Adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging, and imaging system

Abstract

The present application discloses an adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging, and an imaging system. The adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging comprises: according to a preset strategy, generating a non-uniform optical pulse sequence having adaptive power timing, the non-uniform optical pulse sequence comprising a plurality of non-uniform optical pulses, wherein each non-uniform optical pulse starts with a first peak power and ends with at least one second peak power, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; and the non-uniform optical pulse sequence can be synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from a camera using a non-standard operating method. The present solution can improve the imaging quality of active and range imaging systems.

Description

Adaptive illumination method and imaging system for active and range imaging TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of imaging technology, in particular to an adaptive illumination method and imaging system for active and range imaging. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of technology, 3D imaging technology is increasingly widely used in various fields. As one of the important technologies, the Time of Flight (TOF) 3D imaging system has attracted widespread attention due to its high precision and high speed. The core is to determine the distance of an object by measuring the time of a light pulse from emission to reflection back to the receiver.

[0003] However, the traditional TOF imaging system often faces problems such as unstable illumination power and imaging quality interference by ambient light.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present application provide an adaptive illumination method and imaging system for active and range imaging, which can improve the imaging quality of active and range imaging systems.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides an adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging, comprising:

[0007] generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy, the non-uniform light pulse sequence comprising a plurality of non-uniform light pulses;

[0008] wherein each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and at least one second peak power at the end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power;

[0009] wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from the camera in non-standard operation.

[0010] In the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in embodiments of the present application, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating the 3D depth data.

[0011] In the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in embodiments of the present application, the generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy comprises:

[0012] A first drive circuit and a light source are used to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing.

[0013] In the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in the embodiments of the present application, the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated according to a preset strategy, and includes:

[0014] A plurality of second drive circuits and a plurality of light sources are used to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing.

[0015] In the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in the embodiments of the present application, the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated at adjustable power levels and time widths or duty cycles.

[0016] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide an imaging system, including:

[0017] A generating unit is configured to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy, and the non-uniform light pulse sequence includes a plurality of non-uniform light pulses; wherein each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and at least one second peak power at the end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; and wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from a camera in a non-standard operation.

[0018] In the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating the 3D depth data.

[0019] In the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application, the generating unit is configured to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using a first drive circuit and a light source.

[0020] In the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application, the generating unit is configured to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using a plurality of second drive circuits and a plurality of light sources.

[0021] In the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application, the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated at adjustable power levels and time widths or duty cycles.

[0022] In summary, the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided by the embodiments of the present application comprises generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy, the non-uniform light pulse sequence comprising a plurality of non-uniform light pulses; wherein each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and at least one second peak power at the end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with the modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from the camera in non-standard operation. The non-uniform light pulse generated by the present scheme has a higher peak power at the beginning and is reduced to a smaller peak power at the end, which can keep the average illumination power unchanged, but the signal-to-noise ratio of near and far objects is improved, thereby improving the imaging quality of the active and range imaging system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a comparison diagram of two-stage adaptive illumination power pulses and standard uniform active illumination power pulses.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram of two-stage adaptive active illumination power pulses generated by using two different light sources and driving circuits.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of a typical three-pulse iTOF camera imaging system using the adaptive illumination method.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a diagram of the function relationship of depth and distance and the function relationship of signal-to-noise ratio and distance of the pulse iTOF camera using the uniform illumination method and the two-stage adaptive illumination method.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a comparison diagram of three-stage adaptive illumination power pulses and standard uniform active illumination power pulses.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a structural diagram of an imaging system provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of another adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a structural diagram of another imaging system provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0033] FIG. 10 is a timing diagram of subframe 1 and subframe 2 when employing an adaptive illumination method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Reference will now be made in detail embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description refers to the accompanying drawings in which the same numbers represent the same or similar elements between the drawings. The implementations set forth in the following description do not represent all implementations consistent with the application. Instead, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with aspects related to the application as recited by the claims attached hereto.

[0035] It should be noted that, in the present document, the terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but can also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element preceded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, foreclose the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. Also, like-named components having a same or similar function are typically identified in the description for each aspect by like reference numerals and letters.

[0036] It should be understood that the particular implementations described herein are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the application.

[0037] In the following description, the suffixes "module", "part" or "unit" used for an element are merely intended for facilitating a description of the present application, and do not have specific meanings or roles. Therefore, "module", "part" or "unit" can be mixedly used.

