Multispectral Sensor Integrating IR and Color Pixels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current camera systems requiring separate sensors for color and depth measurements, such as Time-of-Flight (TOF) cameras, face challenges in optimizing depth-measuring active regions and are prone to registration errors and spatial aliasing due to misalignment and differing optical properties between color and depth pixels.
Innovation Solution
A multispectral sensor with integrated IR and color sensing areas within each pixel, allowing for simultaneous detection of color and depth data without interpolation, optimizing the spatial arrangement and electrical connections to minimize performance loss and registration errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate color and depth sensors are used, then color data and depth data can be captured, but registration errors and spatial aliasing occur due to misalignment and differing optical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines color sensing pixels and depth-measuring pixels into a single integrated sensor array, where each pixel location contains both color measurement capability and depth measurement capability. This merging eliminates the registration errors and spatial aliasing that occur when separate sensors are used, as both measurement types are now performed from the exact same spatial location with identical optical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pixel in the integrated sensor serves multiple functions: it can measure color information (RGB wavelengths) and depth information (time-of-flight measurements) simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows a single sensor to replace what would traditionally require separate dedicated color camera and depth camera systems, achieving both measurement types with perfect spatial alignment.
2Ease of manufacture
If two separate sensors and lens systems are used, then color and depth measurements can be obtained, but increased bill of materials and calibration requirements result
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of two separate sensors and two separate lens systems into a single integrated sensor with one lens. This consolidation directly reduces the bill of materials by eliminating redundant components and simplifies manufacturing by requiring only one calibration process instead of two separate calibration procedures for matching sensor pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The single sensor system performs both color and depth measurements, making it a universal solution that replaces multiple specialized sensors. This multi-functionality reduces the total quantity of optical components needed while maintaining the ability to capture both types of data simultaneously from the same field of view.
3Measurement precision
If color pixels and depth pixels are spatially separated, then dedicated regions can be optimized, but spatial aliasing occurs due to different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges color sensing and depth measurement at each pixel location, eliminating the need for spatial separation. This allows both measurement types to be performed from the exact same position, removing the requirement for interpolation and avoiding spatial aliasing errors that would otherwise necessitate complex post-processing operations.
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
Enables the creation of accurate color/depth 3D images with minimal registration errors and spatial aliasing, providing a single sensor solution for color, depth, and IR reflectance measurements, enhancing the optically active depth-measuring region and reducing the need for interpolation.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate in which charge carriers are generatable in response to light incident on the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a first filter element configured for letting pass light of a first wavelength range, wherein the first filter element overlaps a portion of the substrate comprising the first and second contact elements
Implementation Method 3
a second filter element configured for letting pass light of a second wavelength range, wherein the second filter element overlaps a portion of the substrate comprising the second detection element
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a color and non-visible light e.g. IR sensor, namely a multispectral sensor which can be used in a camera such as a TOF camera for depth measurement, reflectance measurement and color measurement, and for generation of 3D image data or 3D images as well as the camera itself and methods of operating the same.