Diffused lighting and multi-mode lighting device

Abstract

In some implementations, the lighting module is operable to project uniform diffuse illumination onto a scene. Some implementations enable different subsets of the light emitting elements to be independently addressed, so that these different subsets of the light emitting elements can be illuminated (or extinguished) at different points in time, which can facilitate multi-mode operation.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to all of the following U.S. Provisional Patent Applications filed on June 9, 2020: 63 / 036,824, 63 / 036,831 and 63 / 036,835, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to diffuse lighting and multi-mode lighting devices. Background Technology

[0004] Some optical imaging systems are capable of providing distance measurements and / or depth images of objects within a captured area. Such systems can be used, for example, to generate proximity data, distance data, or three-dimensional data.

[0005] Imaging systems may include, for example, a projector having a light source for illuminating a scene, and sensing devices (e.g., one or more cameras) for receiving light reflected from objects in the scene. In some cases, the light source includes an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) operable to illuminate a capture area. Depending on the implementation and requirements of the imaging system, the projector may be designed to generate basic diffuse light (i.e., light with a relatively large angular span) to be projected onto the scene. In other cases, the projector may be designed to generate light with basic discrete characteristics (such as structured light patterns or projection textures) to be projected onto the scene. In either case, light from the VCSEL array may be reflected from one or more objects in the capture area and may be received within the sensing devices. The reflected light may be detected by one or more cameras and then analyzed to determine, for example, proximity, distance, or other information. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention describes lighting modules that, in some implementations, are operable to project uniform diffuse illumination onto a scene. Some implementations enable the independent addressing of different subsets of light-emitting elements, allowing these different subsets of light-emitting elements to be turned on (or off) at different times, which facilitates multi-mode operation.

[0007] In one aspect, for example, the present invention describes an apparatus comprising a light source, one or more optical elements, and control circuitry. The light source comprises a first subset of light-emitting elements and a distinct second subset of light-emitting elements. Each light-emitting element of the first subset is operable to generate a corresponding light beam, and each light-emitting element of the second subset is operable to generate a corresponding light beam with less diffuse illumination compared to the light beam generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements. The one or more optical elements are arranged to project the light beams generated by the first and second subsets of light-emitting elements onto a scene. The control circuitry is operable to control the respective durations of illumination of the light-emitting elements of the first and second subsets, such that the resulting overall illumination projected onto the scene is substantially uniform diffuse illumination.

[0008] Some implementations include one or more of the following features. For example, in some cases, the light-emitting elements of the first subset and the second subset, as well as the one or more optical elements, are arranged such that a light beam generated by the second subset is projected onto the scene to at least partially fill gaps in the illumination generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements. In some cases, the control circuitry is operable to illuminate the light-emitting elements of the first subset for a first duration, and to illuminate the light-emitting elements of the second subset for a second duration during the illumination of the light-emitting elements of the first subset, wherein the second duration is shorter than the first duration. In some implementations, each subset of the first subset and the second subset of light-emitting elements is composed of a VCSEL. The VCSEL of the first subset may have a first aperture, and the VCSEL of the second subset may have a second aperture, wherein the first aperture is larger than the second aperture. In some cases, the VCSEL of the first subset has a rectangular (e.g., square) aperture or a hexagonal aperture. In some cases, the VCSEL of the first subset has an aperture with a shape different from the aperture of the VCSEL of the second subset.

[0009] In some implementations, the control circuitry is operable to illuminate a second subset of the light-emitting elements in a second operating mode, thereby, for example, projecting a structured light pattern onto the scene.

[0010] The invention also describes a method comprising: illuminating a first subset of light-emitting elements (e.g., VCSELs) and projecting diffuse illumination onto a scene using light generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements; and employing temporal light splicing to at least partially fill gaps in the diffuse illumination by illuminating a second subset of light-emitting elements (e.g., VCSELs) and projecting light generated by the second subset of light-emitting elements onto the scene. The second subset of light-emitting elements is illuminated for a shorter duration than the first subset of light-emitting elements.

