Patent Description:
The development of electronic technology has led to the development of a variety of electronic apparatuses. In particular, there has recently been developed an electronic apparatus, such as an automated driving vehicle that performs driving on behalf of a human, an automated guided vehicle that classifies goods by itself, and carries the goods to a destination, and a robot cleaner that performs cleaning while driving the indoor space within a house by itself.

To prevent a collision with an object during driving, this kind of electronic apparatus needs to sense various objects located around the electronic apparatus. For this purpose, an electronic apparatus having a sensor (e.g., an image sensor or a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor or the like) capable of sensing an object around an electronic apparatus using a plurality of light sources has been developed.

A related-art electronic apparatus having a plurality of light source-based sensors emits a plurality of light through a plurality of light sources, and when a plurality of reflected light is received in the sensor, it is recognized that different objects exist at different positions. However, the plurality of reflected light may be light reflected from one object, rather than light reflected from different objects. In the latter case, the related-art electronic apparatus has a problem of recognizing as if a plurality of objects are present, even though only one object is actually present around the electronic apparatus.

<CIT> describes triangulation applied as a safety scanner. <CIT> describes optoelectronic modules operable to collect distance data via time-of-flight and triangulation. <CIT> relates to determining positional information for an object in space. <CIT> describes an infrared laser illumination device.

The disclosure provides an electronic apparatus capable of identifying whether a plurality of reflected lights received at a sensor are lights reflected by one object or by a plurality of objects and a method for controlling thereof.

In accordance with the invention, an electronic apparatus as defined by claim <NUM> of the claims appended hereto is provided.

In accordance with the invention, a method for controlling an electronic apparatus as defined by claim <NUM> of the claims appended hereto is provided.

According to various embodiments as described above, an electronic apparatus capable of identifying whether a plurality of reflected light received in a sensor is light reflected by one object or light reflected by a plurality of objects, and a control method thereof may be provided.

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding, but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.

Various example embodiments will be described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings, but it will be understood that the disclosure is not limited by the various example embodiments described herein.

Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described in greater detail below with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, electronic apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be a movable electronic apparatus. As an example, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may be an automated driving vehicle that performs driving on behalf of a person, an automated guided vehicle capable of moving goods to a destination, or a robot cleaner capable of performing a cleaning operation while driving a space in a house. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto and the electronic apparatus <NUM> may be implemented with a variety of electronic apparatuses, such as a robot capable of performing an air cleaning operation while driving in a space of a building, a housework support type robot capable of performing a work such as a clothes arrangement, dish-washing, and the like, while driving in a space of a house, or a guard robot capable of performing a guard work while driving in a space of a building, or the like.

The electronic apparatus <NUM> may irradiate a plurality of light through a plurality of light sources. The light irradiated by each light source may be, for example, a fan-shaped planar light, but the embodiment is not limited thereto and may be in various forms.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may irradiate a first light <NUM> through a first light source <NUM> and irradiate a second light <NUM> through a second light source <NUM>. The first light source <NUM> may irradiate the first light <NUM> in a front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate the second light <NUM> in a downward direction by a predetermined angle from the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>. In one example, the second light source <NUM> may irradiate the second light in the downward direction by <NUM> degrees from the front direction.

The second light source <NUM> may be located at a lower portion of the first light source <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The first light source <NUM> and the second light source <NUM> may be disposed at a left side or a right side at the same height.

Two light sources are illustrated in <FIG>, but this is only one embodiment and the number of light sources is not so limited. The electronic apparatus <NUM> may include three or more light sources. In this example, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may irradiate two or more lights through a splitter included in the light source. In one example, when the light irradiated by the splitter is two, the first light of the two lights may be irradiated in the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and the second light may be irradiated in the downward direction from the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM> by a predetermined angle.

For convenience of description, it is assumed that the electronic apparatus <NUM> includes two light sources.

When the first light <NUM> irradiated by the first light source <NUM> and the second light <NUM> irradiated by the second light source <NUM> are reflected by an object, a sensor <NUM> of the electronic apparatus <NUM> may receive the first reflected light and the second reflected light. The first reflected light may be light reflected by the object and the second reflected light may be light reflected by the object. For example, referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light <NUM> when the first light <NUM> is reflected by the first object <NUM>, and may receive the second reflected light <NUM> when the second light <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM>. For convenience of description, referring to <FIG>, the light irradiated by the light source is illustrated in a solid line form and the reflected light reflected by the object is illustrated in a dotted line, but the shape of the reflected light depends on the type of light.

