Detector for determining the position of at least one object

Abstract

A detector (110) for determining the position of at least one object (112) is proposed. The detector (110) comprises - at least one sensor element (114) having a matrix (116) of optical sensors (118), each optical sensor (118) having a photosensitive area, wherein each optical sensor (118) is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination of its corresponding photosensitive area by a light beam propagating from the object (112) to the detector (110), - at least one evaluation device (128), wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix (116), wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to respectively determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors (118) of the region of interest, and wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPR , - wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signals, and wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object (112) from the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a from the image DFD , - wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to take into account the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a detector and a method for determining the position of at least one object. The present invention also relates to various uses of a human-machine interface (interface), an entertainment device, a tracking system, a camera, a scanning system, and a detector device for exchanging at least one piece of information between a user and a machine. The devices, methods, and uses according to the present invention can be specifically used, for example, in various fields of daily life, gaming, transportation technology, production technology, security technology, photography (such as digital photography or video photography for artistic, documentary, or technical purposes), medical technology, or science. In addition, the present invention can specifically be used for scanning one or more objects and / or for scanning a scene, such as for generating a depth profile of an object or a scene in the fields of, for example, architecture, surveying, archaeology, art, medicine, engineering, or manufacturing. However, other applications are also possible. Background Art

[0002] In the case where the environment causes multiple reflections, optical 3D sensing methods can generally obtain unreliable results by using a biasing light source or a reflection measurement object. In addition, 3D sensing methods with imaging capabilities (such as triangulation methods using structured light or a stereo camera) generally require high computing power to solve corresponding problems. The necessary computing power can lead to high costs in terms of a processor or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), heat dissipation considering ventilation requirements or difficulties with a waterproof housing, power consumption (especially for mobile devices), and furthermore, uncertainties in the measurement. The high demand for computing power may prevent real-time applications, high frame rates, or even a standard video speed frame rate of 25 frames per second from being achieved.

[0003] Even in the case where the environment causes multiple reflections, the computing requirements for a biasing light source, or a reflection measurement object are reduced, especially the processing power is reduced, the depth-from-photon-ratio (DPR) technology allows reliable distance determination. For example, WO 2018 / 091640 describes a detector for determining the position of at least one object. The detector includes: at least one transmission device, wherein the transmission device has at least one focal length in response to at least one incident light beam propagating from the object to the detector; at least two optical sensors, wherein each optical sensor has at least one photosensitive region, and wherein each optical sensor is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to the irradiation of the light beam on its corresponding photosensitive region, and the at least one evaluation device is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a quotient signal Q based on the sensor signals. The detector is adapted to determine the ordinate z of the object within at least one measurement range independent of the size of the object in the object plane.

[0004] WO 2018 / 091649 A1 describes a detector for determining the position of at least one object. The detector includes: - at least one sensor element having an optical sensor matrix, each optical sensor having a photosensitive area, wherein each optical sensor is configured to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination of the photosensitive area by at least one light beam propagating from the object to the detector; - at least one evaluation device configured to evaluate the sensor signals by: a) determining at least one optical sensor having the highest sensor signal and forming at least one central signal; b) evaluating the sensor signals of the optical sensors of the matrix and forming at least one sum signal; c) determining at least one combined signal by combining the central signal and the sum signal; d) determining at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating the combined signal.

[0005] WO 2018 / 091638 describes a detector for determining the position of at least one object. The detector includes: - at least two optical sensors, each optical sensor having a photosensitive area, wherein each photosensitive area has a geometric center, wherein the geometric centers of the optical sensors are spaced apart from the optical axis of the detector by different spatial offsets, and wherein each optical sensor is configured to generate a sensor signal in response to illumination of its corresponding photosensitive area by a light beam propagating from the object to the detector; and - at least one evaluation device configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by combining at least two sensor signals.

[0006] Due to the absence of communication problems, the DPR technology requires little processing power and thus has many advantages in mobile 3D measurement. However, despite the above-mentioned advantages of the devices and detectors, there are still some technical challenges. Specifically, the DPR technology can produce lower accuracy than other methods (such as triangulation-based methods). Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide devices and methods that face the above-mentioned technical challenges of known devices and methods. Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide devices and methods using the DPR technology that can determine the position of an object in space, preferably with low technical effort and low requirements in terms of technical resources and costs, and with enhanced accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The present invention having the features of the independent claims solves this problem. Advantageous developments of the present invention that can be implemented individually or in combination are presented in the dependent claims and / or the following description and detailed embodiments.

[0011] As used below, the terms "having", "including", or "comprising", or any grammatical variations thereof, are used in a non-exclusive manner. Thus, these terms can refer both to cases where no other features are present in the entity described in the context apart from the features introduced by these terms, and also to cases where one or more other features are present apart from the features introduced by these terms. As an example, the expressions "A has B", "A includes B", and "A comprises B" can refer to the case where no other elements are present in A apart from B (i.e., the case where A consists only and uniquely of B), and to the case where one or more other elements, such as element C, elements C and D, or even other elements, are present in entity A apart from B.

[0012] In addition, it should be noted that the terms "at least one", "one or more", or similar expressions indicating that a feature or element may be present once or more than once are generally used only once when introducing the corresponding feature or element. Below, in most cases, when referring to the corresponding feature or element, the expressions "at least one" or "one or more" will not be repeated, even though the corresponding feature or element may be present only once or more than once.

[0013] Furthermore, as used below, the terms "preferably", "more preferably", "particularly", "more particularly", "specifically", "more specifically", or similar terms are used in connection with optional features without restricting alternative possibilities. Thus, the features introduced by these terms are optional features and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the present invention can be carried out by using alternative features. Similarly, features introduced by "in an embodiment of the present invention" or similar expressions are intended to be optional features, without any limitation to alternative embodiments of the present invention, without any limitation to the scope of the present invention, and without any limitation to the possibility of combining the features introduced in this way with other optional or non-optional features of the present invention.

[0014] In a first aspect of the present invention, a detector for determining the position of at least one object is disclosed. As used herein, the term "object" refers to a point or region that emits at least one light beam. The light beam can originate from the object, such as through the object and / or at least one illumination source integrated or attached to the object that emits the light beam, or can originate from a different illumination source, such as an illumination source that directly or indirectly illuminates the object, where the light beam is reflected or scattered by the object. As used herein, the term "position" refers to at least one piece of information regarding the position and / or orientation of the object and / or at least a part of the object in space. Thus, the at least one piece of information can imply at least one distance between at least one point of the object and the at least one detector. As will be outlined in further detail below, the distance can be the ordinate, or can contribute to determining the ordinate of a point of the object. Additionally or alternatively, one or more other pieces of information regarding the position and / or orientation of the object and / or at least a part of the object can be determined. As an example, additionally, at least one abscissa of the object and / or at least a part of the object can be determined. Thus, the position of the object can imply at least one ordinate of the object and / or at least a part of the object. Additionally or alternatively, the position of the object can imply at least one abscissa of the object and / or at least a part of the object. Additionally or alternatively, the position of the object can imply at least one orientation information of the object, which indicates the orientation of the object in space.

[0015] The detector comprises:

[0016] - at least one sensor element having a matrix of optical sensors, each optical sensor having a photosensitive area, wherein each optical sensor is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination of its corresponding photosensitive area by a light beam propagating from the object to the detector,

[0017] - at least one evaluation device, wherein the evaluation device is configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix, wherein the evaluation device is configured to respectively determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors of the region of interest, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q according to the sensor signals DPR ,

[0018] wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest according to the sensor signals, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one coordinate z of the object by optimizing at least one blurring function f a according to the image DFD ,

[0019] wherein the evaluation device is configured to consider the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z.

[0020] As used herein, the term "sensor element" generally refers to a device or a combination of devices configured to sense at least one parameter. In the present case, the parameter can specifically be an optical parameter, and the sensor element can specifically be an optical sensor element. The sensor element can be formed as a single individual device or as a combination of multiple devices. As used herein, an "optical sensor" generally refers to a photosensitive device for detecting a light beam (such as for detecting the illumination and / or spot generated by at least one light beam).

[0021] As further used herein, the term "matrix" generally refers to an arrangement of multiple elements in a predetermined geometric order. As will be further outlined in detail below, the matrix can specifically be or can include a rectangular matrix having one or more rows and one or more columns. The rows and columns can specifically be arranged in a rectangular manner. However, it should be outlined that other arrangements are also feasible, such as triangular, circular, hexagonal or other non-rectangular arrangements. As an example, a circular arrangement is also feasible, where the elements are arranged as concentric circles or ellipses around a central point. For example, the matrix can be a single row of pixels. Other arrangements are feasible. The optical sensors of the matrix can specifically be equal in one or more of size, sensitivity, and other optical, electrical, and mechanical characteristics. Specifically, the photosensitive areas of all the optical sensors of the matrix can be located in a common plane, which preferably faces the object, such that the light beam propagating from the object to the detector can generate a spot on the common plane.

[0022] As used further herein, a "photosensitive area" generally refers to an area of an optical sensor that can be externally irradiated by at least one light beam, and that area generates at least one sensor signal in response to the irradiation. The photosensitive area can be specifically located on the surface of the corresponding optical sensor. However, other embodiments are possible. As used herein, the term "each optical sensor has at least one photosensitive area" refers to a configuration having a plurality of individual optical sensors, each individual optical sensor having one photosensitive area, and also refers to a configuration with one combined optical sensor having a plurality of photosensitive areas. Thus, the term "optical sensor" additionally refers to a photosensitive device configured to generate one output signal, while herein, a photosensitive device configured to generate two or more output signals (e.g., at least one CCD and / or CMOS device) is referred to as two or more optical sensors. As will be outlined in further detail below, each optical sensor can be embodied such that exactly one photosensitive area exists in the corresponding optical sensor, such as by providing exactly one photosensitive area that is irradiated, and in response to the irradiation of that photosensitive area, exactly one uniform sensor signal is created for the entire optical sensor. Thus, each optical sensor can be a single-area optical sensor. However, the use of single-area optical sensors makes the setup of the detector particularly simple and effective. Thus, as an example, commercially available optical sensors such as commercially available silicon photodiodes can be used in the setup, each silicon photodetector having exactly one photosensitive area. However, other embodiments are possible. Thus, as an example, an optical device including two, three, four, or more than four photosensitive areas can be used, which is regarded as two, three, four, or more than four optical sensors in the context of the present invention. As outlined above, the sensor element includes a matrix of optical sensors. Thus, as an example, the optical sensor can be part of a pixelated optical device or constitute a pixelated optical device. As an example, the optical sensor can be part of at least one CCD and / or CMOS device having a pixel matrix or constitute at least one CCD and / or CMOS device having a pixel matrix, each pixel forming a photosensitive area.

[0023] Specifically, the optical sensor can be or can include a photodetector, preferably an inorganic photodetector, more preferably an inorganic semiconductor photodetector, and most preferably a silicon photodetector. Specifically, the optical sensor can be sensitive in the infrared spectral range. All optical sensors in the matrix or at least one group of optical sensors in the matrix can specifically be the same. The group of the same optical sensors in the matrix can be specifically set for different spectral ranges, or all optical sensors can be the same in terms of spectral sensitivity. Additionally, the optical sensors can be the same in size and / or with respect to their electrical or optoelectronic properties.

[0024] Specifically, the optical sensor can be or can include an inorganic photodiode sensitive in the infrared spectral range (preferably in the range from 780 nm to 3.0 microns). Specifically, the optical sensor is sensitive in a part of the near-infrared region, where silicon photodiodes are specifically suitable for the range from 700 nm to 1000 nm. The infrared optical sensor that can be used for the optical sensor can be a commercially available infrared optical sensor, such as the Hertz-stueck available from trinamiX GmbH, D-67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany under the trade name TM Commercially available infrared optical sensor. Thus, by way of example, the optical sensor can include at least one optical sensor of the intrinsic photovoltaic type, and more preferably at least one semiconductor photodiode selected from the group consisting of: Ge photodiodes, InGaAs photodiodes, extended InGaAs photodiodes, InAs photodiodes, InSb photodiodes, HgCdTe photodiodes. Additionally or alternatively, the optical sensor can include at least one optical sensor of the extrinsic photovoltaic type, and more preferably at least one semiconductor photodiode selected from the group consisting of: Ge:Au photodiodes, Ge:Hg photodiodes, Ge:Cu photodiodes, Ge:Zn photodiodes, Si:Ga photodiodes, Si:As photodiodes. Additionally or alternatively, the optical sensor can include at least one bolometer, preferably a bolometer selected from the group including VO bolometers and amorphous Si bolometers.

[0025] The matrix can include independent optical sensors. Thus, a matrix including inorganic photodiodes can be included. However, alternatively, a commercially available matrix can be used, such as one or more of a CCD detector (such as a CCD detector chip) and / or a CMOS detector (such as a CMOS detector chip).

[0026] Thus, generally, the optical sensors of the detector can form a sensor array or can be part of a sensor array, such as the matrix described above. Thus, by way of example, the detector can include an optical sensor array such as a rectangular array having m rows and n columns, where m and n are independently positive integers. Preferably, more than one column and more than one row are given, i.e., n>1, m>1. Thus, by way of example, n can be 2 to 16 or higher, and m can be 2 to 16 or higher. Preferably, the ratio of the number of rows to the number of columns is close to 1. By way of example, n and m can be chosen such that 0.3≤m / n≤3, such as by choosing m / n = 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 or similar values. By way of example, the array can be a square array having an equal number of rows and columns, such as by choosing m = 2, n = 2, or m = 3, n = 3, etc.

[0027] Specifically, the matrix can be a rectangular matrix having at least one row (preferably multiple rows) and multiple columns. By way of example, the rows and columns can be oriented substantially vertically. As used herein, the term "substantially vertical" refers to the condition of vertical orientation, for example, a tolerance of ±20° or less, preferably ±10° or less, more preferably ±5° or less. Thus, by way of example, a tolerance of less than 20°, particularly less than 10°, or even less than 5° is acceptable. To provide a wide field of view, the matrix can particularly have at least 10 rows, preferably at least 50 rows, more preferably at least 100 rows. Similarly, the matrix can have at least 10 columns, preferably at least 50 columns, more preferably at least 100 columns. The matrix can include at least 50 optical sensors, preferably at least 100 optical sensors, more preferably at least 500 optical sensors. The matrix can include multiple pixels in the range of millions of pixels. However, other embodiments are feasible. Thus, in a desired axially rotationally symmetric setting, a circular or concentric arrangement of the optical sensors (which can also be referred to as pixels) of the matrix may be preferred.

[0028] Preferably, the sensor elements can be oriented substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the detector. Again, with respect to the term "substantially perpendicular", reference can be made to the definitions and tolerances given above. The optical axis can be a straight optical axis, or can be bent or even split, such as by using one or more deflection elements and / or by using one or more beam splitters, where in the latter case, the substantially perpendicular orientation can be referred to the local optical axis in the corresponding branch or beam path of the optical setup.

[0029] As used herein, the term "beam propagating from an object" refers to at least one beam that may originate from an object or may originate from an illumination source (such as an illumination source that directly or indirectly illuminates the object), where the beam is reflected or scattered by the object and is thus at least partially directed towards the detector. A beam propagating from an object may also be referred to hereinafter as a "reflected beam". The detector may be used in active and / or passive illumination scenarios. For example, at least one illumination source may be adapted to illuminate an object, such as by directing a beam towards the object, which reflects the beam. The illumination source may be or may include at least one multi-beam light source. For example, the illumination source may include at least one laser source and one or more diffractive optical elements (DOEs). Additionally or alternatively, the detector may use radiation already present in the scene, such as radiation from at least one ambient light source.

[0030] The beam propagating from the object to the detector may specifically completely illuminate at least one optical sensor in the optical sensor such that at least one optical sensor is completely within the beam and the width of the beam is greater than the photosensitive area of at least one optical sensor that generates a sensor signal. Conversely, preferably, the reflected beam may specifically produce a spot smaller than the matrix over the entire matrix such that the spot is completely within the matrix. A person skilled in the art of optics can easily adjust this situation by selecting one or more suitable lenses or elements that have a focusing or defocusing effect on the beam, such as by using a suitable transfer device that will be outlined in further detail below. As further used herein, a "spot" generally refers to a visible or detectable circular or non-circular illumination of an article, area, or object by a beam.

[0031] As further used herein, a "sensor signal" generally refers to a signal generated by an optical sensor in response to illumination by a beam. Specifically, the sensor signal may be or may include at least one electrical signal, such as at least one analog electrical signal and / or at least one digital electrical signal. More specifically, the sensor signal may be or may include at least one voltage signal and / or at least one current signal. More specifically, the sensor signal may include at least one photocurrent. Additionally, the original sensor signal may be used, or the detector, optical sensor, or any other element may be adapted to process or preprocess the sensor signal, thereby generating an auxiliary sensor signal, which may also be used as a sensor signal, such as by preprocessing through filtering, etc.

[0032] The photosensitive area can specifically be oriented towards the object. As used herein, the term "oriented towards the object" generally refers to the situation where the corresponding surface of the photosensitive area is completely or partially visible from the object. Specifically, at least one interconnecting line between at least one point of the object and at least one point of the corresponding photosensitive area can form an angle other than 0° with the surface element of the photosensitive area, such as an angle in the range of 20° to 90°, preferably in the range of 80° to 90°, such as an angle of 90°. Thus, when the object is on or near the optical axis, the light beam propagating from the object towards the detector can be substantially parallel to the optical axis. As used herein, the term "substantially perpendicular" refers to the condition of perpendicular orientation, for example, a tolerance of ±20° or less, preferably ±10° or less, more preferably ±5° or less. Similarly, the term "substantially parallel" refers to the condition of parallel orientation, for example, a tolerance of ±20° or less, preferably ±10° or less, more preferably ±5° or less.

[0033] As used herein, the term "ray" generally refers to a line perpendicular to the wavefront of light, which points in the direction of the energy flow. As used herein, the term "beam" generally refers to a collection of rays. Hereinafter, the terms "ray" and "beam" will be used as synonyms. As further used herein, the term "light beam" generally refers to a quantity of light, particularly a quantity of light traveling substantially in the same direction, including the possibility that the light beam has a spreading angle or a widening angle. The light beam can have a spatial extent. Specifically, the light beam can have a non-Gaussian beam profile. The beam profile can be selected from the group including the following: trapezoidal beam profile; triangular beam profile; conical beam profile. The trapezoidal beam profile can have a plateau region and at least one edge region. As will be outlined in more detail below, the light beam can specifically be a Gaussian beam or a linear combination of Gaussian beams. However, other embodiments are feasible. The transfer device can be configured to adjust, define, and determine one or more of the beam profiles (particularly the shape of the beam profile).

[0034] An optical sensor can be sensitive in one or more ranges of the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectral ranges. Specifically, the optical sensor can be sensitive in the visible spectral range from 390 nm to 780 nm, most preferably from 650 nm to 750 nm, or from 690 nm to 700 nm. Specifically, the optical sensor can be sensitive in the near-infrared region. Specifically, the optical sensor can be sensitive in a part of the near-infrared region, where silicon photodiodes are particularly suitable for the range from 700 nm to 1000 nm. Specifically, the optical sensor can be sensitive in the infrared spectral range, specifically in the range from 780 nm to 3.0 micrometers. For example, each optical sensor independently can be or can include at least one element selected from the group consisting of a photodiode, a phototube, a photoconductor, a phototransistor, or any combination thereof. For example, the optical sensor can be or can include at least one element selected from the group consisting of a CCD sensor element, a CMOS sensor element, a photodiode, a phototube, a photoconductor, a phototransistor, or any combination thereof. Any other type of photosensitive element can be used. As will be outlined in more detail below, the photosensitive element can generally be made entirely or partially of inorganic materials and / or can be made entirely or partially of organic materials. Most commonly, as will be outlined in more detail below, one or more photodiodes, such as commercially available photodiodes, for example inorganic semiconductor photodiodes, can be used.

[0035] The detector can include at least one illumination source. The illumination source can be configured to generate at least one light beam for illuminating an object. The illumination source can be a fixed light source or can be a movable light source. The detector can be configured such that the light beam for illuminating the object propagates from the detector towards the object along the optical axis of the detector. For this purpose, the detector can include at least one reflecting element, preferably at least one prism, for deflecting the illumination beam onto the optical axis.

