Dynamic Light Emitter Array for Depth Sensing Range Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented Reality (AR) systems face challenges in accurately determining the positions of physical objects in real-world environments due to the merging of light beams from adjacent structured light projectors when viewed from close distances, leading to reduced depth resolution accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically adjusts the separation of light emitters by deactivating or activating them based on the distance from the camera, modifying the emitted light pattern to maintain accurate depth computations by preventing beam merging and optimizing light distribution for varying distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the emitters are placed close to each other to provide more detectable points, then depth computation accuracy is improved, but light beams from adjacent emitters merge and become unresolvable when viewed from close distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the emission pattern of light emitters based on the detected distance to the camera. When the camera is close, emitters are deactivated to increase separation and prevent beam merging. When the camera is far, more emitters are activated to maintain detection accuracy. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between needing close emitter spacing for accuracy and maintaining beam resolvability at close viewing distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the light emitters based on distance conditions. By modifying which emitters are active and adjusting their emission characteristics according to the camera distance, the system optimizes both depth computation accuracy and beam resolvability for different viewing conditions.
2Reliability
If the emitters are separated by a large distance to prevent beam merging at close range, then beam resolvability is improved, but depth resolution accuracy is reduced when viewed from farther distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static emitter configuration to a dynamic one where emitter activation changes based on camera distance. This allows the effective emitter separation to be optimized for each viewing condition, maintaining both beam resolvability and depth accuracy across different ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The same emitter array serves multiple functions at different distances: providing sufficient separation to prevent merging at close range, and providing enough detectable points for accurate depth computation at far distances. The system achieves this multi-functionality through dynamic emitter selection based on detected distance.
3Measurement precision
If more emitters are activated to maintain accuracy at farther distances, then depth resolution accuracy is improved, but light beam merging occurs when the camera is closer
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls emitter activation based on real-time distance detection. When the camera is far away, more emitters are activated to provide sufficient detectable points for accurate depth resolution. When the camera moves closer, fewer emitters are activated to increase effective separation and prevent beam merging. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between maintaining accuracy at distance and preventing merging at close range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach extends the range of distances for accurate depth calculations, maintaining high resolution by ensuring light beams remain resolvable across different viewing distances, thereby enhancing the accuracy of depth maps in AR applications.
Implementation Method 1
The projectors emit may structured light of known patterns into an environment and the detector may detect reflections of the emitted light from objects in the environment
Implementation Method 2
The reflections may be used to compute depth information for objects within the environment. For example, a depth map that represents the three-dimensional features of objects in the environment may be generated by triangulating the emitted light and detected reflected light
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a system includes at least one projector comprising a plurality of light emitters, where the projector is configured to project a projected pattern comprising a plurality of projected features having different locations; a camera configured to capture an image comprising a detected pattern corresponding to a reflection of the projected pattern; and one or more processors configured to: identify at least one detected feature of the detected pattern, wherein the detected feature corresponds to at least one reflection of the projected features; and activate or deactivate one or more of the light emitters based on the detected feature. The light emitters may be activated or deactivated by determining a detected feature measurement based on the detected feature, and activating or deactivating one or more of the light emitters when the detected feature measurement satisfies a threshold feature measurement condition.