Time-of-flight camera with guided light
First Claim
1. A time-of-flight 3D camera for illuminating a camera field of view and capturing return image light reflected by an object in the camera field of view, comprising:
- a light source configured to emit source light along an optical axis of the camera;
a collimator configured to receive and collimate the source light to create collimated light;
a refractive diffuser that is operable to be tuned to the camera field of view and configured to receive and diffuse the collimated light to create refracted light, wherein the refracted light has a varying intensity profile that is characterized by an intensity (I) that becomes lower toward the optical axis and higher away from the optical axis, the refractive diffuser configured to guide the refracted light to illuminate only a portion of the camera field of view to reduce wasted source light, wherein the intensity (I) of the refracted light increases as an angle θ
between the refracted light and the optical axis increases; and
a light collector having a photosensitive surface that configured to receive the return image light to be used for calculating a distance measurement of the object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A time-of-flight 3D camera and related method for illuminating a camera field of view and capturing return image light are disclosed herein. In one example, the time-of-flight 3D camera includes a light source that emits source light along an optical axis, and a collimator that receives and collimates the source light to create collimated light. A refractive diffuser is tuned to the camera field of view and receives and diffuses the collimated light to create refracted light having a varying intensity profile. The refractive diffuser guides the refracted light to illuminate the camera field of view to reduce wasted source light.
214 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A time-of-flight 3D camera for illuminating a camera field of view and capturing return image light reflected by an object in the camera field of view, comprising:
-
a light source configured to emit source light along an optical axis of the camera; a collimator configured to receive and collimate the source light to create collimated light; a refractive diffuser that is operable to be tuned to the camera field of view and configured to receive and diffuse the collimated light to create refracted light, wherein the refracted light has a varying intensity profile that is characterized by an intensity (I) that becomes lower toward the optical axis and higher away from the optical axis, the refractive diffuser configured to guide the refracted light to illuminate only a portion of the camera field of view to reduce wasted source light, wherein the intensity (I) of the refracted light increases as an angle θ
between the refracted light and the optical axis increases; anda light collector having a photosensitive surface that configured to receive the return image light to be used for calculating a distance measurement of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. In a time-of-flight 3D camera, a method for illuminating a camera field of view and capturing return image light reflected by an object in the camera field of view, comprising:
-
emitting source light from a light source along an optical axis of the camera; collimating the source light to create collimated light; diffusing the collimated light to create refracted light having a varying intensity profile that is characterized by an intensity (I) that becomes lower toward the optical axis and higher away from the optical axis, the intensity (I) of the refracted light increasing as an angle θ
between the refracted light and the optical axis increases;guiding the refracted light to illuminate only a portion of the camera field of view and reduce wasted source light; and receiving the return image light on a photosensitive surface of a light collector for calculating a distance measurement of the object. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification