DISTANCE MEASUREMENT

• US 20110122012A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Santana, Octavio Alejandro, Bird, Neil Christopher, Van Zeijl, Paulus Thomas Maria, Veenstra, Hugo, Mattheijssen, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 (DDM) provides a distance indication (DV) on the basis of a delay between an electromagnetic signal (TB), which is transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection (RB) of the electromagnetic signal, which is received in a reception mode. The distance measurement arrangement includes an antenna module (AM) comprising a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal (TB) and for receiving the reflection (RB) thereof. A beam-forming module (BF) defines respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas so as to cause the antenna module (AM) to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one the two aforementioned modes. Preferably, a beam-forming and steering control module (BC) controls the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command (DIR). A 3-D picture can be formed by applying respective direction commands (DIR) so as to obtain respective distance indications (DV) for respective portions in a two-dimensional picture.

Claims

1. A distance measurement arrangement (DDM) that provides a distance indication (DV) on the basis of a delay between an electromagnetic signal (TB), which is transmitted inn a transmission mode, and a reflection (RB) of the electromagnetic signal, which is received in a reception mode, the distance measurement arrangement comprising:

an antenna module (AM) comprising a plurality of antennas (ANT) for transmitting the electromagnetic signal and for receiving the reflection thereof;

a beam-forming module (BF) 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 aforementioned modes.

2. A distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, the antenna module (AM) comprising a substrate (SUB) on which the plurality of antennas (ANT) is provided.

3. A distance measurement arrangement according to claim 2, the substrate (SUB) comprising printed circuit board material.

4. A distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a beam-forming and steering control module (BC) for controlling the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command (DIR).

5. A distance measurement arrangement according to claim 4, the beam-forming module (BF) comprising a gain/phase adjustment circuit (GPC), the gain/phase adjustment circuit comprising:

a pair of transmission lines (TL1, TL2) of different length for providing a first delayed signal (DS1) and a second delayed signal (DS2) in response to an input signal (IS);

a pair of gain-controllable circuits (GC1, GC2) for providing a first gain-adjusted delayed signal (ADS1) and a second gain-adjusted delayed signal (ADS2) in response to first delayed signal and the second delayed signal, respectively; and

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

the beam-forming and steering control module being arranged to control the ratio between the respective gains that the respective gain-controllable circuits provide.

6. A distance measurement arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a distance detection module (DD) arranged to generate a carrier wave in a wavelength range comprised between 1 cm and 1 mm, the carrier wave forming part of the electromagnetic signal (TB) that is transmitted.

9. A 3-D picture capturing system (PCS) comprising a distance measurement arrangement according to claim 4, and:

a picture capturing arrangement (LS, CCD, RO, MEM1) for capturing a two-dimensional picture (PI); and

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

7. A method of distance measurement comprising:

a transmission step in which an electromagnetic signal (TB) is transmitted;

a reception step in which a reflection (RB) of the electromagnetic signal is received;

a distance determination step in which a distance indication (DV) is provided on the basis of a delay between the electromagnetic signal, which is transmitted in the transmission step, and the reflection of the electromagnetic signal, which is received in the reception step; and

a beam-forming step in which respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas (ANT) in an antenna module (AM) are defined so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one of the following two aforementioned steps;

the transmission step and the reception step.

8. A method of distance measurement according to claim 7, comprising a beam-forming and steering control step in which the respective magnitude and phase relationships are controlled as a function of a direction command (DIR).

10. A 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 8, wherein the respective portions of the two-dimensional picture for which the respective distance indications (DV) are obtained comprise several pixels (PX).

11. A 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 8, the depth map generation module (DSC) being adapted to provide different respective direction commands (DIR) for different lens settings in the picture capturing arrangement.

12. A 3-D picture capturing system according to claim 8, comprising a substrate (SUB) on which the plurality of antennas (ANT) of the antenna module (AM) is provided and on which a camera sensor (CCD) of the picture capturing arrangement is provided.

13. A method of 3-D picture capturing comprising:

a picture capturing step in which a two-dimensional picture (PI) is captured; and

a depth map generation step in which the method according to claim 7 is carried out multiple times for respective direction commands (DIR) so as to obtain respective distance indications (DV) for respective portions in the two-dimensional picture.

14. A computer program product that comprises a set of instructions, which when loaded into a programmable processor, causes the programmable processor to carry out the method as claimed in claim 7.