Distance detection device and method including dynamically adjusted frame rate

摘要

A device including an emitter that transmits light in a series of frames, wherein each frame in the series includes at least one pulse. The device includes a receiver that receives, for each frame in the series, the at least one pulse reflected from a target, and generates, in response to receiving the at least one pulse in a current frame, an output for calculating a distance between the target and the device for the current frame. The device includes circuitry that calculates, for each frame in the series, the distance between the target and the device based on the receiver output. The circuitry dynamically controls a frame rate for each frame in the series based on the distance calculated in a frame immediately preceding the current frame, and controls the emitter such that the at least one pulse is emitted in the current frame at the calculated frame rate.

主权项

1. A distance detection device comprising:
a light emitter configured to transmit light in a series of frames, wherein each frame in the series of frames includes at least one light pulse; a light receiver configured to
receive, for each frame in the series of frames, the at least one light pulse when the at least one light pulse is reflected from a target, andgenerate, in response to receiving the at least one light pulse in a current frame of the series of frames, an output for calculating a distance between the target and the distance detection device for the current frame; and circuitry configured to
calculate, for each frame in the series of frames, the distance between the target and the distance detection device based on the output of the light receiver,dynamically control a frame rate for each frame in the series of frames based on the distance calculated in a frame immediately preceding the current frame, andcontrol the light emitter such that the at least one light pulse is emitted in the current frame at the frame rate calculated based on the distance in the immediately preceding frame, wherein the light receiver includes at least two light sensors that detect the at least one light pulse, the circuitry is configured to control the at least two light sensors by outputting a gate signal to each of the at least two light sensors, wherein the gate signal controls a time interval during which light may be detected by the at least two light sensors, the gate signals output by the circuitry are offset in phase with respect to each other, the light receiver output represents an amount of electrical charge generated by each of the at least two sensors as a result of each of the at least two light sensors detecting the at least one light pulse during the time interval defined by the gate signal, the circuitry is configured to determine whether one or more of the amounts of electrical charge generated by each of the at least two sensors exceeds a predetermined threshold level, and when neither of the amounts of electrical charge generated by each of the at least two sensors exceeds the predetermined threshold level, the circuitry is further configured to dynamically control the frame rate by extending the current frame so as to include a detection of at least one more light pulse by the light receiver.