Single Image Sensor for Capturing Mixed Structured-light Images and Regular Images

摘要

A method and device for improving the accuracy of depth information derived from a structured-light image for a regular image are disclosed. In one example, an additional structured-light image is captured before a first structured-light image or after a regular image. The depth information for the regular image can be derived from the first structured-light image and corrected by incorporating depth information from the additional structured-light image. A model for depth information can be used to predict or interpolate depth information for the regular image. In another example, two regular sub-images may be captured with a structured-light image in between. If substantial frame differences or substantial global motion vector/block motion vectors are detected, the two regular sub-images will not be combined in order to avoid possible motion smear. Instead, one of the two sub-images will be selected and scaled as the output regular image.

主权项

1. A method of deriving depth information for one regular image from structured-light images using a camera comprising an image sensor, the method comprising:
capturing a first structured-light image using the image sensor during a first frame period by applying first reset signals to the image sensor to reset rows of pixels of the image sensor, exposing the rows of pixels of the image sensor to structured light to cause first analog signals from the rows of pixels, and converting the first analog signals from the rows of pixels of the image sensor into first digital outputs for the first structured-light image using one or more analog-to-digital converters; capturing a second structured-light image using the image sensor during a second frame period by applying second reset signals to the image sensor to reset rows of pixels of the image sensor, exposing the rows of pixels of the image sensor to the structured light to cause second analog signals from the rows of pixels, and converting the second analog signals from the rows of pixels of the image sensor into second digital outputs for the second structured-light image using said one or more analog-to-digital converters; capturing a regular image using the image sensor during a third frame period by applying third reset signals to the image sensor to reset the rows of pixels of the image sensor, exposing the rows of pixels to non-structured light to cause third analog signals from the rows of pixels, and converting the third analog signals from the rows of pixels into third digital outputs for the regular image using said one or more analog-to-digital converters; deriving first depth information from the first structured-light image; deriving second depth information from the second structured-light image; and deriving current depth information associated with the regular image based on the first depth information and the second depth information; and wherein the regular image is captured before, after or between the first structured-light image and the second structured-light image; and wherein the third frame period is longer than the first frame period and the second frame period.