[0036] The illumination source can be adapted to generate at least one illumination pattern for illuminating the object. Additionally or alternatively, the illumination pattern can be generated by at least one ambient light source. The detector can be configured such that the illumination pattern propagates from the detector, in particular from at least one opening of the housing, towards the object along and / or parallel to the optical axis of the detector. For this purpose, the detector can include at least one reflecting element, preferably at least one prism, for deflecting the illumination pattern such that it propagates along or parallel to the optical axis.

[0037] Specifically, the illumination source can include at least one laser and / or laser source. Various types of lasers can be employed, such as semiconductor lasers. Additionally or alternatively, non-laser light sources, such as LEDs and / or bulbs, can be used.

[0038] As used herein, the term "pattern" refers to any known or predefined arrangement including at least one feature of any shape. The pattern can include at least one feature such as a point or a symbol. The pattern can include multiple features. The pattern can include an arrangement of periodic or non-periodic features. As used herein, the term "illumination pattern" refers to a pattern for illuminating an object. The illumination pattern can be generated by ambient light (such as by at least one ambient light source or by at least one illumination source). The illumination pattern can include at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of: at least one dot pattern, particularly a pseudo-random dot pattern; a random dot pattern or a quasi-random pattern; at least one Sobol pattern; at least one quasi-periodic pattern; at least one pattern including at least one known feature; at least one regular pattern; at least one triangular pattern; at least one hexagonal pattern; at least one rectangular pattern; at least one pattern including a convex uniform tiling; at least one line pattern including at least one line; at least one line pattern including at least two lines such as parallel lines or intersecting lines. For example, the illumination source can be adapted to generate and / or project a point cloud. The illumination pattern can include regular and / or constant and / or periodic patterns such as triangular patterns, rectangular patterns, hexagonal patterns or patterns including other convex tilings. The illumination pattern can include as many features as possible in each area, so that the hexagonal pattern can be preferred. The distance between two features of the illumination pattern and / or the area of at least one illumination feature can depend on the circle of confusion in the image.

[0039] The illumination source may include one or more of the following: at least one light projector; at least one digital light processing (DLP) projector, at least one LCoS projector, at least one spatial light modulator; at least one diffractive optical element; at least one light-emitting diode array; at least one laser light source array. The illumination source may include at least one light source adapted to directly generate an illumination pattern. For example, the illumination source may include at least one laser source. For example, the illumination source may include at least one line laser. The line laser may be adapted to send a laser line to an object, such as a horizontal or vertical laser line. The illumination source may include a plurality of line lasers. For example, the illumination source may include at least two line lasers, which may be arranged such that the illumination pattern includes at least two parallel or intersecting lines. The illumination source may include at least one light projector adapted to generate a point cloud such that the illumination pattern may include a plurality of point patterns. The illumination source may include at least one mask adapted to generate an illumination pattern based on at least one light beam generated by the illumination source. The illumination source may be one attached to or integrated into a mobile device such as a smart phone. The illumination source may be used for other functions that may be used to determine an image, such as an autofocus function. The illumination device may be attached to the mobile device, such as by using a connector (such as a USB connector or a phone connector such as a headphone jack).

[0040] Specifically, the illumination source may be configured to emit light in the infrared spectral range. However, it should be noted that additionally or alternatively, other spectral ranges are also feasible. Furthermore, the illumination source may specifically be configured to emit modulated or unmodulated light. In the case of using multiple illumination sources, different illumination sources may have different modulation frequencies, which may later be used to distinguish the light beams. The detector may be configured to evaluate a single light beam or multiple light beams. In the case where multiple light beams propagate from the object to the detector, means for distinguishing the light beams may be provided. Thus, the light beams may have different spectral characteristics, and the detector may include one or more wavelength selection elements for distinguishing different light beams. Each of the light beams in the light beam may then be evaluated independently. As an example, the wavelength selection element may be or may include one or more filters, one or more prisms, one or more gratings, one or more dichroic mirrors, or any combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, in order to distinguish two or more light beams, the light beams may be modulated in a specific manner. Thus, as an example, the light beams may be frequency-modulated, and the sensor signals may be demodulated in order to partially distinguish the sensor signals originating from different light beams according to their demodulation frequencies. These techniques are generally known to those skilled in the high-frequency electronics field. Generally, the evaluation device may be configured to distinguish different light beams having different modulations.

[0041] Specifically, the illumination source and the optical sensor may be arranged in a common plane or in different planes. The illumination source and the optical sensor may have different spatial orientations. In particular, the illumination source and the sensor element may be arranged in a skewed arrangement.

[0042] The detector may include at least one delivery device. The term "delivery device" (also referred to as "delivery system") generally may refer to one or more optical elements adapted to modify a light beam, such as by modifying one or more of the beam parameters of the light beam, the width of the light beam, or the direction of the light beam. The delivery device may be adapted to direct the light beam onto the optical sensor. The delivery device may specifically include one or more of the following: at least one lens, such as at least one lens selected from the group consisting of: at least one focus-adjustable lens, at least one aspherical lens, at least one spherical lens, at least one Fresnel lens; at least one diffractive optical element; at least one concave mirror; at least one beam deflection element, preferably at least one mirror; at least one beam splitting element, preferably at least one of a beam splitting cube or a beam splitting mirror; at least one multi-lens system; at least one gradient index (GRIN) lens.

[0043] The delivery device may have a focal length responsive to at least one incident light beam propagating from the object to the detector. As used herein, the term "focal length" of the delivery device refers to the distance at which incident collimated light rays that may impinge on the delivery device enter a "focus", which may also be referred to as a "focal point". Thus, the focal length constitutes a measure of the ability of the delivery device to converge the impinging light beam. Accordingly, the delivery device may include one or more imaging elements that may have a converging lens action. By way of example, the delivery device may have one or more lenses, particularly one or more refractive lenses, and / or one or more convex mirrors. In this example, the focal length may be defined as the distance from the center of a thin refractive lens to the principal focus of the thin lens. For a converging thin refractive lens (such as a convex or biconvex thin lens), the focal length may be considered positive and may provide a distance at which a collimated light beam impinging on the thin lens as the delivery device may be focused into a single spot. Additionally, the delivery device may include at least one wavelength selection element, such as at least one filter. Additionally, the delivery device may be designed to (e.g., at the location of the sensor region and particularly in the sensor region) impose a predetermined beam profile on the electromagnetic radiation. In principle, the above-described alternative embodiments of the delivery device may be implemented individually or in any desired combination.

[0044] The delivery device may be arranged and / or configured to maximize the change in focus within the measurement range. For devices using the defocus depth method, as will be outlined below, it may be beneficial to maximize the change in focal length within the measurement range, particularly to reduce the depth of focus within the measurement range.

[0045] The transfer device has an optical axis. As used herein, the term "optical axis of the transfer device" generally refers to the mirror symmetry or rotational axis of symmetry of a lens or lens system. In particular, the detector and the transfer device have a common optical axis. The optical axis of the detector may be the line of symmetry of the optical arrangement of the detector. The detector may include at least one transfer system having at least one lens. As an example, the transfer system may include at least one beam path, wherein the elements of the transfer system in the beam path are positioned in a rotationally arranged or even symmetric manner with respect to the optical axis. Still, as will also be outlined in more detail below, one or more optical elements located within the beam path may also be eccentric or tilted with respect to the optical axis. However, in this case, the optical axis may be defined sequentially, such as by interconnecting the centers of the optical elements in the beam path, for example by interconnecting the centers of the lenses, where, in this case, the optical sensor is not considered an optical element. The optical axis may generally represent the beam path. Wherein the detector may have a single beam path along which the light beam may travel from the object to the optical receiving fiber, or may have multiple beam paths. As an example, a single beam path may be given, or the beam path may be divided into two or more partial beam paths. In the latter case, each partial beam path may have its own optical axis. The optical receiving fiber may be located in one and the same beam path or partial beam path. Alternatively, however, the optical receiving fiber may also be located in different partial beam paths.

[0046] The transfer device may constitute a coordinate system, where the ordinate l is the coordinate along the optical axis, and where d is the spatial offset from the optical axis. The coordinate system may be a polar coordinate system, where the optical axis of the transfer device forms the z-axis, and where the distance from the z-axis and the polar angle may be used as additional coordinates. A direction parallel or antiparallel to the z-axis may be considered the longitudinal direction, and the coordinate along the z-axis may be considered the ordinate l. Any direction perpendicular to the z-axis may be considered the transverse direction, and the polar coordinates and / or the polar angle may be considered the abscissa.

[0047] The detector may be a compact detector. Specifically, the baseline, such as the distance between the illumination source and the transfer device, may be small.

[0048] As used further herein, the term "evaluation device" generally refers to any device adapted to perform a specified operation, preferably by using at least one data processing device and more preferably by using at least one processor and / or at least one application specific integrated circuit. Thus, by way of example, the at least one evaluation device may include at least one data processing device on which software code including a plurality of computer commands is stored. The evaluation device may provide one or more hardware elements to perform one or more specified operations and / or may provide one or more processors on which software for performing one or more specified operations runs. The evaluation device may include one or more programmable devices such as one or more computers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) which are configured to perform image analysis such as the selection of reference features, the determination of the ordinate z. However, additionally or alternatively, the evaluation device may also be embodied fully or partly in hardware.

[0049] The evaluation device may be configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix. As used herein, the term "region of interest" generally refers to the determination of the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFDThe area around an edge or a spot on one or more pixels of an optical sensor matrix. The area of interest can be part of the matrix or the entire matrix. As used herein, the term "select at least one area of interest" means identifying, determining, and selecting one or more of at least one area of interest. The evaluation device can be adapted to perform at least one image analysis and / or image processing to identify the area of interest. The image analysis and / or image processing can use at least one feature detection algorithm. The image analysis and / or image processing can include one or more of the following: filtering; forming a difference image between an image generated from a sensor signal and at least one offset; inverting the sensor signal by inverting an image generated from the sensor signal; forming a difference image between images generated from the sensor signal at different times; background correction; decomposition into color channels; decomposition into hues; saturation; and brightness channels; frequency decomposition; singular value decomposition; applying a Canny edge detector; applying a Laplacian operator of a Gaussian filter; applying a difference-of-Gaussians filter; applying a Sobel operator; applying a Laplacian operator; applying a Scharr operator; applying a Prewitt operator; applying a Roberts operator; applying a Kirsch operator; applying a high-pass filter; applying a low-pass filter; applying a Fourier transform; applying a Radon transform; applying a Hough transform; applying a wavelet transform; threshold conversion method; creating a binary image. The area of interest can be determined manually by the user or can be determined automatically, such as by identifying an object within an image generated by the optical sensor. For example, an illumination source can be adapted to generate and / or project a point cloud such that a plurality of illumination areas are generated on the optical sensor (e.g., CMOS detector) matrix. In addition, there may be interference on the optical sensor matrix, such as interference caused by spots and / or extraneous light and / or multiple reflections. The evaluation device can be adapted to determine the area of interest, such as one or more pixels illuminated by a light beam, which are used to determine the ordinate of an object. For example, the evaluation device can be adapted to perform filtering methods, such as spot analysis and / or edge filters and / or object recognition methods.

[0050] The evaluation device is configured to determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors for the area of interest respectively. The evaluation device is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of an object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPRAs commonly used herein, the term "combination" generally can refer to any operation in which two or more components (such as signals) are one or more of the following: mathematically combined to form at least one combined combined signal and / or compared to form at least one comparison signal or comparison result. As used herein, the term "combined signal Q" refers to a signal generated by combining sensor signals, in particular by dividing the sensor signals, dividing multiples of the sensor signals, or dividing one or more of the linear combinations of the sensor signals. Specifically, the combined signal can be a quotient signal. The combined signal Q can be determined in various ways. As an example, software means for deriving the combined signal, hardware means for deriving the combined signal, or both can be used and implemented in the evaluation device. Thus, as an example, the evaluation device can include at least one divider, where the divider is configured to derive a quotient signal. The divider can be embodied in whole or in part as one or both of a software divider or a hardware divider.

[0051] The evaluation device can be configured to derive the combined signal Q by dividing the sensor signals, dividing multiples of the sensor signals, dividing one or more of the linear combinations of the sensor signals. The evaluation device can be configured to use at least one predetermined relationship between the combined signal Q and the ordinate z DPR to determine the ordinate z DPR . For example, the evaluation device is configured to derive the combined signal Q by:

[0052]

[0053] where x and y are abscissas, A1 and A2 are different areas of at least one beam profile of the light beam propagating from the object to the detector at the sensor position, and E(x, y, z o ) represents the object distance z o at the given beam profile. The area A1 and the area A2 may be different. Specifically, A1 and A2 are not congruent. Thus, A1 and A2 can be different in one or more of shape or content. The beam profile can be the cross-section of the light beam. The beam profile can be selected from the group consisting of: a trapezoidal beam profile; a triangular beam profile; a conical beam profile, and a linear combination of Gaussian beam profiles. Generally, the beam profile depends on the luminance L(z o ) and the beam shape S(x, y; z o ), E(x, y; z o ) = L·S. Thus, by deriving the combined signal, it can allow the determination of the ordinate independent of the luminance. Additionally, using the combined signal allows the determination of the distance z independent of the object size oThus, the combined signal allows the distance z to be determined independently of the material properties and / or reflection properties and / or scattering properties of the object and independently of changes in the light source (such as through manufacturing precision, heat, water, dirt, damage, etc. on the lens). o .

[0054] The photosensitive areas of at least two optical sensors may be arranged such that the first sensor signal includes information on a first region of the beam profile and the second sensor signal includes information on a second region of the beam profile. The first region of the beam profile and the second region of the beam profile are one or both of adjacent or overlapping regions. As used herein, the term "region of the beam profile" generally refers to any region of the beam profile at the sensor location used to determine the combined signal Q.

[0055] The evaluation device may be configured to determine and / or select the first region and the second region of the beam profile. The first region of the beam profile may substantially include edge information of the beam profile, and the second region of the beam profile may substantially include center information of the beam profile. The beam profile may have a center, i.e., the center point of the maximum value of the beam profile and / or the center point of the plateau of the beam profile and / or the geometric center of the light spot, and a descending edge extending from the center. The second region may include the inner region of the cross-section, while the first region may include the outer region of the cross-section. As used herein, the term "substantially center information" generally refers to a low proportion of edge information compared to the proportion of center information (i.e., the proportion of the intensity distribution corresponding to the center), i.e., the proportion of the intensity distribution corresponding to the edge. Preferably, the center information has a proportion of edge information of less than 10%, more preferably less than 5%, and most preferably, the center information does not include edge content. As used herein, the term "substantially edge information" generally refers to a low proportion of center information compared to the proportion of edge information. The edge information may include information on the entire beam profile, especially from the center and edge regions. The edge information may have a proportion of center information of less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, and more preferably, the edge information does not include center content. If at least one region of the beam profile is close to or around the center and includes substantially center information, then at least one region of the beam profile may be determined and / or selected as the second region of the beam profile. If at least one region of the beam profile includes at least a part of the descending edge of the cross-section, then at least one region of the beam profile may be determined and / or selected as the first region of the beam profile. For example, the entire region of the cross-section may be determined as the first region. The first region of the beam profile may be region A2, and the second region of the beam profile may be region A1.

[0056] The edge information may include information related to the number of photons in a first region of the beam profile, while the center information may include information related to the number of photons in a second region of the beam profile. The evaluation device may be adapted to determine the area integral of the beam profile. The evaluation device may be adapted to determine the edge information by integrating and / or summing over the first region. The evaluation device may be adapted to determine the center information by integrating and / or summing over the second region. For example, the beam profile may be a trapezoidal beam profile, and the evaluation device may be adapted to determine the integral of the trapezoid. Additionally, when a trapezoidal beam profile can be assumed, the determination of the edge and center signals may be replaced by an equivalent evaluation that exploits the properties of the trapezoidal beam profile, such as determining the slope and position of the edge and the height of the central plateau, and deriving the edge and center signals by geometric considerations.

[0057] Additionally or alternatively, the evaluation device may be adapted to determine one or both of the center information or the edge information from at least one slice or incision of the light spot. For example, this may be achieved by replacing the area integral in the combined signal Q with a line integral along the slice or incision. To improve accuracy, several slices or incisions through the light spot may be used and averaged. In the case of an elliptical spot profile, averaging over multiple slices or incisions may result in improved distance information.

[0058] The evaluation device may be configured to derive the combined signal Q by one or more of the following: dividing the edge information and the center information, dividing a multiple of the edge information and the center information, dividing a linear combination of the edge information and the center information. Thus, basically, the photon ratio may be used as the physical basis of the method.

[0059] The evaluation device may be specifically configured to derive the combined signal Q by dividing the first and second sensor signals, dividing a multiple of the first and second sensor signals, or dividing a linear combination of the first and second sensor signals. As an example, Q may simply be determined as Q = s1 / s2 or Q = s2 / s1, where s1 represents the first sensor signal and s2 represents the second sensor signal. Additionally or alternatively, Q may be determined as Q = a·s1 / b·s2 or Q = b·s2 / a·s1, where a and b are real numbers, which may be predefined or determinable as an example. Additionally or alternatively, Q may be determined as Q = (a·s1 + b·s2) / (c·s1 + d·s2), where a, b, c, and d are real numbers, which are predefined or determinable as an example. As a simple example of the latter, Q may be determined as Q = s1 / (s1 + s2). Other combined signals or quotient signals are also feasible.

[0060] Typically, the combined signal Q is a monotonic function of the ordinate of the object and / or the size of the light spot (such as the diameter or equivalent diameter of the light spot). Thus, as an example, specifically, in the case of using a linear optical sensor, the quotient Q = s1 / s2 is a monotonically decreasing function of the size of the light spot. Without wishing to be bound by this theory, it is believed that this is due to the fact that in the above setup, both the first signal s1 and the second signal s2 decrease as a square function with increasing distance from the light source because the amount of light reaching the detector decreases. However, therein, the first signal s1 decreases more rapidly than the second signal s2 because in the optical setup used in the experiment, the light spot in the image plane grows and thus spreads over a larger area. Therefore, the quotient of the first and second sensor signals continuously decreases as the diameter of the light beam or the diameter of the light spot on the first and second photosensitive regions increases. Additionally, the quotient is mainly independent of the total power of the light beam because the total power of the light beam forms a factor in both the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal. Thus, the combined signal Q can form a secondary signal that provides a unique and unambiguous relationship between the first and second sensor signals and the size or diameter of the light beam. On the other hand, since the size or diameter of the light beam depends on the distance between the object (from which the incident light beam propagates towards the detector) and the detector itself, i.e., depends on the ordinate of the object, there may be a unique and unambiguous relationship between the first and second sensor signals and the ordinate. For the latter, reference can be made, for example, to WO 2014 / 097181 A1. The predetermined relationship can be determined by analysis (such as by assuming a linear combination of Gaussian beams), by empirical measurement (such as measuring the first and second sensor signals or the measurement of the secondary signal derived from the ordinate of the object), or both.

[0061] Regarding the evaluation of the combined signal Q and the ordinate z DPR Further details and embodiments of the determination of the reference, for example, can be referred to WO 2018 / 091640, WO 2018 / 091649 A1, and WO 2018 / 091638 A2, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] The evaluation device is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signals. The evaluation device is configured to optimize at least one blur function f a Determine at least one ordinate z of the object based on the image DFD . The ordinate z DFD can be determined by using at least one convolution-based algorithm (such as the depth of defocus algorithm). To obtain the distance from the image, the depth of defocus algorithm estimates the defocus of the object. For this estimation, a blur function is assumed. As used herein, the term "blur function f a”(also referred to as a blur kernel or point spread function) refers to the response function of a detector to irradiation from an object. Specifically, the blur function models the blurring of a defocused object. At least one blur function fa can be a function or composite function composed of at least one function from the group consisting of: Gaussian function, sine function, pillbox function, square function, Lorentz function, radial function, polynomial, Hermite polynomial, Zernike polynomial, Legendre polynomial.

