Incoherent Digital Holography Depth Camera
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing depth cameras face limitations in depth range and power consumption due to reliance on complex and power-intensive light sources, such as time-of-flight sensors and structured light projectors, which restrict their applications and increase architectural and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of incoherent digital holography, where an electronic device captures ambient light, splits it into light fields with phase curvatures using a spatial light modulator or piezoelectric device, generates phase-shifted holograms, and determines depth maps without active light sources or mechanical scans, reducing power consumption and architectural requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time-of-flight sensors or structured light projectors are used to measure depth, then depth measurement capability is achieved, but power consumption increases and depth range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active mechanical light sources (lasers, projectors) with a passive optical system that uses ambient light. The spatial light modulator modulates ambient light to create holographic interference patterns, eliminating the need for power-intensive active illumination while maintaining depth measurement capability through incoherent digital holography
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses ambient light from the environment as its light source, making the system self-sufficient without requiring external power-intensive illumination. The ambient light serves the dual purpose of illumination and holographic interference, reducing power consumption while enabling depth measurement
2Measurement precision
If complex projectors are used to project structured light, then depth measurement is enabled, but device complexity and architectural requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical projection systems with a spatial light modulator that can be integrated into the camera module. This electronic modulation of ambient light creates the necessary holographic patterns without requiring separate projector hardware, reducing architectural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the depth measurement function with the existing camera module by integrating a spatial light modulator into the camera. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate projector and sensor systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining depth measurement capability
3Measurement precision
If active light sources are used for depth measurement, then depth range is extended, but power consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive ambient light instead of expensive active light sources like lasers. By leveraging freely available environmental light, the system reduces component costs while maintaining depth measurement functionality through computational holographic methods
Solution Approach 2:
The replacement of expensive active illumination systems with passive ambient light modulation simplifies the bill of materials and reduces manufacturing costs, making the depth camera more cost-effective while maintaining measurement capability
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 enables the generation of depth maps with reduced power consumption and architectural complexity, maintaining camera resolution without the need for active light sources or mechanical scans, thus enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of depth camera systems.
Implementation Method 1
split the captured light into a number of light fields with a number of phase curvatures
Implementation Method 2
generate, for the one or more objects, a number of holograms based on the plurality of light fields
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a spatial light modulator (SLM) or piezoelectric device
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes capturing light reflected off one or more objects and splitting the captured light into a plurality of light fields with a plurality of phase curvatures. The method further includes generating, for the one or more objects, a plurality of holograms based on the plurality of light fields and determining, for each of the plurality of holograms, an intensity and a phase-shift of the hologram. The method thus includes generating a depth map comprising depth information for the one or more objects based at least in part on a function determined by the respective phase-shifts of the plurality of holograms.