Surround-view imaging system with simultaneous tof and RGB image aquisition
The surround-view imaging system with a cylindrical lens system addresses the challenge of simultaneous high-resolution TOF and RGB image acquisition, improving 3D imaging by separating and processing light into distinct spectral ranges.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- HK62026124683
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-06-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing imaging systems struggle to simultaneously acquire high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) and optical (RGB) images of the surrounding environment, limiting their capability to provide comprehensive 3D imaging.
A surround-view imaging system with a cylindrical reflective-refracting lens system that separates and processes imaging light into different spectral ranges, allowing simultaneous acquisition of TOF and RGB images at full sensor resolution using a first and second spectral range.
Enables high-resolution, simultaneous acquisition of TOF and RGB images, enhancing the system's 3D imaging capabilities.
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
Abstract This invention relates to a surround-view imaging system for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the surrounding environment of a system, and particularly to an imager for such a surround-view imaging system, which enables simultaneous time-of-flight (TOF) and optical (RGB) image acquisition at full sensor resolution. The imager (10) according to the invention includes a first image detector (12) and a cylindrical reflective-refracting lens system forming an internal volume (30) having an entrance aperture (32), a top surface (34), and a bottom surface (36); wherein, in the field of view (FOV10) of the imager, imaging light (B) from the surrounding environment of the imager (10) enters the internal volume (30) through the entrance aperture (32), and is first reflected by the bottom surface (36) toward the top surface (34). Secondly, the light is reflected back to the bottom surface (36) through the top surface (34) and exits the internal volume (30) towards the first image detector (12) through the bottom aperture in the bottom surface (36) for detecting the imaging light (B), wherein the spectrum of the imaging light (B) includes a first spectral range and a second spectral range different from the first spectral range, wherein the top surface (34) includes a spectral filtering element (38) that reflects only the imaging light (B) of the first spectral range back to the bottom surface (36), but allows the imaging light (B) of the second spectral range to pass through.
Claims
Claims1. Imager (10) for a surround-view imaging system, comprising a first image detector (12) and a cylindrical catadioptric lens system forming an inner volume (30) with an entrance aperture (32), a top surface (34) and a bottom surface (36); wherein in a field of view of the imager (FOV10), imaging light (B) from a surrounding of the imager (10) enters the inner volume (30) by the entrance aperture (32), is firstly reflected towards the top surface (34) by the bottom surface (36), is secondly reflected back to the bottom surface (36) by the top surface (34), and leaves the inner volume (30) towards the first image detector (12) by a bottom aperture in the bottom surface (36) for detecting imaging light (B), characterized in that the spectrum of the imaging light (B) comprises a first spectral range and a second spectral range different from the first spectral range, wherein the top surface (34) comprises a spectral filtering element (38) which reflects only the imaging light (B) of the first spectral range back to the bottom surface (36) but transmits imaging light (B) of the second spectral range.
2. Imager (10) of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical catadioptric lens system is formed by a cylindrically shaped monolithic catadioptric lens (20) having a corpus filling the inner volume (30), and having a mantle including the entrance aperture (32), the top surface (34) and the bottom surface (36).
3. Imager (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the imaging light (B) is firstly reflected by a circumferential first aspheric lens region (22) arranged around a center (C1) of the bottom surface (36), is secondly reflected by a second aspheric lens region (24) arranged at a center (C2) of the top surface (34), and leaves the inner volume (30) towards the image detector (12) by a third aspheric lens region (26) at the center (C1) of the bottom surface (36).
4. Imager (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the imager (10) further comprises a first optical system (14) to project an image of the environment in the first spectral range on the first image detector (12).
5. Imager (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second detector (42) for detecting the transmitted imaging light (B).
6. Imager (10) of claim 5, wherein the imager (10) further comprises a second optical system (44) to project an image of the environment in the second spectral range on the second image detector (42).
7. Imager (10) of claim 5 or 6, wherein the first image detector (12) is an detector for the visible spectral range and the second detector (42) is a time-of-flight detector, or wherein the first image detector (12) is a time-of-flight detector and the second detector (42) is a detector for the visible spectral range.
8. Imager (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entrance aperture (32) comprises an antireflection coating configured for transmitting the full spectrum of the imaging light (B)9. Imager (10) of any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the first detector (12) and the second detector (42) are arranged opposite to one another with their active surface parallelly aligned along a vertical axis of the imager (10).
10. Imager (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spectral filtering element (28) comprises a dielectric layer or grating.