Distance measurement

• US 8,514,125 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Van Zeijl, Paulus Thomas Maria, Mattheijssen, Paul, Santana, Octavio Alejandro, Veenstra, Hugo, Bird, Neil Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Brainard, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US13/054,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 342/52, 342/118
• US Class Current: 342/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S13/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna

Abstract

A distance measurement arrangement provides a distance indication based on a delay between an electromagnetic signal, transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, received in a reception mode. The distance measurement arrangement includes an antenna module having a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal and for receiving the reflection. A beam-forming module defines respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one the two modes. A beam-forming and steering control module controls the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command. A 3-D picture can be formed by applying respective direction commands so as to obtain respective distance indications for respective portion in a two-dimensional picture.

Claims

1. A distance measurement arrangement that provides a distance indication based on a delay between an electromagnetic signal which is transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection of the electromagnetic signal which is received in a reception mode, the distance measurement arrangement comprising:

an antenna module comprising a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal and for receiving the reflection;

a beam-forming module for defining respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas in the antenna module so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one of the two transmission mode and the reception mode; and

a beam-forming and steering control module for controlling the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command,

wherein the beam-forming module comprises a gain/phase adjustment circuit, the gain/phase adjustment circuit comprising;

a pair of transmission lines of different length for providing a first delayed signal and a second delayed signal in response to an input signal;

a pair of gain-controllable circuits for providing a first gain-adjusted delayed signal and a second gain-adjust delayed signal in response to the first delayed signal and the second delayed signal, respectively; and

a signal combiner for combining the first gain adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal,

wherein the beam-forming and steering control module is configured to control a ratio between the first gain adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal.

2. The distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module comprises a substrate on which the plurality of antennas is provided.

3. The distance measurement arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises printed circuit board material.

4. The distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a distance detection module configured to generate a carrier wave in a wavelength range between 1 cm and 1 mm, the carrier wave forming part of the electromagnetic signal that is transmitted.

5. A three-dimensional (3-D) picture capturing system comprising the distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, and further comprising:

a picture capturing arrangement for capturing a two-dimensional picture; and

a depth map generation module for applying respective direction commands to the distance measurement arrangement so as to obtain respective distance indications for respective portions in the two-dimensional picture.

6. The 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 5, wherein the respective portions of the two-dimensional picture for which the respective distance indications are obtained comprise several pixels.

7. The 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 5, wherein the depth map generation module is configured to provide different respective direction commands for different lens settings in the picture capturing arrangement.

8. The 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 5, further comprising a substrate on which the plurality of antennas of the antenna module is provided and on which a camera sensor of the picture capturing arrangement is provided.

9. A method of distance measurement comprising the acts of:

transmitting an electromagnetic signal;

receiving a reflection of the electromagnetic signal;

providing a distance indication based on a delay between the electromagnetic signal which is transmitted in the transmitting act, and the reflection of the electromagnetic signal which is received in the receiving;

beam-forming by beam-forming module comprises to define respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas in an antenna module so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one of the transmitting act and the receiving act; and

controlling by a beam-forming and steering control module the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command,

wherein the beam-forming module comprises a gain/phase adjustment circuit, the gain/phase adjustment circuit comprising;

a pair of transmission lines of different length for providing a first delayed signal and a second delayed signal in response to an input signal;

a pair of gain-controllable circuits for providing a first gain-adjusted delayed signal and a second gain-adjust delayed signal in response to the first delayed signal and the second delayed signal, respectively; and

a signal combiner for combining the first gain adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal,

wherein the beam-forming and steering control module is configured to control a ratio between the first gain adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal.

10. A method of three-dimensional picture capturing comprising the acts of:

capturing a two-dimensional picture; and

generation a depth map by carrying out the method of claim 9 multiple times for respective direction commands so as to obtain respective distance indications for respective portions in the two-dimensional picture.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions, which when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform the act of:

transmitting an electromagnetic signal;

receiving a reflection of the electromagnetic signal;

providing a distance indication based on a delay between the electromagnetic signal which is transmitted in the transmitting act, and the reflection of the electromagnetic signal which is received in the receiving;

beam-forming by beam-forming module comprises to define respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas in an antenna module so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one of the transmitting act and the receiving act; and

controlling by a beam-forming and steering control module the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command,

wherein the beam-forming module comprises a gain/phase adjustment circuit, the gain/phase adjustment circuit comprising;

a pair of transmission lines of different length for providing a first delayed signal and a second delayed signal in response to an input signal;

a pair of gain-controllable circuits for providing a first gain-adjusted delayed signal and a second gain-adjust delayed signal in response to the first delayed signal and the second delayed signal, respectively; and

a signal combiner for combining the first gain-adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal,

wherein the beam-forming and steering control module is configured to control a ratio between the first gain adjusted delayed signal and the second gain-adjusted delayed signal.