Patent ID: 11914078
Assignee: APPLE INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 11:
12. A method for imaging, comprising:
directing a first number, greater than one, of pulsed beams of optical radiation toward a target scene;
forming a first image of the target scene on an array of a second number of sensing elements, which output signals indicative of respective times of incidence of photons on the sensing elements, wherein the second number exceeds the first number;
calibrating the array so as to identifying areas of the array on which the pulses of optical radiation reflected from corresponding regions of the target scene are incident;
processing the signals from the sensing elements in the identified areas in order measure depth coordinates of the corresponding regions of the target scene based on the times of incidence;
capturing a second image of the target scene in registration with the first image;
upon a failure to receive usable signals from one or more of the identified areas of the array with respect to the corresponding regions of the scene, checking the second image in order to determine whether to identify the corresponding regions as no-depth regions; and
when the regions of the target scene corresponding to the one or more of the identified areas are not identified as no-depth regions, recalibrating the array so as to select one or more new areas of the array from which to receive the signals for processing.