[0063] The evaluation device can be adapted to determine the ordinate z by optimizing at least one blur function f a The blur function can be optimized by changing the parameters of at least one blur function. The image can be a blurred image i DFD . The evaluation device can be configured to reconstruct the ordinate z based on the blurred image i b and the blur function f b . The ordinate z can be determined by minimizing the difference between the blurred image i a and the convolution (*) of the blur function f b and at least one other image i' a , min||(i' b *f b (σ(z)) - i a )||, thereby determining the ordinate z b . σ(z) is a set of distance-dependent blur parameters. The other image may be blurred or clear. As used herein, the term "clear" or "clear image" refers to a blurred image with maximum contrast. At least one other image can be generated from the blurred image i DFD by convolution with a known blur function. Therefore, a defocus depth algorithm can be used to obtain the ordinate z b . DFD

[0064] The evaluation device is configured to determine at least one combined distance information z by considering the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD . As used herein, the term "combined distance information" refers to the ordinate z determined from both the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD . The combined distance information z can be a real function depending on z DFD and z DPR . The combined distance information z can be z DFD and z DPR ​Rational or irrational polynomials. The defocus depth is a complementary method to the photon ratio depth but uses a similar hardware setup. Additionally, defocus depth distance measurements can have a similar accuracy. Combining these two techniques can result in favorable distance measurements with higher accuracy.

[0065] The evaluation device can be configured to determine at least one combined distance information using at least one recursive filter. The recursive filter can be at least one Kalman filter or at least one extended Kalman filter (EKF). The combined distance information z can be obtained using a real function z = f(z DPR , z DFD )(such as an arithmetic or geometric mean, polynomial, preferably a polynomial up to the eighth order in z DPR and z DFD ). The function f can be or can be based on a look-up table of pre-recorded values. For example, the evaluation device can include at least one data storage device configured to store pre-recorded values and / or one or more look-up tables. The function f can be based on a look-up table combined with an interpolation scheme for interpolating between the values in the look-up table. The interpolation scheme can be linear interpolation, spline interpolation, etc. In combination with a model or model function (such as the function f, involving the relationship between z, z DFD and z DPR ), the ordinates z DFD and z DPR can be used as input variables within the recursive filter. The model or model function can include statistical hypotheses and / or statistical models involving the distances z, z DFD and z DPR , such as distributions, such as a Gaussian distribution of the measured distances z, z real around the actual distance z DFD and / or z DPR .

[0066] The recursive filter can be configured to determine combined distance information considering other sensor data and / or other parameters. The other parameters can include other information from sensor elements (such as CMOS sensors), such as information about the quality and / or noise of the recorded data and / or information about overexposure and / or information about underexposure, etc. The detector can include at least one other sensor configured to determine other sensor data. The recursive filter can be configured to determine combined distance information considering the other sensor data. The other sensor can be at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor, an illumination sensor (such as a control sensor for determining illumination information), an inertial measurement unit; a gyroscope. The model and / or the Kalman filter can include other input parameters, such as other sensor data, for example temperature and / or detector motion from the gyroscope and / or information from the inertial measurement unit, and / or information from the illumination sensor, and / or other parameters, such as the quality / noise of the recorded data, overexposure, underexposure, etc. The other sensor data can be provided by sensor elements (especially by at least one CMOS sensor and / or by further image analysis).

[0067] As outlined above, the illumination source can be adapted to illuminate an object by using at least one illumination pattern. The sensor element can be configured to determine at least one reflection pattern. The evaluation device can be adapted to select at least one feature of the reflection pattern and determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern by evaluating the combined signal Q DPR and by optimizing at least one blurring function f a to determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern DFD .

[0068] The sensor element can be configured to determine at least one reflection image of the object. As used herein, the term "reflection image" refers to an image determined by the sensor element that includes at least one reflection feature. As used herein, the term "reflection feature" refers to a feature in the image plane generated by the object in response to illumination by at least one illumination feature, such as at least one illumination pattern. The reflection image can include at least one reflection pattern, and the at least one reflection pattern includes at least one reflection feature. As used herein, the term "illumination feature" refers to at least one arbitrarily shaped feature generated by at least one ambient light source or at least one illumination source adapted to illuminate the object. As used herein, the term "determine at least one reflection image" refers to one or more of imaging, recording, and generating the reflection image.

[0069] The reflected image may include at least one reflection pattern. As used herein, the term "reflection pattern" refers to a response pattern generated by the reflection or scattering of light at the surface of an object (in particular, generated by the object in response to illumination by an illumination pattern). The illumination pattern may include at least one feature adapted to illuminate the object. The illumination feature may be generated by ambient light or by at least one illumination source. The reflection pattern may include at least one feature corresponding to at least one feature of the illumination pattern. Compared with the illumination pattern, the reflection pattern may include at least one distortion pattern, where the distortion depends on the distance of the object, such as the surface characteristics of the object. The evaluation device is configured to select at least one reflection feature of the reflected image. As used herein, the term "select at least one reflection feature" means identifying, determining, and selecting one or more of at least one reflection feature of the reflected image. The detector may be adapted to determine the ordinate of the object point of at least one reflection feature of the reflected image. Thus, the detector may be adapted to pre-classify at least one reflection feature of the reflected image. This allows the use of illumination patterns including regular and / or constant and / or periodic patterns (such as triangular patterns, rectangular patterns, hexagonal patterns, or patterns including other convex tilings), where the illumination pattern may include as many features as possible in each region, such that the hexagonal pattern may be preferred. The evaluation device may be adapted to perform at least one image analysis and / or image processing to identify the reflection features. The image analysis and / or image processing may use at least one feature detection algorithm. The image analysis and / or image processing may include one or more of the following: filtering; selecting at least one region of interest; forming a difference image between the image generated by the sensor signal and at least one offset; inverting the sensor signal by inverting the image generated by the sensor signal; forming a difference image between images generated by the sensor signal at different times; background correction; decomposition into color channels; decomposition into hues; saturation; and brightness channels; frequency decomposition; singular value decomposition; applying a Canny edge detector; applying the Laplacian of a Gaussian filter; applying a differential Gaussian filter; applying a Sobel operator; applying a Laplacian operator; applying a Scharr operator; applying a Prewitt operator; applying a Roberts operator; applying a Kirsch operator; applying a high-pass filter; applying a low-pass filter; applying a Fourier transform; applying a Radon transform; applying a Hough transform; applying a wavelet transform; threshold conversion method; creating a binary image. The region of interest may be determined manually by the user or may be determined automatically, such as by identifying an object within the image generated by the optical sensor.

[0070] The detector may further include one or more additional elements, such as one or more additional optical elements. In addition, the detector may be fully or partially integrated into at least one housing.

[0071] As outlined above, the detector can be enabled to determine at least one ordinate of the object, including options for determining the ordinate of the entire object or one or more of its parts. However, in addition, other coordinates of the object, including one or more abscissas and / or rotational coordinates, can be determined by the detector, specifically by the evaluation device. Thus, as an example, one or more lateral sensors can be used to determine at least one abscissa of the object. As outlined above, the position of at least one optical sensor (from which a central signal is generated) can provide information about at least one abscissa of the object, where, as an example, a simple lens equation can be used for optical conversion and to derive the abscissa. Additionally or alternatively, one or more additional lateral sensors can be used and included by the detector. Various lateral sensors are generally known in the art, such as the lateral sensors disclosed in WO 2014 / 097181 A1 and / or other position-sensitive devices (PSDs), such as quadrant diodes, CCDs, or CMOS chips, etc. Additionally or alternatively, as an example, the detector according to the present invention can include one or more PSDs disclosed in R.A. Street (Ed.): Technology and Applications of Amorphous Silicon, Springer-Verlag Heidelberg, 2010, pp. 346 - 349 (Technology and Applications of Amorphous Silicon, Springer-Verlag Heidelberg, 2010, pages 346 - 349). Other embodiments are feasible. These devices can generally also be implemented in the detector according to the present invention. As an example, a part of the light beam can be split within the detector by at least one beam-splitting element. As an example, the split part can be directed to a lateral sensor (such as a CCD or CMOS chip or camera sensor), and the lateral position of the light spot generated on the lateral sensor by the split part can be determined, thereby determining at least one abscissa of the object. Thus, the detector according to the present invention can be a one-dimensional detector, such as a simple distance measurement device, or can be embodied as a two-dimensional detector or even as a three-dimensional detector. Furthermore, as outlined above or as further detailed below, a three-dimensional image can also be created by scanning the scene or environment in a one-dimensional manner. Thus, the detector according to the present invention can specifically be one of a one-dimensional detector, a two-dimensional detector, or a three-dimensional detector. The evaluation device can further be configured to determine at least one abscissa x, y of the object. The evaluation device can be adapted to combine the information of the ordinate and the abscissa and determine the position of the object in space.

[0072] The use of an optical sensor matrix provides several advantages and benefits. Thus, the center of the light spot generated by a light beam on a sensor element (such as on a common plane of the photosensitive areas of the optical sensors of a matrix of sensor elements) can vary with the lateral position of the object. Accordingly, the use of a matrix of optical sensors provides significant flexibility with respect to the position of the object, specifically with respect to the lateral position of the object. The lateral position of the light spot on the optical sensor matrix (such as the lateral position of at least one optical sensor generating a sensor signal) can be used as an additional item of information from which at least one item of information regarding the lateral position of the object can be derived, as disclosed, for example, in WO 2014 / 198629 A1. Additionally or alternatively, a detector according to the present invention can include at least one additional lateral detector for detecting at least one abscissa of the object in addition to at least one ordinate.

[0073] In another aspect of the present invention, a detector system for determining the position of at least one object is disclosed. The detector system includes at least one detector according to the present invention (such as according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed above or according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed in further detail below). The detector system further includes at least one beacon device adapted to direct at least one light beam towards the detector, wherein the beacon device is at least one of attachable to the object, holdable by the object, and integratable into the object. Further details regarding the beacon device, including its potential embodiments, will be given below. Thus, the at least one beacon device can be or can include at least one active beacon device that includes one or more illumination sources, such as one or more light sources, such as lasers, LEDs, light bulbs, etc. As an example, the light emitted by the illumination source can have a wavelength of 300 to 500 nm. Alternatively, as outlined above, the infrared spectral range can be used, such as in the range of 780 nm to 3.0 μm. Specifically, the near-infrared region where silicon photodiodes are specifically applicable in the range of 700 nm to 1000 nm can be used. As outlined above, the light emitted by one or more beacon devices can be unmodulated or can be modulated in order to distinguish between two or more light beams. Additionally or alternatively, at least one beacon device can be adapted to reflect one or more light beams towards the detector, such as by including one or more reflective elements. Furthermore, the at least one beacon device can be or can include one or more scattering elements adapted to scatter the light beam. Wherein, elastic or inelastic scattering can be used. In the case where at least one beacon device is adapted to reflect and / or scatter the main light beam towards the detector, the beacon device can be adapted to leave the spectral characteristics of the light beam unaffected, or alternatively can be adapted to change the spectral characteristics of the light beam, such as by modifying the wavelength of the light beam.

[0074] In another aspect of the present invention, a human-machine interface for exchanging at least one piece of information between a user and a machine is disclosed. The human-machine interface includes at least one detector system according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed above and / or according to the embodiments further disclosed in detail below. Among them, at least one beacon device is adapted to be attached to the user directly or indirectly or held by the user. The human-machine interface is designed to determine at least one position of the user by means of the detector system, and the human-machine interface is designed to assign at least one piece of information to this position.

[0075] In another aspect of the present invention, an entertainment device for performing at least one entertainment function is disclosed. The entertainment device includes at least one human-machine interface according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed above and / or according to the embodiments further disclosed in detail below. The entertainment device is configured to enable a player to input at least one piece of information by means of the human-machine interface. The entertainment device is further configured to change the entertainment function according to the information.

[0076] In another aspect of the present invention, a tracking system for tracking the position of at least one movable object is disclosed. The tracking system includes at least one detector system according to one or more of the embodiments related to the detector system disclosed above and / or as further disclosed in detail below. The tracking system further includes at least one tracking controller. The tracking controller is adapted to track a series of positions of the object at a specific time point.

[0077] In another aspect of the present invention, a camera for imaging at least one object is disclosed. The camera includes at least one detector according to any of the embodiments related to the detector disclosed above or further disclosed in detail below.

[0078] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scanning system for determining the depth profile of a scene, which may also imply determining the position of at least one object. The scanning system includes at least one detector according to the present invention, such as at least one detector disclosed in one or more of the embodiments listed above and / or in one or more of the embodiments below. The scanning system further includes at least one illumination source adapted to scan the scene with at least one light beam, which may also be referred to as an illumination beam or a scanning beam. As used herein, the term "scene" generally refers to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional range visible to the detector such that at least one geometric or spatial characteristic of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional range can be evaluated with the detector. As further used herein, the term "scanning" generally refers to consecutive measurements in different regions. Thus, scanning may specifically imply at least a first measurement in which the illumination beam is oriented or directed in a first manner, and at least a second measurement in which the illumination beam is oriented or directed in a second manner different from the first manner. The scanning may be continuous scanning or stepwise scanning. Thus, in a continuous or stepwise manner, the illumination beam may be directed to different regions of the scene, and the detector may be detected to generate at least one piece of information for each region, such as at least one ordinate. As an example, in order to scan an object, one or more illumination beams may continuously or stepwise produce light spots on the surface of the object, where the ordinate of the light spot is generated. However, alternatively, a light pattern may be used for scanning. The scanning may be point scanning or line scanning, or even scanning with a more complex light pattern. The illumination source of the scanning system may be different from the optional illumination source of the detector. However, alternatively, the illumination source of the scanning system may also be completely or partially the same as or integrated into at least one optional illumination source of the detector.

[0079] Thus, the scanning system may include at least one illumination source adapted to emit at least one light beam configured to illuminate at least one point located at at least one surface of at least one object. As used herein, the term "point" refers to a region on a part of the surface of the object, specifically a small region, which may be selected, for example, by the user of the scanning system to be illuminated by the illumination source. Preferably, on the one hand, the point may exhibit as small a size as possible in order to allow the scanning system to determine the value of the distance between the illumination source included in the scanning system and the part of the surface of the object on which the point can be located as precisely as possible, and on the other hand, it may be as large as possible in order to allow the user of the scanning system or the scanning system itself, especially through an automatic program, to detect the presence of a point on the relevant part of the object surface.

[0080] To this end, the irradiation source may include an artificial irradiation source, in particular at least one laser source and / or at least one incandescent lamp and / or at least one semiconductor light source, such as at least one light-emitting diode, in particular an organic and / or inorganic light-emitting diode. For example, the light emitted by the irradiation source may have a wavelength in the range of 300 to 500 nm. Additionally or alternatively, light in the infrared spectral range (such as in the range of 780 nm to 3.0 μm) may be used. Specifically, light in a part of the near-infrared region may be used, where silicon photodiodes are specifically applicable in the range of 700 nm to 1000 nm. Considering their generally defined beam profiles and other operability characteristics, it is particularly preferred to use at least one laser source as the irradiation source. Here, it may be preferred to use a single laser source, especially in cases where it may be important to provide a compact scanning system that can be easily stored and transported by the user. Thus, the irradiation source may preferably be an integral part of the detector and may thus be particularly integrated into the detector, such as into the housing of the detector. In a preferred embodiment, in particular, the housing of the scanning system may include at least one display configured to provide distance-related information to the user in an easily readable manner, for example. In another preferred embodiment, in particular, the housing of the scanning system may additionally include at least one button that may be configured to operate at least one function related to the scanning system, such as for setting one or more operating modes. In another preferred embodiment, in particular, the housing of the scanning system may additionally include at least one fastening unit that may be configured to fasten the scanning system to another surface, such as rubber feet, a base plate, or a wall holder, such as a substrate or holder including magnetic material, especially for improving the accuracy of distance measurement and / or the operability of the scanning system by the user.

[0081] In particular, the illumination source of the scanning system can thus emit a single laser beam, which can be configured to illuminate a single point located on the surface of an object. By using at least one detector according to the present invention, at least one item of information regarding the distance between at least one point and the scanning system can thus be generated. Thus, preferably, the distance between the illumination system included in the scanning system and the single point generated by the illumination source can be determined, such as by employing an evaluation device included in at least one detector. However, the scanning system can further include an additional evaluation system, which can be particularly suitable for this purpose. Alternatively or additionally, the size of the scanning system (in particular, the housing of the scanning system) can be considered, and thus the distance between a specific point on the housing of the scanning system (such as the front edge or the rear edge of the housing) and the single point can be alternatively determined. The illumination source can be adapted to generate and / or project a point cloud. For example, the illumination source can include one or more of the following: at least one digital light processing projector, at least one LCoS projector, at least one spatial light modulator; at least one diffractive optical element; at least one light emitting diode array; at least one laser light source array.

[0082] Alternatively, the illumination source of the scanning system can emit two separate laser beams, which can be configured to provide a corresponding angle between the emission directions of the beams, such as a right angle, whereby two corresponding points located on the same object surface or on two different surfaces of two different objects can be illuminated. However, other values of the corresponding angle between the two separate laser beams are also feasible. This feature can be particularly used for indirect measurement functions, such as for deriving an indirect distance, such as due to the presence of one or more obstacles between the scanning system and the point or otherwise may be difficult to reach and may not be directly accessible. For example, thus, it may be feasible to determine the value of the object height by measuring two separate distances and by using the Pythagorean formula to derive the height. In particular, in order to be able to maintain a predetermined level relative to the object, the scanning system can further include at least one level unit, in particular an integrated bubble vial, which can be used to maintain a user-defined level.

[0083] As a further alternative, the illumination source of the scanning system can emit a plurality of separate laser beams, such as a laser beam array, which can exhibit a corresponding pitch relative to each other, in particular a regular pitch, and can be arranged in a manner that generates an array of points on at least one surface of at least one object. For this purpose, particularly suitable optical elements, such as beam splitting devices and mirrors, can be provided, which can allow the generation of the aforementioned laser beam array. In particular, the illumination source can be guided to scan an area or a volume by redirecting the beam in a periodic or non-periodic manner by using one or more movable mirrors.

[0084] Thus, the scanning system can provide a static arrangement of one or more points on one or more surfaces of one or more objects. Alternatively, the illumination source of the scanning system, particularly one or more laser beams, such as the laser beam array described above, can be configured to provide one or more light beams that can exhibit varying intensities over time and / or may be subject to alternation of the emission direction over time, particularly by moving one or more mirrors, such as the micromirrors included in the micromirror array. As a result, the illumination source can be configured to scan a portion of at least one surface of at least one object as an image by using one or more light beams having alternating characteristics generated by at least one illumination source of the scanning system. In particular, the scanning system can thus use at least one line scan and / or line sweep, such as to scan one or more surfaces of one or more objects sequentially or simultaneously. Thus, the scanning system can be adapted to measure angles by measuring three or more points, or the scanning system can be adapted to measure corners or narrow areas, such as the gable of a roof, which are difficult to access using a conventional measuring tape. As a non-limiting example, the scanning system can be used in a safety laser scanner (e.g., in a production environment), and / or in a 3D scanning device for determining object shape (such as in combination with 3D printing, body scanning, quality control), in construction applications (e.g., as a rangefinder), in logistics applications (e.g., for determining the size or volume of a package), in home applications (e.g., in a robotic vacuum cleaner or lawn mower), or in other types of applications that may include a scanning step. As a non-limiting example, the scanning system can be used in industrial safety curtain applications. As a non-limiting example, the scanning system can be used to perform cleaning, vacuuming, mopping, or waxing functions, or yard or garden care functions, such as mowing or raking. As a non-limiting example, the scanning system can employ an LED illumination source with collimating optics and can be adapted to shift the frequency of the illumination source to a different frequency to obtain more accurate results and / or employ a filter to attenuate certain frequencies while transmitting other frequencies. As a non-limiting example, the scanning system and / or the illumination source can rotate as a whole or use a dedicated motor to rotate only specific optical components, such as mirrors, beam splitters, etc., such that in operation, the scanning system can have a full 360-degree view, or can even move and / or rotate out of plane to further increase the scanning area. Additionally, the illumination source can actively aim at a predetermined direction. Additionally, to allow rotation of a wired electrical system, a slip ring, optical data transmission, or inductive coupling can be employed.

[0085] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can be attached to a tripod and pointed at an object or area having multiple corners and surfaces. One or more flexibly movable laser sources are attached to the scanning system. The one or more laser sources are moved so that they illuminate the points of interest. When a designated button on the scanning system is pressed, the position of the illuminated point relative to the scanning system is measured, and the position information is transmitted via a wireless interface to a mobile phone. The position information is stored in a mobile phone application. The laser sources are moved to illuminate other points of interest, the positions of which are measured and transmitted to the mobile phone application. The mobile phone application can transform the set of points into a 3D model by connecting adjacent points to a planar surface. The 3D model can be stored and further processed. The distances and / or angles between the measured points or surfaces can be directly displayed on a display attached to the scanning system or on the mobile phone to which the position information is transmitted.