[0038] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", and the like, indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are merely used to facilitate the description of the present application and simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", are used for descriptive purposes only, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] The embodiments of the present application provide a self-adaptive illumination method and imaging system for active and distance imaging. The technical solutions shown in the present application will be described in detail through specific embodiments. It should be noted that the description order of the following embodiments is not limited as the priority order of the embodiments.

[0040] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a flowchart of the self-adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging provided by the embodiments of the present application. The specific process of the self-adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging can be as follows:

[0041] 101. Generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy, the non-uniform light pulse sequence including a plurality of non-uniform light pulses; wherein each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and at least one second peak power at the end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with the modulation clock of the TOF pixel array to generate the required 3D depth data from the camera in non-standard operation.

[0042] It can be understood that TOF technology is a commonly used 3D imaging technology, which obtains the depth information of an object by measuring the time required for a light pulse to be transmitted and received. When the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with the modulation clock of the TOF pixel array, it can ensure that the light pulse is transmitted and received at the best time, thereby generating the required 3D depth data from the camera.

[0043] In practical applications, the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing has wide application prospects. For example, in the field of autonomous driving, by accurately measuring the 3D depth information of objects on the road, the safety and driving efficiency of vehicles can be improved. In the medical field, this technology can be used to realize high-precision 3D medical imaging, providing doctors with more accurate diagnostic basis. In addition, in the fields of robot vision, virtual reality, etc., this technology also has wide application potential.

[0044] With the continuous progress of science and technology, the performance of imaging systems is also continuously improving. Among the many factors that affect the imaging quality, the distribution and control of illumination power are particularly important. The embodiments of the present application achieve the optimal distribution of illumination power by generating a special non-uniform light pulse, thereby effectively improving the imaging quality of the imaging system.

[0045] The characteristic of this non-uniform light pulse is that it has a high peak power at the beginning and gradually decreases to a small peak power at the end. The purpose of this design is to make full use of the high peak power of the light pulse in the initial stage to achieve sufficient illumination of nearby objects. In this way, during the imaging of nearby objects, a higher signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained, making the image details clearer and the edges sharper.

[0046] In addition, each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and at least one second peak power at the end. It is meant that the non-uniform light pulse can have multiple peak powers. For example, when the non-uniform light pulse has three second peak powers, the non-uniform light pulse has four peak powers. The peak powers of the non-uniform light pulse gradually decrease from the first peak power to the first second peak power, then decrease from the first second peak power to the second second peak power, and then decrease from the second second peak power to the third second peak power.

[0047] It is noted that the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated with adjustable power level and time width or duty cycle. Therefore, the peak power can be adjusted according to the application of the camera. In addition, the time width of the peak is also adjustable.

[0048] As the light pulse ends, the peak power decreases, which does not mean the weakening of the illumination effect. On the contrary, this design ingeniously utilizes the tail of the light pulse, so that the distant objects can also be sufficiently illuminated. Since the demand of the distant objects for light is relatively low, therefore, in the tail of the light pulse, even if the peak power decreases, it is sufficient to meet the illumination needs of the distant objects. In this way, the imaging quality of the distant objects is also improved, and the signal-to-noise ratio is improved.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 6, FIG. 2 is a comparison diagram of two-stage adaptive illumination power pulse (with one first power peak and one second power peak) and standard uniform active illumination power pulse. FIG. 6 is a comparison diagram of three-stage adaptive illumination power pulse (with one first power peak and two second power peaks) and standard uniform active illumination power pulse. In FIG. 6, LP emitted is the emitted light pulse, LP reflected is the reflected light pulse, Ambient. Light is the ambient light, Slightly more (1.866x) illumination power means slightly higher (1.866 times) illumination power, and the three peak powers have a ratio of (12, 22, 32) to compensate for the inverse square law. Wherein, the solid line is the adaptive illumination power pulse, and the dashed line is the standard uniform active illumination power pulse. The design of the non-uniform light pulse can keep the average illumination power unchanged. This means that, compared with the traditional uniform light pulse, the imaging quality can be improved without increasing the total illumination power. That is, the embodiment of the present application can bring significant benefits to the energy efficiency improvement and cost control of the imaging system.

[0050] In addition, the application of the non-uniform light pulse also improves the dynamic range of the imaging system. In a conventional imaging system, in order to obtain higher imaging quality, a very long integration time is often required, or a shorter light pulse and a higher modulation frequency are used. However, these methods often increase the complexity of the system, and even may introduce additional noise. However, by designing the non-uniform light pulse, the embodiments of the present application achieve the improvement of the dynamic range of the imaging system without increasing the complexity of the system, thereby achieving higher imaging quality.

