Of Intensity Proportional To Distance Patents (Class 356/4.07)
  • Patent number: 11960004
    Abstract: A light detector according to an embodiment includes a light receiver and a controller. The light receiver includes sensors and pixels. The sensors are arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate. The controller is configured to set a light-receiving region in which the sensors are selectively turned on in the light receiver. The controller sets first and second light-receiving regions. The first and second light-receiving regions include first and second pixel, respectively. The second light-receiving region is arranged away from an optical axis of laser light received by the light receiver. The controller, after turning on each of the first pixel and the second pixel, is further configured to turn off the second pixel in a state in which the first pixel is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11856294
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present application disclose an electronic device and a focusing method, the electronic device comprises at least two cameras, wherein each of the at least two cameras is provided with a PD point pair set, an angle value between directions of straight lines in which the PD point pair sets on every two cameras in the at least two cameras are located is within a first preset angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiaoming Wang, Jiatao Xie
  • Patent number: 11807156
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a position of a matrix headlamp of a motor vehicle by means of a camera of the motor vehicle, wherein the matrix headlamp has a plurality of segments controllable independently of one another for light emission. At least one first image of a sign is recorded by means of the camera, a location area in which the sign is arranged is determined, illuminance of a first segment is changed, at least one second image is recorded and checked, whether a change in a glare effect detected on the basis of the at least one recorded second image has occurred, and if so, the position of the matrix headlamp is calibrated depending on the first segment and position information derived from the location area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Michael Hartisch
  • Patent number: 11693098
    Abstract: A LIDAR device includes an input node, an output node, and a sample-and-convert circuit. The input node receives a photodetector signal, and the output node generates an output signal indicating a light intensity value of the photodetector signal. The sample-and-convert circuit includes a number of detection channels coupled in parallel between the input node and the output node. In some aspects, each of the detection channels may be configured to sample a value of the photodetector signal during the sample mode and to hold the sampled value during the convert mode using a single capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Vadim Gutnik, Andrew Abo
  • Patent number: 11619711
    Abstract: A scanning-system including transmit/receive paths, a transmitter, a receiver and a rotating-scanning-device. The transmitter emits radiation which propagates along an optical-axis on the transmit-path. The radiation from the target-object is detected by the receiver on the receive-path. The rotating-scanning-device includes an optical-system and a rotating-deflection-unit, which deflects the radiation of the transmit/receive paths. The optical-system includes a first-focusing-unit and a rotating-second-focusing-unit. The movements of the rotating-deflection-unit and the rotating-second-focusing-unit occur synchronously to ensure an alignment of the deflected radiation with the second-focusing-unit. The first-focusing-unit reproduces the radiation emitted by the transmitter on the rotating-deflection-unit so that the beam-diameter on the rotating-deflection-unit is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Annemarie Holleczek, Benjamin Schmidt, Mirko Hattass, Remigius Has
  • Patent number: 11609342
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for calculating a location of an autonomous driving vehicle includes receiving new global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data. The method further includes identifying a first previously estimated location from a plurality of previously estimated locations with a timestamp that is closest to the timestamp of the new GNSS data and identifying a second previously estimated location from the plurality of previously estimated locations with a most recent timestamp. The method further includes calculating a difference between the first previously estimated location and the second previously estimated location, adjusting the new GNSS data based on the difference; and calculating a current estimated location of the ADV based on the adjusted GNSS data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: BAIDU USA LLC, BAIDU.COM TIMES TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yan Cui, Quanwei Liu, Yao Zhuo
  • Patent number: 11604277
    Abstract: An active sensor for performing active measurements of a scene is presented. The active sensor includes at least one transmitter configured to emit light pulses toward at least one target object in the scene, wherein the at least one target object is recognized in an image acquired by a passive sensor; at least one receiver configured to detect light pulses reflected from the at least one target object; a controller configured to control an energy level, a direction, and a timing of each light pulse emitted by the transmitter, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least the direction for detecting each of the reflected light pulses; and a distance measurement circuit configured to measure a distance to each of the at least one target object based on the emitted light pulses and the detected light pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: VayaVision Sensing Ltd.