[0011] In some implementations, the method further includes illuminating a third subset of light-emitting elements (e.g., VCSELs) and projecting the light generated by the third subset of light-emitting elements onto the scene. The third subset of light-emitting elements is illuminated for a shorter duration than the first subset of light-emitting elements, and the light generated by the third subset and projected onto the scene at least partially fills additional gaps in the diffuse lighting. In some cases, the duration for which the third subset of light-emitting elements is illuminated differs from the duration for which the second subset of light-emitting elements is illuminated.

[0012] The present invention also describes a device comprising an array of VCSELs and one or more optical elements. Each VCSEL has a rectangular or hexagonal aperture, and each VCSEL is operable to generate a corresponding light beam. The one or more optical elements are arranged to project the light beam onto a scene. For a specific working distance, with the VCSELs in the array illuminated, substantially seamless, uniform diffuse illumination is projected onto the scene.

[0013] In some implementations, each VCSEL in the array has a square or hexagonal aperture. In some cases, for the specific working distance, when the VCSELs in the array are lit, there is no overlap between the individual beams generated by the different VCSELs in the array and projected onto the scene.

[0014] Some implementations include one or more of the following advantages. For example, in some cases, more uniform diffuse lighting can be projected onto the scene. Furthermore, various implementations enable the independent addressing of different subsets of light-emitting elements (e.g., VCSELs), allowing these different subsets to be turned on (or off) at different times, which can facilitate multi-mode operation. For example, in one mode, basic diffuse lighting can be projected onto the scene, while in a second mode, a structured light pattern can be projected onto the scene.

[0015] Other aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An example of a lighting module is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 Another example of a lighting module is shown.

[0018] Figure 3A and Figure 3BThis shows yet another example of a lighting module.

[0019] Figure 4 Another example of a lighting module is shown.

[0020] Figure 5 Another example of a lighting module is shown.

[0021] Figure 6 An example of structured light illumination is shown.

[0022] Figure 7 An example of diffuse lighting is shown.

[0023] Figure 8A and Figure 8B An example of illumination produced by a light-emitting element with a circular aperture is shown.

[0024] Figure 9A This is a graph showing an example of time-space stitching.

[0025] Figure 9B Showing targets Figure 9A An example of the lighting scheme thus obtained.

[0026] Figure 10A An example of gapless uniform diffuse lighting is shown on a scene using a light-emitting element with a hexagonal aperture.

[0027] Figure 10B An example of gapless uniform diffuse lighting is shown on a scene using a light-emitting element with a square aperture.

[0028] Figure 11A An example of illumination produced using a first array of light-emitting elements is shown.

[0029] Figure 11B An example of illumination produced using two different subarrays of light-emitting elements is shown.

[0030] Figure 12 An example of an illumination module comprising three different subarrays of light-emitting elements is shown.

[0031] Figure 13 It is a flowchart based on some implementation methods. Detailed Implementation

[0032] One aspect of the invention describes a multi-mode illumination device, for example, that can be incorporated into an imaging system. Such an illumination device can operate in multiple modes. For example, in some implementations, the multi-mode illumination device can operate in a first mode to generate a first illumination, and can operate in a second mode to generate a second illumination different from the first illumination.

[0033] As an example, in the first mode, the first illumination may be basic diffuse light (i.e., light with a relatively large angular span), while in the second mode, the illumination may include basic discrete features (such as structured light patterns or projected textures) that can be used for active stereo applications. In some cases, the first mode may be used in combination with one or more cameras (e.g., a 3D camera and an RGB camera) to generate proximity or distance data, and the second mode may be used in combination with the same or different cameras to generate three-dimensional data or spectral data. One or more photosensitive devices may include, for example, photodiodes, photodiode arrays, image sensors, or time-of-flight sensors.

[0034] In some implementations, multi-mode lighting modules can offer certain advantages. For example, a multi-mode lighting module may require less space compared to two modules, each configured to generate one of two or more functions provided by the multi-mode lighting module.

[0035] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown in the example, the lighting module 10 includes a light source 12 for illuminating the scene 14. The module 10 may also include one or more lenses or other optical elements 15, which, for example, are operable to converge or collimate the light emitted by the light source 12. In some cases, the optical element 15 includes an array of microlenses or a metalens array.

