Abstract: Described herein is a method for signal processing in which noise in an input signal comprising an intensity which is a function of at least a first coordinate and a second coordinate. A noise reduction or de-noising process is applied to the input signal in respect of the first coordinate to generate an intermediate de-noised signal. A second noise reduction or de-noising process is applied to the intermediate de-noised signal in respect of the second coordinate to generate an output de-noised signal. For each coordinate, noise reduction processes are applied in two directions, the results of these processes being averaged to provide the de-noised signals. Weighting is applied in accordance with the detection of an edge within the signal used as input in the de-noising process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for avoiding pixel saturation in a group of pixels, each having a node, wherein a reference voltage is predetermined, and wherein a voltage change at the node of only one of the pixels compared to the predetermined reference voltage causes the synchronous reset of all pixels of the group.

Abstract: A system, and a method is described for use with electronic devices such as a TV display, a laptop, a PC, a media center platform, a Set Top Box or a DVD player, a light bulb, said system and method combining advantageously several separate control means into one single device. The combined control means shares at least one common property such as, as for example, the use of an IR signal to convey information signal. In particular, the invention is related to the combination of a TOF illumination system of a TOF camera and the method for operating it, with the control means for driving electronic devices located in the scene such as, as for example, an IR emitter for driving 3D IR synchronized viewing glasses.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing distance information of a scene with a time-of-flight camera, comprising the steps of emitting a modulated light pulse towards the scene, receiving reflections of the modulated light pulse from the scene, evaluating a time-of-flight information for the received reflections of the modulated light pulse, and deriving distance information from the time-of-flight information for the received reflections, whereby a spread spectrum signal is applied to a base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse, and the time-of-flight information is evaluated under consideration of the a spread spectrum signal applied to the base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse. The invention further relates to a time-of-flight camera for providing distance information from a scene, whereby the time-of-flight camera performs the above method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing distance information of a scene with a time-of-flight camera, comprising the steps of emitting a modulated light pulse towards the scene, receiving reflections of the modulated light pulse from the scene, evaluating a time-of-flight information for the received reflections of the modulated light pulse, and deriving distance information from the time-of-flight information for the received reflections, whereby a spread spectrum signal is applied to a base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse, and the time-of-flight information is evaluated under consideration of the a spread spectrum signal applied to the base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse. The invention further relates to a time-of-flight camera for providing distance information from a scene, whereby the time-of-flight camera performs the above method.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for enabling human-to-computer three-dimensional hand gesture-based natural interactions from depth images provided by a range finding imaging system. The method enables recognition of simultaneous gestures from detection, tracking and analysis of singular points of interests on a single hand of a user and provides contextual feedback information to the user. The singular points of interest of the hand: include hand tip(s), fingertip(s), palm center and center of mass of the hand, and are used for defining at least one representation of a pointer. The point(s) of interest is/are tracked over time and are analyzed to enable the determination of sequential and/or simultaneous “pointing” and “activation” gestures performed by a single hand.

Abstract: An electronic driver circuit for LEDs and LASERs is provided for use in time-of-flight applications featuring a high efficiency of energy-conversion and a high precision of distance-measurements based on a dual conversion circuit. A voltage to voltage DC-DC conversion is hereby merged with a DC-voltage to pulsed-current booster, this booster operating at a time-of-flight modulation frequency. At the start of a new measurement cycle, the PWM signal for driving the DC-DC conversion is updated in response to currents observed during previous illumination periods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a HDR pixel comprising a photo-sensitive element; a detector node connected to the photo-sensitive element; a reset switch connected to the detector node for resetting the detector node to a predetermined voltage; a buffer amplifier having an input connected to the detector node; a selecting transistor operable to select said pixel during a read out process; an intrinsic parasitic capacitance originated from at least one of the photo-sensitive element, the detector node, the reset switch, the buffer amplifier, the selecting transistor and operable to store the minority carriers generated by the photo-sensitive element; characterized in that the pixel further comprises a dual-mode capacitance having an input connected to the detector node and being operable in storing and destoring modes, for storing the generated minority carriers while being in the storing mode and destoring the minority carriers into the parasitic capacitance, while being in the destoring mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for binning TOF data from a scene, for increasing the accuracy of TOF measurements and reducing the noise therein, the TOF data comprising phase data and confidence data, the method comprising the steps of acquiring a plurality of TOF data by illuminating the scene with a plurality of modulated signals; associating each modulated signal with a vector defined by a phase and a confidence data, respectively; adding the plurality of vectors for obtaining a binned vector; determining the phase and confidence of the binned vector; processing the phase and confidence data of the binned vector for obtaining depth data of the scene.