[0086] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can include two or more flexibly movable laser sources for projecting points and other movable laser sources for projecting lines. The lines can be used to arrange two or more laser spots along the line, and the display of the scanning system can show the distance between two or more laser spots that can be arranged along the line (such as equidistantly). In the case of two laser spots, a single laser source can be used, and one or more beam splitters or prisms are used to modify the distance of the projected points, where the beam splitter or prism can be moved so that the projected laser spots are separated or brought closer. Additionally, the scanning system can be adapted to project other patterns, such as right - angled, circular, square, triangular, etc., along which measurements can be made by projecting laser spots and measuring their positions.

[0087] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can be applicable to line - scanning devices. In particular, the scanning system can include at least one sensor line or row. Triangulation systems require a sufficient baseline such that detection in the near - field is not possible. If the laser spot is tilted in the direction of the transfer device, near - field detection can be possible. However, the tilt causes the light spot to move out of the field of view, which limits the detection in the far - field region. These near - field and far - field problems can be overcome by using a detector according to the present invention. In particular, the detector can include a CMOS line of optical sensors. The scanning system can be adapted to detect multiple light beams propagating from an object to the detector on the CMOS line. The light beams can be generated at different positions on the object or by the movement of the illumination source. As described in more detail above and below, the scanning system can be adapted to determine at least one ordinate of each of the light points.

[0088] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can be adapted to support work with a tool (such as a wood or metalworking tool, such as a saw, drill, etc.). Thus, the scanning system can be adapted to measure distances in two opposite directions and display the two measured distances or the sum of the distances in a display. Additionally, the scanning system can be adapted to measure the distance to the edge of a surface such that when the scanning system is placed on the surface, the laser spot automatically moves away from the scanning system along the surface until the distance measurement shows a sudden change due to a corner or edge of the surface. This enables measuring the distance to the end of a wooden board when the scanning system is placed on the board but away from the end of the board. Further, the scanning system can measure the distance to the end of the board in one direction and project a line or a circle or a point within a specified distance in the opposite direction. The scanning system can be adapted to project a line or a circle or a point within a certain distance depending on the distances measured in the opposite directions, such as depending on a predetermined total distance. This allows working with a tool (such as a saw or drill) at the projection position while placing the scanning system at a safe distance from the tool and simultaneously performing a process with the tool at a predetermined distance from the edge of the board. Additionally, the scanning system can be adapted to project points or lines, etc. in two opposite directions within a predetermined distance. When the sum of the distances changes, only one of the projected distances changes.

[0089] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can be adapted to be placed on a surface, such as a surface on which tasks such as cutting, sawing, drilling, etc. are performed, and project a line onto the surface at a predetermined distance, which can be adjusted, for example, by using a button on the scanning system.

[0090] As a non - limiting example, the scanning system can be used in a safety laser scanner (e.g., in a production environment), and / or in a 3D scanning device for determining the shape of an object (such as in combination with 3D printing, body scanning, quality control), in construction applications (e.g., as a rangefinder), in logistics applications (e.g., for determining the size or volume of a package), in home applications (e.g., in a robotic vacuum cleaner or lawn mower), or in other types of applications that may include a scanning step.

[0091] The transfer device can be designed to preferably feed the light propagated from an object to a detector to an optical sensor in sequence. This feeding can optionally be achieved by imaging or additionally by virtue of the non - imaging characteristics of the transfer device. In particular, the transfer device can also be designed to collect electromagnetic radiation before the electromagnetic radiation is subsequently fed to the optical sensor. The transfer device can also be wholly or partly an integral part of at least one optional irradiation source, for example, by designing the irradiation source to provide a light beam with defined optical characteristics, such as at least one linear combination of a defined or precisely known beam profile, such as a Gaussian beam, especially at least one laser beam with a known beam profile.

[0092] For potential embodiments of the optional illumination source, reference can be made to WO 2012 / 110924 A1. Nevertheless, other embodiments are also feasible. The light emitted from the object can originate from the object itself, but can alternatively have a different origin and propagate from that origin to the object and then towards the lateral and / or longitudinal optical sensors. The latter case can be achieved, for example, by using at least one illumination source. The illumination source can be, for example, or include an ambient illumination source and / or can be, or can include, an artificial illumination source. For example, the detector itself can include at least one illumination source, such as at least one laser and / or at least one incandescent lamp and / or at least one semiconductor illumination source, such as at least one light-emitting diode, particularly organic and / or inorganic light-emitting diodes. Considering their generally defined beam profiles and other operability characteristics, it is particularly preferred to use one or more lasers as the illumination source or part thereof. The illumination source itself can be a component of the detector or can alternatively be formed independently of the detector. The illumination source can be particularly integrated into the detector, for example, integrated into the housing of the detector. Alternatively or additionally, at least one illumination source can also be integrated into at least one beacon device or integrated into one or more beacon devices and / or integrated into the object or connected to or spatially coupled to the object.

[0093] The light emitted from one or more optional beacon devices can correspondingly, alternatively, or additionally be emitted from the illumination source and / or be excited by the illumination source from the option that the light originates from the respective beacon device itself. For example, the electromagnetic light emitted from the beacon device can be emitted by the beacon device itself and / or be reflected by the beacon device and / or be scattered by the beacon device before being fed to the detector. In this case, the emission and / or scattering of the electromagnetic radiation can be achieved without or with such an influence on the spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation. Thus, for example, a wavelength shift can also occur during scattering, such as according to Stokes or Raman. In addition, the emission of light can be excited, for example, by a primary illumination source (such as an object or a partial region of an object that is excited to produce luminescence, particularly phosphorescence and / or fluorescence). In principle, other emission processes are also possible. If reflection occurs, the object can have, for example, at least one reflective region, particularly at least one reflective surface. The reflective surface can be part of the object itself, but can also be, for example, a reflector connected or spatially coupled to the object, such as a reflector plate connected to the object. If at least one reflector is used, it can then be regarded as part of the detector, a part of the detector that is, for example, connected to the object independently of the other components of the detector.

[0094] A beacon device and / or at least one optional illumination source can generally emit at least one of the following lights: the ultraviolet spectral range, preferably in the range of 200 nm to 380 nm; the visible spectral range (380 nm to 780 nm); the infrared spectral range, preferably in the range of 780 nm to 3.0 micrometers, and more preferably a part of the near-infrared region where silicon photodiodes are specifically applicable in the range of 700 nm to 1000 nm. For thermal imaging applications, the target can emit light in the far-infrared spectral range (preferably in the range of 3.0 micrometers to 20 micrometers). For example, at least one illumination source is adapted to emit light in the visible spectral range, preferably in the range of 500 nm to 780 nm, and most preferably in the range of 650 nm to 750 nm, or 690 nm to 700 nm. For example, at least one illumination source is adapted to emit light in the infrared spectral range. However, other options are also feasible.

[0095] The feeding of the light beam to the optical sensor can be achieved in particular such that a light spot is generated on the optional sensor area of the optical sensor. For example, the light spot has a circular, elliptical, or cross-section with different configurations. For example, the detector can have a visible range, in particular a solid angle range and / or a spatial range, within which an object can be detected. Preferably, the transfer device can be designed such that the light spot is completely arranged on the sensor area and / or the sensor region of the optical sensor, for example, when the object is arranged within the visible range of the detector. For example, a sensor area with a corresponding size can be selected to ensure this condition.

[0096] On the other hand, the present invention discloses a method for determining the position of at least one object by using a detector (such as a detector according to the present invention (such as according to one or more embodiments of the detector disclosed above or further detailed below)). Other types of detectors can still be used. The method includes the following method steps, where the method steps can be executed in a given order or in a different order. In addition, there may be one or more additional method steps not listed. In addition, one, more than one, or even all method steps can be repeatedly executed.

[0097] The method includes the following method steps:

[0098] - Select at least one region of interest of the optical sensor matrix, each optical sensor having a photosensitive region configured to generate at least one sensor signal in response to the illumination of at least one light beam propagating from the object to the detector;

[0099] - Determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors in the region of interest respectively, and determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating the combined signal Q according to the sensor signalsDPR ,

[0100] - Determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signal and by optimizing at least one blurring function f a Determine at least one ordinate z of the object based on the image DFD ,

[0101] Taking into account the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD , determine at least one combined distance information z.

[0102] For details, options, and definitions, reference may be made to the detector discussed above. Thus, specifically, as outlined above, the method may include using a detector according to the present invention (such as according to one or more embodiments given above or further detailed below).

[0103] In another aspect of the present invention, for use purposes, there is provided a use of a detector according to the present invention (such as according to one or more embodiments given above or further detailed below), the use being selected from the group consisting of: position measurement in traffic technology; entertainment applications; security applications; surveillance applications; safety applications; human-machine interface applications; logistics applications; tracking applications; outdoor applications; mobile applications; communication applications; photographic applications; machine vision applications; robotic applications; quality control applications; manufacturing applications.

[0104] The object can generally be a living or inanimate object. The detector or detector system can even include at least one object, which thereby forms part of the detector system. However, preferably, the object can move independently of the detector in at least one spatial dimension. The object can generally be any object. In one embodiment, the object can be a rigid object. Other embodiments are feasible, such as embodiments in which the object is a non-rigid object or an object that can change its shape.

[0105] As will be outlined in more detail below, the present invention can be specifically used for tracking the position and / or movement of a person, such as for the purpose of controlling a machine, a game, or a motion simulation. In this embodiment or other embodiments, specifically, the object can be selected from the group consisting of: sports equipment items, preferably selected from items including rackets, clubs, and bats; clothing; hats; shoe items.

[0106] Thus, generally, a device according to the present invention (such as a detector) can be applied to various fields of use. Specifically, the detector can be applied to use purposes selected from the group including the following: position measurement in traffic technology; entertainment applications; security applications; human-machine interface applications; tracking applications; photographic applications; mapping applications for generating a map of at least one space (such as at least one space selected from the group of rooms, buildings, and streets); mobile applications; webcams; audio devices; Dolby surround sound systems; computer peripherals; gaming applications; camera or video applications; security applications; surveillance applications; automotive applications; transportation applications; medical applications; sports applications; machine vision applications; vehicle applications; aircraft applications; ship applications; spacecraft applications; building applications; construction applications; cartography applications; manufacturing applications. Additionally or alternatively, applications in local and / or global positioning systems can be specified, particularly landmark-based positioning and / or navigation, specifically for automobiles or other vehicles (such as trains, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks for cargo transportation), robots, or for pedestrians. Furthermore, indoor positioning systems can be specified as potential applications, such as for home applications and / or for robots used in manufacturing, logistics, surveillance, or maintenance technologies.

[0107] The device according to the present invention can be used in mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, smart panels, or other fixed, mobile, or wearable computers or communication applications. Thus, the device according to the present invention can be combined with at least one active light source, such as a light source that emits light in the visible light range or the infrared spectral range, in order to improve performance. Thus, as an example, the device according to the present invention can be used as a camera and / or a sensor in combination with, for example, mobile software for scanning and / or detecting the environment, objects, and organisms. The device according to the present invention can even be combined with a 2D camera (such as a conventional camera) in order to enhance the imaging effect. The device according to the present invention can further be used for surveillance and / or for recording purposes or as an input device for controlling a mobile device, particularly in combination with voice and / or gesture recognition. Thus, specifically, a device according to the present invention used as a human-machine interface (also referred to as an input device) can be used in mobile applications, such as for controlling other electronic devices or components via a mobile device (such as a mobile phone). As an example, a mobile application including at least one device according to the present invention can be used to control a television set, a gaming console, a music player or music device, or other entertainment devices.

[0108] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for webcams or other peripheral devices for computing applications. Thus, by way of example, the device according to the invention can be used in combination with software for imaging, recording, surveillance, scanning or motion detection. As outlined in the context of human-machine interfaces and / or entertainment devices, the device according to the invention is particularly useful for giving commands by facial and / or body expressions. The device according to the invention can be combined with other input generating devices such as, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, a touchpad, a microphone, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in gaming applications, such as by using a webcam. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for virtual training applications and / or video conferencing. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to identify or track hands, arms or objects used in virtual or augmented reality applications, especially when wearing a head-mounted display.

[0109] In addition, as partly explained above, the device according to the invention can be used for mobile audio devices, television devices and gaming devices. Specifically, the device according to the invention can be used as a controller or control device for electronic devices, entertainment devices, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for eye detection or eye tracking, such as in 2D and 3D display technologies (especially with transparent displays for augmented reality applications), and / or for identifying whether a display is being viewed and / or from which angle the display is being viewed. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to explore rooms, boundaries, obstacles in combination with virtual or augmented reality applications, especially when wearing a head-mounted display.

[0110] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for or as a digital camera (such as a DSC camera) and / or for or as a reflex camera (such as an SLR camera). For these applications, as mentioned above, reference can be made to the use of the device according to the invention in mobile applications such as mobile phones.

[0111] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in security or surveillance applications. Thus, by way of example, at least one device according to the present invention can be combined with one or more digital and / or analog electronics which will give a signal if an object is within or outside a predefined area (e.g., for surveillance applications in banks or museums). Specifically, the device according to the present invention can be used for optical encryption. Detection by using at least one device according to the present invention can be combined with other detection devices (such as IR, X-ray, UV-VIS, radar or ultrasonic detectors) to complement wavelengths. The device according to the present invention can further be combined with an active infrared light source to allow detection in low light environments. Compared with active detector systems, the device according to the present invention is generally advantageous, especially because the device according to the present invention avoids actively sending signals that may be detected by third parties, as is the case, for example, in radar applications, ultrasonic applications, LIDAR or similar active detector devices. Thus, generally, the device according to the present invention can be used for tracking mobile objects in an unidentifiable and undetectable manner. In addition, compared with conventional devices, the device according to the present invention is generally less susceptible to manipulation and stimulation.

[0112] In addition, considering the simplicity and accuracy of 3D detection by using the device according to the present invention, the device according to the present invention can generally be used for the identification and authentication of faces, bodies and persons. Among them, the device according to the present invention can be combined with other detection means for identification or personalization purposes (such as passwords, fingerprints, iris detection, voice recognition or other means). Thus, generally, the device according to the present invention can be used in security devices and other personalization applications.

[0113] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used as a 3D barcode reader for product identification.

[0114] In addition to the above security and surveillance applications, the device according to the present invention can generally be used for the monitoring and surveillance of spaces and areas. Thus, the device according to the present invention can be used for monitoring and surveillance of spaces and areas and, by way of example, for triggering or executing an alarm in the event of a prohibited area being violated. Thus, generally, the device according to the present invention can be used for building surveillance or surveillance purposes in museums, optionally in combination with other types of sensors, such as in combination with motion or thermal sensors, with image intensifiers or image enhancement devices and / or photomultiplier tubes. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in public spaces or crowded spaces to detect potential dangerous activities, such as criminal acts, such as theft in a parking lot or unattended objects (such as unattended luggage in an airport).

[0115] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be advantageously applied to camera applications such as video and camera applications. Thus, the device according to the present invention can be used for motion capture and 3D movie recording. Among them, the device according to the present invention generally provides a number of advantages over conventional optical devices. Thus, the device according to the present invention generally requires a lower complexity with respect to optical components. Thus, by way of example, compared with conventional optical devices, the number of lenses can be reduced, such as by providing a device according to the present invention having only one lens. Due to the reduced complexity, very compact devices are possible, such as for mobile use. Conventional optical systems having two or more high-quality lenses are generally bulky, such as due to the general need for a large number of beam splitters. In addition, the device according to the present invention can generally be used in focusing / autofocus devices, such as autofocus cameras. In addition, the device according to the present invention can also be used in optical microscopes, especially confocal microscopes.

[0116] In addition, the device according to the present invention is generally applicable to the technical fields of automotive technology and transportation technology. Thus, by way of example, the device according to the present invention can be used as a distance and monitoring sensor, such as for adaptive cruise control, emergency braking assistance, lane departure warning, surround view, blind spot detection, traffic sign detection, traffic sign recognition, lane recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, light source recognition for adjusting the intensity and range of vehicle headlights depending on approaching traffic or a vehicle traveling ahead, adaptive headlight systems, automatic high beam control, adaptive cut-off lights in headlight systems, glare-free high beam headlight systems, marking animals, obstacles, etc. by headlight illumination, rear cross-traffic alert and other driver assistance systems, such as advanced driver assistance systems or other automotive and traffic applications. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a driver assistance system that pre-predicts a driver's maneuvers for avoiding collisions, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can also be used for speed and / or acceleration measurement, such as by analyzing the first and second time derivatives of position information obtained using a detector according to the present invention. This feature is generally applicable to automotive technology, transportation technology or general traffic technology. Applications in other technical fields are feasible. A specific application in an indoor positioning system can be the detection of the position of a passenger in transportation, more specifically, electronically controlling the use of a safety system (such as an airbag). If a passenger is in such a position that using an airbag would cause serious injury, the use of the airbag may be prevented. In addition, in a vehicle such as a car, train, plane, etc., especially in an autonomous vehicle, the device according to the present invention can be used to determine whether a driver is paying attention to traffic or is distracted, or asleep, or tired, or unable to drive, such as due to drinking alcohol, etc.

[0117] In these or other applications, generally, the device according to the invention can be used as a stand-alone device or in combination with other sensor devices (such as in combination with radar and / or ultrasonic devices). Specifically, the device according to the invention can be used for autonomous driving and safety issues. In addition, in these applications, the device according to the invention can be used in combination with an infrared sensor, a radar sensor as an acoustic wave sensor, a two-dimensional camera or other types of sensors. In these applications, the generally passive nature of the device according to the invention is advantageous. Thus, since the device according to the invention generally does not require transmitting signals, the risk of interference between active sensor signals and other signal sources can be avoided. The device according to the invention can specifically be used in combination with identification software (such as standard image recognition software). Thus, the signals and data provided by the device according to the invention are generally easy to process and thus generally require lower computing power than established 3D measurement systems. Considering the low space requirements, the device according to the invention (such as a camera) can actually be placed anywhere in a vehicle, such as on or behind a window screen, on a front hood, on a bumper, on a light, on a rearview mirror or elsewhere, etc. Various detectors according to the invention can be combined, such as one or more detectors based on the effects disclosed within the invention, such as to allow an autonomous vehicle or to improve the performance of an active safety concept. Thus, various devices according to the invention can be combined with one or more other devices according to the invention and / or conventional sensors (such as in a window like a rear window, a side window or a front window, on a bumper or on a light).

[0118] A combination of at least one device according to the invention (such as at least one detector according to the invention) with one or more rain detection sensors is also possible. This is due to the fact that the device according to the invention generally outperforms conventional sensor technologies (such as radar), specifically during heavy rain. A combination of at least one device according to the invention with at least one conventional sensing technology (such as radar) can allow software to select the correct signal combination according to weather conditions.

[0119] In addition, the device according to the invention can generally be used for brake assistance and / or parking assistance and / or for speed measurement. The speed measurement can be integrated in a vehicle or can be used outside a vehicle, such as to measure the speed of other cars in traffic control. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to detect available parking spaces in a parking lot.

[0120] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in medical systems and the sports field. Thus, in the field of medical technology, surgical robots (for example, for endoscopes) can be specified because, as described above, the device according to the present invention may only require a small volume and can be integrated into other devices. Specifically, a device according to the present invention having at most one lens can be used to capture 3D information in a medical device such as an endoscope. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be combined with appropriate monitoring software in order to be able to track and analyze movements. This can allow for an immediate overlay of the position of a medical device (such as an endoscope or a scalpel) with the results of medical imaging (such as obtained from magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray imaging, or ultrasound imaging). These applications are particularly valuable, for example, in medical treatments where precise position information is important (such as in brain surgery, tele-diagnosis, and telemedicine). In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for 3D body scanning. Body scanning can be applied in a medical context, such as in dental surgery, plastic surgery, weight loss surgery, or cosmetic surgery, or can be applied in a medical diagnosis context, such as diagnosing myofascial pain syndrome, cancer, body dysmorphic disorder, or further diseases. Body scanning can further be applied in the sports field to evaluate the ergonomic use or fit of sports equipment. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in wearable robots, such as exoskeletons or prosthetics, etc.