The sensor <NUM> is implemented as an image sensor including a plurality of pixels.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> is implemented with an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix form, and the ratio of the width to height of the plurality of pixels may be <NUM>:<NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving a plurality of reflected lights according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, when the first light <NUM> is reflected by the first object <NUM> and the second light <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light <NUM> and the second reflected light <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. According to the invention, the electronic apparatus <NUM> calculates a distance from the first light source <NUM> to the first object <NUM> based on the position of the pixels which receive the first reflected light <NUM>, among the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>, and may calculate a distance from the second light source <NUM> to the second object <NUM> based on the position of the pixels which receive the second reflected light <NUM>. This will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic apparatus <NUM> includes the first light source <NUM>, the second light source <NUM>, the sensor <NUM>, and a processor <NUM>.

The first light source <NUM> irradiates the first light <NUM>. The first light source <NUM> may irradiate the first light in the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may identify an object located remotely from the electronic apparatus <NUM> and/or an object located nearby based on the first reflected light of the first light.

The second light source <NUM> irradiates the second light in a direction different from the first light. The first light source <NUM> may irradiate the first light in the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate the second light in the downward direction by a predetermined angle from the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>. In one example, the second light source <NUM> may irradiate the second light in the downward direction by <NUM> degrees from the front direction, but is not necessarily limited thereto. As will be described below, the processor <NUM> may identify an object that is located at a near distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM> based on the second reflected light of the second light.

The first light source <NUM> and the second light source <NUM> may be implemented as various light sources that may irradiate light such as laser diode, line laser, or the like.

The sensor <NUM> may be located at an upper portion of the first light source <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> receives receive reflected light of the light irradiated toward the object. The sensor <NUM> receives receive the first reflected light when the first light irradiated by the first light source <NUM> is reflected by the object, and receives the second reflected light when the second light irradiated by the second light source <NUM> is reflected by the object.

The sensor <NUM> is. implemented as an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, as described above. The plurality of pixels may be arranged in a form of M × M or M × N where M and N are integers. For example, referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may be composed of <NUM> pixels, and <NUM> pixels may be arranged in ten rows and twenty columns, but are not necessarily limited thereto. However, for convenience of description, the sensor <NUM> is assumed to be arranged in ten rows and twenty columns, as illustrated in <FIG>.

When the reflected light is received from the sensor <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> may sense a pixel that has received the reflected light among the plurality of pixels. Specifically, the sensor <NUM> may sense a pixel having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as a pixel that has received the reflected light. The predetermined brightness value may be variously set according to the brightness value of the light irradiated by the light source.

Referring to <FIG>, a plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM> are divided into pixels of a first region and pixels in a second region. The first region is a region for calculating a distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM> to an object located at a distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and the second region may be a region for calculating a distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM> to an object located at a near distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

A plurality of pixels is divided into pixels in a first region and pixels in a second region based on pixels of a predetermined row. For example, if the predetermined row is a row <NUM>, the pixels included in a lower row of row <NUM> including row <NUM> may be divided into pixels of the first region, and the pixels included in the upper row of row <NUM> (i.e., rows <NUM> to row <NUM>) may be divided into pixels in the second region.

The predetermined row may be determined based on a location where reflected light by the light of the second light source <NUM> may be received at the sensor <NUM>. For example, if the reflected light by the light of the second light source <NUM> may only be received in pixels included in rows <NUM> to <NUM> among the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>, the predetermined row may be row <NUM>. The position in which the reflected light by the light of the second light source <NUM> may be received in the sensor <NUM> may be different according to the embodiment based on the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, the angle at which the sensor <NUM> is inclined in the ground direction, or the like.

The processor <NUM> may control overall operations of the electronic apparatus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may include, for example, and without limitation, one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or the like. The processor <NUM> may be implemented as at least one of a general processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a microcomputer (MICOM), or the like.

The processor <NUM> may control the first light source <NUM> to irradiate the first light and control the second light source <NUM> to irradiate the second light. In this example, when the first light irradiated by the first light source <NUM> is reflected by the object, the sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light, and if the second light irradiated by the second light source <NUM> is reflected by the object, the sensor <NUM> may receive the second reflected light.

