Proximity sensing using structured light

• Main Authors: Keren-Zur, Shay, Avraham, Assaf, Hauser, Jonathan, Leshem, Dror, Della Pergola, Refael
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.03.2023
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL; PHYSICS

Sensing apparatus includes a projector, which projects toward a target a pattern of spots extending over a predefined angular range about a projection axis. An imaging assembly includes an image sensor and objective optics, which form on the image sensor an image of the target along an imaging axis, which is offset transversely relative to the projection axis. A processor is configured to process signals output by the image sensor so as generate, while the target is within a first span of distances from the apparatus, a depth map of the target responsively to shifts of the spots in the image, and to estimate, while the target is within a second span of distances, nearer to the apparatus than the first span, a distance to the target from the apparatus by detecting in the image a part of the pattern located at an edge of the angular range.