    Inventors: Youval Nehmadi, Shmuel Ur, Ronny Cohen
  • Patent number: 11598872
    Abstract: A system for enhanced object detection and identification is disclosed. The system provides new capabilities in object detection and identification. The system can be used with a variety of vehicles, such as autonomous cars, human-driven motor vehicles, robots, drones, and aircraft and can detect objects in adverse operating conditions such as heavy rain, snow, or sun glare. Enhanced object detection can also be used to detect objects in the environment around a stationary object. Additionally, such systems can rapidly identify and classify objects based on the encoded information in the emitted or reflected signals from the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventors: Rainer J. Fasching, Ghyrn E. Loveness
  • Patent number: 11592568
    Abstract: A measurement device including a light source with a first emitter and a second emitter, and a light intensity measurement unit. A controller configures the first emitter to emit a first light beam using a first operative parameter and the second emitter to emit a second light beam using a second operative parameter. The controller configures the light intensity measurement unit to measure a first light intensity value of the first light beam and a second light intensity value of the second light beam. The controller compares the measured first and second light intensity values with a target intensity value; and adjust the first operative parameter and the second operative parameter based on the comparison to derive a first adjusted operative parameter and a second adjusted operative parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: AI4 International Oy
    Inventor: Tero Heinonen
  • Patent number: 11567181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a functional impairment of a laser scanner (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which a laser beam (12) of the laser scanner (2) is transmitted through a protective screen (6) of the laser scanner (2) into a surrounding area (4) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein an echo (16) of the transmitted laser beam (12) at least partially reflected at the protective screen (6) is received by a reception unit (9) of the laser scanner (2) with an intensity value (19), and the functional impairment of the laser scanner (2) is detected if the intensity value (19) is different from a reference intensity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Schneider
  • Patent number: 11536835
    Abstract: A laser measuring set for measuring a distance from an object includes a pulse laser for emitting a laser pulse at the beginning of a measuring cycle; an optical sensor having at least one detection unit for generating detection signals; a coincidence recognition stage for generating coincidence signals, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the coincidence signals is generated each time the detection signals generated by the detection unit reach at least a preset coincidence depth within a coincidence time; a coincidence time presetting stage for presetting the coincidence time for the coincidence recognition stage, the coincidence time presetting stage being configured such that the coincidence time monotonically increases during the measuring cycle; and travel-time measuring set for determining the distance on the basis of a travel-time measurement of the coincidence signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Maik Beer, Olaf Schrey, Werner Brockherde, Bedrich Hosticka
  • Patent number: 11506785
    Abstract: The present invention provides an asymmetric optical sensor device comprising: a light emitting unit for outputting light; a light receiving unit which receives the light reflected by an external object, and consists of a plurality of pixels which correspond to regions of different angles with respect to the light emitting unit and are arranged in a row; and a lens unit for diffusing the light from the light emitting unit. The light amounts received by the plurality of pixels are light amount values which are asymmetric with respect to the center of the light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Bolam Kim, Seonghong Park, Sangkeun Lee, Pilwon Jeong, Yongho Cho
  • Patent number: 11452939
    Abstract: Systems and methods directed to generating an interactive graphical marker that includes a first region with a first indicator and a second region with a second indicator, the second region being around a circumference of the first region. The systems and methods are also directed to monitoring an animation of the interactive graphical marker to detect when the first indicator and the second indicator are aligned at a predetermined angle of rotation, and in response to detecting that the first indicator and the second indicator are aligned, initiating an interactive game application on a second computing device and a third computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Jiang Tham, Ava Robinson, Andrés Monroy-Hernández, Rajan Vaish
  • Patent number: 11448730
    Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement for time-of-flight comprises a first and a second cavity separated by an optical barrier and covered by a cover arrangement. An optical emitter is arranged in the first cavity, a measurement and a reference photodetector are arranged in the second cavity. The cover arrangement comprises a plate and layers of material arranged on an inner main surface thereof. The layers comprise an opaque coating with a first and second aperture above the first cavity, and with a third and fourth aperture above the second cavity. The measurement photodetector is configured to detect light entering the second cavity through the fourth aperture. The second and the third aperture establish a reference path for light from the emitter to the reference photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventors: Harald Etschmaier, Rainer Minixhofer, Georg Roehrer
  • Patent number: 11420288