[0036] The light source 12 includes multiple light-emitting elements, such as an array of VCSELs 16, operable to illuminate a scene. The VCSELs 16 are independently addressable. That is, each VCSEL 16 (or a subset of VCSELs) can be turned on or off independently of other VCSELs (or subsets of VCSELs). Specifically, the VCSEL array includes two or more VCSEL subarrays that can operate simultaneously (i.e., the VCSELs in the subarrays can produce light emission approximately simultaneously) or can operate separately from each other (e.g., sequentially).

[0037] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An example with two different subarrays of VCSEL 16 is shown. That is, each VCSEL 16 in the array is part of a first subarray or a second subarray. In the example shown, VCSEL 16A is part of the first subarray, while VCSEL 16B is part of the second subarray. Figure 1A As shown, when the VCSELs of both subarrays are lit simultaneously, basic diffuse illumination is produced on the plane at the working distance (WD). On the other hand, when only a subset of the VCSELs (e.g., only the VCSELs in the second array) is lit, as... Figure 1BAs shown, a pattern of points is generated on a plane at the working distance (WD). The point pattern can be a regular or irregular (i.e., random) pattern of points, which can be used, for example, to provide structured illumination. For example, in some cases, the beam can form a grid pattern or stripe pattern used in structured light imaging techniques.

[0038] In some cases, such as Figure 2 As shown, the illumination module also includes a fan-out diffractive optical element (DOE) 17. The fan-out DOE 17 can be operated to replicate the image of the VCSEL array and shift each replicated image by an amount larger than the image size. This results in an overlapping image of the illuminated VCSELs. Even when both subarrays of VCSELs are illuminated, the resulting diffuse light pattern 11 projected onto the scene will be surrounded by dots 13 along the boundary of the diffuse light pattern, because the patterns do not overlap at the boundary. On the other hand, a dot pattern can be projected onto the scene by illuminating only one of the subset of VCSELs at a given time.

[0039] In some implementations, the VCSELs or other light-emitting elements 16 in the various subarrays can have different sizes. For example, such as Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the VCSELs in the first subarray (e.g., VCSEL 16A) can have relatively small apertures, while the VCSELs in the second subarray (e.g., VCSEL 16B) can have relatively large apertures. Light emitted by the smaller VCSELs in the first subarray can produce a smaller and sharper circular spot compared to the circular spot produced by the larger VCSELs in the second subarray. Therefore, as... Figure 3A As shown, when the VCSELs of both subarrays are lit simultaneously, basic diffuse illumination is generated from the VCSEL array in the plane at the working distance (WD). On the other hand, when only a subset of the VCSELs (e.g., only the smaller VCSELs in the first array) is lit, as... Figure 3B As shown, a pattern of points is generated from the VCSEL array on a plane at the working distance (WD). The point pattern can be a regular or irregular (i.e., random) pattern of points, which can be used, for example, to provide structural lighting.

[0040] In some implementations, instead of subarrays of VCSELs with different sizes, or in addition to subarrays of VCSELs with different sizes, each VCSEL 16 in one of the subarrays includes an integrated optical element through which the light generated by the VCSEL passes. For example, as Figure 4As shown, each VCSEL 16A in the first subarray includes an integrated lens 18 through which the light generated by the VCSEL passes. The light generated by each VCSEL 16A in the first subarray is a relatively sharp spot 19, such that the light collectively generated by the VCSELs in the first subarray is a pattern of relatively sharp dots. Other VCSELs 16B, which are part of the second subarray, do not include such an integrated lens 18 and can be used, for example, to generate basic diffuse light. The VCSELs in the different subarrays can be turned on or off independently and at different times, allowing the module to operate in different modes to provide different types of illumination at different times. For example, by turning on only one of the VCSEL subarrays at a time, the module can be operated to generate diffuse light or a dot pattern.

