Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels.

Abstract: A CMOS-implementable TOF detector promptly collects charge whose creation time can be precisely known, while rejecting collection of potentially late arriving charge whose creation time may not be precisely known. Charges created in upper regions of the detector structure are ensured to be rapidly collected, while charges created in the lower regions of the detector structure, potentially late arriving charges, are inhibiting from being collected.

Abstract: An analytical tool useable with complex systems receives as input various system parameters to predict whether sufficiently accurate quality depth data will be provided by the TOF system. Depth data quality estimates involve dividing system operation into smaller operations whose individual depth data quality contributions can be more readily computed. The effect of the individual operations is combined and the tool outputs a depth data quality estimate accounting for the net result of the various unique operations performed by the system. When used with a TOF system, input parameters may include magnitude and angular distribution of TOF emitted optical energy, desired signal/noise, sensor characteristics, TOF imaging optics, target object distances and locations, and magnitude of ambient light. Analytical tool output data can ensure adequate calculation accuracy to optimize the TOF system pre-mass production, even for TOF systems whose sequence of operations and sensor operations are flexibly programmable.