Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides apparatus for providing light pulses comprising a light source electrically connected to a low inductance configuration of electrodes for electrically connecting the light source to a power supply.

Abstract: A multimode interline charge coupled device having an array of light sensitive pixels, each configured to accumulate photocharge responsive to light incident on the pixel, and a controller configured to allocate a first portion of the pixels to accumulate photocharge responsive to light from a scene during a plurality of exposure periods and allocate a second portion of the pixels to store photocharge accumulated by pixels in the first portion to provide a plurality of images of the scene greater than two.

Abstract: An imaging lens includes one or more lens elements configured to receive and focus light in a first wavelength range reflected off of one or more first objects onto an image plane, and to receive and focus light in a second wavelength range reflected off of one or more second objects onto the image plane. The imaging lens further includes an aperture stop and a filter positioned at the aperture stop. The filter includes a central region and an outer region surrounding the central region. The central region of the filter is characterized by a first transmission band in the first wavelength range and a second transmission band in the second wavelength range. The outer region of the filter is characterized by a third transmission band in the first wavelength range and substantially low transmittance values in the second wavelength range.

Abstract: A time of flight based depth detection system is disclosed that includes a projector configured to sequentially emit multiple complementary illumination patterns. A sensor of the depth detection system is configured to capture the light from the illumination patterns reflecting off objects within the sensor's field of view. The data captured by the sensor can be used to filter out erroneous readings caused by light reflecting off multiple surfaces prior to returning to the sensor.

Abstract: A method for determining a distance to a target object includes transmitting light pulses to illuminate the target object and sensing, in a first region of a light-sensitive pixel array, light provided from an optical feedback device that receives a portion of the transmitted light pulses. The feedback optical device includes a preset reference depth. The method includes calibrating time-of-flight (TOF) depth measurement reference information based on the sensed light in the first region of the pixel array. The method further includes sensing, in a second region of the light-sensitive pixel array, light reflected from the target object from the transmitted light pulses. The distance of the target object is determined based on the sensed reflected light and the calibrated TOF measurement reference information.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to interacting with a graphical user interface in a manner to facilitate hands-free operation. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method including outputting to a display device a user interface that displays graphical representations of a plurality of alignable user interface objects, each alignable user interface object representing a selectable object. The method further includes receiving depth data from an imaging device, the image data capturing an image of a face directed toward the display device. The method further comprises changing an alignment condition of a first user interface object of the plurality of alignable user interface objects to move the first user interface object into an aligned condition, and changing an alignment condition of a second user interface object to move the second user interface object out of an aligned condition based on the received image data.

Abstract: A photosensor having a plurality of light sensitive pixels each of which comprises a light sensitive region and a plurality of storage regions for accumulating photocharge generated in the light sensitive region, a transfer gate for each storage region that is selectively electrifiable to transfer photocharge from the light sensitive region to the storage region, and an array of microlenses that for each storage region directs a different portion of light incident on the pixel to a region of the light sensitive region closer to the storage region than to other storage regions.

Abstract: A wearable computer interface comprising a three dimensional (3D) range camera and a picture camera that image the user and a controller that process the images to identify the user and determine if the user is authorized to use the interface to access functionalities provided by a computer interfaced by the interface.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a gesture recognition system (GRS) that displays a graphical user interface in which symbols are grouped into “pods” on a display screen, and a user enters a desired symbol into a computer by selecting a pod containing the desired symbol, and then selecting the symbol from a display of the symbols in the selected pod using hand motions without having to contact the display screen or use a manual controller.

Abstract: A depth-sensing method for a time-of-flight depth camera includes irradiating a subject with pulsed light of spatially alternating bright and dark features, and receiving the pulsed light reflected back from the subject onto an array of pixels. At each pixel of the array, a signal is presented that depends on distance from the depth camera to the subject locus imaged onto that pixel. In this method, the subject is mapped based on the signal from pixels that image subject loci directly irradiated by the bright features, while omitting or weighting negatively the signal from pixels that image subject loci under the dark features.

Abstract: A 3D imager comprising two cameras having fixed wide-angle and narrow angle FOVs respectively that overlap to provide an active space for the imager and a controller that determines distances to features in the active space responsive to distances provided by the cameras and a division of the active space into near, intermediate, and far zones.