[0041] Similarly, as Figure 5 As shown in the example, each VCSEL 16B in the second subarray includes an integrated high-refractive-index material block 20 through which the light generated by the VCSEL passes. The light 21 generated by the VCSEL 16B in the second subarray is essentially diffuse light. Other VCSELs that are part of the first subarray do not include such a high-refractive-index material block 20. The VCSELs in different subarrays can be turned on or off independently and at different times, allowing the module to operate in different modes to provide different types of illumination at different times.

[0042] In some implementations, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in the example, supplementary optics 22 can be arranged to intersect the path of light emitted by the VCSEL. Supplementary optics 22 can be used, for example, to converge or collimate light toward the scene. Figure 6 An example of structured light illumination 24A is shown when only the first subarray of VCSEL 16A is lit, while Figure 7 An example of basic diffuse illumination 24B is shown when only the second subarray of VCSEL 16B is lit.

[0043] In some implementations, the VCSEL 16 has a circular aperture. Therefore, light emitted from a single VCSEL 16 will appear as a point (i.e., a circle) when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of light emission. For example... Figure 8A As shown, even when VCSELs with circular apertures and a given size are packed as densely as possible into an array, the projected diffuse light pattern may still have small gaps 30 between the circular light spots 32 appearing on the illuminated scene. To obtain a more uniform diffuse light pattern, a second subarray of VCSELs with smaller circular apertures can be included in the VCSEL array (e.g., see...). Figure 3A ), making such Figure 8BAs shown, the light emitted by the VCSELs of the second subarray produces small light spots 34 that at least partially fill the gap 30. Therefore, when the VCSELs of both subarrays are lit simultaneously, the result can be a more uniform diffuse pattern of light projected onto the scene.

[0044] On the other hand, illuminating a VCSEL with a smaller aperture at the same time and for the same duration as a VCSEL with a larger aperture can result in a bright spot in the image plane. This is because the light emitted by each corresponding VCSEL with a smaller aperture will converge on a smaller area than the light emitted by each corresponding VCSEL with a larger aperture.

[0045] The following paragraphs describe various methods for projecting a more uniform diffuse onto a scene.

[0046] According to the first method, temporal light stitching is used to fill the gaps in diffuse illumination. That is, a VCSEL with a smaller aperture (producing a sharper, brighter spot) is illuminated for a shorter duration compared to a VCSEL with a larger aperture (providing relatively diffuse illumination). The illumination periods of the two subarrays of the VCSEL overlap, but only partially. The illumination duration of the VCSEL with the smaller aperture is chosen such that the total light power projected onto each area of ​​the scene by the VCSEL with the smaller aperture is substantially the same as the total light power projected onto each area of ​​the scene by the VCSEL with the larger aperture. Figure 9A The diagram illustrates this scheme, where the shaded areas in the power-time graph represent the periods during which each VCSEL is lit (i.e., emits light). Therefore, from time t0 to time t1, only the diffuse-illumination VCSELs with larger apertures are lit. Then, from time t1 to time t2, VCSELs with smaller apertures (and emitting greater light power per unit area per time) are also lit. Figure 9B The total light power projected onto the image plane indicates that more uniform illumination can be achieved and that the illuminated area has fewer and / or smaller gaps.

[0047] According to the second method, instead of a circular aperture, each VCSEL in one of the subarrays of the light source can have a rectangular (e.g., square) or hexagonal shape. This method allows each corresponding beam projected onto the scene to have a specific beam-waist, enabling the design of smooth stitching (gapless illumination) for a fixed working distance (or range of working distances). Furthermore, at a specific working distance, there is almost no overlap or any overlap among the individual beams projected onto the scene. Therefore, the resulting diffused illumination can be highly uniform or homogeneous. Figure 10AAn example of gapless uniform diffuse illumination thus obtained on a scene is shown when each VCSEL has a hexagonal aperture. In this case, each VCSEL projects beam 40 onto a scene having a basic hexagonal shape. Figure 10B An example of the resulting gapless uniform diffuse illumination on a scene is shown when each VCSEL has a square aperture. In this case, each VCSEL projects beam 42 onto a scene having a generally square shape.