[0051] It should be noted that the imaging system provided by the embodiments of the present application not only can generate accurate 3D depth data, but also can work as an active 2D IR (infrared) or 2D NIR (near-infrared) camera system without generating these data, to capture images of infrared or near-infrared light. This makes the imaging system have a wide application prospect in many fields.

[0052] In some embodiments, a first driving circuit and a light source can be used to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing. The key of this method lies in the design of the first driving circuit. The first driving circuit needs to have the ability of high precision, high stability and fast response, and can generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing by accurately controlling the waveform and timing of the current or voltage. At the same time, the selection of the light source is also very important, which needs to have the characteristics of high sensitivity and fast response, so as to accurately respond to the control signal of the driving circuit.

[0053] In another embodiment, multiple second driving circuits and multiple light sources can be used to generate non-uniform light pulse sequences with adaptive power timing. This method can control multiple light sources simultaneously, thus generating more complex light pulse sequences. Each second driving circuit can independently control one light source, and by precisely synchronizing the working timing of each second driving circuit, light pulse sequences with specific timing and power distribution can be generated. This method requires high coordination and stability among various components to ensure the accuracy of the generated light pulse sequences. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, FIG. 3 is a two-stage adaptive active illumination power pulse diagram generated using two different light sources and driving circuits. FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of a typical three-pulse iTOF camera imaging system using the adaptive illumination method. In FIG. 4, LP emitted is the emitted light pulse, LP reflected is the reflected light pulse, 1st Cycle is the first cycle, Nst Cycle is the Nth cycle, Integration time is the integration time, Readout Time is the readout time, PGA, PGB, and PGC are three tab control signals on the transfer gate in the iTOF pixel of the ToF pulse, their function is to guide the image generated signal to a specific readout circuit according to their detection time. PGDD is the control signal of the draining transfer gate, which is responsible for clearing any unnecessary light detection in the pixel during the idle operation time. The draining transfer gate refers to a specific circuit structure used to achieve signal transfer and impedance matching.

[0054] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the first driving circuit refers to a complex driving circuit, and the second driving circuit refers to a simple driving circuit. The complex driving circuit contains more electronic components and functional modules, and requires more complex design and layout, and needs to use multiple devices, integrated circuits, logic gates, timing circuits, etc. to meet the complex circuit function requirements. In contrast, the simple driving circuit is usually composed of fewer components and has a relatively simple design.

[0055] In summary, by generating non-uniform light pulses with higher peak power at the beginning and lower peak power at the end, the average illumination power remains unchanged, but the signal-to-noise ratio of near and far objects is improved (see FIG. 5, where the dashed line is a uniform illumination power pulse and the solid line is a two-stage adaptive illumination power pulse), thereby improving the imaging quality of the imaging system. And the dynamic range of the imaging system is also improved, without the need for a long integration time or shorter light pulses and higher modulation frequency. That is, the embodiments of the present application can achieve optimal allocation of illumination power, effectively improving the imaging quality of the imaging system while improving the dynamic range of the system.

[0056] To facilitate better implementation of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in the embodiments of the present application, the embodiments of the present application further provide an imaging system. The meanings of the terms are the same as those in the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging described above, and the specific implementation details can be referred to the description of the method embodiments.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of an imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application. The imaging system can include a generation unit 201.

[0058] The generation unit 201 is configured to generate a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset strategy, and the non-uniform light pulse sequence includes a plurality of non-uniform light pulses.

[0059] Each non-uniform light pulse has a first peak power at the beginning and a second peak power at the end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power.

[0060] The non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from the camera in a non-standard operation.

[0061] In some embodiments, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating 3D depth data.

[0062] In some embodiments, the generation unit 201 is configured to generate the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using one first driving circuit and one light source.

[0063] In another embodiment, the generation unit 201 is configured to generate the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using a plurality of second driving circuits and a plurality of light sources.

[0064] The specific implementation of each unit can be referred to the embodiments of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0065] In summary, the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application can generate non-uniform light pulses with a higher peak power at the beginning and a lower peak power at the end, so that the average illumination power remains unchanged, but the signal-to-noise ratio of near and far objects is improved, thereby improving the imaging quality of the imaging system. And the dynamic range of the imaging system is also improved, without the need for long integration time or shorter light pulses and higher modulation frequency. That is, the embodiments of the present application can realize the optimal allocation of illumination power, effectively improve the imaging quality of the imaging system, and at the same time improve the dynamic range of the system.

