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System architecture design for time-of-flight system having reduced differential pixel size, and time-of-flight systems so designed

  • US 8,363,212 B2
  • Filed: 04/02/2012
  • Issued: 01/29/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for determining depth information associated with a target object, comprising:

  • emitting light during a first operating regime towards the target object, the light emitted during the first operating regime comprises light of a first phase;

    detecting light during the first operating regime reflected from the target object using an array of one or more pixels, the light detected during the first operating regime comprises light of a second phase different from the first phase, the array of one or more pixels is associated with a direction of integration, the direction of integration during the first operating regime comprises a first direction of integration;

    sampling a first set of intermediate values associated with the array of one or more pixels during the first operating regime;

    switching the direction of integration to a second direction of integration different from the first direction of integration;

    emitting light during a second operating regime towards the target object, the light emitted during the second operating regime comprises light of a third phase different from the first phase, the second operating regime is performed subsequent to the first operating regime;

    detecting light during the second operating regime reflected from the target object using the array of one or more pixels, the light detected during the second operating regime comprises light of a fourth phase different from the third phase;

    sampling a second set of intermediate values associated with the array of one or more pixels during the second operating regime;

    determining a distance to the target object based on the first set of intermediate values and the second set of intermediate values, the array of one or more pixels is not reset during or between the first operating regime and the second operating regime; and

    outputting the distance to the target object.

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