    Abstract: A laser machining method includes directing, from an F-theta lens having a long focal length of greater than about 250 millimeters, a laser beam at a non-perpendicular beam tilt angle from an optical axis of the lens having a top-hat profile and a narrow beam divergence angle of between about 1 degree and about 3 degrees towards a workpiece on a stage movable in at least an X-direction and a Y-direction, engaging the directed laser beam with the workpiece disposed in the usable field of view, moving the workpiece and the directed laser beam relative to each other, and removing portions of the workpiece with the directed laser beam to define a machined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hongqiang Chen, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xi Zhang
  • Patent number: 11314090
    Abstract: Infrared vision systems, headpieces, and methods include an eyepiece and a body module. The eyepiece is configured to be worn over a user's eyes. The eyepiece includes an infrared sensor, configured to detect external infrared information. For example, the infrared sensor may include a plurality of short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors. The eyepiece includes a display, configured to visually provide external infrared information to the user. For example, the display may include a see-through color display. The body module is in wired or wireless communication with the eyepiece. The eyepiece may include an adjustable strap, coupled to the eyepiece. The adjustable strap is configured to wrap around the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: ELBIT SYSTEMS OF AMERICA, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Grobecker
  • Patent number: 11293753
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an automatic laser calibration kit for calibrating the distance between a test device of a wireless charging system and a device under test (DUT). The calibration kit may be located in a wireless charging test system. The test system may comprise a test plane for controlling the DUT and a gripping arm for controlling the test device. The calibration kit may comprise: a laser pointer, configured to emit a laser beam; a mirror, positioned on the gripping arm and configured to reflect the laser beam to form a spot on the test plane; and a camera, configured to monitor the position of the spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SICHUAN ENERGY INTERNET RESEARCH INSTITUTE, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tun Li, Siming Pan, Dawei He, Yi Liu, Jingdong Sun
  • Patent number: 11226413
    Abstract: An active sensor for performing active measurements of a scene is presented. The active sensor includes at least one transmitter configured to emit light pulses toward at least one target object in the scene, wherein the at least one target object is recognized in an image acquired by a passive sensor; at least one receiver configured to detect light pulses reflected from the at least one target object; a controller configured to control an energy level, a direction, and a timing of each light pulse emitted by the transmitter, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least the direction for detecting each of the reflected light pulses; and a distance measurement circuit configured to measure a distance to each of the at least one target object based on the emitted light pulses and the detected light pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: VayaVision Sensing Ltd.
    Inventors: Youval Nehmadi, Shmuel Ur, Ronny Cohen
  • Patent number: 11029399
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for calibrating light intensity. An exemplary method for light intensity calibration may comprise: obtaining a plurality of intensity distributions of reflected light from an area, wherein each of the intensity distributions is associated with a beam; determining a reference intensity distribution from the plurality of intensity distributions, wherein the reference intensity distribution is associated with a reference beam, the plurality of intensity distributions excluding the reference intensity distribution are non-reference intensity distributions, and the non-reference intensity distributions are each associated with a non-reference beam; and aligning each of the non-reference intensity distributions to the reference distribution to calibrate the non-reference intensity distributions against the reference distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xufeng Han, Tingbo Hou
  • Patent number: 11016184
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for determining a distance from an object, including a transmission device for emitting several light pulses including a pulse duration, including a reception device for receiving signals and for generating detection signals, and including an evaluation device for evaluating the detection signals. The evaluation device determines, on the basis of a number of the light pulses emitted and on the basis of the detection signals, probability values of several time windows which each have a respective time period equaling the pulse duration which relate to probabilities for reception of a signal within one of the time windows, respectively. In addition, the evaluation device determines, in accordance with the time-of-flight method, a measure of the distance of the object on the basis of the probability values determined. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Maik Beer, Olaf Schrey, Werner Brockherde, Alexander Schwinger, Bedrich Hosticka
  • Patent number: 10935379
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a generally-applicable measurement technique based on coherent quantum enhancement effects and provides embodiments with nonlinear optics. The technique utilizes parametric nonlinear processes where the information-carrying electromagnetic quanta in a number of electromagnetic modes are converted phase coherently to signature quanta in a single mode or a few modes. The phase coherence means that while the quanta before conversion may have unequal or uncertain phase values across the modes, the signature quanta converted from those different modes have the (near) uniform phase. This can lead to significant increase in the signal to noise ratio in detecting weak signal buried in strong background noise. Applications can be found in remote sensing, ranging, biological imaging, field imaging, target detection and identification, covert communications, and other fields that can benefit from improved signal to noise ratios by using the phase coherent effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Trustees of the Stevens Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Yuping Huang
  • Patent number: 10908281