[0066] Please refer to FIG. 8, which is a flowchart of another adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging according to an embodiment of the present application. The specific process of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging can be as follows:

[0067] 301. Divide the operation range of the camera into multiple sub-areas, each of which has a different integration time.

[0068] 302. Set different peak powers for each sub-area according to its distance from the camera.

[0069] 303. Generate a short-time uniform light pulse sequence for each sub-area according to the peak power.

[0070] 304. Calculate 3D depth data according to the integration time corresponding to each sub-area.

[0071] The short-time uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with the modulation clock of the TOF pixel array to generate the required 3D depth data from the camera in multiple non-standard operations.

[0072] In the embodiments of the present application, the operation range of the camera can be divided into multiple sub-areas (sub-frames) with different integration times based on the distance of the object from the camera, so that each sub-area can be optimized according to actual needs.

[0073] For example, as shown in FIG. 9, for an object close to the camera, a shorter light pulse can be used for detection while maintaining a lower peak power. For an object far from the camera, although a shorter light pulse is also used, the imaging quality can be ensured by adjusting the offset time and increasing the peak power.

[0074] In FIG. 9, Subframe 1 is sub-frame 1, Subframe 2 is sub-frame 2, LED1 emitted is the light pulse emitted by LED1, LED1 reflected is the light pulse reflected by LED1, LED2 emitted is the light pulse emitted by LED2, LED2 reflected is the light pulse reflected by LED2, 1st Cycle is the first cycle, Nst Cycle is the Nth cycle, Integration time is the integration time, Readout Time is the readout time, and the meanings of PGA, PGB, PGC, and PGDD are the same as in the above embodiments. For details, please refer to the above embodiments.

[0075] It should be noted that the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application can not only generate accurate 3D depth data, but also work as an active 2D IR (infrared) or 2D NIR (near-infrared) camera system without generating the data to capture images of infrared or near-infrared light, so that the imaging system has wide application prospects in many fields.

[0076] In some embodiments, a first driving circuit and a light source can be used to generate a short-time uniform light pulse sequence according to the peak power. The key of this method is to design a driving circuit that can accurately control the output power of the light source. By finely adjusting the parameters of the driving circuit, the light source can be ensured to generate the required peak power within a specific time window, so as to generate a uniform light pulse sequence.

[0077] In another embodiment, a plurality of second driving circuits and a plurality of light sources can be used to generate a short-time uniform light pulse sequence according to the peak power. This method can achieve higher peak power output and finer pulse control by increasing the number of light sources and second driving circuits. Each light source is controlled by an independent second driving circuit, and the output power and pulse timing of each light source can be independently adjusted to generate a light pulse sequence with complex characteristics.

[0078] In actual application, according to the requirements of peak power and system complexity, a first driving circuit and a single light source or a plurality of second driving circuits and a plurality of light sources can be selected to generate a short-time uniform light pulse sequence.

[0079] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the first driving circuit refers to a complex driving circuit, and the second driving circuit refers to a simple driving circuit. The complex driving circuit contains more electronic elements and functional modules, and requires more complex design and layout, and requires the use of multiple devices, integrated circuits, logic gates, timing circuits, etc. to meet the complex circuit function requirements. In contrast, the simple driving circuit is usually composed of fewer elements and has a relatively simple design.

[0080] In summary, the embodiments of the present application make full use of the flexibility of optical power. Since the light power required by the distant object is high, the system meets the requirement by increasing the peak power instead of prolonging the integration time. In this way, the distant object can obtain sufficient exposure in a shorter time, thereby avoiding image blur or other quality problems that may be caused by long-time integration. At the same time, since the time of the light pulse is shorter, the average power is also effectively reduced, further improving the energy efficiency of the system.

[0081] To facilitate better implementation of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging provided in the embodiments of the present application, the embodiments of the present application further provide an imaging system. The meanings of the terms are the same as those in the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging described above, and the specific implementation details can be referred to the description of the method embodiments.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 10, FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of another imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application. The imaging system can include a division unit 401, a setting unit 402, a generation unit 403, and a calculation unit 404. The meanings of the terms are the same as those in the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging described above, and the specific implementation details can be referred to the description of the method embodiments.

[0083] The division unit 401 is configured to divide the operation range of the camera into a plurality of sub-regions, each of which has a different integration time.

[0084] The setting unit 402 is configured to set different peak powers according to the distance of each sub-region from the camera.

