JP-2026075590-A - Multi-channel point, line, and/or grid projection device

Abstract

[Problem] The sensing system may include an illumination projection device, an image sensor, and one or more controllers. [Solution] The illumination projection device can project a partial illumination pattern onto an object. An image sensor can sense the partial illumination pattern projected onto the object and generate a signal representing the sensed illumination pattern. One or more controllers can control the illumination projection device and process the signals generated by the image sensor. The illumination projection device may include a microlens array and an emitter array. The spatial relationship between the emitters of the emitter array and the microlenses of the microlens array allows the emitter array and microlens array to project light onto the object in a partial illumination pattern. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

• ジェーソン・オダニエル
• イ－ユン・チェン
• ホン－チー・リウ
• ペイ－ソン・カイ
• フランチェスコ・スキアットーン

Assignees

• ツー－シックス デラウェア インコーポレイテッド

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20250716

Priority Date

20250320

Claims (20)

1. A lighting projection device, A microlens array comprising a microlens array which includes microlenses arranged at each lens pitch between the microlenses of the microlens array, An emitter array comprising an emitter array including emitters arranged at each emitter pitch between emitters of the emitter array, The emitter of the emitter array emits light through the microlenses of the microlens array, The spatial relationship between the emitter pitch and the lens pitch is such that the emitter array and microlens array project light onto an object in a partial illumination pattern. Lighting projection device.
2. An illumination projection device according to claim 1, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a point illumination pattern.
3. An illumination projection device according to claim 1, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a linear illumination pattern.
4. An illumination projection device according to claim 1, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a grid illumination pattern.
5. The illumination projection device according to claim 1, The emitters of the emitter array are arranged in an emitter row, Each emitter row has a uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. Lighting projection device.
6. The illumination projection device according to claim 1, The emitters of the emitter array are arranged in an emitter row, Each emitter row has a non-uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. Lighting projection device.
7. A lighting projection device according to claim 1, comprising one or more controllers, The emitter array comprises a first emitter group and a second emitter group, The one or more controllers are configured to switch between illumination via the first emitter group and illumination via the second emitter group. The first spatial relationship of the first emitter group with respect to the microlens array is such that the first emitter group and the microlens array project light onto the object in a first partial illumination pattern. The second spatial relationship of the second emitter group with respect to the microlens array is such that the second emitter group and the microlens array project light onto the object with a second partial illumination pattern that is spatially shifted with respect to the first partial illumination pattern. Lighting projection device.
8. An illumination projection device according to claim 7, wherein the second partial illumination pattern illuminates the portion of an object not illuminated by the first partial illumination pattern.
9. The illumination projection device according to claim 7, The first emitter of the first emitter group is located in the first emitter row, Each first emitter row has a uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The first emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. Lighting projection device.
10. The illumination projection device according to claim 9, The second emitter of the second emitter group is located in the second emitter row. Each second emitter row has the uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective second emitters. The illumination projection device is such that the second emitter rows are arranged at the uniform vertical pitch between adjacent second emitter rows.
11. A sensing system, A lighting projection device configured to project a partial lighting pattern onto an object, An image sensor configured to sense the partial illumination pattern projected onto the object and to generate a signal representing the sensed illumination pattern, The system comprises one or more controllers configured to control the illumination projection device and process the signals generated by the image sensor, The illumination projection device comprises a microlens array and an emitter array, The spatial relationship between the emitters of the emitter array and the microlenses of the microlens array is such that the emitter array and the microlens array project light onto the object in the partial illumination pattern. Sensing system.
12. A sensing system according to claim 11, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a point illumination pattern.
13. A sensing system according to claim 11, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a linear illumination pattern.
14. A sensing system according to claim 11, wherein the partial illumination pattern includes a grid illumination pattern.
15. A sensing system according to claim 11, The emitters of the emitter array are arranged in the emitter row, Each emitter row has a uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. Sensing system.
16. A sensing system according to claim 11, The emitters of the emitter array are arranged in the emitter row, Each emitter row has a non-uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. Sensing system.
