METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING COLOR IMAGE AND DEPTH IMAGE OF OBJECT BY USING SINGLE FILTER

• US 20150022545A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Do-kyoon, KANG, Byong-min, SHIN, Jung-soon
• Application Number:
  US14/291,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022545A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/600
• 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: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6077 Colour balance, e.g. colour cast correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

An apparatus for generating an image representing an object is provided. The apparatus may include a filtering unit configured to acquire first light of a first wavelength band and second light of a second wavelength band, which are included in light reflected from the object, by using a single filter; a sensing unit configured to convert both the first light and the second light into charges or convert only the second light into charges; a first image generating unit configured to generate a first image representing the object by correcting color values corresponding to the charges into which the first light and the second light have been converted; and a second image generating unit configured to generate a second image representing the object by using the charges into which the second light has been converted.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating an image representing an object, comprising:

a filter to acquire first light of a first wavelength band and second light of a second wavelength band, which are included in light reflected from the object, by using a single filter;

a sensor to convert both the first light and the second light into charges or convert only the second light into charges;

a first image generator to generate a first image representing the object by correcting color values corresponding to the charges into which the first light and the second light have been converted; and

a second image generator to generate a second image representing the object by using the charges into which the second light has been converted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light irradiator to irradiate third light, which is modulated with a predetermined frequency included in the second wavelength band, onto the object in order to generate the second image,

wherein the filter acquires the first light and the second light from reflected light obtained when the third light is reflected from the object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second image generator is configured to generate the second image by combining charges detected when photodiode circuits included in the sensor operate with a predetermined phase difference therebetween, among the charges into which the second light has been converted.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the photodiode circuits included in the sensor operate with a phase difference of about 180°

therebetween.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the photodiode comprises one of a pint photodiode and a photogate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image generator is configured to generate the first image by correcting the color values corresponding to the charges based on maximum color values of the sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image includes a color image representing the object, and the second image includes a depth image representing the object.

8. A method for generating an image representing an object, comprising:

acquiring first light of a first wavelength band and second light of a second wavelength band, which are included in light reflected from the object;

converting both the first light and the second light into charges or converting only the second light into charges;

generating a first image representing the object by correcting color values corresponding to the charges into which the first light and the second light have been converted; and

generating a second image representing the object by using the charges into which the second light has been converted.

9. The method of claim 8, further irradiating third light, which is modulated with a predetermined frequency included in the second wavelength band, onto the object in order to generate the second image,

wherein the first light and the second light are acquired from reflected light obtained when the third light is reflected from the object.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second image is generated by combining charges detected with a predetermined phase difference, among the charges into which the second light has been converted.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the charges are detected with a phase difference of about 180°

therebetween.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the charges are detected by using a photodiode including one of a pint photodiode and a photogate.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first image is generated by correcting the color values corresponding to the charges based on maximum color values of a sensor.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first image includes a color image representing the object, and the second image includes a depth image representing the object.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that when executed implement the method of claim 8.