The processor <NUM> may receive information from the sensor <NUM> regarding the location of the pixels that received the first reflected light and the locations of the pixels that received the second reflected light from among the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>. When the first and second reflected lights are received, the sensor <NUM> may sense the brightness of a plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may sense pixels having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as pixels receiving the first reflected light and pixels receiving the second reflected light, and may transmit information regarding the position of the pixels receiving the first reflected light and the position of the pixels receiving the second reflected light to the processor <NUM>. For example, as shown in <FIG>, when first reflected light <NUM> is received at columns <NUM> - <NUM> of row <NUM>, and second reflected light <NUM> is received in columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> may transmit, to the processor <NUM>, information that first reflected light <NUM> is received to columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM> and information that second reflected light <NUM> is received in columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may determine (or identify) whether the position of the pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM> is included in the first region or in the second region. The processor <NUM> may determine whether the position of the pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM> is included in the first region or in the second region. In one example, when the processor <NUM> receives information from the sensor <NUM> that the first reflected light <NUM> has been received from the sensor <NUM> in the columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>, since the row which received the first reflected light <NUM> is low <NUM> that is upper portion than low <NUM> which is a predetermined low row and thus, it is determined that the first reflected light <NUM> is received in the first region. When the processor <NUM> receives the information from the sensor <NUM> that the second reflected light <NUM> has been received in columns <NUM> to <NUM> of row <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may determine that the second reflected light <NUM> is received in the second region since the row which received the second reflected light <NUM> is a low which is in a row lower than row <NUM> that is the predetermined row.

The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> included in the first region as reflected light by the first light, and may identify the second reflected light <NUM> included in the second region as reflected light by the second light. For example, as shown in <FIG>, as the first light <NUM> is reflected by a first object <NUM> and the second light <NUM> is reflected by a second object <NUM>, if the first reflected light <NUM> and the second reflected light <NUM> are received in the sensor <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> included in the first region as reflected light by the first light, and may identify that the second reflected light <NUM> included in the second region as reflected light by the second light. This is because, as described above, the first region is a region in which reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may not be received.

The first and second reflected light may be received in the second region. This will be described with reference to <FIG>.

When the first reflected light <NUM> by the first light <NUM> is identified, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance from the first light source <NUM> and the first object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> using the first algorithm. When the second reflected light <NUM> by the second light <NUM> is identified by the processor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance from the second light source <NUM> to the second object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> using the second algorithm. The processor <NUM> may calculate a first distance from the object that reflects the first light <NUM> and the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the second distance from the object that reflects the second light <NUM> and the electronic apparatus <NUM> using a different calculation scheme. Hereinafter, for convenience, assuming an example where only the first reflected light <NUM> is received at the sensor <NUM>, and an example where only the second reflected light <NUM> is received at the sensor <NUM>, the method of calculating the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object will be described.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a case where reflected light is received by light of a first light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving reflected light by light of a first light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating a distance between an electronic apparatus and an object based on the reflected light by light of the first light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, when the first light <NUM> irradiated by the first light source <NUM> is reflected by the first object <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light <NUM>. In this example, when the first reflected light <NUM> is received, the sensor <NUM> may sense the brightness of the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may sense pixels having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as pixels receiving the first reflected light <NUM>, and transmit the position of the pixels received by the first reflected light <NUM> to the processor <NUM>. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may transmit, to the processor <NUM>, information that the first reflected light <NUM> has been received at columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>.

Accordingly, the processor <NUM> may determine whether the position of the pixels that receive the first reflected light <NUM> is included in the first region or in the second region. In one example, when the processor <NUM> receives information from the sensor <NUM> that the first reflected light <NUM> has been received, from the sensor <NUM>, in the columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>, since the row in which the first reflected light <NUM> is received is <NUM> which is the upper row than row <NUM> that is a predetermined row, the processor <NUM> may determine that the first reflected light <NUM> is received in the first region.

The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> included in the first region as reflected light by the first light. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, as the first light <NUM> is reflected by the first object <NUM>, when the first reflected light <NUM> is received by the sensor <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> included in the first region as reflected light by the first light. This is because as described above, the first region is a region in which reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may not be received.

If the first reflected light <NUM> by the first light <NUM> is identified, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance from the first light source <NUM> to the first object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> using the first algorithm.

The processor <NUM> may determine the first angle based on the location of the row of pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may determine the first angle by multiplying the row value of the pixels which received the first reflected light <NUM> by the angle per pixel on the column. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, if the first reflected light <NUM> is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the first angle.

The angle per pixel on the column may be determined based on the angle range of the sensor <NUM> and the number of rows forming the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>. The angle per pixel on the column may be the value of the angle of the sensor <NUM> divided by the number of rows forming the plurality of pixels. For example, if the range of angle of view of the sensor <NUM> is <NUM> degrees (e.g., in the case of <FIG>, the angle of view of sensor <NUM> is the angle between imaginary line H1 and imaginary line H2), and the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM> are arranged in ten rows as shown in <FIG>, the angle per pixel on the column may be eight degrees. The range of view of angle of the sensor <NUM> may vary depending on the type of lens, or the like, included in the sensor <NUM>.