    Abstract: A system for enhanced object detection and identification is disclosed. The system provides new capabilities in object detection and identification. The system can be used with a variety of vehicles, such as autonomous cars, human-driven motor vehicles, robots, drones, and aircraft and can detect objects in adverse operating conditions such as heavy rain, snow, or sun glare. Enhanced object detection can also be used to detect objects in the environment around a stationary object. Additionally, such systems can rapidly identify and classify objects based on the encoded information in the emitted or reflected signals from the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Rainer J. Fasching, Ghyrn E. Loveness
  • Patent number: 10795001
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Cristiano L. Niclass, Alexander Shpunt, Gennadiy A. Agranov, Matthew C. Waldon, Mina A. Rezk, Thierry Oggier
  • Patent number: 10746874
    Abstract: A distance is accurately measured by a ranging system that performs ranging by a ToF method. A ranging module includes a light receiving unit, a determination unit, and a ranging unit. The light receiving unit receives reflection light from an object and detects a received light quantity of the reflection light within a predetermined detection period every time the predetermined detection period elapses. The determination unit determines whether the object is moved during each of the predetermined detection periods. The ranging unit measures a distance to the object on the basis of received light quantity within a predetermined detection period during which it is determined that the object is not moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Patent number: 10653327
    Abstract: A biological information detection device includes: a light emitting unit which irradiates a subject with light; a first light receiving unit which receives light from the subject; a second light receiving unit which receives light from the subject; and a beam which is provided between the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit, in a plan view in a vertical direction of a light receiving surface of the first light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Iijima
  • Patent number: 10643317
    Abstract: A biometric image processing device includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to execute a process, the process comprising: capturing a biometric image of an object by a camera; obtaining a histogram of brightness values from the biometric image; correcting the biometric image by expanding a dynamic range of a partial histogram of the histogram of which an appearance frequency is equal to or more than a threshold; and calculating a distance between the camera and the object on a basis of a high frequency component of the biometric image corrected in the correcting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Semba, Soichi Hama, Satoshi Maeda, Hajime Nada, Yukihiro Abiko
  • Patent number: 10578717
    Abstract: An eye safety assembly for a vehicle based laser beam generating system is provided. The assembly includes at least one panel of dimmable glass that is positioned within a path of at least one laser beam generated from the laser generating system and a controller configured to control a dimming of the at least one panel of dimmable glass based at least in part on information received from vehicle systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Miroslav Bucina
  • Patent number: 10546202
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein disclose methods and systems for object recognition using optimal experimental design. Using detection information from the sensor systems, a detection hypothesis can be generated for the detected object. The detection hypothesis can include 3D models, which have distinctive locations. The distinctive locations can be compared to identified distinctive locations using location estimators. Distinctive locations allow for rejection of a hypothesis, should any distinctive location not have an identified distinctive location on the detected object or within the detection information. In this way, recognition of objects can be performed more quickly and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Jens Strabo Hummelshøj
  • Patent number: 10502816
    Abstract: A ranging apparatus includes an array of light sensitive detectors configured to receive light from a light source which has been reflected by an object. The array includes a number of different zones. Readout circuitry including at least one read out channel is configured to read data output from each of the zones. A processor operates to process the data output to determine position information associated with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: Bruce Rae, Pascal Mellot, John Kevin Moore, Graeme Storm
  • Patent number: 10495736
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an imaging device includes a light-emitting device, a driving circuit, a return single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array and readout circuitry. The driving circuit generates a driving signal, and the light-emitting device generates an optical pulse based on the driving signal. The return SPAD array is configured to receive a first portion of the optical pulse that is reflected by an object in an image scene. The readout circuitry receives a signal indicative of the received first portion of the optical pulse, and a signal indicative of the driving signal, and determines a distance between the imaging device and the object based on a difference between a time of receiving the signal indicative of the received first portion of the optical pulse and a time of receiving the signal indicative of the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Caixin Zhuang, John Kevin Moore
  • Patent number: 10481577
    Abstract: A method for object distance detection and focal positioning in relation thereto. The method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying (via a computing device) a desired distance among a plurality of designated sites on an object; (b) adjusting a focus (via an autofocus device) onto the plurality of designated sites; (c) calculating (via an image recognition module) the actual distance among the plurality of designated sites; (d) determining (via the image recognition module) if error exist between the actual distance and the desired distance; and (e) wherein (in no particular order) repeating the steps of (b), (c), and (d) until no substantial error exists between the actual distance and the desired distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Forrest, Joshua Solomon, Michael Poss
