A time-of-flight measurement module, a control method thereof, and an electronic device

Abstract

The present application discloses a time-of-flight measurement module, a control method thereof, and an electronic device. The time-of-flight measurement module includes: a receiver, wherein a photosensitive part is arranged on the receiver; a control circuit, an input end of the control circuit is connected to the receiver, so that an exposure area signal representing an area to be exposed in the photosensitive part can be transmitted into the control circuit; a transmitter, a control end of the transmitter is connected to an output end of the control circuit, so that a light-emitting area signal corresponding to the exposure area signal generated by the control circuit can be transmitted into the transmitter; wherein, based on the light-emitting area signal, a light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light. The module, method, and device provided in the present application are used to solve the technical problem of relatively high power consumption existing in the time-of-flight measurement module in the prior art. There is provided an energy-saving time-of-flight measurement module, a control method thereof, and an electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of electronic technologies, and in particular, to a time-of-flight measurement module, a control method thereof, and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] Current mobile phone cameras often integrate a time-of-flight measurement module (D-TOF) to meet various needs of users. However, the transmitter in the time-of-flight measurement module needs to emit light every time a measurement is made, and this light emission will cause a large consumption of power, reducing the standby time of the mobile phone.

[0003] It can be seen that the existing time-of-flight measurement module has the technical problem of large power consumption.

[0004] Application Content

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application is proposed to provide a time-of-flight measurement module, a control method thereof, and an electronic device that overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a time-of-flight measurement module, including:

[0007] A receiver, wherein a photosensitive part is arranged on the receiver;

[0008] A control circuit, an input end of the control circuit is connected to the receiver, so that an exposure area signal representing an area to be exposed in the photosensitive part can be transmitted into the control circuit;

[0009] A transmitter, a control end of the transmitter is connected to an output end of the control circuit, so that a light-emitting area signal corresponding to the exposure area signal generated by the control circuit can be transmitted into the transmitter; wherein, based on the light-emitting area signal, a light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light.

[0010] Optionally, the photosensitive part on the receiver is divided into N areas to be exposed, and the light-emitting part on the transmitter is divided into M light-emitting areas; the N areas to be exposed correspond one-to-one to the M light-emitting areas, N>1, M>1.

[0011] Optionally, the time-of-flight measurement module further includes: a synchronization circuit, the synchronization circuit is connected to both the receiver and the transmitter to synchronize the clock signals of the receiver and the transmitter; a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit is connected to the transmitter and the control circuit to supply power to the transmitter and the control circuit.

[0012] Optionally, the power supply circuit includes: a DCDC converter and a low-dropout linear regulator; wherein, the DCDC converter is connected between the power supply and the transmitter, and the low-dropout linear regulator is connected between the power supply and the control circuit.

[0013] Optionally, the control circuit includes: an FPGA and a switch component; wherein, the input end of the FPGA is connected to the receiver so that the exposure area signal is transmitted into the FPGA; the output end of the FPGA is connected to the control end of the transmitter through the switch component, and the light-emitting area signal generated by the FPGA based on the exposure area signal can control the opening and closing of the switch component, so that the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light.

[0014] Optionally, the output end of the FPGA includes L pins, and the control end of the transmitter includes L ports, where L is greater than 1; each of the L pins is connected to one of the ports of the control end of the transmitter through a group of the switch components, and the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light through the opening and closing combination of the L groups of switch components.

[0015] Optionally, each group of the switch components includes: a first MOS transistor, a resistor, and a second MOS transistor; the drain of the first MOS transistor and the gate of the second MOS transistor are both connected to the same pin of the output end of the FPGA; the gate of the first MOS transistor and the drain of the second MOS transistor are both connected to one end of the resistor; the other end of the resistor and the source of the first MOS transistor are both connected to the same port of the control end of the transmitter; the source of the second MOS transistor is grounded.