The determined first angle may be an angle which is formed by a line which connects a point (z) at which the first light <NUM> is reflected by the first object <NUM> and a virtual line h1 according to the minimum angle among the range of angle of view of the sensor <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may calculate a distance of the first light source <NUM> and the first object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> using the following equation below. <MAT>
where u is the distance from the first light source <NUM> and the first object <NUM>, and a is the first angle described above. Here, r1 is the distance between the first light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, and b is the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>. The distance r1 between the first light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM> and the installation angle b of the sensor <NUM> may be preset in the electronic apparatus <NUM>. The distance r1 and the angle b may be set in the product manufacturing stage, but may be set according to user manipulation in a diverse manner. When the sensor <NUM> is installed such that a virtual line according to the minimum angle among the range of angle of view of the sensor <NUM> is perpendicular to the ground, the angle b may be zero.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating that reflected light is received by light of a second light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving reflected light by light of a second light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating a distance between an electronic apparatus and an object based on reflected light by light of the second light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, when the second light <NUM> irradiated by the second light source <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> may receive the second reflected light <NUM>. In this example, when the second reflected light <NUM> is received, the sensor <NUM> may sense the brightness of the plurality of pixels included in the sensor <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may sense pixels having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as pixels that have received the second reflected light <NUM>, and transmit the position of the pixels which received the second reflected light <NUM> to the processor <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may transmit, to the processor <NUM>, information that the second reflected light <NUM> has been received at columns <NUM>-<NUM> of row <NUM>.

Accordingly, the processor <NUM> may determine whether the position of the pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM> is included in the first region or in the second region. For example, when the processor <NUM> receives the information from the sensor <NUM> that the second reflected light <NUM> has been received from the sensor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may determine that the second reflected light <NUM> is received in the second region because the row received by the second reflected light <NUM> is row <NUM> which is lower than the predetermined row <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may identify the second reflected light <NUM> included in the second region as reflected light by the second light. For example, as the second light <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, when the second reflected light <NUM> is received in the second reflected light <NUM> in the sensor <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> may identify the second reflected light <NUM> included in the second region as the light reflected by the second light.

When the second reflected light <NUM> by the second light <NUM> is identified, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance from the second light source <NUM> to the second object <NUM> reflecting the second light <NUM> using the second algorithm.

The processor <NUM> may determine a second angle based on the location of the row of pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may determine a value obtained by multiplying the row value of the pixels which received the second reflected light <NUM> by the angle per pixel on the column as the second angle. For example, as shown in <FIG>, if the second reflected light <NUM> is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the second angle.

Referring to <FIG>, the second angle determined by the second object <NUM> may be an angle which is formed by the line connecting the point z2 reflected by the second object <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, and the virtual line h1 according to minimum angle among the range of angle of view of the sensor <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may calculate the distance to the second light source <NUM> and the second object <NUM> reflecting the second light <NUM> using the following equation as shown below:
<MAT>.

This equation may be obtained by combination of equations <NUM> and <NUM>. <MAT><MAT>.

Here, y is the distance from the second light source <NUM> to the second object <NUM>, and a is the second angle described above. r2 is the distance between the second light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, b is the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>, and c is the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, and r3 is the distance on the vertical axis between the second light source <NUM> and the point z2 where the second light <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM>. The distance r2 between the second light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, the installation angle b of the sensor <NUM>, and the irradiation angle c of the second light source <NUM> may be preset in the electronic apparatus <NUM>. The distance r1, angle b, and angle c may be set in the product manufacturing operation, but may be variously set according to user manipulation without limitation. When the sensor <NUM> is installed such that the virtual line according to the minimum angle among the range of angle of view of the sensor <NUM> is installed in a direction perpendicular to the ground, the angle b may be zero.

A method of calculating the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object is described with respect to the case where the reflected light is received in the first region of the sensor <NUM> and the case where the reflected light is received in the second region of the sensor <NUM>. The above technical idea may be applied even when a plurality of reflected light is received at the sensor <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The processor <NUM> may calculate a distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object by applying a first algorithm to the first reflected light <NUM> received in the first region, and may calculate a distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object by applying a second algorithm to the second reflected light <NUM> received in the second region. As described above, the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object may be accurately calculated even when a plurality of reflected light is received at the sensor <NUM>, by calculating the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object by dividing regions.

The first and second reflected lights may be received in the second region according to an embodiment. This will be described with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving a plurality of reflected lights in a second region according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating that a plurality of objects are positioned at a region capable of sensing an object by the second light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating that an object is positioned in a region capable of sensing an object by the second light source according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may receive a first reflected light <NUM> and a second reflected light <NUM> in the second region.