[0121] Body scanning can also be used in the context of clothing, such as to determine the appropriate size and fit of clothes. This technology can be used in the context of custom-made clothing, or in the context of ordering clothes or shoes from the Internet or self-service shopping devices (such as micro-vending kiosk devices or customer concierge devices). Body scanning in the context of clothing is particularly important for scanning customers who are fully dressed.

[0122] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in the context of a people counting system, such as to calculate the number of people in an elevator, train, bus, car or plane, or to count the number of people passing through a corridor, door, aisle, retail store, stadium, entertainment venue, museum, library, public place, cinema, theater, etc. In addition, the 3D function in the people counting system can be used to obtain or estimate further information about the people being counted, such as height, weight, age, physical health, etc. This information can be used for business intelligence metrics, and / or to further optimize the locations where people can be counted to make them more attractive or secure. In a retail environment, the device according to the present invention can be used in the context of people counting to identify repeat customers or cross-shoppers, evaluate shopping behavior, evaluate the percentage of visitors making a purchase, optimize staff shifts, or monitor the shopping center cost per visitor. In addition, the people counting system can be used for anthropometric surveys. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a public transportation system to automatically charge passengers depending on the length of the journey. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a children's playground to identify injured children or children engaged in dangerous activities, allow additional interaction with playground toys to ensure safe use of the playground toys, etc.

[0123] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in construction tools, such as a rangefinder for determining the distance to an object or to a wall, to evaluate whether a surface is flat, to align objects or place objects in an orderly manner, or in an inspection camera used in a construction environment, etc.

[0124] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be applied to the field of sports and exercise, such as for training, remote guidance or competition purposes. Specifically, the device according to the present invention can be applied to dance, aerobics, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, cricket, hockey, track and field, swimming, polo, handball, volleyball, rugby, sumo, judo, fencing, boxing, golf, racing, laser tag, battlefield simulation, etc. The device according to the present invention can be used to detect the position of a ball, bat, sword, movement, etc., whether in a sport or in a competition, such as monitoring a game, supporting a referee or umpire, especially automatically judging specific situations in a sport, such as judging whether a score or goal is truly made.

[0125] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in the fields of racing or automotive driver training or automotive safety training, etc., to determine the position of a car or the trajectory of a car, or the deviation from a previous trajectory or an ideal trajectory, etc.

[0126] The device according to the invention can further be used to support the practice of musical instruments, in particular for remote lessons, such as lessons for string instruments (such as fiddle, violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, guitar, banjo or ukulele), keyboard instruments (such as piano, organ, keyboard, harpsichord, accordion or harmonica) and / or percussion instruments (such as drums, timpani, marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, bongo drums, conga drums, timpani, djembe or tambourine).

[0127] The device according to the invention can also be used for rehabilitation and physical therapy in order to encourage training and / or in order to investigate and correct movements. In this context, the device according to the invention can also be applied to distance diagnostics.

[0128] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be applied to the field of machine vision. Thus, one or more devices according to the present invention can be used, for example, as a passive control unit for autonomous driving and / or robotic work. In combination with a mobile robot, the device according to the present invention can allow autonomous movement and / or autonomous detection of faults in parts. The device according to the present invention can also be used for manufacturing and safety monitoring, such as to avoid accidents, including but not limited to collisions between robots, production parts, and living beings. In robotics, the safe and direct interaction between humans and robots is usually a problem, because robots can seriously injure humans when not recognized. The device according to the present invention can help robots locate objects and humans better and faster and allow safe interaction. Considering the passive nature of the device according to the present invention, the device according to the present invention may be superior to active devices and / or can be used to supplement existing solutions, such as radar, ultrasonic, 2D cameras, infrared detection, etc. A particular advantage of the device according to the present invention is the low possibility of signal interference. Thus, multiple sensors can work simultaneously in the same environment without the risk of signal interference. Therefore, the device according to the present invention can generally be used in highly automated production environments, such as but not limited to automotive, mining, steel, etc. The device according to the present invention can also be used for quality control in production, for example in combination with other sensors such as 2D imaging, radar, ultrasonic, infrared, etc., for quality control or other purposes. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to evaluate surface quality, such as for monitoring the surface flatness of a product or compliance with specific dimensions (ranging from the micron range to the meter range). Other quality control applications are feasible. In a manufacturing environment, the device according to the present invention is particularly suitable for processing natural products, such as food or wood, having complex three-dimensional structures to avoid a large amount of waste. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to monitor the filling levels of tanks, silos, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to inspect missing parts, incomplete parts, loose parts, low-quality parts, etc. of complex products, such as in automatic optical inspections such as inspection of printed circuit boards, components or sub-assemblies, verification of engineering components, engine part inspection, wood quality inspection, label inspection, medical device inspection, product orientation inspection, packaging inspection, food packaging inspection, etc.

[0129] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in vehicles, trains, airplanes, ships, spacecraft, and other transportation applications. Thus, in addition to the applications mentioned above in the context of transportation applications, passive tracking systems for airplanes, vehicles, etc. can also be specified. The use of at least one device according to the present invention (such as at least one detector according to the present invention) for monitoring the speed and / or direction of a moving object is feasible. Specifically, the tracking of fast-moving objects on land, sea, and in the air (including space) can be specified. At least one device according to the present invention (such as at least one detector according to the present invention) can specifically be installed on stationary and / or moving devices. The output signal of at least one device according to the present invention can, for example, be combined with a guidance mechanism for the autonomous or guided movement of another object. Thus, applications for avoiding collisions between the tracked object and the maneuvered object or for causing collisions between the tracked object and the maneuvered object are feasible. Due to the required low computational power, instant response, and the passive nature of the detection system, which is generally more difficult to detect and interfere with compared to active systems (such as radar, for example), the device according to the present invention is generally useful and advantageous. The device according to the present invention is particularly useful but not limited to, for example, speed control and air traffic control devices. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in an automatic toll collection system for road tolls.

[0130] The device according to the present invention can generally be used in passive applications. Passive applications include the guidance of ships in ports or hazardous areas and the guidance of airplanes during landing or takeoff. Among them, fixed known active targets can be used for precise guidance. This also applies to vehicles traveling on dangerous but well-defined routes, such as mining vehicles. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to detect fast-approaching objects, such as cars, trains, flying objects, animals, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to detect the speed or acceleration of an object, or to predict the movement of an object by tracking one or more of the position, speed, and / or acceleration of the object over time.

[0131] In addition, as outlined above, the device according to the present invention can be used in the field of gaming. Thus, the device according to the present invention can be passive and can be used with a plurality of objects of the same or different size, color, shape, etc., such as in combination with software that incorporates movement into its content for motion detection. In particular, the application in realizing bit - mapped output with movement is feasible. In addition, the application of the device according to the present invention for giving commands is feasible, such as by using one or more of the devices according to the present invention for gesture or face recognition. The device according to the present invention can be combined with an active system to operate, for example, under low - light conditions or in other situations where the surrounding conditions need to be enhanced. Additionally or alternatively, a combination of one or more devices according to the present invention with one or more IR or VIS light sources is possible. A combination of the detector according to the present invention with special devices is also possible, which can be easily distinguished by the system and its software, for example and without limitation, special colors, shapes, relative position to other devices, speed of movement, light, frequency for modulating the light source on the device, surface characteristics, materials used, reflection characteristics, transparency, absorption characteristics, etc. Among other possibilities, the device can resemble a stick, racket, cue, gun, knife, wheel, ring, steering wheel, bottle, ball, glass, vase, spoon, fork, cube, die, doll, puppet, teddy bear, beaker, pedal, switch, glove, jewelry, musical instrument or an accessory for playing a musical instrument, such as a pick, drumstick, etc. Other options are feasible.

[0132] Furthermore, the device according to the present invention can be used to detect and / or track objects that emit light by themselves, such as due to high temperature or further luminescence processes. The luminous part can be an exhaust stream, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to track reflective objects and analyze the rotation or orientation of these objects.

[0133] In addition, the device according to the present invention can generally be used in the fields of construction, building, and mapping. Thus, generally, one or more devices according to the present invention can be used to measure and / or monitor an environmental area, such as a countryside or a building. Among them, one or more devices according to the present invention can be combined with other methods and devices or can be used alone to monitor the progress and accuracy of construction projects, objects under change, houses, etc. The device according to the present invention can be used to generate a three-dimensional model of the scanned environment in order to construct maps of rooms, streets, houses, communities, or landscapes from the ground or from the air. Potential application fields can be construction, mapping, real estate management, land surveying, etc. As an example, the device according to the present invention can be used in a drone or a multi-rotor aircraft to monitor buildings, production sites, chimneys, agricultural production environments, such as fields, production factories, or landscapes, to support rescue operations, support work in hazardous environments, support the fire brigade at indoor or outdoor burning sites, or search for or monitor one or more persons or animals, etc., or for entertainment purposes, such as a drone following and recording the movements made by one or more persons (such as skiing or cycling, etc.), which can be achieved by following helmets, markers, beacon devices, etc. The device according to the present invention can be used to identify obstacles, follow a predetermined route, follow edges, pipelines, buildings, etc., or record a global or local map of the environment. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for indoor or outdoor positioning and position determination of a drone, for stabilizing the altitude of a drone indoors where a barometric pressure sensor is not accurate enough, or for the interaction of multiple drones, such as the coordinated movement of several drones or in-air charging or refueling, etc.

[0134] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in an interconnection network of household appliances such as CHAIN (Cedec Home Appliance Interoperability Network) to interconnect, automate, and control basic device-related services in the home, such as energy or load management, remote diagnosis, pet-related appliances, child-related appliances, child monitoring, appliance-related monitoring, support or services for the elderly or sick, home security and / or monitoring, remote control of appliance operation, and automatic maintenance support. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in heating or cooling systems, such as air conditioning systems, to locate which part of a room should be set to a certain temperature or humidity, especially depending on the position of one or more people. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in household robots, such as service or autonomous robots that can be used for housework. The device according to the present invention can be used for many different purposes, such as to avoid collisions or map the environment, also for user identification, to personalize the performance of the robot for a given user, for security purposes, or for gesture or face recognition. As an example, the device according to the present invention can be used in robotic vacuum cleaners, floor washing robots, dry sweeping robots, ironing robots for ironing clothes, animal waste robots, such as dog or cat waste robots, charging robots for electric vehicles, security robots for detecting intruders, robotic lawn mowers, automatic pool cleaners, rain gutter cleaning robots, robotic shopping carts, luggage handling robots, line following robots, laundry robots, ironing robots, window cleaning robots, toy robots, patient monitoring robots, baby monitoring robots, elderly monitoring robots, child monitoring robots, transportation robots, telepresence robots, professional service robots, programmable toy robots, pathfinding robots, social robots for providing companionship to people with limited mobility, following robots, smart card following robots, psychotherapy robots, or robots that translate speech into sign language or sign language into speech. In the case of people with limited mobility, such as the elderly, a household robot with the device according to the present invention can be used to pick up objects, transport objects, and interact with objects and users in a safe manner. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in humanoid robots, especially in the context of using a humanoid hand to pick up, hold, or place an object. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in combination with an audio interface, especially in combination with a household robot that can be used as a digital assistant with an interface to online or offline computer applications. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in robots that can control switches and buttons in industrial and household applications. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in smart home robots, such as Kuri from Mayfield. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used when a robot operates with or in a dangerous environment with dangerous materials or objects.As a non-limiting example, the device according to the present invention can be used in a robot or a remotely operated vehicle to handle hazardous materials such as chemicals or radioactive materials, especially after a disaster, or to handle other hazardous or potentially hazardous objects such as landmines, unexploded weapons, etc., or to operate or conduct research in an unsafe environment such as a nearby burning object or a post-disaster area, or to perform manned or unmanned rescue operations in the air, at sea, underground, etc.

[0135] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to inspect bonding beads, sealing beads, etc., such as to identify cracks, nodules, shrinkage, asymmetry, local defects, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to count objects such as dried fruits on a conveyor belt, such as in difficult situations, such as when fruits with similar colors and shapes may be in direct contact with each other. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for quality control of die-cast or injection-molded parts, such as to ensure defect-free casting or molding, identify surface damage, worn tools, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for laser scribing, such as for quality control and positioning of lasers. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a classification system, such as to detect the position, rotation, and shape of an object, compare it with an object database, and classify the object. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for stamping part inspection, packaging inspection, such as food and drug packaging inspection, filament inspection, etc.

[0136] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for navigation purposes where the global positioning system is not reliable enough. GPS signals typically use radio waves, which may be blocked or difficult to receive indoors or in valleys or forests below the tree line outdoors. In addition, especially in unmanned autonomous vehicles, the weight of the system may be critical. In particular, unmanned autonomous vehicles require high-speed position data for reliable feedback and stability of their control systems. Using the device according to the present invention can allow for short-time response and positioning without adding weight due to the weight of the device.

[0137] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in household, mobile, or entertainment devices, such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines, curtains or blinds, home alarms, air conditioning devices, heating devices, televisions, audio devices, smart watches, mobile phones, telephones, dishwashers, stoves, etc., to detect the presence of a person, monitor the content or function of the device, or interact with the person and / or share information about the person with other household, mobile, or entertainment devices.

[0138] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to support the elderly or disabled or people with limited or no vision, such as when doing housework or at work, such as in devices for holding, carrying, or picking up objects, or in a safety system with optical or acoustic signals to signal obstacles in the environment.

[0139] The device according to the invention can further be used in agriculture, for example for detecting and classifying pests, weeds and / or infected crop plants, in whole or in part, where the crop plants can be infected by fungi or insects. Furthermore, for harvesting the crop, the device according to the invention can be used for detecting animals (such as deer) which could otherwise be harmed by the harvesting device. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for monitoring the growth of plants in a field or greenhouse, in particular for regulating the amount of water or fertilizer or crop protection product in a given area of the field or greenhouse, or even for a given plant. Furthermore, in agricultural biotechnology, the device according to the invention can be used for monitoring the size and shape of plants.

[0140] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for automatically removing weeds, such as mechanically, so as to avoid the use of herbicides. Moreover, the device according to the invention can be used in the agricultural field, in particular for detecting and / or locating specific insects, such as for deciding whether to apply a crop protection or fertilizing substance, so as to reduce the amount of the applied substance or to protect a specific animal group (such as bees).

[0141] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to guide a user during shaving, hair cutting, or makeup processes, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to record or monitor what is played on an instrument such as a violin. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in smart household appliances such as a smart refrigerator, such as monitoring the contents of the refrigerator and sending notifications based on the contents. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to monitor or track groups of humans, animals, or plants, such as precious or tree populations in a forest. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a harvester, for example, for harvesting crops, flowers, or fruits, such as grapes, corn, hops, apples, grains, rice, strawberries, asparagus, tulips, roses, soybeans, and so on. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to monitor the growth of plants, animals, algae, fish, etc., for example, in breeding, food production, agriculture, or research applications, in order to control the use of irrigation, fertilization, humidity, temperature, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in feeding machines for animals or pets, for example, for cows, pigs, cats, dogs, birds, fish, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in the animal product production process, for example, for collecting milk, eggs, fur, meat, etc., such as in an automatic milking or slaughtering process. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in an automatic seeder, or a seed spreader, or a planter, for example, for planting corn, garlic, trees, salad, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to evaluate or monitor weather phenomena, such as clouds, fog, etc., or to warn of dangers such as avalanches, tsunamis, strong winds, earthquakes, thunderstorms, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to measure motion, shock, vibration, etc., in order to monitor earthquake risks. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in traffic technology to monitor dangerous intersections, control traffic lights according to traffic, monitor public spaces, monitor roads, gyms, stadiums, ski resorts, public events, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in medical applications, for example, to monitor or analyze tissues, medical or biological assays, changes in tissues, such as moles or melanomas, etc., count bacteria, blood cells, cells, algae, for retinal scans, respiration or pulse measurements, gastroscopy, patient monitoring, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to monitor the shape, size, or perimeter of droplets, flows, jets, etc., or to analyze, evaluate, or monitor profiles such as in an air duct or gas or liquid flows. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to warn a driver when, for example, a car or train driver is sick or tired. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for material testing to identify strain or tension or cracks, etc. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for navigation to monitor and optimize the navigation position, for example, automatically. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for a fuel level gauge.

[0142] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be combined with sensors for detecting chemicals or pollutants, electronic nose chips, microbial sensor chips for detecting bacteria or viruses, Geiger counters, tactile sensors, thermal sensors, etc. For example, this can be used to construct intelligent robots configured to handle dangerous or difficult tasks, such as treating highly infected patients, handling or removing highly hazardous substances, cleaning highly contaminated areas, such as highly radioactive areas or chemical spills, or for agricultural pest control.

[0143] One or more devices according to the present invention can also be used to scan an object, for example, in combination with CAD or similar software, for example, for additive manufacturing and / or 3D printing. Among them, the high spatial accuracy of the device according to the present invention can be used, for example, in the x-direction, y-direction, or z-direction or any combination of these directions, for example, simultaneously. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for inspection and maintenance, such as pipeline inspection instruments. In addition, in a production environment, the device according to the present invention can be used to process objects with difficult-to-define shapes, such as naturally growing objects, such as sorting vegetables or other natural products by shape or size, or cutting objects such as meat or objects manufactured with less precision than required by the processing steps.

[0144] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a local navigation system to allow a vehicle or a multi-rotor aircraft, etc. to move automatically or partially automatically through an indoor or outdoor space. Non-limiting examples can include a vehicle moving through an automated storage to pick up objects and place them in different locations. Indoor navigation can also be used in shopping malls, retail stores, museums, airports or train stations to track the positions of moving goods, mobile devices, luggage, customers or employees, or to provide location-specific information to users, such as the current position on a map, or information about the goods for sale, etc.

[0145] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used to ensure the safe driving of a motorcycle, for example, by monitoring speed, inclination, upcoming obstacles, road unevenness or curves, etc. to provide driving assistance for the motorcycle. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a train or tram to avoid collisions.

[0146] In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used in a handheld device, for example, for scanning packages or parcels to optimize the logistics process. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for other handheld devices, such as personal shopping devices, RFID readers, handheld devices in a hospital or health environment, such as medical-use or handheld devices for obtaining, exchanging or recording patient or patient-related information, smart badges in a retail or health environment, etc.

[0147] As described above, the device according to the invention can also be used for manufacturing, quality control or identification applications, such as product identification or dimensional identification (e.g., for finding the optimal position or packaging to reduce waste, etc.). In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in logistics applications. Thus, the device according to the invention can be used to optimize the loading or packaging of containers or vehicles. In addition, the device according to the invention can be recalibrated by using at least one image matrix and comparing the pre-recorded size with the measurement characteristics of a recorded image of a bar code, QR code or pre-recorded symbol (such as by comparing the width or height of the symbol with a pre-recorded value), using bar codes, QR codes or pre-recorded symbols of known size. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to monitor or control surface damage in the manufacturing field, to monitor or control rental items such as rental vehicles, and / or for insurance applications, such as for assessing damage. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to identify the dimensions of materials, objects or tools, e.g., for optimal material handling, especially in combination with robots. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used for process control in production, e.g., for observing the filling level of a tank. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to maintain production assets, such as but not limited to tanks, pipes, reactors, tools, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to analyze 3D quality marks. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to manufacture customized products, such as dental inlays, orthodontic appliances, prostheses, clothing, etc. The device according to the invention can also be combined with one or more 3D printers for rapid prototyping, 3D replication, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to detect the shape of one or more articles, e.g., for anti-product piracy and for anti-counterfeiting purposes.

[0148] Thus, specifically, the present application can be applied to the field of photography. Accordingly, the detector can be part of a photographic device, specifically part of a digital camera. Specifically, the detector can be used for 3D photography, specifically for digital 3D photography. Accordingly, the detector can form a digital 3D camera or can be part of a digital 3D camera. As used herein, the term photography generally refers to the technique of acquiring image information of at least one object. As further used herein, a camera is generally a device adapted to perform photography. As further used herein, the term digital photography generally refers to the technique of acquiring image information of at least one object by using a plurality of photosensitive elements adapted to generate electrical signals indicative of the illumination intensity and / or color, preferably digital electrical signals. As further used herein, the term 3D photography generally refers to the technique of acquiring image information of at least one object in three spatial dimensions. Accordingly, a 3D camera is a device adapted to perform 3D photography. A camera can generally be adapted to acquire a single image, such as a single 3D image, or can be adapted to acquire a plurality of images, such as an image sequence. Accordingly, the camera can also be a video camera adapted for video applications, such as for acquiring a digital video sequence.