Abstract: The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a distance between an object of a scene and a Time-Of-Flight camera system, and providing a depth map of the object, the Time-Of-Flight camera system comprising an illumination unit, an imaging sensor having a matrix of pixels and image processing means, the method being characterized by the following steps: modifying in a discrete way the illumination of said illumination unit in order to illuminate elementary areas of the scene with different incident intensities, respectively, for distinguishing the direct incident light beams from the indirect incident light beams; receiving onto the pixels of the matrix of the sensor the beams reflected by said elementary areas and providing the image processing means with corresponding data; processing the said corresponding data for eliminating the influence of the indirect light beams in the depth map of the object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing distance information of a scene with a time-of-flight camera (1), comprising the steps of emitting a modulated light pulse towards the scene, receiving reflections of the modulated light pulse from the scene, evaluating a time-of-flight information for the received reflections of the modulated light pulse, and deriving distance information from the time-of-flight information for the received reflections, whereby a spread spectrum signal is applied to a base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse, and the time-of-flight information is evaluated under consideration of the a spread spectrum signal applied to the base frequency of the modulation of the light pulse. The invention further relates to a time-of-flight camera (1) for providing distance information from a scene, whereby the time-of-flight camera (1) performs the above method.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of calibrating a three-dimensional imaging system. During calibration, a position and an orientation of the three-dimensional imaging system is determined with respect to a first parameter comprising a real world vertical direction (Vw) and to a second parameter comprising an origin of a three-dimensional scene captured by the imaging system. The first and second parameters are used to derive a calibration matrix (MC2w) which is used to convert measurements from a virtual coordinate system (Mc) of the three-dimensional imaging system into a real coordinate system (Mw) related to the real world. The calibration matrix (MC2w) is used to rectify measurements prior to signal processing. An inverse calibration matrix (Mw2c) is also determined. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of the setup of the three-dimensional imaging system is carried out and the calibration matrix (Mc2w) and its inverse (Mw2c) are adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for avoiding pixel saturation in a group of pixels, each having a node, wherein a reference voltage is predetermined, and wherein a voltage change at the node of only one of the pixels compared to the predetermined reference voltage causes the synchronous reset of all pixels of the group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for driving a Time-of-Flight system for use with an illumination system being adapted to illuminate a scene with a modulated signal, the ToF system having an imaging sensor comprising at least one pixel, said pixel comprising taps driven by driving signals for detecting the modulated signal reflected from the scene, the method comprising, for each pixel, the steps of determining at least a first and a second pair of taps and driving each pair of taps to detect the reflected modulated signal during a predetermined number N of cycles of the modulated signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a TOF camera system comprising several cameras, at least one of the cameras being a TOF camera, wherein the cameras are assembled on a common substrate and are imaging the same scene simultaneously and wherein at least two cameras are driven by different driving parameters.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for correcting defective depth values in depth map images. Defective values correspond to “noisy pixels” located on continuous flat surfaces and interpolated “flying pixels” located along an edge between a foreground object and a background object. The method comprising the steps of accessing a depth map of a scene which includes the foreground and background objects, detecting and identifying noisy and interpolated depth measurements within the depth map using a method, defining and applying a correction to each of the detected defective noisy and interpolated depth measurements using a specifically defined weighted correction factor. By providing the corrected defective depth values in depth map images, edges are sharpened in depth and continuous surfaces are flattened, enabling higher efficiency and robustness of further image processing.