Abstract: A multimode interline charge coupled device having an array of light sensitive pixels, each configured to accumulate photocharge responsive to light incident on the pixel, and a controller configured to allocate a first portion of the pixels to accumulate photocharge responsive to light from a scene during a plurality of exposure periods and allocate a second portion of the pixels to store photocharge accumulated by pixels in the first portion to provide a plurality of images of the scene greater than two.

Abstract: An eye movement tracking device that can be mounted to standard eyeglasses as disclosed. The device comprises an illumination source, a time-of-flight (TOF) camera and a processor. The source transmits energy within a frequency band from a location proximate to an eye of a person, such that at least a first portion of the transmitted energy is reflected off a lens of eyewear worn by the person to subsequently reflect off the eye, and such that at least a second portion of the transmitted energy is transmitted through the lens to reflect off objects in the person's environment. The TOF camera detects reflections of at least the first portion of the transmitted energy, and distinguishes them from other energy detected by the TOF camera in said frequency band, based on TOF principles. The processor uses the detected reflections of the first portion of the transmitted energy to determine eye position.

Abstract: A camera for determining distances to a scene, the camera comprising: a light source comprising a VCSEL controllable to illuminate the scene with a train of pulses of light having a characteristic spectrum; a photosurface; optics for imaging light reflected from the light pulses by the scene on the photosurface; and a shutter operable to gate the photosurface selectively on and off for light in the spectrum.

Abstract: A system for controlling infrared (IR) enabled devices by projecting coded IR pulses from an active illumination depth camera is described. In some embodiments, a gesture recognition system includes an active illumination depth camera such as a depth camera that utilizes time-of-flight (TOF) or structured light techniques for obtaining depth information. The gesture recognition system may detect the performance of a particular gesture associated with a particular electronic device, determine a set of device instructions in response to detecting the particular gesture, and transmit the set of device instructions to the particular electronic device utilizing coded IR pulses. The coded IR pulses may imitate the IR pulses associated with a remote control protocol. In some cases, the coded IR pulses transmitted may also be used by the active illumination depth camera for determining depth information.

Abstract: A wearable apparatus configured to acquire zoom images of a portion of an environment viewed by a user responsive to determining a point of regard of the user.

Abstract: An eye movement tracking device that can be mounted to standard eyeglasses as disclosed. The device comprises an illumination source, a time-of-flight (TOF) camera and a processor. The source transmits energy within a frequency band from a location proximate to an eye of a person, such that at least a first portion of the transmitted energy is reflected off a lens of eyewear worn by the person to subsequently reflect off the eye, and such that at least a second portion of the transmitted energy is transmitted through the lens to reflect off objects in the person's environment. The TOF camera detects reflections of at least the first portion of the transmitted energy, and distinguishes them from other energy detected by the TOF camera in said frequency band, based on TOF principles. The processor uses the detected reflections of the first portion of the transmitted energy to determine eye position.

Abstract: An illumination system having a refractive optical element that compensates for dependence in irradiance of images of objects captured by a photosensor is provided. The refractive optical element may structure the light such that similar objects in the same spherical surface in the field of view of the camera have the same irradiance on the camera photosensor. The illumination system may have an image sensor, a light source, and a refractive optical element. The image sensor has a photosensor that captures images of objects in a field of view. The irradiance of images of objects having a given exitance that are captured by the photosensor may depend on angular displacement from an optical axis of the image sensor. The refractive optical structures light from the light source to illuminate the field of view to compensate for the dependence of irradiance on angular displacement from the optical axis.

Abstract: A method of controlling a photosensor having adjacent light sensitive pixels in which photocharge is generated in depletion zones of the pixels by light incident on the photosensor, comprising applying voltage to gate electrodes of the photopixels so that the depletion zone of one of the pixels extends into and lies under a portion of the depletion region of the other pixel.

Abstract: An imaging system includes first and second imaging arrays separated by a fixed distance, first and second drivers, and a modulated light source. The first imaging array includes a plurality of phase-responsive pixels distributed among a plurality of intensity-responsive pixels; the modulated light source is configured to emit modulated light in a field of view of the first imaging array. The first driver is configured to modulate the light output from the modulated light source and synchronously control charge collection from the phase-responsive pixels. The second driver is configured to recognize positional disparity between the intensity-responsive pixels of the first imaging array and corresponding intensity-responsive pixels of the second imaging array.