Interference reduction for TOF systems

摘要

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to time-of-flight (TOF) systems, and methods for use therewith, that substantially reduce interference that the TOF system may cause to at least one other system that is configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light signals. Some such embodiments involve emitting IR light having a low frequency (LF) power envelope that is shaped to substantially reduce frequency content within at least one frequency range known to be used by at least one other system that may be in close proximity to the TOF system. Such embodiments can also involve detecting at least a portion of the emitted RF modulated IR light that has reflected off one or more objects. A TOF system can produce depth images in dependence on results of the detecting, as well as update an application in dependence on the depth images.

主权项

1. For use by a time-of-flight (TOF) system that emits and detects infrared (IR) light, a method for substantially reducing interference that the TOF system may cause to at least one non-TOF system that is configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light remote control signals, the method comprising:
producing a radio frequency (RF) modulated drive signal; driving an IR light source with the RF modulated drive signal; in response to the driving emitting IR light having a low frequency (LF) power envelope that is shaped to substantially reduce frequency content within at least a frequency range from 10 kHz to 100 kHz that is available for use by at least one non-TOF system configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light remote control signals, wherein at least a portion of IR light being emitted by the TOF system is RF modulated IR light having a carrier frequency of at least 5 MHz; and detecting at least a portion of the emitted RF modulated IR light that has reflected off one or more objects; wherein the producing the RF modulated drive signal includes, when transitioning from a period that the drive signal does not include pulses to a period that the drive signal includes pulses, at least one of
incrementally ramping up pulse amplitudes of the drive signal,incrementally ramping up pulse duty cycles of the drive signal,incrementally ramping down temporal gaps between pulses or pulse trains of the drive signal, orincrementally ramping down how often gaps occur between pulses or pulse trains of the drive signal.