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: 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 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 and sensor of processing time-of-flight (TOF) signals in a TOF camera system including an illumination unit and an imaging sensor. The method comprises illuminating the scene with light at a first frequency, detecting reflected light from at least one object in the scene at the first frequency, and determining a phase measurement using I and Q values. In addition, the scene is illuminated with light at a second frequency, the second frequency being 2?n of the first frequency where n=1, 2, . . . , etc., and the signs of I and Q values for both the first and second frequencies is used to determine the presence of aliasing in the phase measurement so that it can be corrected. The phase measurement is then corrected for aliasing and the effective range of the TOF camera system is extended by multiples of 2n. In addition, relative signal strength needs to be considered in accordance with the reflectivity of objects within the scene.

Abstract: A method for measuring time of flight of radiation includes emitting modulated radiation (51) in response to a first modulation signal, projecting the modulated radiation (51) onto a scene (55), and receiving radiation, the received radiation including at least modulated radiation reflected by the scene (55). The received radiation (26, 27) is converted into a radiation induced electrical signal. The radiation induced electrical signal is mixed with a second modulation signal, thus generating a mixed signal, which is integrated, thus generating an integrated signal. When the integrated signal exceeds a threshold value (Vref), charge is injected into the integrated signal. The method includes applying changes to the first and/or second modulation signal at one or more moments in time, and measuring the integrated signal at one or more moments in time, thus obtaining at least one TOF pair difference signal (62).

Abstract: The photonic mixer comprises a couple of an injecting contact region (3, 4) for injecting the majority carrier current into the semiconductor substrate (1) and a detector region (7, 8) for collecting the photocurrent. The injecting contact region (3, 4) is doped with a dopant of the first conductivity type (p+) at a higher dopant concentration than the semiconductor substrate (1). The detector region (7, 8) is doped with a dopant of a second conductivity type (n+) opposite the first conductivity type and has a junction (11, 12) with the semiconductor substrate (1), a zone of the semiconductor substrate (1) around said junction (11, 12) being a depleted substrate zone (101, 102).