Patent ID: 11962900
Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC G  H

Claim 15:
16. A device comprising:
a dual camera system comprising a first camera having a first field of view (FoV), and a second camera having a second FoV;
a transmitter (TX) lens;
an illumination source configured to project light through the TX lens;
a receiver (RX) lens configured to receive reflected photons originating from the illumination source; and
a time of flight (ToF) imaging array configured to receive the reflected photons via the RX lens, the ToF imaging array comprising:
a plurality of photodetectors occupying a first area surrounded by a first perimeter, and
a plurality of ToF channels coupled to the plurality of photodetectors, wherein:
in a first mode, the ToF imaging array is configured to activate the illumination source with a first intensity, and select a first group of photodetectors from the plurality of photodetectors, the first group of photodetectors occupying the first area and corresponding to the first FoV, wherein the plurality of ToF channels are configured to transmit ToF data corresponding to the first FoV, and
in a second mode, the ToF imaging array is configured to activate the illumination source with a second intensity and to select a second group of photodetectors from the plurality of photodetectors, the second group of photodetectors occupying a second area smaller than the first area, the second area being surrounded by a second perimeter that is within the first perimeter, wherein the second intensity is higher than the first intensity, and wherein the plurality of ToF channels are configured to transmit ToF data corresponding to the second FoV.