[0016] Optionally, the area to be exposed is an area in the digital image sensor chip of the receiver in units of rows, and the corresponding light-emitting area is a light-emitting point area in units of rows in the vertical cavity surface emitting laser unit of the transmitter.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present application provides a control method for a time-of-flight measurement module, which is applied to the time-of-flight measurement module described in the first aspect, and the method includes:

[0018] The receiver sends the exposure area signal to the control circuit;

[0019] The control circuit outputs a corresponding light-emitting area signal to the transmitter based on the exposure area signal;

[0020] Based on the light-emitting area signal, the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light.

[0021] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electronic device, including the time-of-flight measurement module described in the first aspect.

[0022] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0023] The time-of-flight measurement module, its control method, and the electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present invention connect a control circuit between the output end of the receiver and the control end of the transmitter. By using the additional control circuit, the transmitter does not emit light as a whole each time it emits light, but only the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed of the receiver emits light. On the basis of not affecting the exposure effect, the light-emitting energy consumption of the transmitter is reduced, achieving the effect of energy saving.

[0024] The above description is only an overview of the technical solutions of the present application. In order to be able to understand the technical means of the present application more clearly, it can be implemented according to the content of the specification. And in order to make the above and other purposes, features, and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present application are specifically given below. Description of the Drawings

[0025] By reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, various other advantages and benefits will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. The drawings are only for the purpose of showing the preferred embodiments and are not considered to be a limitation of the present application. And throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the time-of-flight measurement module in the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of the MOS switch in the embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 is a test diagram of the time-of-flight measurement module in the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 4 is a flowchart of the control method of the time-of-flight measurement module in the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 is a structural diagram of the electronic device in the embodiment of the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this application. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in this application without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] In an alternative embodiment, this application provides a time-of-flight measurement module, as Figure 1 shown, including:

[0033] A receiver 1, wherein the receiver 1 is provided with a photosensitive part;

[0034] A control circuit 2, the input end of the control circuit 2 is connected to the receiver 1, so that the exposure area signal representing the area to be exposed in the photosensitive part can be transmitted to the control circuit 2;

[0035] A transmitter 3, the control end of the transmitter 3 is connected to the output end of the control circuit 2, so that the light-emitting area signal corresponding to the exposure area signal generated by the control circuit 2 can be transmitted to the transmitter 3; wherein, based on the light-emitting area signal, the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter 3 emits light.

[0036] Specifically, the photosensitive part on the sensor chip of the receiver of the time-of-flight measurement module can often use the method of area-by-area exposure for image exposure, such as row-by-row exposure. The light-emitting points of the existing transmitters all emit light together, which will cause relatively large energy consumption. This application adds a control circuit 2 connected between the receiver 1 and the transmitter 3, so that the electrical signal can flow therein to control the transmitter 3 to emit light only in the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed each time, achieving energy saving.

[0037] Specifically, the photosensitive part on the receiver 1 is divided into N areas to be exposed, and the light-emitting part on the transmitter 3 is divided into M light-emitting areas. These N areas to be exposed and these M light-emitting areas, N>1, M>1. Optionally, N = M, in which case, the N areas to be exposed and the M light-emitting areas correspond one by one.

[0038] In the specific implementation process, the area to be exposed can be set as the area in the digital image sensor chip (SENSOR) of the receiver 1 (RX) in units of rows, and the corresponding light-emitting area is the light-emitting point area in units of rows in the vertical cavity surface emitting laser unit (VCSEL) of the transmitter 3 (TX). That is, the RX is exposed row by row, and correspondingly, only the light-emitting point rows in the TX corresponding to the exposed row need to emit light during each exposure. For example, the photosensitive part on the receiver 1 has a total of 6 rows, which are divided into 3 areas to be exposed in units of two rows. Correspondingly, the light-emitting part on the transmitter 3 is also set to 6 rows, which are divided into 3 light-emitting areas in units of two rows. The upper two areas to be exposed on the receiver 1 correspond to the upper two light-emitting areas on the transmitter 3, the middle two areas to be exposed on the receiver 1 correspond to the middle two light-emitting areas on the transmitter 3, and the lower two areas to be exposed on the receiver 1 correspond to the lower two light-emitting areas on the transmitter 3. Of course, the photosensitive part can also be divided into 1 area to be exposed in units of two rows, and the receiver 1 can also be divided into 1 light-emitting area in units of one row. In this way, two light-emitting areas correspond to one area to be exposed. In addition, it can also be set that the areas to be exposed and the light-emitting areas are divided in units of columns, or divided into blocks, which is not limited here.