[0085] The generation unit 403 is configured to generate a short-time uniform light pulse sequence for each sub-region according to the peak power, wherein the short-time uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with the modulation clock of the TOF pixel array to generate the required 3D depth data from the camera in a plurality of non-standard operations.

[0086] The calculation unit 404 is configured to calculate the 3D depth data according to the integration time corresponding to each sub-region.

[0087] In some embodiments, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating 3D depth data.

[0088] In some embodiments, the generation unit 403 is configured to generate the short-time uniform light pulse sequence for each sub-region according to the peak power using a first driving circuit and a light source.

[0089] In another embodiment, the generation unit 403 is configured to generate the short-time uniform light pulse sequence for each sub-region according to the peak power using a plurality of second driving circuits and a plurality of light sources.

[0090] The specific implementation of each unit can be referred to the embodiments of the adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0091] In summary, the imaging system provided in the embodiments of the present application fully utilizes the flexibility of light power. Since the light power required by the distant object is higher, the system meets the requirement by increasing the peak power instead of prolonging the integration time. In this way, the distant object can obtain sufficient exposure in a shorter time, thereby avoiding image blur or other quality problems that may be caused by long-time integration. At the same time, since the time of the light pulse is shorter, the average power is also effectively reduced, further improving the energy efficiency of the system.

[0092] The electronic device can integrate the imaging system of the embodiments of the present application, and can include a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor implements the adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging of any of the above when executing the computer program.

[0093] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own focus, and the parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to the detailed description of the adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging above, which will not be repeated here.

[0094] It should be noted that for the adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging in the embodiments of the present application, those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the process of implementing the adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging in the embodiments of the present application can be completed by a computer program to control the relevant hardware, which can be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as a memory of a terminal, and executed by at least one processor in the terminal, and in the execution process, can include processes such as the embodiments of the adaptive illumination method for active and distance imaging.

[0095] For the imaging system of the embodiments of the present application, each functional module can be integrated in one processing chip, or each module can exist physically independently, or two or more modules can be integrated in one module. The integrated module can be realized in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional module. If the integrated module is realized in the form of software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer readable storage medium.

[0096] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application provide a storage medium, which stores a plurality of instructions. The instructions can be loaded by a processor to execute the steps of any of the adaptive illumination methods for active and distance imaging provided by the embodiments of the present application. The storage medium can be a disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0097] The adaptive illumination method and imaging system for active and distance imaging provided by the present application are described in detail above, the principles and implementation manners of the present application are described by applying specific examples in the present article, the above description of the embodiments is only used to help understand the core idea of the present application; meanwhile, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of the present application, the specific implementation manners and application ranges will have changes, and the above description should not be understood as the limitation of the present application.

Claims

1. An adaptive illumination method for active and range imaging, comprising: generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset policy, the non-uniform light pulse sequence comprising a plurality of non-uniform light pulses; wherein each of the non-uniform light pulses has a first peak power at a beginning and at least one second peak power at an end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from a camera in a non-standard operation.

2. The method for adaptive illumination for active and range imaging of claim 1, wherein, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating the 3D depth data.

3. The method for adaptive illumination for active and range imaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset policy comprises: generating the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using one first drive circuit and one light source.

4. The method for adaptive illumination for active and range imaging as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, the generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset policy comprises: generating the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using a plurality of second drive circuits and a plurality of light sources.

5. The method for adaptive illumination for active and range imaging according to claims 1 and 2, wherein, The non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated with adjustable power levels and time width or duty cycle.

6. An imaging system, comprising: a generating unit for generating a non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing according to a preset policy, the non-uniform light pulse sequence comprising a plurality of non-uniform light pulses; wherein each of the non-uniform light pulses has a first peak power at a beginning and at least one second peak power at an end, and the first peak power is greater than the second peak power; wherein the non-uniform light pulse sequence is synchronized with a modulation clock of a TOF pixel array to generate required 3D depth data from a camera in a non-standard operation.

7. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein, the imaging system works as an active 2D IR or 2D NIR camera system without generating the 3D depth data.

8. The imaging system of claim 6 or 7, wherein, the generating unit is configured to generate the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using one first drive circuit and one light source.

9. The imaging system of claim 6 or 7, wherein, the generating unit is configured to generate the non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing using a plurality of second drive circuits and a plurality of light sources.

10. The imaging system of claim 6 or 7, wherein, The non-uniform light pulse sequence with adaptive power timing is generated with adjustable power levels and time width or duty cycle.

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