17. A sensing system according to claim 11, The emitter array comprises a first emitter group and a second emitter group, The one or more controllers are configured to switch between illumination via the first emitter group and illumination via the second emitter group. The first spatial relationship of the first emitter group with respect to the microlens array is such that the first emitter group and the microlens array project light onto the object in a first partial illumination pattern. The second spatial relationship of the second emitter group with respect to the microlens array is such that the second emitter group and the microlens array project light onto the object with a second partial illumination pattern that is spatially shifted with respect to the first partial illumination pattern. Sensing system.
18. A sensing system according to claim 17, The first emitter of the first emitter group is located in the first emitter row, Each first emitter row has a uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective first emitters. The first emitter rows are arranged with a uniform vertical pitch between adjacent first emitter rows. The second emitter of the second emitter group is located in the second emitter row, Each second emitter row has the uniform horizontal emitter pitch between its respective second emitters. The second emitter row is arranged with the uniform vertical pitch between adjacent second emitter rows. Sensing system.
19. A sensing system according to claim 11, wherein one or more controllers determine the distance of the object from the image sensor based on the deformation of the partial illumination pattern.
20. A sensing system according to claim 11, wherein one or more controllers determine the distance of an object from the image sensor based on the timing difference between the pulse of light emitted from the illumination projection device and the reception of the pulse by the image sensor.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications [0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/710,173, filed on 22 October 2024, the disclosures of which U.S. Provisional Application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0002] Aspects of this disclosure relate to sensing devices, and more specifically, to illumination projection devices for sensing devices. [0003] A sensing system may use a flood illumination projector to illuminate an object (e.g., an eye, hand, person, etc.) and track, sense, and/or detect its movement. The sensing range or distance of such a sensing system depends on the light output of the flood illumination projector. In particular, the illumination range of the flood illumination projector, and thus the sensing range of the sensing system, can be increased by increasing the light output of the illumination projector. However, due to eye safety concerns, the light output of the flood illumination projector may not be increased beyond a certain level. Therefore, eye safety concerns substantially limit the illumination range of the flood illumination projector and the sensing range of such a sensing system. [0004] Further limitations and drawbacks of conventional methods will become apparent to those skilled in the art through a comparison of some aspects of the present disclosure, as described in the remainder of this application with reference to the drawings, and such systems. [0005]Sensing systems such as, for example, 3D sensing systems, eye-tracking systems, robotic systems, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems, driver monitoring systems (DMS), and/or occupant monitoring systems (OMS), as well as lighting projection devices used with such sensing systems. Various embodiments describe lighting projection devices that illuminate an object using a partial illumination pattern. A partial illumination pattern can effectively increase the illumination range of a lighting projection device compared to a conventional flood lighting projection device operating at similar light output power. For example, the illumination projection device may include a point projection device, a line projection device, or a grid projection device that concentrates its power into several points, lines, or grids to increase the illumination range. In this way, the sensing system can increase the illumination range and sensing range of its illumination projection device while maintaining the output power level below eye safety requirements. [0006] Details of these and other advantages, aspects, and novel features of the present disclosure, as well as of the illustrated embodiments, will be better understood from the following description and drawings. [0007] Various features and advantages of this disclosure can be more readily understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar structural elements. [0008] This figure shows a sensing system that projects a partial illumination pattern onto an object in the field of illumination (FOI).[0009] This figure shows the point illumination patterns that the sensing system of Figure 1 can project onto an object.[0010] This figure shows the linear illumination patterns that the sensing system of Figure 1 can project onto an object.[0011] This figure shows the grid illumination patterns that the sensing system of Figure 1 can project onto an object.[0012] This figure shows a flood lighting pattern that the sensing system can project onto an object.[0013] This figure shows the relationship between a single emitter and a microlens array.[0014] This figure shows the implementation of the lighting projection device for the sensing system shown in Figure 1.[0015] This figure shows two line illumination patterns that are offset by 1/3 of the line spacing.[0016] Figure 7A shows a portion of one lighting pattern that is offset by 1/3 of the line spacing. Figure 7B shows a portion of another lighting pattern that is offset by 1/3 of the line spacing. Figure 7C shows a portion of yet another lighting pattern that is offset by 1/3 of the line spacing.[0017] Figure 8A is a diagram showing the lighting pattern. Figure 8B is a diagram showing the sinusoidal change in the intensity value of the lighting pattern.[0018] This figure shows the spatial relationship between the emitter and the microlens, and the influence they have on the emitter distribution across multiple microlenses.This figure shows the spatial relationship between the emitter and the microlens, and their influence on the emitter distribution across multiple microlenses.This figure shows the spatial relationship between the emitter and the microlens, and their influence on the emitter distribution across multiple microlenses. [0019] Various examples of sensing systems, illumination projection devices, and associated illumination patterns are descri