Imaging range finding device and method

• US 9,506,750 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Last, Matthew Emanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, VICENTE M
• Application Number:
  US13/708,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/32 by focusing the object, e.g. on a ground glass screen
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Imaging range finding device and method are disclosed. The range finding device can include an array of emitters and photodetectors in optical communication with an imaging lens. During the range finding method, the emitters in the array can emit light that is directed by the lens toward a target object. The photodetectors in the array can detect light received from the object through the lens and onto the photodetectors. The lens, the array, or both can be movable to adjust the light emitted by the device. Characteristics of the emitted light and/or the received light can be used to find the object'"'"'s range.

Claims

1. An imaging range finder comprising:

an array comprised of emitters capable of emitting light and photodetectors capable of detecting light;

an imaging lens capable of collimating the emitted light from the emitters and focusing light received from an object onto corresponding photodetectors;

a moveable prism positioned between the array and the imaging lens, the moveable prism configured to adjust a path of the focused light from the imaging lens based on movement of the moveable prism, wherein the moveable prism is capable of moving along a plurality of axes; and

an electromechanical device capable of moving the moveable prism.

2. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromechanical device capable of moving the array,

wherein the array is movable relative to the imaging lens so as to adjust a path of the emitted light from the emitters based on movement of the array.

3. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromechanical device capable of moving the imaging lens,

wherein the imaging lens is movable relative to the array so as to adjust a path of the collimated light outputted to the object and the light received from the object based on movement of the imaging lens.

4. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electromechanical device capable of moving the imaging lens and the array,

wherein the imaging lens and the array are movable relative to each other so as to adjust paths of the emitted light and the focused light between the array and the imaging lens and paths of the collimated light and the light received from the object between the imaging lens and the object based on movement of the imaging lens and the array.

5. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

a second imaging lens adjacent to the imaging lens; and

at least one electromechanical device capable of moving the imaging lens and the second imaging lens,

wherein the two imaging lenses are movable relative to the array, the imaging lens movable in a first direction and the second imaging lens movable in a second direction so as to adjust a path of the collimated light outputted to the object and the light received from the object based on movement of the two imaging lenses.

6. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one second imaging lens capable of focusing light scattered by the object,

wherein the second imaging lens is proximate to the imaging lens.

7. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

a driver circuit capable of driving the array,

wherein the driver circuit selects which emitters to emit light and which photodetectors to detect light.

8. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromechanical device capable of moving at least one of the imaging lens or the array;

and a driver circuit capable of driving the electromechanical device,

wherein the driver circuit drives the electromechanical device to move the imaging lens or the array.

9. The range finder of claim 1, wherein the array includes at least one emitter and one photodetector combined as a single node.

10. The range finder of claim 1 incorporated into at least one of a mobile phone, a digital media player, or a personal computer.

24. The range finder of claim 1, wherein the array and the lens are fixed relative to each other as to provide a path for the emitted light through the lens and a path for the focused light onto the photodetectors.

11. A method of finding a range of an object, comprising:

emitting light from an emitter in an array;

moving a movable prism positioned between the array and an imaging lens in a plurality of axes to adjust a path of the emitted light with an electromechanical device;

collimating the emitted light with the imaging lens in optical communication with the array;

outputting from the imaging lens the collimated light to the object;

receiving at the imaging lens light from the object; and

focusing the received light onto a photodetector in the array.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

finding a proximate range of the object based on a time lapse between the emitted light leaving the emitter and the focused light arriving at the photodetector,

wherein the focused light includes at least a portion of the outputted light reflected off the object, and

wherein the shorter the time lapse, the closer the object.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

finding a proximate range of the object based on an intensity of the focused light,

wherein the higher the intensity, the closer the object.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

capturing an image of the focused light, representative of the object; and

determining a proximate range of the object based on the object representation,

wherein the larger the relative size of the representation, the closer the object.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a wave tone;

modulating the emitted light from the emitter with the wave tone;

receiving the focused light at the photodetector modulated with a sound wave from the object; and

demodulating the focused light to capture the sound wave.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

encoding data; and

transmitting the emitted light having the encoded data therein for decoding at the object.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the focused light at the photodetector having encoded data from the object therein; and

decoding the encoded data.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving at the imaging lens light generated by the object as an acknowledgement that the object detected the outputted light, the acknowledgement indicating presence of the object in a predefined space with the range finder.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving at the imaging lens light generated by the object; and

emitting light from the emitter as an acknowledgement of the light generated by the object,

the acknowledgement indicating presence of the range finder in a predefined space with the object.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

moving at least one of the array or the imaging lens,

wherein moving the array or the lens adjusts a location on the object at which the collimated light strikes and selects which photodetector is to detect the received light from the object.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving at a second imaging lens light scattered by the object; and

focusing the received scattered light onto a photodetector in the array.

22. An imaging range finder system comprising:

an imaging range finder including

an array of nodes, each node having at least one of an emitter or a photodetector,

and

an imaging lens capable of transmitting light from an emitter in one of the nodes toward an object, and receiving light from the object to a photodetector in one of the nodes for detection; and

a processor capable of processing a detection signal from the photodetector in the one node, the detection signal based on the received light from the object;

a moveable prism positioned between the array and the imaging lens, the moveable prism configured to adjust a path of the light from an emitter in one of the nodes based on movement of the moveable prism, wherein the moveable prism is capable of moving along a plurality of axes; and

an electromechanical device capable of moving the moveable prism.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the detection signal indicates at least one of a range of the object from the range finder, a sound emanating from the object, acknowledgement of data sent to the object, data received from the object, or confirmation of a presence of the object in a predefined space.