Context-based depth sensor control

• US 9,398,287 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesa, Jose
• Application Number:
  US13/780,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 348/47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2545 with one projection direction and several detection directions, e.g. stereo
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

An electronic device (100) includes a depth sensor (120), a first imaging camera (114, 116), and a controller (802). The depth sensor (120) includes a modulated light projector (119) to project a modulated light pattern (500). The first imaging camera (114, 116) is to capture at least a reflection of the modulated light pattern (500). The controller (802) is to selectively modify (1004) at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern by the modulated light projector responsive to at least one trigger event (1002). The trigger event can include, for example, a change (1092) in ambient light incident on the electronic device, detection (1094) of motion of the electronic device, or a determination (1096) that the electronic device has encountered a previously-unencountered environment.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a depth sensor including;

a modulated light projector to project a modulated light pattern; and

a first imaging camera to capture at least a reflection of the modulated light pattern; and

a controller to selectively modify at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern by the modulated light projector into a local environment of the electronic device responsive to comparing the local environment to one or more environments previously encountered by the electronic device to determine whether the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless signal receiver to identify a coarse position of the electronic device, the wireless signal receiver comprising at least one of a global positioning system receiver, a wireless cellular receiver, and a wireless local area network receiver; and

wherein the controller is to determine the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment based on the coarse position determined by the wireless signal receiver.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second imaging camera to capture an image of a local environment of the electronic device;

wherein the controller is to catalog the local environment based on one or more spatial features determined from the image and depth data represented by the reflection of the modulated light pattern; and

wherein the controller is to determine the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment based on the cataloged local environment.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is to prevent display of images that were captured by the first imaging camera concurrent with capturing the reflection of the modulated light pattern.

4. An electronic device comprising;

a depth sensor including;

a modulated light projector to project a modulated light pattern; and

a first imaging camera to capture at least a reflection of the modulated light pattern; and

a controller to selectively increase at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern by the modulated light projector responsive to detecting motion of the electronic device that is above a specified threshold.

14. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the controller is to prevent display of images that were captured by the first imaging camera concurrent with capturing the reflection of the modulated light pattern.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a depth sensor including;

a modulated light projector to project a modulated light pattern; and

a first imaging camera to capture at least a reflection of the modulated light pattern;

a second imaging camera to capture images of an environment of the electronic device; and

a controller to increase at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of the modulated light pattern projected responsive to detecting motion of an object in the captured images that is above a specified threshold.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is to prevent display of images that were captured by the first imaging camera concurrent with capturing the reflection of the modulated light pattern.

7. A method comprising:

projecting modulated light patterns into a local environment using a modulated light projector of a depth sensor of an electronic device;

capturing reflections of the projected modulated light patterns using an imaging camera of the depth sensor; and

controlling, at the depth sensor, the modulated light projector to selectively modify at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern responsive to determining whether the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment based on a comparison of the local environment with one or more environments previously encountered by the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

preventing display at the electronic device of an image that was captured by an imaging camera of the electronic device while a modulated light pattern was projected by the modulated light projector.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the modulated light projector comprises:

increasing at least one of the frequency, the intensity, and the duration of projections of the modulated light pattern responsive to determining the electronic device has not previously encountered the local environment; and

refraining from modification of each of the frequency, the intensity, and the duration of projections responsive to determining the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment based on a comparison of the local environment to one or more environments previously encountered by the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the modulated light projector comprises:

increasing at least one of the frequency, the intensity, and the duration of projections of the modulated light pattern responsive to determining the electronic device has not previously encountered the local environment; and

decreasing at least one of the frequency, the intensity, and the duration of projections responsive to determining the electronic device has previously encountered the local environment.

11. A method comprising:

projecting modulated light patterns using a modulated light projector of a depth sensor of an electronic device;

capturing reflections of the projected modulated light patterns using a first imaging camera of the depth sensor;

capturing images of an environment of the electronic device using a second imaging camera; and

increasing, at the depth sensor, at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern responsive to detection of motion of the electronic device that is above a specified threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

preventing display at the electronic device of an image that was captured by an imaging camera of the electronic device while a modulated light pattern was projected by the modulated light projector.