  • Patent number: 10466357
    Abstract: A measuring device includes a light source that emits light of a plurality of wavelengths, in particular a continuous spectrum, a first confocal diaphragm, through which light from the light source passes, and an optical illuminating/imaging system having a first splitting optical element designed as a prism or grating. The optical illuminating/imaging system, which is designed such that the light enters the first splitting optical element collimated, includes a first lens system having at least one first lens that is spatially separated from the first splitting optical element, the effective focal length of the first lens system being significantly different for different wavelengths, and the optical illuminating/imaging system being designed such that focus points of different wavelengths are formed at different locations along a line segment. The measuring device is configured to measure an object that intersects with the line segment and reflects at least a part of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Precitec Optronik GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Dietz
  • Patent number: 10416289
    Abstract: The invention describes an illumination device (100) for illuminating a three dimensional arrangement (250) in an infrared wavelength spectrum. The illumination device (100) comprises at least a first group of laser devices (110) comprising at least one laser device (105) and at least a second group of laser devices (120) comprising at least one laser device (105). The first and the second group of laser devices (110, 120) are adapted to be operated independent with respect to each other. The first group of laser devices (110) is adapted to emit laser light with a first emission characteristic and the second group of laser devices (120) is adapted to emit laser light with a second emission characteristic different from the first emission characteristic. The invention further describes a distance detection device (150) and a camera system (300) comprising such an illumination device (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: PHILIPS PHOTONICS GMBH
    Inventors: Joachim Wilhelm Hellmig, Pieter Hoeven, Robert Van Der Kloet, Holger Moench
  • Patent number: 10363632
    Abstract: A machine-vision-assisted welding system comprises welding equipment, a time of Flight (ToF) camera operable to generate a three-dimensional depth map of a welding scene, digital image processing circuitry operable to extract welding information from the 3D depth map, and circuitry operable to control a function of the welding equipment based on the extracted welding information. The welding equipment may comprise, for example, arc welding equipment that forms an arc during a welding operation, and a light source of the ToF camera may emit light whose spectrum comprises a peak that is centered at a first wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is selected such that a power of the peak is at least a threshold amount above a power of light from the arc at the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Hsu
  • Patent number: 10324033
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a light receiver to transduce a light reflected from an object into an electron corresponding to an intensity of the light, a measurer to measure quantities of charge on the electron with respect to at least two different divided time sections of an integration time section for acquiring a depth image, and an image generator to generate a depth image using at least one of the at least two measured quantities of charge on the electron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Byong Min Kang
  • Patent number: 10073164
    Abstract: A distance-measuring/imaging apparatus having a high S/N and a high distance measurement accuracy is provided. The distance-measuring/imaging apparatus includes: a signal generation unit for generating an emission signal and exposure signal; a light source unit for performing light irradiation by receiving the emission signal; an imaging unit for performing exposure by receiving the exposure signal and for acquiring the exposure amount of the reflected light; and a calculation unit for calculating and outputting the distance information on the basis of the exposure amount. The imaging unit acquires a first exposure amount corresponding to the exposure in a first emission/exposure period, in which the exposure is performed by receiving the exposure signal simultaneously with a receiving timing of the emission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiko Otani, Toshiya Fujii, Junji Tokumoto, Haruka Takano
  • Patent number: 9983297
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing three dimensional LIDAR measurements with varying illumination field density are described herein. A LIDAR device includes a plurality of pulse illumination sources and corresponding detectors. The current pulses supplied to the pulse illumination sources are varied to reduce total energy consumption and heat generated by the LIDAR system. In some embodiments, the number of active pulse illumination sources is varied based on the orientation of the LIDAR device, the distance between the LIDAR device and an object detected by the LIDAR device, an indication of an operating temperature of the LIDAR device, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the number of active pulse illumination sources is varied based on the presence of an object detected by the LIDAR device or another imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Veloyne Lidar, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Hall, Pieter J. Kerstens, Mathew Noel Rekow, Stephen S. Nestinger
  • Patent number: 9864048
    Abstract: A GT-TOF camera that illuminates a scene with a train of light pulses to determine amounts of light reflected from the transmitted light pulses by features in a scene for each of N different exposure periods and determines a distance to a feature in the scene responsive to a direction in an N-dimensional space of an N-dimensional vector defined by the amounts of reflected light determined for the feature for the N gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC.
