 1, wherein said elimination gate and said readout gates are controlled by transfer electrodes of said vertical transfer portion.

5. The range image system according to claim 1, wherein said drain region is disposed so as to confront said vertical transfer portion and so as to interpose the vertical row of said first and second light receive elements between the drain region and the vertical transfer portion.

6. The range image system according to claim 5, wherein said first light receive elements comprise:

blue-light receive elements for receiving the light of blue included in three primary colors of the visible light;

green-light receive elements for receiving the light of green included in said three primary colors; and

red-light receive elements for receiving the light of red included in said three primary colors.

7. The range image system according to claim 6, wherein said first and second light receive elements of the vertical row are cyclically arrayed in an arrangement order of the blue-light receive element, the green-light receive element and the red-light receive element.

8. The range image system according to claim 7, wherein said light receive elements are arranged in matrix.

9. The range image system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a recording-destination changer for changing said first and second frame memories storing said first and second pixel signals, said recording-destination changer changing said first and second frame memories every one-frame scanning period to store said first and second pixel signals.