[0048] In some implementations, the aforementioned methods can be integrated into a multi-mode device. For example, in a first mode, a first subset of VCSELs with rectangular or hexagonal apertures can be illuminated to project approximately seamless diffuse illumination onto the scene, while in a second mode, a second subset of VCSELs, each with relatively small circular apertures, can be illuminated (while the first subset of VCSELs is off) to project a structured light pattern onto the scene.

[0049] In some cases, features of the first and second methods can be combined. Such an implementation can be advantageous, for example, when one or more objects in the scene to be illuminated are outside the ideal operating range optimized for hexagonal or rectangular arrays. For instance, if one or more objects are outside the ideal operating range (e.g., at a large distance z1), gaps 52 may exist between the individual illuminated areas 50 in a scene illuminated by a VCSEL 48 with a square aperture (see...). Figure 11A In this case, a second subset of VCSEL 54 (e.g., a VCSEL with a relatively small circular aperture) can be advantageous, where this second subset of VCSEL 54 can be lit for a shorter duration to achieve more uniform illumination than a VCSEL with a rectangular or hexagonal aperture. The “sharp” VCSEL 54 is configured to patch up the area of ​​diffuse illumination 50 by providing illumination 56 in the gap 52 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 11B ).

[0050] Furthermore, in some implementations, the light source may include more than two subsets of the VCSEL (e.g., a subarray). For example... Figure 12As shown in the example, the first subarray consists of a VCSEL 48 having a square aperture that illuminates area 50 of the scene at a distance z2. In some cases, the VCSEL 48 may have a hexagonal or circular aperture. The second subarray consists of a VCSEL 54 having a circular aperture with a diameter d1 that illuminates area 56 of the scene. The third subarray consists of a VCSEL 58 having a diameter d2 (where d2 > d1) that illuminates area 60 of the scene. The different subarrays can be addressed independently of each other and thus illuminated (or extinguished). The VCSEL 54 of the second subarray and the VCSEL 58 of the third subarray are designed and positioned such that areas 56 and 60 illuminated by the second and third subarrays, respectively, at least partially fill the gaps in the diffuse illumination produced by the first subarray of VCSEL 48. The duration of illumination of the VCSEL 54 in the second subarray and the VCSEL 58 in the third subarray can be controlled (e.g., via appropriate control circuitry 70) to make the resulting illumination projected onto the scene more consistent (i.e., more uniform) without noticeable bright spots. The duration of illumination for the VCSEL 54 in the second array and the VCSEL 58 in the third array can be the same or different. Therefore, the VCSELs can be illuminated for such a duration that the overall illumination projected onto the scene by all subsets of VCSELs 48, 54, and 58 is highly consistent and uniform diffuse illumination.

[0051] like Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, in some cases, a scene can be illuminated using a first subset of light-emitting elements (e.g., "sharp" VCSELs 54 and / or 58) (box 100), and initial information based on light 75 reflected from the scene can be collected (e.g., using image sensor 71 and readout circuitry 72) (box 102), and an initial estimate of distance can be determined (e.g., using processing circuitry 74) (box 104). If the initial distance estimate indicates that the object of interest is below a specified threshold distance, distance data can be collected using only the "sharp" VCSELs 54 and 58 (box 106). On the other hand, if the initial distance estimate indicates that the object of interest is at or above the threshold distance, distance data can also be collected using a second subset of light-emitting elements (e.g., "diffuse" VCSEL 48 and "sharp" VCSELs 54 and / or 58 illuminated) (box 108).

[0052] In some instances, the various lighting modules described above can be formed as integrated photonic packages.

[0053] The various aspects of the subject matter and functional operation described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuits, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware that includes the structures disclosed in this specification and their equivalents, or in one or more combinations thereof. Therefore, aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer-readable medium for execution by a data processing device or for controlling the operation of a data processing device. The computer-readable medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, a composition of material affecting machine-readable propagation signals, or one or more combinations thereof. In addition to hardware, the device may also include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in discussion, such as code constituting processor firmware.