    Inventors: Michael Hall, Algird Gudaitis
  • Patent number: 9733762
    Abstract: An optical display and control element comprises an at least partially transparent display screen, at least one light source for illuminating a rear side of the display screen, and at least one light sensor for detecting a temporal signal of the light scattered on the display screen. The light source is able to produce a time-variable light pattern while illuminating the rear side of the display screen. A control and processing unit is able to evaluate the temporal signal, detected by the light sensor, in combination with the time-variable light pattern and to determine a position of at least one object located on the display screen from this evaluation. The invention further relates to a method of optically determining the position of an object which is located on an at least partially transparent display screen of an optical display and control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Backes
  • Patent number: 9507015
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that include measuring a luminance; comparing the luminance to a predetermined luminance threshold; and if the luminance is below the predetermined luminance threshold, determining a proximity to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Anjur Sundaresan Krishnakumar, Shalini Yajnik
  • Patent number: 9395440
    Abstract: The present invention describes an optical distance measuring device having a pulsed radiation source that is implemented to transmit, in a temporally contiguous radiation pulse period, a radiation pulse having a pulse duration tp that is shorter than the radiation pulse period, and to transmit no radiation pulse in a temporally contiguous dark period. Further, the optical distance measuring device includes a detector for detecting different amounts of radiation in two overlapping detection periods during the radiation pulse period to capture reflections of the radiation pulse at an object surface and a background radiation and/or in two overlapping detection periods during the dark period to capture background radiation. The optical distance measuring device further includes an evaluator determining a signal depending on a distance of the optical distance measuring device to an object based on the detected amount of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Olaf Schrey, Werner Brockherde, Bedrich Hosticka, Wiebke Ulfig
  • Patent number: 9360303
    Abstract: A height measuring apparatus and a method thereof are disclosed. The disclosed method is suitable for an indoor environment. The disclosed method comprises emitting a first laser to a ceil via a first light path, determining whether a first reflective light corresponding to the first laser is received, emitting a second laser to an object via a second light path reflected by the ceil, determining whether a second reflective light corresponding to the second laser is received, calculating a first length according to a first data corresponding to the first reflective light, calculating a second length according to a second data corresponding to the second reflective light, and calculating an object height of the object according to the first length and the second length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: WISTRON CORP.
