3D image acquisition apparatus and method of driving the same

• US 9,894,347 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Hee-sun, You, Jang-woo, Park, Yong-hwa, Cho, Yong-chul, Yu, Min-chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Zhihan
• Application Number:
  US14/252,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 348 46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/894 3D imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a 2D array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps

Abstract

Provided is a 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus and a method of driving the same. The 3D image acquisition apparatus includes a light source, an optical shutter, an image sensor, an image signal processor, and a controller. The light source is configured to project illumination light on an object. The optical shutter is configured to modulate the illumination light reflected from the object with a predetermined gain waveform. The image sensor is configured to generate a depth image by detecting the illumination light modulated by the optical shutter. The image signal processor is configured to calculate a distance from the 3D image acquisition apparatus to the object using the depth image generated by the image sensor. The controller is configured to control an operation of the light source and an operation of the optical shutter.

Claims

1. A 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a light source configured to project illumination light onto an object;

an optical shutter configured to modulate the illumination light reflected from the object with a predetermined gain waveform;

an image sensor configured to generate a depth image by detecting the illumination light modulated by the optical shutter; and

a controller configured to control an operation of the light source and an operation of the optical shutter,

wherein, while the image sensor is capturing the depth image of one frame, the controller is configured to control the optical shutter such that a first interval, in which the optical shutter modulates the illumination light, and a second interval, in which the optical shutter does not modulate the illumination light and does not transmit light, are repeated a plurality of times,

wherein the controller is configured to apply a first bias voltage capable of obtaining a maximum transmittance range to the optical shutter in the first interval in which the optical shutter modulates the illumination light, and

wherein a length of the second interval is greater than a length of the first interval.

2. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical shutter is configured to modulate the illumination light with the predetermined gain waveform for only one period in each first interval.

3. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical shutter is configured to continuously modulate the illumination light with the predetermined gain waveform for at least two periods in each first interval.

4. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 3, wherein a length of the first interval is an integer multiple of one period of the predetermined gain waveform.

5. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to apply a second bias voltage capable of blocking light transmission by closing the optical shutter to a maximum in the second interval in which the optical shutter does not modulate the illumination light.

6. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 1, wherein, while the image sensor is capturing the depth image of one frame, the controller is configured to control the light source such that the light source emits the illumination light in the first interval and does not emit the illumination light in the second interval.

7. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light source and the optical shutter operate in synchronization with each other.

8. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light source emits the illumination light for only one period in each first interval.

9. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light source continuously emits the illumination light for at least two periods in each first interval.

10. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light source and the optical shutter are synchronized with each other such that the light source emits the illumination light for only one period at one time in each first interval, and the optical shutter modulates the reflected illumination light with the predetermined gain waveform for only one period.

11. The 3D image acquisition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image signal processor configured to calculate a distance from the 3D image acquisition apparatus to the object using the depth image generated by the image sensor.

12. A method of driving a 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus, the method comprising:

projecting illumination light onto an object;

modulating the illumination light reflected from the object with a predetermined gain waveform;

generating a depth image by detecting the illumination light modulated by an optical shutter;

calculating a distance from the 3D image acquisition apparatus to the object using the depth image generated by an image sensor; and

controlling an operation of a light source and an operation of the optical shutter,

wherein, while capturing the depth image of one frame, the optical shutter is controlled such that a first interval, in which the illumination light is modulated, and a second interval, in which the illumination light is not modulated and does not transmit light, are repeated a plurality of times,

wherein a first bias voltage capable of obtaining a maximum transmittance range is applied to the optical shutter in the first interval in which the optical shutter modulates the illumination light, and

wherein a length of the second interval is greater than a length of the first interval.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the illumination light is modulated with the predetermined gain waveform for only one period in each first interval.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the illumination light is continuously modulated with the predetermined gain waveform for at least two periods in each first interval, and a length of the first interval is an integer multiple of one period of the predetermined gain waveform.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a second bias voltage capable of blocking light transmission by closing the optical shutter to a maximum is applied to the optical shutter in the second interval in which the optical shutter does not modulate the illumination light.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein, while the depth image of one frame is captured, the light source is controlled such that the light source emits the illumination light in the first interval and does not emit the illumination light in the second interval.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the light source emits the illumination light for only one period in each first interval.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the light source continuously emits the illumination light for a plurality of periods in each first interval.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the light source and the optical shutter are synchronized with each other such that the light source emits the illumination light for only one period at one time in each first interval, and the optical shutter modulates the reflected illumination light with the predetermined gain waveform for only one period.