[0039] Among them, the area to be exposed can be determined according to a preset rule. For example, it can be exposed row by row from top to bottom, or column by column from left to right, which is not limited here.

[0040] In the specific implementation process, the time-of-flight measurement module can also include a synchronization circuit, which is connected to both the receiver and the transmitter to synchronize the clock signals of the receiver and the transmitter. Of course, the synchronization circuit can be integrated with the control circuit 2, or the synchronization circuit can be set outside the time-of-flight measurement module, such as Figure 1 shown, to synchronize the clock signals of the receiver and the transmitter through connection.

[0041] The power supply of the time-of-flight measurement module can use an external power supply. The commonly used external power supply is 5V. Of course, a 10V external power supply can also be used, which is not limited here. The external power supply can be connected to the transmitter 3 and the control circuit 2 through a power supply circuit to supply power to the transmitter 3 and the control circuit 2. The power supply circuit provides functions such as voltage conversion and voltage stabilization. Of course, the power supply circuit can be integrated with the control circuit 2 on a circuit board or a chip, or can be set as a separate circuit board or chip.

[0042] In an alternative embodiment, the power supply circuit may be configured to include a DCDC converter and a low dropout linear regulator (LDO); wherein, the DCDC converter is connected between a power source and the transmitter to supply power to a light source in the transmitter, for example, to supply power to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. The low dropout linear regulator is connected between the power source and the control circuit to supply power to the control circuit.

[0043] In an alternative embodiment, as Figure 1 shown, the control circuit 2 may include a field programmable gate array 21 (FPGA) and a switch component 22. Wherein, an input end of the FPGA 21 is connected to the receiver 1 to enable the exposure area signal to be transmitted into the FPGA 21; an output end of the FPGA 21 is connected to a control end of the transmitter 3 through the switch component 22, and a light emitting area signal generated by the FPGA 21 based on the exposure area signal can control the opening and closing of the switch component 22, so that a light emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter 3 emits light. Using the FPGA 21 and the switch component 22 as the control circuit 2 can effectively reduce the design difficulty and processing cost of the control circuit.

[0044] Of course, the control circuit 2 may not only be an FPGA and a switch component, but also an integrated application specific integrated circuit chip, or a controller chip, which is not limited herein.

[0045] When the control circuit 2 includes the FPGA 21 and the switch component 22, the output end of the FPGA 21 includes L pins (for example, Figure 1 CH1, CH2, CH3, and CH4 in the figure correspond to 4 groups of switch components to control the 8 partitions of the transmitter to emit light respectively through the opening and closing combinations of the 4 groups of switch components), the control end of the transmitter includes L ports, L>1, L may be equal to 4, or may be equal to 6 or 7, and specific values are set according to needs, which is not limited herein. Each of the L pins is connected to one of the ports of the control end of the transmitter through a group of the switch components, and the light emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light through the opening and closing combinations of the L groups of switch components.

[0046] For example, assume that the transmitter has 8 partitions, and the partitioning of these 8 partitions corresponds to the partitioning of the exposable area in the receiver. If the exposable area is partitioned into 8 rows by rows, then the 8 partitions of the transmitter also correspond to 8 rows of light-emitting points; if the exposable area is partitioned into 8 columns by columns, then the 8 partitions of the transmitter also correspond to 8 columns of light-emitting points; of course, it can also be partitioned by square areas, which is not limited here and will not be listed one by one. There are 4 pins in total at the output end of the FPGA, namely CH1, CH2, CH3, and CH4, and the outputs of the 4 groups of switch components corresponding to the control are 0001, 0010, 0011, 0100, 0101, 0110, 0111, 1000 (0 indicates that the switch component corresponding to this pin is closed, and 1 indicates that the switch component corresponding to this pin is turned on). Of course, 1001, etc. can also be set, which is not limited here. These 8 outputs respectively correspond to the activation of 8 areas of the transmitter 3. For example, when the output of the 4 groups of switch components is 0001, the first row of light-emitting points of the transmitter emits light; when the output of the 4 groups of switch components is 0010, the second row of light-emitting points of the transmitter emits light, and so on.