    Inventors: Yao-Tsung Chang, Chia-Hsien Li, Pai-Yang Lin, Shun-Chi Chung
  • Patent number: 9280283
    Abstract: Methods, devices and sensors for detecting a gesture are described. In an embodiment, a gesture sensor includes a time of flight sensor having a sensing element configured to generate an electrical signal responsive to received light. The time of flight sensor also includes a light source for emitting a burst of light. The sensing element has a sensing side for receiving light and a non-sensing side which is opposite the sensing side. The gesture sensor also includes one or more light inhibitors positioned relatively nearer the sensing side of the sensing element than the non-sensing side. The light inhibitors are asymmetric about a first center line of the sensing element. The first center line is located midway between first and second sides of the sensing element. The gesture sensor further includes a processor coupled to the time of flight sensor configured to detect a gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Yu Gao, Antanas Matthew Broga, Priyadarshini Krishnaswamy
  • Patent number: 9268012
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for 3-D imaging and scanning using a 2-D planar VCSELs source configured as a lightfiled optical source. VCSELs are configured in different 2-D spatial arrangements including single VCSEL, or preferably a group, cluster, or array each to be operated effectively as an independent VCSEL array source. A set of microlens and an imaging lens positioned at a pre-determined distance collimates radiation from each VCSEL array source to a set of parallel beams. The parallel beams from different VCSEL array sources generated in a rapid pre-determined timing sequence provide scanning beams to illuminate an object. The radiation reflected from the object is analyzed for arrival time, pulse shape, and intensity to determine a comprehensive set of distance and intensity profile of the object to compute a 3-D image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: PRINCETON OPTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chuni Lal Ghosh, Jean Francois Seurin, Laurence S Watkins
  • Patent number: 9103663
    Abstract: A depth calculation method of a depth sensor includes outputting a modulated light to a target object, detecting four pixel signals from a depth pixel based on a reflected light reflected by the target object, determining whether each of the four pixel signals is saturated based on results of comparing a magnitude of each of the four pixel signals with a threshold value, and calculating depth to the target object based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ki Min, Young Gu Jin
  • Patent number: 9041918
    Abstract: A handheld distance measuring instrument includes a first emission device, a first reception device and a second reception device. The first emission device is configured to emit an optical measurement radiation onto a target object. The first reception device is configured to detect the radiation returning from the target object. The second reception device is configured in order to detect a reference radiation internal to the instrument. The reception devices respectively include a first detector unit, a second detector unit, a first time measurement unit, and a second time measurement unit. The first time measurement unit is configured to be connected selectively to the first detector unit and to the second detector unit. The second time measurement unit is configured to be connected selectively to the first detector unit and to the second detector unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Eisele, Bernd Schmidtke, Reiner Schnitzer, Oliver Wolst
  • Patent number: 9025140
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting weather conditions including sunlight using onboard vehicle sensors are described. In one example, a method is provided that includes receiving laser data collected for an environment of a vehicle. The method also includes associating laser data points with one or more objects in the environment, and determining given laser data points that are unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment as being representative of an untracked object at a given position with respect to the vehicle. The method also includes determining that the untracked object remains at a substantially same relative position with respect to the vehicle as the vehicle moves, and identifying by the computing device an indication that a weather condition of the environment of the vehicle is sunny.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajun Zhu, Dmitri Dolgov, Dave Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20150109604
    Abstract: The distance measuring apparatus 1 using laser light includes: a laser light source 2; a first optical element 3 that converts laser light R1 emitted from the laser light source 2 into collimated light; a light deflecting device 6 that includes an oscillating mirror 9 and scans the laser light on a surface of an object to be measured 4; a varifocal lens 7 that is arranged between the first optical element 3 and the light deflecting device 6 and converges scanning laser light R2 scanned by the light deflecting device 6 on the surface of a measurement part 5; and a light quantity detector 8 that detects a maximum value of a light quantity of reflected light reflected off the surface of the measurement part 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Makoto MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20150109603
    Abstract: Disclosed are a next-generation lidar sensor apparatus that may acquire and process individual characteristic information about an object in addition to distance and shape information about the object, and a signal processing method thereof. According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately and quickly identify and track the object by adding a function of measuring unique material characteristics, such as a color and reflectance of the object, to the three-dimension image lidar sensor for measuring a position and speed of the object. In addition, when a plurality of lidar sensors are distributed on a space where measurable distances partially overlap with each other, it is possible to remove interference and naturally occurring noise between adjacent lidar sensor signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jong Deog KIM, Kee Koo KWON, Soo In LEE
  • Patent number: 9007568
    Abstract: A distance detecting induction device includes a casing, a circuit board within the casing, and a pair of focusing lenses provided at respective openings in the casing. The distance detecting induction device further includes an emitting device including an infrared light emitting diode for emitting infrared light rays to the emitting lens and a receiving device including a distance detection induction module for inducing reflected light rays focused by the receiving lens. The distance detecting induction device further includes an emitting light ray guiding device arranged between the emitting lens and the emitting device. The guiding device includes a small circular hole provided at a position of the emitting device and a big circular hole provided at a position of the emitting lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Shanghai Kohler Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Qiaomei Tang, Guofeng Chen