Abstract: Each of plural devices includes a laser emitter and a camera for detecting reflections of laser light emitted by the device, so that plural of the devices can generate their own depth maps showing images within the field of view of their cameras. The resolution of each depth map may be improved by accessing a data store of prior images of objects and combining the prior images using super-resolution with current images of the depth maps.

Abstract: A camera based depth mapping system. Depth information is coded with colors to make a laser-generated 3D depth map easier to interpret. In the event that the laser illumination is not sufficient, the depth information can have a low signal to noise ratio, i.e., the depth map can be noisy. Color noise reduction techniques are used to alleviate this problem.

Abstract: A micro mirror assembly widens the field of view (FOV) of a 3D depth map sensor, alleviating the limitation of limited laser illumination power and limitations on the resolution of the available imaging device.

Abstract: Multiple camera systems which use laser illumination for ranging benefit from a heartbeat to synchronize the timing of the individual lasers to eliminate collisions of multiple simultaneous laser emissions. An optical micromesh system provides for the dynamic entry and egress of mobile and stationary nodes. The optical communication between nodes may be controlled using time domain multiplexing (TDM) to avoid cross talk and communication collision due to overlapping laser illumination. By using an optical, laser based micromesh network, laser ranging can be used to dynamically map node location.

Abstract: To reduce the random noise in a depth map that is rendered using colors to convey the various depths, pattern recognition may be used to selectively apply noise reduction or to modulate the strength of the noise reduction. In this way, the potential adverse effect on the detail/sharpness of the image can be ameliorated. For example, in an image of a person, the skin does not have any sharp edges so noise reduction can be applied to such an image with little adverse consequence, whereas noise reduction applied to the image of a person's eye can cause loss of the detail of the iris, eyelashes, etc. Using pattern recognition on objects in the image, the appropriate level of noise reduction can be applied across an image while minimizing blurring/loss of detail.

Abstract: Each of plural devices includes a laser emitter and a camera for detecting reflections of laser light emitted by the device, so that plural of the devices can generate their own depth maps showing images within the field of view of their cameras. The resulting 3D depth maps from multiple cameras at potentially arbitrary locations can be aggregated to create a more accurate 3D depth map of the area covered by all the individual cameras. Each device/camera may be assigned a unique identification such as a unique number and a mechanism to identify, either electronically or visually, devices in its field of view. Using this information, the relative locations of the cameras can be calculated for purposes of aggregating the multiple depth maps.

Abstract: Each of plural devices includes a laser emitter and a camera for detecting reflections of laser light emitted by the device, so that plural of the devices can generate their own depth maps showing images within the field of view of their cameras. The resolution of each depth map may be improved by accessing a data store of prior images of objects and combining the prior images using super-resolution with current images of the depth maps.

Abstract: A micro mirror assembly widens the field of view (FOV) of a 3D depth map sensor, alleviating the limitation of limited laser illumination power and limitations on the resolution of the available imaging device.

Abstract: To reduce the random noise in a depth map that is rendered using colors to convey the various depths, pattern recognition may be used to selectively apply noise reduction or to modulate the strength of the noise reduction. In this way, the potential adverse effect on the detail/sharpness of the image can be ameliorated. For example, in an image of a person, the skin does not have any sharp edges so noise reduction can be applied to such an image with little adverse consequence, whereas noise reduction applied to the image of a person's eye can cause loss of the detail of the iris, eyelashes, etc. Using pattern recognition on objects in the image, the appropriate level of noise reduction can be applied across an image while minimizing blurring/loss of detail.

Abstract: Each of plural devices includes a laser emitter and a camera for detecting reflections of laser light emitted by the device, so that plural of the devices can generate their own depth maps showing images within the field of view of their cameras. The resulting 3D depth maps from multiple cameras at potentially arbitrary locations can be aggregated to create a more accurate 3D depth map of the area covered by all the individual cameras. Each device/camera may be assigned a unique identification such as a unique number and a mechanism to identify, either electronically or visually, devices in its field of view. Using this information, the relative locations of the cameras can be calculated for purposes of aggregating the multiple depth maps.

Abstract: A camera based depth mapping system. Depth information is coded with colors to make a laser-generated 3D depth map easier to interpret. In the event that the laser illumination is not sufficient, the depth information can have a low signal to noise ratio, i.e., the depth map can be noisy. Color noise reduction techniques are used to alleviate this problem.

Abstract: Multiple camera systems which use laser illumination for ranging benefit from a heartbeat to synchronize the timing of the individual lasers to eliminate collisions of multiple simultaneous laser emissions. An optical micromesh system provides for the dynamic entry and egress of mobile and stationary nodes. The optical communication between nodes may be controlled using time domain multiplexing (TDM) to avoid cross talk and communication collision due to overlapping laser illumination. By using an optical, laser based micromesh network, laser ranging can be used to dynamically map node location.