Combined time-of-flight and image sensor systems

• Main Author: PALA SILVIU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.02.2014
• Subjects: ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES; ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING ORSUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES INGENERAL; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

An object detection system of a vehicle includes a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor that receives a reflected object detection signal at a second time based on an object detection signal transmitted at a first time. An image sensor generates an image signal including an image of a detected object. The image sensor is distinct from and adjacent to the TOF sensor. A TOF control module generates distance data based on the first time and the second time and determines whether at least a portion of a detected object is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle. An image control module generates image data based on the image signal. A detection control module correlates the distance data with the image data to generate a warning indicator when at least a portion of the detected object is within the predetermined distance of the vehicle.