[0149] Thus, generally, the present invention further relates to a camera for imaging at least one object, specifically a digital camera, more specifically a 3D camera or a digital 3D camera. As outlined above, as used herein the term imaging generally refers to acquiring image information of at least one object. The camera includes at least one detector according to the present invention. As outlined above, the camera can be adapted to acquire a single image or for acquiring a plurality of images (such as an image sequence), preferably for acquiring a digital video sequence. Accordingly, by way of example, the camera can be or can include a video camera. In the latter case, the camera preferably includes a data memory for storing the image sequence.

[0150] As used in the present invention, the expression "position" generally refers to at least one item of information among the absolute position and orientation of one or more points with respect to an object. Accordingly, specifically, the position can be determined in a coordinate system of the detector, such as in a Cartesian coordinate system. However, additionally or alternatively, other types of coordinate systems can be used, such as polar coordinate systems and / or spherical coordinate systems.

[0151] As described above and as will be further described in detail below, the present invention can preferably be applied to the field of human-machine interfaces, the field of sports, and / or the field of computer games. Accordingly, preferably, the object can be selected from the group comprising: sports equipment items, preferably items selected from the group consisting of rackets, clubs, bats, clothing, hats, shoe items. Other embodiments are possible.

[0152] As used herein, an object can generally be any object selected from living and inanimate objects. Thus, by way of example, at least one object can include one or more articles and / or one or more parts of an article. Additionally or alternatively, the object can be or can include one or more living organisms and / or one or more parts thereof, such as one or more body parts of a human (e.g., a user) and / or an animal.

[0153] Regarding the coordinate system for determining the position of an object, it can be the coordinate system of a detector, and the detector can constitute the coordinate system, where the optical axis of the detector forms the z-axis, and where, additionally, an x-axis and a y-axis perpendicular to the z-axis and perpendicular to each other can be provided. By way of example, the detector and / or a part of the detector can reside at a specific point in this coordinate system, such as at the origin of this coordinate system. In this coordinate system, a direction parallel or antiparallel to the z-axis can be considered the longitudinal direction, and the coordinate along the z-axis can be considered the ordinate. Any direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction can be considered the transverse direction, and the x-coordinate and / or the y-coordinate can be considered the abscissa.

[0154] Alternatively, other types of coordinate systems can be used. Thus, by way of example, a polar coordinate system can be used, where the optical axis forms the z-axis and where the distance from the z-axis and the polar angle can be used as additional coordinates. Similarly, a direction parallel or antiparallel to the z-axis can be considered the longitudinal direction, and the coordinate along the z-axis can be considered the ordinate. Any direction perpendicular to the z-axis can be considered the transverse direction, and the polar coordinates and / or the polar angle can be considered the abscissa.

[0155] The detector can be a device configured to provide at least one item of information regarding the position of at least one object and / or a part thereof. Thus, the position can refer to an information item that fully describes the position of the object or a part thereof, preferably in the coordinate system of the detector, or can refer to partial information that only partially describes the position. The detector can generally be a device adapted to detect a light beam (such as a light beam propagating from a beacon device towards the detector).

[0156] The evaluation device and the detector can be fully or partially integrated into a single device. Thus, generally, the evaluation device can also form part of the detector. Alternatively, the evaluation device and the detector can be fully or partially embodied as separate devices. The detector can include other components.

[0157] The detector can be a fixed device or a mobile device. Additionally, the detector can be an independent device or can form part of another device (such as a computer, a vehicle, or any other device). Additionally, the detector can be a handheld device. Other embodiments of the detector are feasible.

[0158] The detector can specifically be used to record the light field behind the lens or lens system of the detector, comparable to an all-optical or light field camera. Thus, specifically, the detector can be embodied as a light field camera adapted to, for example, simultaneously acquire images in multiple focal planes. As used herein, the term light field generally refers to the spatial light propagation of light inside the detector (such as inside a camera). The detector according to the present invention (specifically a stack having an optical sensor) can have the ability to directly record the light field inside the detector or camera (such as behind the lens). Multiple sensors can record images at different distances from the lens. Using, for example, convolution-based algorithms (such as "depth from focus" or "depth-from-defocus"), the propagation direction, focus, and spread of the light behind the lens can be modeled. From the modeled light propagation behind the lens, images at different distances from the lens can be extracted, the depth of field can be optimized, images focused at different distances can be extracted, or the distance of an object can be calculated. More information can be extracted.

[0159] The use of multiple optical sensors further allows for the correction of lens errors in an image processing step after the image is recorded. When lens error correction is required, optical instruments typically become expensive and structurally complex. This is particularly problematic in microscopes and telescopes. In a microscope, a typical lens error is that light rays at different distances from the optical axis are distorted differently (spherical aberration). In a telescope, different atmospheric temperatures can cause the focal length to change. Static errors, such as spherical aberration or other errors in production, can be corrected by determining the error in a calibration step and then using fixed image processing (such as a fixed set of pixels and sensors) or more complex processing techniques using light propagation information. In cases where the lens error is closely related to time, i.e., depending on the weather conditions in a telescope, the lens error can be corrected by using the light propagation behind the lens, calculating an extended depth of field image, using depth from focus techniques, etc.

[0160] The detector according to the invention may further allow color detection. For color detection, multiple optical sensors with different spectral characteristics may be used, and the sensor signals of these optical sensors may be compared. In addition, the device according to the invention may be used in the context of gesture recognition. In this context, gesture recognition in combination with the device according to the invention may in particular be used as a human-machine interface for transmitting information to a machine via the movement of a body, body part or object. Here, the information may preferably be transmitted via the movement of a hand or part of a hand (such as a finger), in particular by pointing at an object, applying sign language (such as for the deaf), making gestures of numbers, indicating approval or disapproval by waving, etc., for example when asking someone to approach, leave or greet someone, pressing an object, taking an object, or in the fields of sports or music, using hand or finger movements such as warm-up exercises. In addition, the information may be transmitted by movements of the arm or leg, such as rotating, kicking, grasping, twisting, spinning, rolling, browsing, pushing, bending, punching, shaking, an arm, a leg, both arms or both legs, or a combination of an arm and a leg, for example for the purpose of sports or music, such as for the entertainment, exercise or training functions of a machine. In addition, the information may be transmitted by movements of the whole body or its main parts, such as jumping, spinning or making complex signs, such as sign language used at an airport or by a traffic policeman to transmit information such as "turn right", "turn left", "go ahead", "slow down", "stop" or "stop the engine", or by pretending to swim, dive, run, shoot, etc., or making complex movements or body postures such as yoga, Pilates, judo, karate, dance or ballet. In addition, information may be transmitted by using real or simulated devices to control a virtual device corresponding to the simulated device, such as using a simulated guitar to control the virtual guitar function in a computer program, using a real guitar to control the virtual guitar function in a computer program, using a real or simulated book to read an e-book or move pages or browse a virtual document, using a real or simulated pen to draw in a computer program, etc. In addition, the transmission of information may be coupled to feedback to the user, such as sound, vibration or movement.

[0161] In the context of music and / or musical instruments, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition may be used for exercise purposes, musical instrument control, musical instrument recording, by using a simulated musical instrument to play or record music or only pretending the presence of a musical instrument, such as playing an air guitar, for example to avoid noise or recording, or for conducting a virtual orchestra, choir, band, big band, chorus, etc., for practice, exercise, recording or entertainment purposes, etc.

[0162] In addition, in the context of security and surveillance, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition may be used to recognize the movement profile of a person, such as recognizing a person by walking or moving the body, or using gestures or movements or signs of body parts or the whole body as access or identification control, such as a personal identification sign or personal identification movement.

[0163] In addition, in the context of smart household appliances or the Internet of Things, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition can be used for central or non-central control of household devices, which can be part of an interconnected network of household appliances and / or home devices, such as refrigerators, central heating, air conditioners, microwave ovens, ice makers or water boilers, or entertainment devices, such as televisions, smartphones, game consoles, video recorders, DVD players, personal computers, laptops, tablets or combinations thereof, or combinations of household devices and entertainment devices.

[0164] In addition, in the context of virtual reality or augmented reality, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition can be used to control the movement or functions of virtual reality applications or augmented reality applications, such as playing games or controlling games using markers, gestures, body movements or body part movements, moving in a virtual world, manipulating virtual objects, using virtual objects to practice, exercise or perform sports, art, handicrafts, music or games, and virtual objects such as balls, chess pieces, stones, instruments, tools, brushes.

[0165] In addition, in the context of medicine, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition can be used to support rehabilitation training, remote diagnosis, or monitor or investigate surgeries or treatments, to superimpose and display medical images with the positions of medical devices, or to superimpose and display pre-recorded medical images using images recorded during surgeries or treatments from endoscopes or ultrasounds, etc., such as medical images from magnetic resonance tomography or X-rays, etc.

[0166] In addition, in the context of manufacturing and process automation, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition can be used to control, teach or program robots, drones, driverless autonomous vehicles, service robots, movable objects, etc., for example for programming, controlling, manufacturing, manipulating, repairing or teaching purposes, or for remotely manipulating objects or areas, for example for safety reasons or for maintenance purposes.

[0167] In addition, in the context of business intelligence metrics, the device according to the invention in combination with gesture recognition can be used for people counting, investigating customer movements, areas where customers spend time, objects, customer testing, acceptance, detection, etc.

[0168] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in manual or professional tools, especially electrically or motor-driven tools or power tools, such as drilling machines, saws, chisels, hammers, wrenches, nail guns, disc cutters, metal shears and impactors, angle grinders, die grinders, drill bits, hammer drills, heat guns, wrenches, sanders, engraving machines, nail guns, jigsaws, biscuit jointers, wood routers, planers, polishers, tile cutters, washers, rollers, wall chasers, lathes, impact drivers, connectors, paint rollers, spray guns, mortisers or welders, especially for supporting manufacturing precision, maintaining minimum or maximum distances, or for safety measures.

[0169] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to assist visually impaired persons. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in touchscreens to avoid direct contact, for example for hygienic reasons, and can be used in retail environments, medical applications, production environments, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in agricultural production environments, such as stable cleaning robots, egg collectors, milking machines, harvesting machines, agricultural implements, harvesters, freight forwarders, combine harvesters, tractors, cultivators, plows, stone separators, rakes, strip harvesters, seeders, planters such as potato planters, fertilizer spreaders, sprayers, sprinkler systems, reapers, balers, loaders, forklifts, lawn mowers, etc.

[0170] In addition, the device according to the invention can be used to select and / or adjust clothes, shoes, glasses, hats, prostheses, dental orthotics, for people or animals with limited communication skills or possibilities, such as children or disabled persons, etc. In addition, the device according to the invention can be used in contexts such as warehouses, logistics, distribution, transportation, loading, unloading, smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, etc. In addition, in a manufacturing context, the device according to the invention can be used in contexts such as processing, dispensing, bending, material handling, etc.

[0171] The evaluation device can be or can include one or more integrated circuits, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and / or one or more data processing devices, such as one or more computers, preferably one or more microcomputers and / or microcontrollers, field programmable arrays, or digital signal processors. Additional components can be included, such as one or more preprocessing devices and / or data acquisition devices, such as one or more devices for receiving and / or preprocessing sensor signals, such as one or more AD converters and / or one or more filters. In addition, the evaluation device can include one or more measuring devices, such as one or more measuring devices for measuring current and / or voltage. In addition, the evaluation device can include one or more data storage devices. In addition, the evaluation device can include one or more interfaces, such as one or more wireless interfaces and / or one or more wired binding interfaces.

[0172] At least one evaluation device may be adapted to execute at least one computer program, such as at least one computer program adapted to execute or support one or more or even all method steps according to the method of the present invention. As an example, one or more algorithms may be implemented that can determine the position of an object by using sensor signals as input variables.

[0173] The evaluation device may be connected to or may include at least one other data processing device, which may be used for one or more of display, visualization, analysis, distribution, communication, or further processing of information (such as information obtained by an optical sensor and / or by the evaluation device). As an example, the data processing device may be connected to or incorporated with at least one of a display, a projector, a monitor, an LCD, a TFT, a speaker, a multi-channel sound system, an LED pattern, or other visualization devices. It may further be connected to or incorporated with at least one communication device or communication interface, connector, or port capable of sending encrypted or unencrypted information using one or more of email, text message, telephone, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, infrared, or Internet interface, port, or connection. It may further be connected to or incorporated with at least one of a processor, a graphics processor, a CPU, an Open Multimedia Application Platform (OMAP TM ), integrated circuits, system-on-chips (such as products from Apple's A series or Samsung's S3C2 series), microcontrollers or microprocessors, one or more storage blocks (such as ROM, RAM, EEPROM, or flash memory), timing sources (such as oscillators or phase-locked loops), counter timers, real-time timers, or power-on reset generators, voltage regulators, power management circuits, or DMA controllers. The individual units may further be connected via a bus such as an AMBA bus, or integrated in an Internet of Things or Industry 4.0 type network.

[0174] The evaluation device and / or the data processing device can be connected via other external interfaces or ports, or have other external interfaces or ports, such as one or more of the following: serial or parallel interfaces or ports, USB, Centronics port, FireWire, HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, RFID, Wi-Fi, USART or SPI, or analog interfaces or ports (such as one or more of ADC or DAC), or standardized interfaces or ports for connecting to other devices, such as a 2D camera device using an RGB interface such as CameraLink. The evaluation device and / or the data processing device can be further connected via an inter-processor interface or port, an FPGA-FPGA interface, or one or more of serial or parallel interface ports. The evaluation device and the data processing device can be further connected to one or more of an optical disc drive, a CD-RW drive, a DVD+RW drive, a flash drive, a memory card, a disk drive, a hard disk drive, a solid state disk or a solid state drive.

[0175] The evaluation device and / or the data processing device can be connected via one or more other external connectors, or have one or more other external connectors, such as one or more of a telephone connector, an RCA connector, a VGA connector, an androgynous connector, a USB connector, an HDMI connector, an 8P8C connector, a BCN connector, an IEC60320 C14 connector, an optical fiber connector, a D-subminiature connector, an RF connector, a coaxial connector, a SCART connector, an XLR connector, and / or can include at least one suitable socket for one or more of these connectors.

[0176] Possible embodiments of a single device comprising one or more detectors, evaluation devices or data processing devices according to the present invention (such as comprising one or more of an optical sensor, an optical system, an evaluation device, a communication device, a data processing device, an interface, a system-on-chip, a display device or other electronic devices) are: a mobile phone, a personal computer, a tablet PC, a television, a game console or other entertainment devices. In a further embodiment, the 3D camera function, which will be described in more detail below, can be integrated into a device that can be used for a conventional 2D digital camera, with no significant difference in the housing or appearance of the device, where the only significant difference for the user may be the function of obtaining and / or processing 3D information. In addition, the device according to the present invention can be used for a 360° digital camera or a surround-view camera.

[0177] Specifically, embodiments that include a detector and / or a part thereof (such as an evaluation device and / or a data processing device) can be: a mobile phone, which includes a display device, a data processing device, an optical sensor, optional sensor optics, and an evaluation device for the function of a 3D camera. The detector according to the present invention can specifically be adapted for integration in entertainment devices and / or communication devices such as mobile phones.

[0178] Another embodiment of the present invention can be the incorporation of a detector or a part thereof (such as an evaluation device and / or a data processing device) in a device for an automobile, for autonomous driving, or for a car safety system (such as Daimler's Intelligent Drive system), where, by way of example, a device that includes one or more of an optical sensor, optionally one or more optical systems, an evaluation device, optionally a communication device, optionally a data processing device, optionally one or more interfaces, optionally a system-on-chip, optionally one or more display devices, or optionally other electronic devices can be part of a vehicle, car, truck, train, bicycle, airplane, ship, motorcycle. In automotive applications, integrating the device into the automotive design requires the integration of the optical sensor, optionally the optics, or the device with minimal visibility from the outside or inside. A detector or a part thereof (such as an evaluation device and / or a data processing device) can be particularly suitable for such integration into the automotive design.

[0179] As used herein, the term "light" generally refers to electromagnetic radiation in one or more of the visible spectral range, the ultraviolet spectral range, and the infrared spectral range. Among them, the term "visible spectral range" generally refers to the spectral range from 380 nm to 780 nm. The term "infrared spectral range" generally refers to electromagnetic radiation in the range from 780 nm to 1 mm, preferably in the range from 780 nm to 3.0 micrometers. The term "ultraviolet spectral range" generally refers to electromagnetic radiation in the range from 1 nm to 380 nm, preferably in the range from 100 nm to 380 nm. Preferably, the light used in the present invention is visible light, i.e., light in the visible spectral range.

[0180] The term "light beam" generally can refer to an amount of light that is emitted and / or reflected in a specific direction. Thus, a light beam can be a beam of light rays having a predetermined spread in a direction perpendicular to the light beam propagation direction. Preferably, a light beam can be or can include one or more Gaussian beams (such as a linear combination of Gaussian beams) that can be characterized by one or more Gaussian beam parameters, such as the beam waist, the Rayleigh length, or any other beam parameter, or a combination of beam parameters suitable for characterizing the development of the beam diameter and / or the propagation of the light beam in space.

[0181] The detector according to the invention can further be combined with one or more other types of sensors or detectors. Thus, the detector can further include at least one additional detector. The at least one additional detector can be adapted to detect at least one parameter, such as at least one of the following: a parameter of the surrounding environment, such as the temperature and / or brightness of the surrounding environment; a parameter regarding the position and / or orientation of the detector; a parameter specifying the state of the object to be detected, such as the position of the object, such as the absolute position of the object and / or the orientation of the object in space. Thus, in general, the principle of the present invention can be combined with other measurement principles in order to obtain additional information, and / or in order to verify measurement results or reduce measurement errors or noise.

[0182] The human-machine interface can include a plurality of beacon devices, which are adapted to be directly or indirectly attached to the user and at least one of being held by the user. Thus, the beacon devices can be independently attached to the user respectively by any suitable means (such as by appropriate fixing devices). Additionally or alternatively, the user can hold and / or carry at least one beacon device or one or more of the beacon devices in his or her hand and / or by wearing at least one beacon device on a body part and / or clothes containing the beacon device.

[0183] The beacon device can generally be any device that can be detected by at least one detector and / or is facilitated to be detected by at least one detector. Thus, as described above or will be described in more detail below, the beacon device can be an active beacon device adapted to generate at least one light beam to be detected by the detector, such as by having one or more illumination sources for generating at least one light beam. Additionally or alternatively, the beacon device can be designed to be a passive beacon device completely or partially, such as by providing one or more reflecting elements adapted to reflect the light beam generated by a separate illumination source. The at least one beacon device can be permanently or temporarily attached to the user in a direct or indirect manner and / or can be carried or held by the user. The attachment can be achieved by using one or more attachment devices and / or by the user himself or herself, such as by the user holding the at least one beacon device by hand and / or by the user wearing the beacon device.

[0184] Additionally or alternatively, the beacon device can be at least one of attached to an object and integrated into an object held by a user, which, for the purposes of the present invention, should be included in the meaning of the option of the user holding the beacon device. Thus, as described in more detail below, the beacon device can be attached to or integrated into a control element, which can be part of a human-machine interface and can be held or carried by the user, and whose orientation can be recognized by the detector device. Thus, generally speaking, the present invention also relates to a detector system, which includes at least one detector device according to the present invention and can further include at least one object, where the beacon device is one of attached to the object, held by the object, and integrated into the object. As an example, the object can preferably form a control element, the orientation of which can be recognized by the user. Thus, as described above or further described below, the detector system can be part of a human-machine interface. As an example, the user can operate the control element in a specific manner so as to send one or more items of information to the machine, for example so as to send one or more commands to the machine.

[0185] Alternatively, the detector system can be used in other ways. Thus, as an example, the object of the detector system can be different from the user or a body part of the user, and as an example, can be an object that moves independently of the user. As an example, the detector system can be used to control a device and / or an industrial process, such as a manufacturing process and / or a robotic process. Thus, as an example, the object can be a machine and / or a machine part, such as a robotic arm, the orientation of which can be detected by using the detector system.

[0186] The human-machine interface can be adapted to enable the detector device to generate at least one item of information about the position of the user or at least one body part of the user. Specifically, in the case where the manner of attachment of at least one beacon device to the user is known, at least one item of information about the position and / or orientation of the user or a body part of the user can be obtained by evaluating the position of at least one beacon device.