[0047] Among them, the FPGA21 and the output end of the receiver 1 can also be connected through multiple pins. For example Figure 1 as shown, it is connected through VD and HD. VD transmits the frame synchronization (VSYNC) signal and HD transmits the line synchronization (HSYNC) signal. The FPGA21 can decode the frame synchronization (VSYNC) and the line synchronization (HSYNC) and adjust the timing to synchronize the row being exposed in the receiver 1 with the light-emitting area of the transmitter 3, and turn off the non-synchronized light-emitting areas, so that the power consumption caused by the light emission of the light-emitting points in the non-synchronized area can be reduced, and the overall power consumption of the module can be reduced.

[0048] Among them, as Figure 2 shown, each group of the switch components 22 includes: a first MOS transistor 221, a resistor 222, and a second MOS transistor 223. The drain of the first MOS transistor 221 and the gate of the second MOS transistor 223 are both connected to the same pin at the output end of the FPGA21 (for example Figure 2 both are connected to CH1); the gate of the first MOS transistor 221 and the drain of the second MOS transistor 223 are both connected to one end of the resistor 222; the other end of the resistor 222 and the source of the first MOS transistor 221 are both connected to the same port at the control end of the transmitter 3; the source of the second MOS transistor 223 is grounded to DGND. When the level input by the pin of the FPGA21 to this switch component is high, the switch component is turned on and the output is high level; when the level input by the pin of the FPGA21 to this switch component is low, the switch component is turned off and the output is low level or no output.

[0049] Specifically, the first MOS transistor 221 can be of the PMH950UPE model, and the second MOS transistor 223 can be of the PMH600UNE model. Of course, MOS transistors of other models can also be selected, which is not limited herein. It should be noted that Figure 2 the MOS transistor in

[0050] is the equivalent circuit diagram during simulation display, and in actual application, the MOS transistor is within the square box.

[0051] Of course, in the specific implementation process, other switches besides MOS transistors can also be used, such as triode switches or diode switches, etc., which is not limited herein. Figure 3 Before the camera product with a time-of-flight measurement module leaves the factory, it needs to be tested. The test structure diagram as shown in

[0052] can be used. A test fixture for image display is connected to a test board (partition control drive board). A power module and a control circuit are provided on the test board, and the transmitter TX and the receiver RX are connected to the test board. After the time-of-flight measurement module passes the test, it is assembled into the camera and then leaves the factory. Figure 4 Based on the same inventive concept, the present application also provides a control method for a time-of-flight measurement module. The method is applied to the aforementioned time-of-flight measurement module, as shown in

[0053] Step S401, the receiver sends the exposure area signal to the control circuit;

[0054] Step S402, the control circuit outputs a corresponding light-emitting area signal to the transmitter based on the exposure area signal;

[0055] Step S403, based on the light-emitting area signal, the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light.

[0056] Since the control method introduced in the embodiments of the present invention is the control method of the time-of-flight measurement module in the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can understand the specific steps of the method based on the module introduced in the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, it will not be elaborated herein. Any control method of the time-of-flight measurement module in the embodiments of the present invention falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0057] Based on the same inventive concept, the present application also provides an electronic device, as shown in Figure 5 including the time-of-flight measurement module 501 provided by the present application.

[0058] The electronic device can be a smart phone, a tablet computer, a smart watch or other devices, which is not limited herein.

[0059] Since the electronic device described in the embodiments of the present application includes the time-of-flight measurement module 501 which is the time-of-flight measurement module provided above in the embodiments of the present application, the structural features of the time-of-flight measurement module 501 will not be elaborated herein.