[0054] Computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications, scripts, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as standalone programs or as modules, components, subroutines, or other units suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored as a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document) in a single file dedicated to the program in discussion, or in multiple coordinating files (e.g., files storing portions of one or more modules, subroutines, or code). A computer program can be deployed to execute on a single computer, or on multiple computers located at a single site, or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected via a communication network.

[0055] The processing and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by manipulating input data and generating outputs. These processing and logic flows can also be performed by special-purpose logic circuitry (e.g., FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits)), and the device can also be implemented as such special-purpose logic circuitry.

[0056] Processors suitable for executing computer programs include, for example, both general-purpose microprocessors and special-purpose microprocessors, as well as any type of digital computer and one or more processors. Typically, the processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The essential components of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices, such as: semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated into special-purpose logic circuitry.

[0057] Although this specification contains numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments in this specification may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in a particular combination, and even the initial claims may be so, in some examples, one or more features from a claimed combination may be removed from that combination, and the claimed combination may involve sub-combinations or variations thereof.

[0058] Similarly, although these operations are shown in the accompanying figures in a specific order, this should not be interpreted as requiring them to be performed in the specific order or sequence shown, or all of the illustrated operations, in order to achieve the desired result. In certain situations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0059] Various modifications will be obvious, and various modifications can be made to the foregoing example. Therefore, other implementations are also within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising: A light source comprising a first subset of light-emitting elements and a different second subset of light-emitting elements, wherein each light-emitting element in the first subset is operable to generate a corresponding light beam, and each light-emitting element in the second subset is operable to generate a corresponding light beam with less scattering compared to the light beam generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements; One or more optical elements are arranged to project light beams generated by the first subset and the second subset of light-emitting elements onto the scene; as well as A control circuit, operable to control the corresponding duration of illumination of the light-emitting elements in the first subset and the second subset, such that the resulting overall illumination projected onto the scene is substantially uniform diffuse illumination. The control circuit is operable to illuminate the light-emitting elements of the first subset for a first duration, and to illuminate the light-emitting elements of the second subset for a second duration during the illumination of the light-emitting elements of the first subset, wherein the second duration is shorter than the first duration, and the first duration and the second duration partially overlap.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The light-emitting elements of the first subset and the second subset, as well as the one or more optical elements, are arranged such that a light beam generated by the second subset is projected onto the scene to at least partially fill the gaps in the illumination generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each subset of the first subset and the second subset of the light-emitting elements is composed of VCSELs.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have a first aperture, and the VCSELs of the second subset have a second aperture, wherein the first aperture is larger than the second aperture.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have rectangular holes.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have hexagonal holes.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have holes with shapes different from the holes of the VCSELs of the second subset.

8. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control circuit is operable to illuminate the second subset of light-emitting elements in a second operating mode, thereby projecting a structured light pattern onto the scene.

9. A lighting method, comprising: Light up a first subset of the light-emitting elements and use the light generated by the first subset of the light-emitting elements to project diffuse lighting onto the scene; as well as Temporal light splicing is employed to at least partially fill gaps in the diffuse lighting by illuminating a second subset of light-emitting elements and projecting the light generated by the second subset of light-emitting elements onto the scene, wherein each light-emitting element in the second subset is operable to produce a corresponding beam that is less diffused than the beam generated by the first subset of light-emitting elements, the second subset of light-emitting elements is illuminated for a shorter duration than the first subset of light-emitting elements, and the duration of illumination of the first subset partially overlaps with the duration of illumination of the second subset.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Each subset of the first subset and the second subset of the light-emitting elements is composed of VCSELs.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have holes with shapes different from the holes of the VCSELs of the second subset.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The VCSELs of the first subset have holes of a different size than the holes of the VCSELs of the second subset.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising: A third subset of the light-emitting elements is illuminated and the light generated by the third subset of the light-emitting elements is projected onto the scene, wherein the third subset of the light-emitting elements is illuminated for a shorter duration than the first subset of the light-emitting elements, and wherein the light generated by the third subset and projected onto the scene at least partially fills additional gaps in the diffuse lighting.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The duration for which the third subset of the light-emitting element is lit is different from the duration for which the second subset of the light-emitting element is lit.

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