[0187] The beacon device is preferably one of a beacon device attachable to the body or a body part of the user and a beacon device holdable by the user. As described above, the beacon device can be designed to be an active beacon device completely or partially. Thus, the beacon device can include at least one irradiation source, which is adapted to generate at least one light beam to be transmitted to the detector, preferably at least one light beam having known beam characteristics. Additionally or alternatively, the beacon device can include at least one emitter, which is adapted to reflect the light generated by the irradiation source, thereby generating a reflected light beam to be transmitted to the detector.

[0188] Objects that can form part of a detector system can generally have any shape. Preferably, as described above, an object that is part of a detector system can be a control element that can be operated by a user (e.g., manually). By way of example, the control element can be or can include at least one element selected from the group consisting of: gloves, coats, hats, shoes, trousers and suits, a cane that can be held by hand, a bat, a club, a racket, a crutch, a toy (e.g., a toy gun). Thus, by way of example, the detector system can be part of a human-machine interface and / or an entertainment device.

[0189] As used herein, an entertainment device is a device that can be used for the leisure and / or entertainment purposes of one or more users (hereinafter also referred to as one or more players). By way of example, the entertainment device can be used for gaming purposes, preferably for computer gaming purposes. Thus, the entertainment device can be implemented as a computer, a computer network, or a computer system, or can include a computer, a computer network, or a computer system that runs one or more game software programs.

[0190] The entertainment device includes at least one human-machine interface according to the present invention (e.g., according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed above and / or according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed below). The entertainment device is designed to allow a player to input at least one item of information by means of the human-machine interface. The at least one item of information can be transmitted to the controller and / or computer of the entertainment device, and / or can be used by the controller and / or computer of the entertainment device. The at least one item of information preferably can include at least one command suitable for influencing the game process. Thus, by way of example, the at least one item of information can include at least one item of information related to at least one orientation of the player and / or one or more body parts of the player, thereby allowing the player to simulate the specific positions and / or orientations and / or actions required for the game. By way of example, one or more of the following movements can be simulated and communicated to the controller and / or computer of the entertainment device: dancing; running; jumping; waving a racket; waving a bat; waving a club; pointing an object at another object, e.g., pointing a toy gun at a target.

[0191] The entertainment device, as part or as a whole, preferably the controller and / or computer of the entertainment device, is designed to change the entertainment function according to the information. Thus, as described above, the game process can be influenced according to at least one item of information. Thus, the entertainment device can include one or more controllers that can be separate from the evaluation device of at least one detector and / or can be identical to the at least one evaluation device completely or partially, or can even include at least one evaluation device. Preferably, the at least one controller can include one or more data processing devices, such as one or more computers and / or microcontrollers.

[0192] As further used herein, a tracking system is a device adapted to collect information related to a series of past positions of at least one object and / or at least a part of the object. Additionally, the tracking system can be adapted to provide information related to at least one predicted future position and / or orientation of at least one object or at least a part of the object. The tracking system can have at least one tracking controller, which can be embodied wholly or partly as an electronic device, preferably as at least one data processing device, more preferably as at least one computer or microcontroller. Further, the at least one tracking controller can wholly or partly include at least one evaluation device and / or can be part of at least one evaluation device and / or can be wholly or partly identical to at least one evaluation device.

[0193] The tracking system includes at least one detector according to the present invention, such as at least one detector disclosed in one or more of the above-listed embodiments and / or in one or more of the following embodiments. The tracking system further includes at least one tracking controller. The tracking controller is adapted to track a series of positions of an object at a particular point in time, for example by recording multiple sets of data or data pairs, each set of data or data pair including at least one position information and at least one time information.

[0194] The tracking system can further include at least one detector system according to the present invention. Thus, in addition to at least one detector and at least one evaluation device and optionally at least one beacon device, the tracking system can further include the object itself or a part of the object, such as at least one control element, which includes a beacon device or at least one beacon device, wherein the control element is directly or indirectly attached to or integrated into the object to be tracked.

[0195] The tracking system can be adapted to initiate one or more actions of the tracking system itself and / or one or more separate devices. For this latter purpose, the tracking system, preferably the tracking controller, can have one or more wireless and / or wired interfaces and / or other types of control connections for initiating at least one action. Preferably, the at least one tracking controller can be adapted to initiate at least one action based on at least one actual position of the object. As an example, the action can be selected from the group consisting of: prediction of the future position of the object; pointing at least one device at the object; pointing at least one device at the detector; irradiating the object; irradiating the detector.

[0196] As an example of the application of the tracking system, the tracking system can be used to continuously point at least one first object at least one second object, even if the first object and / or the second object may move. Additionally, potential examples can be found in industrial applications (e.g., in robotics), and / or for continuously working on an article even if the article is moving, such as during manufacturing in a production line or an assembly line. Additionally or alternatively, the tracking system can be used for illumination purposes, e.g., for continuously illuminating an object by continuously pointing an illumination source at the object, even if the object may be moving. Other applications can be found in communication systems, e.g., for continuously sending information to a moving object by pointing a transmitter at the moving object.

[0197] Generally speaking, in the context of the present invention, the following embodiments are considered to be preferred:

[0198] Embodiment 1: A detector for determining the position of at least one object, the detector comprising

[0199] - at least one sensor element having a matrix of optical sensors, each of the optical sensors having a photosensitive area, wherein each optical sensor is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination of its corresponding photosensitive area by a light beam propagating from the object to the detector,

[0200] - at least one evaluation device, wherein the evaluation device is configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix, wherein the evaluation device is configured to respectively determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors of the region of interest, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPR ,

[0201] wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signals, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object based on the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a DFD ,

[0202] wherein the evaluation device is configured to consider the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z.

[0203] Embodiment 2: The detector according to the foregoing embodiment, wherein the evaluation device is configured to use at least one recursive filter to determine at least one combined distance information.

[0204] ​Example 3: The detector according to the foregoing example, wherein the recursive filter is at least one Kalman filter or at least one extended Kalman filter (EKF).

[0205] Example 4: The detector according to any one of the foregoing two examples, wherein the ordinate z DFD and z DPR are used as input variables within the recursive filter.

[0206] Example 5: The detector according to any one of the foregoing three examples, wherein the recursive filter is configured to determine the combined distance information by considering other sensor data and / or other parameters.

[0207] Example 6: The detector according to the foregoing example, wherein the detector includes at least one other sensor configured to determine the other sensor data, and the recursive filter is configured to determine the combined distance information by considering the other sensor data.

[0208] Example 7: The detector according to the foregoing example, wherein the other sensor is at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor, an irradiation sensor such as a control sensor for determining irradiation information, an inertial measurement unit, a gyroscope.

[0209] Example 8: The detector according to any one of the foregoing three examples, wherein the other sensor data is provided by other image analysis and / or the sensor element, in particular by at least one CMOS sensor.

[0210] Example 9: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the combined distance information z is a real function depending on z DFD and z DPR .

[0211] Example 10: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the combined distance information z is a rational or irrational polynomial of z DFD and z DPR .

[0212] Example 11: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the ordinate z DFD is determined by using at least one convolution-based algorithm such as a depth of defocus algorithm.

[0213] Example 12: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the fuzzy function is optimized by changing the parameters of the at least one fuzzy function.

[0214] Example 13: The detector according to the foregoing example, wherein the image is a blurred image i b , wherein the evaluation device is configured to reconstruct the ordinate z based on the blurred image i b and the blur function f a .

[0215] Example 14: The detector according to the foregoing example, wherein the ordinate z is determined by minimizing the difference between the blurred image i b and the convolution of the blur function f a and at least one other image i' b by changing the parameter σ of the blur function,

[0216] min||(i′ b *f a (σ(z)) - i b )||.

[0217] Example 15: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the at least one blur function f a is a function or composite function composed of at least one function from the group including the following: Gaussian function, sine function, parabolic cylinder function, square function, Lorentz function, radial function, polynomial, Hermite polynomial, Zernike polynomial, Legendre polynomial.

[0218] Example 16: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the evaluation device is configured to derive the combined signal Q by one or more of the following: dividing the sensor signal, dividing a multiple of the sensor signal, dividing a linear combination of the sensor signals.

[0219] Example 17: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine the ordinate z using at least one predetermined relationship between the combined signal Q and the ordinate DPR .

[0220] Example 18: The detector according to any one of the foregoing examples, wherein the evaluation device is configured to derive the combined signal Q by

[0221]

[0222] where x and y are abscissas, A1 and A2 are different areas of at least one beam profile of the light beam propagating from the object to the detector at the sensor position, and E(x, y, z o ) represents the object distance z oa given beam profile there, wherein each of the sensor signals in the sensor signals includes at least one piece of information of at least one region of the beam profile of the light beam propagated from the object to the detector.

[0223] Example 19: The detector according to the foregoing embodiment, wherein the photosensitive regions of at least two optical sensors are arranged such that the first sensor signal includes information of a first region of the beam profile, and the second sensor signal includes information of a second region of the beam profile, wherein the first region of the beam profile and the second region of the beam profile are one or both of adjacent or overlapping regions.

[0224] Example 20: The detector according to the foregoing embodiment, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine the first region of the beam profile and the second region of the beam profile, wherein the first region of the beam profile includes substantially edge information of the beam profile, and the second region of the beam profile includes substantially central information of the beam profile, wherein the edge information includes information related to the number of photons in the first region of the beam profile, and the central information includes information related to the number of photons in the second region of the beam profile.

[0225] Example 21: The detector according to any one of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the detector includes at least one irradiation source, wherein the irradiation source is configured to generate at least one light beam for irradiating the object.

[0226] Example 22: The detector according to the foregoing embodiment, wherein the irradiation source is adapted to generate at least one irradiation pattern for irradiating the object, wherein the irradiation pattern includes at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of: at least one dot pattern, in particular a pseudo-random dot pattern; a random dot pattern or a quasi-random pattern; at least one Sobol pattern; at least one quasi-periodic pattern; at least one pattern including at least one known feature; at least one regular pattern; at least one triangular pattern; at least one hexagonal pattern; at least one rectangular pattern; at least one pattern including a protruding uniform tiling pattern; at least one line pattern including at least one line; at least one line pattern including at least two lines such as parallel lines or intersecting lines.

[0227] Example 23: The detector according to the foregoing embodiment, wherein the sensor element is configured to determine at least one reflection pattern, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to select at least one feature of the reflection pattern, and determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern by evaluating the combined signal Q DPR , and by optimizing the at least one ambiguity function f ato determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern DFD 。

[0228] Example 24: A detector system for determining the position of at least one object, the detector system including at least one detector according to any one of the foregoing embodiments, the detector system further including at least one beacon device adapted to direct at least one light beam towards the detector, wherein the beacon device is at least one of the following: attachable to the object, holdable by the object, and integratable into the object.

[0229] Example 25: A human-machine interface for exchanging at least one piece of information between a user and a machine, wherein the human-machine interface includes at least one detector system according to the foregoing embodiments, wherein the at least one beacon device is adapted to be at least one of the following: directly or indirectly attached to the user and held by the user, wherein the human-machine interface is designed to determine at least one position of the user by means of the detector system, and wherein the human-machine interface is designed to assign at least one piece of information to the position.

[0230] Example 26: An entertainment device for performing at least one entertainment function, wherein the entertainment device includes at least one human-machine interface according to the foregoing embodiments, wherein the entertainment device is designed to enable a player to input at least one piece of information by means of the human-machine interface, and wherein the entertainment device is designed to change the entertainment function according to the information.

[0231] Example 27: A tracking system for tracking the position of at least one movable object, the tracking system including at least one detector system according to any one of the foregoing embodiments relating to detector systems, the tracking system further including at least one tracking controller, wherein the tracking controller is adapted to track a series of positions of the object at a specific point in time.

[0232] Example 28: A scanning system for determining the depth profile of a scene, the scanning system including at least one detector according to any one of the foregoing embodiments relating to detectors, the scanning system further including at least one illumination source adapted to scan the scene with at least one light beam.

[0233] Example 29: A camera for imaging at least one object, the camera including at least one detector according to any one of the foregoing embodiments relating to detectors.

[0234] Example 30: A method for determining the position of at least one object by using at least one detector according to any one of the foregoing embodiments relating to detectors, the method including the following steps:

[0235] - Select at least one region of interest of a matrix of optical sensors, each of the optical sensors having a photosensitive region configured to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination by at least one light beam propagating from the object to the detector;

[0236] - Determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors of the region of interest, respectively, and determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPR ,

[0237] - Determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signals, and determine at least one ordinate z of the object based on the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a to determine at least one ordinate z of the object based on the image DFD ,

[0238] considering the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z.

[0239] Example 31: Use of the detector according to any of the foregoing embodiments relating to a detector for a use purpose, selected from: position measurement in traffic technology; entertainment applications; security applications; surveillance applications; safety applications; human-machine interface applications; logistics applications; tracking applications; outdoor applications; mobile applications; communication applications; photographic applications; machine vision applications; robotic applications; quality control applications; manufacturing applications. Description of the Drawings

[0240] Other optional details and features of the present invention are apparent from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments in combination with the dependent claims. In this context, a particular feature can be implemented in isolation or in combination with other features. The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments are schematically illustrated in the drawings. In the respective drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements or elements having the same function, or elements corresponding to each other with respect to their functions.

[0241] Specifically, in the drawings:

[0242] Figure 1 Embodiments of a detector, a detector system, a camera, an entertainment device, and a tracking system according to the present invention are shown;

[0243] Figure 2 A method for determining the position of at least one object is shown; and

[0244] Figure 3A and Figure 3BShows experimental results of distance measurement using a detector according to the present invention. Detailed implementation

[0245] Figure 1 A first embodiment of a detector 110 for determining the position of at least one object 112 is shown in a highly schematic manner. The detector 110 includes at least one sensor element 114 of a matrix 116 having an optical sensor 118. Each optical sensor 118 has a photosensitive area not shown here. The sensor element 114 may be formed as a single unitary device or a combination of multiple devices. The matrix 116 may specifically be or may include a rectangular matrix having one or more rows and one or more columns. The rows and columns may specifically be arranged in a rectangular manner. However, other arrangements are also feasible, such as non-rectangular arrangements. As an example, a circular arrangement is also feasible, where the elements are arranged in concentric circles or ellipses around a central point. For example, the matrix 116 may be a single row of pixels. Other arrangements are also feasible.

[0246] The optical sensors 118 of the matrix 116 may specifically be equal in one or more aspects such as size, sensitivity, and other optical, electrical, and mechanical characteristics. The photosensitive areas of all the optical sensors 118 of the matrix 116 may specifically be located in a common plane, which preferably faces the object 112, such that the light beam propagating from the object to the detector 110 can generate a light spot on the common plane. The photosensitive areas may specifically be located on the surface of the corresponding optical sensors 118. However, other embodiments are also feasible. The optical sensors 118 may include, for example, at least one CCD and / or CMOS device. As an example, the optical sensor 118 may be part of or constitute a pixelated optical device. As an example, the optical sensor 118 may be part of or constitute at least one CCD and / or CMOS device having a pixel matrix, with each pixel forming a photosensitive area.

[0247] The optical sensor 118 can specifically be or can include a photodetector, preferably an inorganic photodetector, more preferably an inorganic semiconductor photodetector, and most preferably a silicon photodetector. Specifically, the optical sensor 118 can be sensitive in the infrared spectral range. All optical sensors 118 of the matrix 116 or at least one group of optical sensors 118 of the matrix 116 can specifically be the same. The group of identical optical sensors 118 of the matrix 116 can specifically be provided for different spectral ranges, or all optical sensors can be the same in terms of spectral sensitivity. In addition, the optical sensors 118 can be the same in size and / or with respect to their electronic or optoelectronic properties. The matrix 116 can consist of independent optical sensors 118. Thus, a matrix 116 of inorganic photodiodes can be formed. However, alternatively, a commercially available matrix such as one or more of a CCD detector (such as a CCD detector chip) and / or a CMOS detector (such as a CMOS detector chip) can be used.

[0248] The optical sensor 118 can form a sensor array or can be part of a sensor array, such as the matrix described above. Thus, by way of example, the detector 110 can include an array of optical sensors 118, such as a rectangular array having m rows and n columns, where m and n are independently positive integers. Preferably, more than one column and more than one row are given, i.e., n>1, m>1. Thus, by way of example, n can be 2 to 16 or higher, and m can be 2 to 16 or higher. Preferably, the ratio of the number of rows to the number of columns is close to 1. By way of example, n and m can be selected such that 0.3≤m / n≤3, such as by selecting m / n = 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 or the like. By way of example, the array can be a square array having an equal number of rows and columns, such as by selecting m = 2, n = 2 or m = 3, n = 3, etc.

[0249] The matrix 116 can specifically be a rectangular matrix having at least one row, preferably multiple rows and multiple columns. By way of example, the rows and columns can be oriented substantially perpendicular. To provide a wide field of view, the matrix 116 can specifically have at least 10 rows, preferably at least 50 rows, more preferably at least 100 rows. Similarly, the matrix can have at least 10 columns, preferably at least 50 columns, more preferably at least 100 columns. The matrix 116 can include at least 50 optical sensors 118, preferably at least 100 optical sensors 118, more preferably at least 500 optical sensors 118. The matrix 116 can include a plurality of pixels in the range of millions of pixels. However, other embodiments are feasible.

[0250] In Figure 1In the embodiment shown, detector 110 further includes an illumination source 120. As an example, illumination source 120 may be configured to generate an illumination beam 122 for illuminating object 112. Detector 110 may be configured such that the illumination beam propagates from detector 110 along the optical axis of detector 110 towards object 112. To this end, detector 110 may include at least one reflective element, preferably at least one prism, for deflecting the illumination beam onto the optical axis.

[0251] Illumination source 120 may be adapted to generate at least one illumination pattern for the illumination of object 112. Specifically, illumination source 120 may include at least one laser and / or laser source. Illumination source 120 may include at least one diffractive optical element (DOE). Various types of lasers may be employed, such as semiconductor lasers. Additionally or alternatively, non-laser light sources, such as LEDs and / or light bulbs, may be used. The pattern may include a plurality of features. The pattern may include an arrangement of periodic or aperiodic features. The illumination pattern may include at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of: at least one dot pattern, in particular a pseudo-random dot pattern; at least one pattern including at least one known feature. For example, illumination source 120 may be adapted to generate and / or project a point cloud. Illumination source 120 may include one or more of the following: at least one light projector; at least one digital light processing projector, at least one LCoS projector, at least one spatial light modulator; at least one diffractive optical element; at least one light emitting diode array; at least one laser light source array. Illumination source 120 may include at least one light source adapted to directly generate the illumination pattern. Illumination source 120 may include at least one light projector adapted to generate a point cloud such that the illumination pattern may include a plurality of dot patterns. Illumination source 120 may include at least one mask adapted to generate the illumination pattern from at least one beam generated by illumination source 120.

[0252] Each optical sensor 118 is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to the illumination of its respective photosensitive area by a beam, in particular a reflected beam 124 propagating from object 112 to detector 110.

[0253] The detector 110 may include at least one transfer device 126, and the transfer device 126 includes one or more of the following: at least one lens, such as at least one lens selected from the group including the following: at least one focus-adjustable lens, at least one aspherical lens, at least one spherical lens, at least one Fresnel lens; at least one diffractive optical element; at least one concave mirror; at least one beam deflection element, preferably at least one mirror; at least one beam splitting element, preferably at least one of a beam splitting cube or a beam splitting mirror; at least one multi-lens system. In particular, the transfer device 126 may include at least one collimating lens, which is adapted to focus at least one object point in the image plane.

[0254] The detector 110 includes at least one evaluation device 128. The evaluation device 128 is configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix 116. The evaluation device 128 may be adapted to perform at least one image analysis and / or image processing in order to identify the region of interest. The image analysis and / or image processing may use at least one feature detection algorithm. The image analysis and / or image processing may include one or more of the following: filtering; forming a difference image between the image generated by the sensor signal and at least one offset; inverting the sensor signal by inverting the image generated by the sensor signal; forming a difference image between the images generated by the sensor signal at different times; background correction; decomposition into color channels; decomposition into hues; saturation; and luminance channels; frequency decomposition; singular value decomposition; applying a Canny edge detector; applying the Laplacian operator of a Gaussian filter; applying a differential Gaussian filter; applying a Sobel operator; applying a Laplacian operator; applying a Scharr operator; applying a Prewitt operator; applying a Roberts operator; applying a Kirsch operator; applying a high-pass filter; applying blob analysis; applying an edge filter; applying a low-pass filter; applying a Fourier transform; applying a Radon transform; applying a Hough transform; applying a wavelet transform; threshold conversion method; creating a binary image. The region of interest may be determined manually by the user or may be determined automatically, such as by identifying an object within the image generated by the optical sensor 118.

