Abstract: A system and method are disclosed relating to a pipeline for generating a computer model of a target user, including a hand model of the user's hands and fingers, captured by an image sensor in a NUI system. The computer model represents a best estimate of the position and orientation of a user's hand or hands. The generated hand model may be used by a gaming or other application to determine such things as user gestures and control actions.

Abstract: A phase-based TOF system is operated with N?3 modulation frequencies fi. These frequencies can be changed during N time intervals that together define an exposure time for the TOF pixel array. Preferably N=3 and modulation frequencies f1, f2, f3 are used, where f1=?m1, f2=?m2, and f3=?m3, where m1, m2, and m3 are small integers co-prime to each other, and a is a coefficent. A first phase image is acquired during perhaps the first third of exposure time using f1, then for the next third of exposure time a second phase image is acquired using f2, and then f3 is used to acquire a third phase image during the last third of exposure time. Geometric analysis yields desired values for m1, m2, and m3 to unwrap and thus disambiguate phase. Identification of valid and invalid data is identified using dynamically adjustable error tolerances.