[0060] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0061] The time-of-flight measurement module, its control method and the electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present invention connect a control circuit between the output end of the receiver and the control end of the transmitter. By using the additional control circuit, the transmitter does not emit light as a whole each time it emits light, but only the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed of the receiver emits light. On the basis of not affecting the exposure effect, the light-emitting energy consumption of the transmitter is reduced, and the effect of energy saving is achieved.

[0062] In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that although some of the embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, the combination of the features of different embodiments means that it is within the scope of the present application and forms different embodiments.

[0063] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate the present application rather than limit the present application, and those skilled in the art can design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of components or steps not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding a component does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such components. The present application can be implemented by means of hardware including several different components and by means of a properly programmed computer. In the unit claims listing several devices, several of these devices can be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc. does not denote any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

[0064] Although the preferred embodiments of the present application have been described, those skilled in the art can make additional changes and modifications once they learn the basic creative concept. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be construed to include the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present application.

[0065] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalent technologies, the present application is also intended to include these changes and modifications.

Claims

1. A time-of-flight measurement module, characterized in that, it includes: a receiver, the receiver is provided with a photosensitive part; a control circuit, the input end of the control circuit is connected to the receiver, so that the exposure area signal representing the area to be exposed in the photosensitive part can be transmitted into the control circuit; a transmitter, the control end of the transmitter is connected to the output end of the control circuit, so that the light-emitting area signal corresponding to the exposure area signal generated by the control circuit can be transmitted into the transmitter; wherein, based on the light-emitting area signal, the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light; the photosensitive part on the receiver is divided into N areas to be exposed, and the light-emitting part on the transmitter is divided into M light-emitting areas; the N areas to be exposed correspond to the M light-emitting areas, N>1, M>1; only the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed emits light each time it emits light; the control circuit includes: an FPGA and a switch component; wherein, the input end of the FPGA is connected to the receiver so that the exposure area signal is transmitted into the FPGA; the output end of the FPGA is connected to the control end of the transmitter through the switch component, and the light-emitting area signal generated by the FPGA based on the exposure area signal can control the opening and closing of the switch component, so that the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light.

2. The time-of-flight measurement module according to claim 1, characterized in that, it further includes: a synchronization circuit, the synchronization circuit is connected to both the receiver and the transmitter, so that the clock signals of the receiver and the transmitter are synchronized; a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit is connected to the transmitter and the control circuit to supply power to the transmitter and the control circuit.

3. The time-of-flight measurement module according to claim 2, characterized in that, the power supply circuit includes: a DCDC converter and a low-dropout linear regulator; wherein, the DCDC converter is connected between the power supply and the transmitter, and the low-dropout linear regulator is connected between the power supply and the control circuit.

4. The time-of-flight measurement module according to claim 1, characterized in that: the output end of the FPGA includes L pins, and the control end of the transmitter includes L ports, L>1; each of the L pins is connected to one of the ports of the control end of the transmitter through a group of the switch components, and the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the transmitter emits light through the opening and closing combination of L groups of switch components.

5. The time-of-flight measurement module according to claim 4, characterized in that, each group of the switch components includes: a first MOS transistor, a resistor and a second MOS transistor; the drain of the first MOS transistor and the gate of the second MOS transistor are both connected to the same pin of the output end of the FPGA; The gate of the first MOS transistor and the drain of the second MOS transistor are both connected to one end of the resistor; the other end of the resistor and the source of the first MOS transistor are both connected to the same port of the control terminal of the emitter; The source of the second MOS transistor is grounded.

6. The time-of-flight measurement module according to claim 1, characterized in that the area to be exposed is the area in the digital image sensor chip of the receiver in units of rows, and the corresponding light-emitting area is the light-emitting point area in units of rows in the vertical cavity surface emitting laser unit of the emitter.

7. A control method for a time-of-flight measurement module, characterized in that the method is applied to the time-of-flight measurement module according to any one of claims 1-6, and the method includes: The receiver sends the exposure area signal to the control circuit; The control circuit outputs a corresponding light-emitting area signal to the emitter based on the exposure area signal; Based on the light-emitting area signal, the light-emitting area corresponding to the area to be exposed in the emitter emits light.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that it includes the time-of-flight measurement module according to any one of claims 1-6.

Images