[0255] The evaluation device 128 is configured to respectively determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors 118 of the region of interest. The evaluation device 128 is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object 112 by evaluating the combined signal Q according to the sensor signals, in particular by dividing the sensor signals, dividing multiples of the sensor signals, or dividing one or more of the linear combinations of the sensor signals. DPRIn particular, the combined signal can be a quotient signal. The combined signal Q can be determined in various ways. As an example, a software way for deriving the combined signal, a hardware way for deriving the combined signal, or both can be used and implemented in the evaluation device 128. Thus, as an example, the evaluation device 128 can include at least one divider 130, where the divider 130 is configured to derive the quotient signal. The divider 130 can be embodied entirely or partially as one or both of a software divider and a hardware divider.

[0256] The evaluation device 128 can be configured to derive the combined signal Q by dividing the sensor signal, dividing a multiple of the sensor signal, dividing one or more of the linear combinations of the sensor signals. The evaluation device 128 can be configured to use at least one predetermined relationship between the combined signal Q and the ordinate z DPR to determine the ordinate z DPR For example, the evaluation device 128 is configured to derive the combined signal Q in the following manner:

[0257]

[0258] where x and y are abscissas, A1 and A2 are different areas of at least one beam profile of the light beam propagated from the object 112 to the detector 110 at the sensor position, and E(x, y, z o ) represents the given beam profile at the object distance z o . The area A1 and the area A2 may be different. Specifically, A1 and A2 are not congruent. Thus, A1 and A2 can be different in one or more of shape or content. The beam profile can be the cross-section of the light beam. The beam profile can be selected from the group consisting of: a trapezoidal beam profile; a triangular beam profile; a conical beam profile, and a linear combination of Gaussian beam profiles.

[0259] For further details and embodiments regarding the evaluation of the combined signal Q and the determination of the ordinate z DPR reference can be made, for example, to WO2018 / 091640, WO 2018 / 091649 A1 and WO 2018 / 091638 A2, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0260] The evaluation device 128 is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signal. The evaluation device 128 is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object 112 based on the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a . The ordinate z can be determined by using at least one convolution-based algorithm (such as a defocus depth algorithm) DFD . DFD。To obtain the distance from the image, the depth of defocus algorithm estimates the defocus of object 112. For this estimation, a blur function is assumed. Specifically, the blur function models the blur of the defocused object. At least one blur function f a can be a function or a composite function composed of at least one function from the group consisting of: Gaussian function, sine function, parabolic cylinder function, square function, Lorentz function, radial function, polynomial, Hermite polynomial, Zernike polynomial, Legendre polynomial.

[0261] The evaluation device 128 can be adapted to determine the ordinate z a by optimizing at least one blur function f DFD 。The blur function can be optimized by changing the parameters of at least one blur function. The image can be a blurred image i b 。The evaluation device 128 can be configured to reconstruct the ordinate z b according to the blurred image i a and the blur function f b 。The ordinate z can be determined by minimizing the difference between the blurred image i a and the convolution of the blur function f b with at least one other image i′ b *f a (σ(z)) - i b )||, i.e., min||(i′ b *f DFD 。Thus, the ordinate z can be obtained using the depth of defocus algorithm.

[0262] The evaluation device 128 is configured to determine at least one combined distance information z DPR considering the ordinate z DFD and the ordinate z DPR 。The evaluation device 128 can be configured to use at least one recursive filter to determine at least one combined distance information. The recursive filter can be at least one Kalman filter or at least one extended Kalman filter (EKF). The combined distance information z can be obtained using a real function z = f(z DFD ), such as arithmetic or geometric mean, polynomial, preferably between z DPR and z DFDPolynomials up to order eight. The function f can be or can be based on a look-up table of pre-recorded values. For example, the evaluation device 128 can include at least one data storage device 132 configured to store pre-recorded values and / or one or more look-up tables. The function f can be based on a look-up table combined with an interpolation scheme for interpolating between values in the look-up table. The interpolation scheme can be linear interpolation, spline interpolation, etc. In combination with a model or model function (such as the function f, relating to z, z DFD and z DPR ), the ordinate z DFD and z DPR can be used as input variables within a recursive filter. The model or model function can include statistical hypotheses and / or statistical models involving distances z, z DFD and z DPR , such as distributions, such as a Gaussian distribution of the measured distances z, z real around the actual distance z DFD and / or z DPR .

[0263] The recursive filter can be configured to determine combined distance information considering other sensor data and / or other parameters. The other parameters can include other information from the sensor element 114 (such as a CMOS sensor), such as information about the quality and / or noise of the recorded data, and / or information about overexposure and / or underexposure, etc. The detector 110 can include at least one other sensor 136 configured to determine other sensor data. The recursive filter can be configured to determine combined distance information considering the other sensor data. The other sensor 136 can be at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor, an irradiation sensor (such as a control sensor for determining irradiation information), an inertial measurement unit; a gyroscope. The model and / or the Kalman filter can include other input parameters, such as other sensor data, such as temperature and / or detector movement from a gyroscope and / or information from an inertial measurement unit and / or information from an irradiation sensor, and / or other parameters, such as the quality / noise of the recorded data, overexposure, underexposure, etc.

[0264] The ordinate z DFD and the ordinate z DPRThe determination can be performed electronically or can be performed, in whole or in part, by software. The selection of the region of interest can be performed, in whole or in part, electronically or, in whole or in part, by using one or more software algorithms. Specifically, the evaluation device 128 can include at least one image analysis device 134 for determining reflection characteristics. The image analysis device 134 can be specifically embodied, in whole or in part, in software and / or can be embodied, in whole or in part, in hardware. The image analysis device 134 can be integrated, in whole or in part, into at least one sensor element 114 and / or can be embodied independently of the sensor element 114, in whole or in part.

[0265] The determination of the combined distance information can be performed by at least one microcontroller of the evaluation device 128. For example, the microcontroller can have at least one memory unit for storing computer programs and / or for data storage and / or for non-volatile storage of parameters used by the non-microcontroller during its operation.

[0266] As outlined above, the irradiation source 120 can be adapted to irradiate the object 112 by using at least one irradiation pattern. The sensor element 114 can be configured to determine at least one reflection pattern. The evaluation device 128 can be adapted to select at least one feature of the reflection pattern and to determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern by evaluating the combined signal Q DPR , and by optimizing at least one blurring function f a to determine the ordinate z of the selected feature of the reflection pattern DFD .

[0267] The detector 110 can be specifically embodied as a camera 138 and / or can be part of the camera 138. The camera 138 can be manufactured for imaging, specifically for 3D imaging, and can be manufactured for acquiring still images and / or image sequences, such as digital video clips. Other embodiments are possible. Figure 1 A further embodiment of the detector system 140 is shown, which, in addition to at least one detector 110, also includes one or more beacon devices 142, which, in this example, can be attached and / or integrated into the object 112, the position of which will be detected by using the detector 110. Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of a human-machine interface 144 is further shown, which includes at least one detector system 140; and a further embodiment of an entertainment device 146 is shown, which includes the human-machine interface 144. The figure further shows an embodiment of a tracking system 148 for tracking the position of the object 112, which includes the detector system 140.

[0268] Figure 1Further shown is an exemplary embodiment of a scanning system 150 for scanning a scene including an object 112, such as for scanning the object 112 and / or for determining at least one position of at least one object 112. The scanning system 150 includes at least one detector 110, and further optionally, at least one illumination source 120, and optionally, at least one other illumination source (not described herein). The illumination source 120 is generally configured to emit at least one illumination beam, such as for illuminating at least one point, e.g., a point located at one or more positions of the beacon device 142 and / or on the surface of the object 112. The scanning system 150 can be designed to generate a contour of the scene including the object 112 and / or a contour of the object 112, and / or can be designed to generate at least one item of information regarding the distance between at least one point and the scanning system 150 (specifically the detector 110) by using at least one detector 110.

[0269] The components of the evaluation device 128 can be fully or partially integrated into different devices and / or can be fully or partially integrated into other components of the detector 110. In addition to the possibility of fully or partially combining two or more components, one or more of the optical sensors in the optical sensor 118 and one or more of the components of the evaluation device 128 can be interconnected via one or more connectors 152 and / or via one or more interfaces, as Figure 1 symbolically depicted. Further, one or more connectors 152 can include one or more drivers and / or one or more devices for modifying or preprocessing the sensor signals. Further, instead of using at least one optional connector 152, the evaluation device 128 can be fully or partially integrated into one or both of the optical sensors 118 and / or the housing 154 of the detector 110. Additionally or alternatively, the evaluation device 128 can be fully or partially designed as a separate device.

[0270] In this exemplary embodiment, the object 112 whose position can be detected can be designed as a sports equipment item and / or can form a control element or control device 156 whose position can be manipulated by the user 158. As an example, the object 112 can be or can include a bat, a racket, a club, or any other sports equipment and / or fake sports equipment. Other types of objects 112 are possible. Further, the user 158 himself or herself can be considered as the object 112 whose position will be detected.

[0271] An opening inside the housing 154 that is preferably concentric with respect to the optical axis 160 of the detector 110 preferably defines the viewing direction 162 of the detector 110. A coordinate system 164 can be defined, where the direction parallel or anti-parallel to the optical axis 160 can be defined as the longitudinal direction, and the direction perpendicular to the optical axis 160 can be defined as the transverse direction. In Figure 1In the coordinate system 164 symbolically depicted, the longitudinal direction is represented by z, while the transverse directions are represented by x and y, respectively. Other types of coordinate systems are also feasible, such as non-Cartesian coordinate systems.

[0272] One or more light beams 124 propagate from the object 112 and / or from one or more beacon devices 142 towards the detector 110. The detector 110 is configured to determine the position of at least one object 112. In the case where no illumination source is used, the beacon device 142 and / or at least one of these beacon devices 142 can be or can include an active beacon device having an integrated illumination source (such as a light-emitting diode). Alternatively, an ambient light source can be used.

[0273] As outlined above, determining the position of the object 112 and / or a part thereof by using the detector 110 can be used to provide a human-machine interface 144 for providing at least one piece of information to the machine 164. In Figure 1 the embodiment schematically depicted, the machine 164 can be a computer and / or can include a computer. Other embodiments are feasible. The evaluation device 128 can even be fully or partially integrated into the machine 164, such as integrated into a computer.

[0274] As outlined above, Figure 1 An example of a tracking system 148 is also depicted, which is configured to track the position of at least one object 112 and / or a part thereof. The tracking system 148 includes the detector 110 and at least one tracking controller 166. The tracking controller 166 can be adapted to track a series of positions of the object 112 at a specific point in time. The tracking controller 166 can be an independent device and / or can be fully or partially integrated into the machine 164 (specifically a computer, as Figure 1 shown) and / or into the evaluation device 128.

[0275] Similarly, as outlined above, the human-machine interface 144 can form part of an entertainment device 146. The machine 164 (specifically a computer) can also form part of the entertainment device 146. Thus, by using the user 158 as the object 112 and / or by the user 158 manipulating a control device that is the object 112, the user 158 can input at least one piece of information (such as at least one control command) into the computer, thereby changing the entertainment function, such as controlling the processes of the computer.

[0276] On the other hand, the present invention discloses a method for determining the position of at least one object by using a detector (such as a detector according to the present invention (such as according to one or more embodiments of the detector disclosed above or further detailed below)). Other types of detectors can still be used. The method includes the following method steps, where the method steps can be executed in a given order or in a different order. In addition, there may be one or more additional method steps not listed. In addition, one, more than one, or even all of the method steps can be executed repeatedly.

[0277] Figure 2 An embodiment of a method for determining the position of at least one object is shown. The method includes the following method steps:

[0278] - Selecting at least one region of interest of the matrix 116 of the optical sensors 118 (denoted by reference numeral 168), each optical sensor 118 having a photosensitive region configured to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination by at least one light beam propagated from the object 112 to the detector 110;

[0279] - Determining at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors 118 of the region of interest respectively, and determining at least one ordinate z of the object 112 by evaluating a combined signal Q according to the sensor signals DPR ,

[0280] - Determining at least one image of the region of interest according to the sensor signals, and determining at least one ordinate z of the object 112 according to the image by optimizing at least one blur function f a DFD ,

[0281] - Considering the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z.

[0282] The ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD can be determined subsequently or at least partially simultaneously.

[0283] Figure 3A And Figure 3B shows a comparison of experimental results of distance measurements using only photon ratio depth technology (narrow dashed line denoted by reference numeral 176), distance measurements using only defocus depth technology (looser dashed line denoted by reference numeral 178), and the method according to the present invention (solid line denoted by reference numeral 180). For the experiment, 5MP was used A camera, a transmission device with f (lens) = 3.6 mm and F (lens) = 2.6, and a laser with 850 nm and 0.5 mW. In Figure 3A the actual distance z in cm is given on the x-axis real and the measured distance z is given on the y-axis meas where the measured distance z meas refers to the distance determined by photon ratio depth technology only, defocus depth technology only, and the method according to the present invention respectively. The depicted measurement results show the performance of the corresponding measurement techniques. Figure 3B shows the distribution (in cm) of the distance change Δz as a function of the actual distance z real . As Figure 3B can be seen, compared with distance measurement using only one of photon ratio depth technology or defocus depth technology, using the method according to the present invention significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of distance determination.

[0284] List of reference numerals

[0285] 110 Detector

[0286] 112 Object

[0287] 114 Sensor element

[0288] 116 Matrix

[0289] 118 Optical sensor

[0290] 120 Irradiation source

[0291] 122 Light beam

[0292] 124 Reflected light beam

[0293] 126 Transmission device

[0294] 128 Evaluation device

[0295] 130 Divider

[0296] 132 Data storage device

[0297] 134 Image analysis device

[0298] 136 Other sensors

[0299] 138 Camera

[0300] 140 Detector system

[0301] 142 Beacon device

[0302] 144 Human-machine interface

[0303] 146 Entertainment device

[0304] 148 Tracking system

[0305] 150 Scanning system

[0306] 152 Connector

[0307] 154 Housing

[0308] 156 Control device

[0309] 158 User

[0310] 160 Optical axis

[0311] 162 Viewing direction

[0312] 164 Machine

[0313] 166 Tracking controller

[0314] 168 Select area of interest

[0315] 170 Determine ordinate z DPR

[0316] 172 Determine ordinate z DFD

[0317] 174 Determine combined distance information

[0318] 176 Line

[0319] 178 Line

[0320] 180 Line

Claims

1. A detector (110) for determining the position of at least one object (112), the detector (110) comprising - At least one sensor element (114) having a matrix (116) of optical sensors (118), each of said optical sensors (118) having a photosensitive area, wherein, Each optical sensor (118) is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to the illumination of its corresponding photosensitive area by a light beam propagated from the object (112) to the detector (110). - At least one evaluation device (128), wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to select at least one region of interest of the matrix (116), wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to respectively determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors (118) of the region of interest, and wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPR , - wherein, the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signal, wherein the evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one ordinate z of the object (112) based on the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a DFD ,​ - wherein, the evaluation device (128) is configured to consider the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z _comb .

2. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, The evaluation device (128) is configured to determine at least one combined distance information using at least one recursive filter.

3. The detector (110) according to claim 2, wherein, The recursive filter is at least one Kalman filter or at least one Extended Kalman Filter (EKF).

4. The detector (110) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The recursive filter is configured to determine the combined distance information considering other sensor data and / or other parameters.

5. The detector (110) according to claim 4, wherein, The detector (110) includes at least one other sensor (136) configured to determine the other sensor data, wherein the recursive filter is configured to determine the combined distance information considering the other sensor data, and wherein the other sensor (136) is at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor, an illumination sensor such as a control sensor for determining illumination information, an inertial measurement unit, a gyroscope.

6. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, Determine the ordinate z by using at least one convolution-based algorithm such as the depth of focus algorithm DFD .

7. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, Optimizing the at least one blurring function by changing the parameters of the blurring function, where the image is a blurred image i b , where the evaluation device (128) is configured to reconstruct the ordinate z based on the blurred image i b and the blurring function f a ; where the ordinate z is determined by minimizing the difference between the blurred image i DFD and the convolution of the blurring function f b and at least one other image i' a by changing the parameter σ of the blurring function b ; DFD , min‖(i′ b *f a (σ(z))-i b )‖。 8. The detector (110) according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one ambiguity function f a is a function or a composite function composed of at least one function from the group including the following: Gaussian function, sine function, parabolic cylinder function, square function, Lorentz function, radial function, polynomial, Hermite polynomial, Zernike polynomial, Legendre polynomial.

9. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, The evaluation device (128) is configured to derive the combined signal Q by one or more of the following: dividing the sensor signal, dividing a multiple of the sensor signal, dividing a linear combination of the sensor signals.

10. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, The evaluation device (128) is configured to determine the ordinate z using at least one predetermined relationship between the combined signal Q and the ordinate z DPR between them DPR .

11. The detector (110) according to claim 1, wherein, The detector (110) includes at least one illumination source (120), wherein the illumination source (120) is configured to generate at least one light beam for illuminating the object (112).

12. A detector system (140) for determining the position of at least one object (112), the detector system (140) comprising at least one detector (110) according to any one of the preceding claims, the detector system (140) further comprising at least one beacon device (142), the beacon device (142) being adapted to direct at least one light beam towards the detector (110), wherein, The beacon device (142) is at least one of the following: attachable to the object (112), graspable by the object (112), and integratable into the object (112).

13. A human-machine interface (144) for exchanging at least one item of information between a user (158) and a machine (164), wherein, The human-machine interface (144) includes at least one detector system (140) according to the preceding claims, wherein the at least one beacon device (142) is adapted to be at least one of the following: directly or indirectly attached to the user (158), and grasped by the user (158), wherein the human-machine interface (144) is designed to determine at least one position of the user (158) by means of the detector system (140), and wherein the human-machine interface (144) is designed to assign at least one item of information to the position.

14. An entertainment device (146) for performing at least one entertainment function, wherein, The entertainment device (146) includes at least one human-machine interface (144) according to the preceding claims, wherein the entertainment device (146) is designed to enable a player to input at least one item of information by means of the human-machine interface (144), and wherein the entertainment device (146) is designed to change the entertainment function according to the information.

15. A tracking system (148) for tracking the position of at least one movable object (112), the tracking system (148) comprising at least one detector system (140) according to any one of the foregoing claims relating to a detector system, the tracking system (148) further comprising at least one tracking controller (166), wherein, The tracking controller (166) is adapted to track a series of positions of the object (112) at specific time points.

16. A scanning system (150) for determining the depth profile of a scene, the scanning system (150) comprising at least one detector (110) according to any one of the foregoing claims relating to a detector, the scanning system (150) further comprising at least one illumination source adapted to scan the scene with at least one light beam.

17. A camera (138) for imaging at least one object (112), the camera (138) comprising at least one detector (110) according to any one of the foregoing claims relating to a detector.

18. A method for determining the position of at least one object (112) by using at least one detector (110) according to any one of the foregoing claims relating to a detector, the method comprising the steps of: - Selecting at least one region of interest of a matrix (116) of optical sensors (118), each of the optical sensors (118) having a photosensitive region configured to generate at least one sensor signal in response to illumination by at least one light beam propagating from the object (112) to the detector (110); - Determine at least one sensor signal of at least two optical sensors (118) of the region of interest respectively, and determine at least one ordinate z of the object by evaluating a combined signal Q based on the sensor signals DPR , - Determine at least one image of the region of interest based on the sensor signal, and determine at least one ordinate z of the object (112) based on the image by optimizing at least one blurring function f a to determine at least one ordinate z of the object (112) based on the image DFD , - Consider the ordinate z DPR and the ordinate z DFD to determine at least one combined distance information z _comb .

19. Use of a detector (110) according to any one of the foregoing claims relating to a detector for use purposes, selected from: position measurement in traffic technology; entertainment applications; security applications; surveillance applications; safety applications; human-machine interface applications; logistics applications; tracking applications; outdoor applications; mobile applications; communication applications; photographic applications; machine vision applications; robotic applications; quality control applications; manufacturing applications.

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