This may be a one of a case as illustrated in <FIG> that within the distance d (i.e., within the range in which light irradiated from the second light source <NUM> can reach the ground), the first object <NUM> in a size where the light irradiated from the first light source <NUM> may reach or the second object <NUM> in a size where the light irradiated from the second light source <NUM> can reach are located, or a case as illustrated in <FIG> that a third object <NUM> in a size where the light irradiated from the first light source <NUM> and the light irradiated from the second light source <NUM> may reach within the distance d.

In the latter case, if a distance is calculated by applying a second algorithm to each of the first reflected light <NUM> and the second reflected light <NUM> on the ground that the reflected light is received in the second region, the electronic apparatus may recognize that the first object <NUM> and the second object <NUM> exist at different positions. Thus, when a plurality of reflected light is received in the second region, it is necessary to distinguish whether a plurality of reflected light is reflected by one object or reflected by a plurality of objects.

The processor <NUM> may identify the reflected light by the first light <NUM> and the reflected light by the second light <NUM>, among the first and second reflected lights <NUM> and <NUM> received in the second region. The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> received at the pixels located in a relatively upper row among the plurality of pixels that received the first and second reflected light <NUM>, <NUM> as reflected light by the first light <NUM> and may identify the second reflected light <NUM> received at the pixels located in the relatively lower row as reflected light by the second light <NUM>. This is because, by a geometric structure in which the first light source <NUM> is arranged in the vertical direction of the second light source <NUM>, the reflected light by the first light <NUM> may be received in the pixels located in the relatively lower row, and the reflected light by the second light <NUM> may be received in the pixels located in the relatively lower row.

The processor <NUM> may calculate the first distance by applying the first algorithm described above to the first reflected light <NUM>, which is reflected by the first light <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may determine the first angle based on the location of the row of pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM>, and apply the first algorithm to the first angle, the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>, and the distance from the first light source <NUM> to the sensor <NUM> to calculate the first distance. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, if the first reflected light <NUM> is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the first angle.

The equation to calculate the first distance is as shown below:
<MAT>.

Here, y1 is the first distance that is the distance from the first light source <NUM> to the object that reflects the first light, a is the first angle described above, r1 is the distance between the first light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, and b is the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>. The distance r1 between the first light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM> and the installation angle b of the sensor <NUM> may be preset in the electronic apparatus <NUM> as described above.

The processor <NUM> may calculate the second distance by applying the second algorithm described above to the second reflected light <NUM>, which is reflected by the second light <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may determine the second angle based on the position of the row of pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM>, apply a second algorithm to the second angle, the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>, the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, and the distance from the second light source <NUM> to the sensor <NUM> to calculate the second distance. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, if the second reflected light <NUM> is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the second angle.

The equation to calculate the second distance is as shown below:
<MAT>.

Here, y2 is the second distance that is the distance from the second light source <NUM> to the object that reflects the second light, and a is the second angle described above. In addition, r2 is the distance between the second light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, and b is the installation angle of the sensor <NUM>. c is the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, and r3 is the distance on the vertical axis between the point at which the second light <NUM> is reflected by the second object <NUM> and the second light source <NUM>. The distance r2 between the second light source <NUM> and the sensor <NUM>, the installation angle b of the sensor <NUM>, and the irradiation angle c of the second light source <NUM> may be preset in the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

If the columns of pixels receiving the first reflected light <NUM> and the columns of pixels receiving the second reflected light <NUM> match in at least a part, the processor <NUM> may calculate the first and second distances described above. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, as the example where the columns of pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM> are <NUM> to <NUM> and the columns of pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM> are <NUM> to <NUM>, if the columns of pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM> and the columns of pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM> match, the first and second distances described above may be calculated.

The case where there is no matching part among the columns that received the reflect light may indicate that the first and second reflected lights are received at different positions in the horizontal direction with respect to the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and each of the first and second reflected lights may be viewed as reflected by different objects. In this case, the processor <NUM> calculates a distance between the first light source <NUM> and the first object and a distance between the second light source <NUM> and the second object by applying the second algorithm described above to each of the first and second reflected lights. The processor <NUM> calculates a first distance through the first algorithm and calculates a second distance through the second algorithm if the plurality of reflected light is received in the second region and the columns of the plurality of reflected light received in the second region match at least in part. Accordingly, any unnecessary operation of the processor <NUM> may be prevented.

The processor <NUM> may identify whether the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object or different objects based on a difference between the first and second distances calculated through the above-described method. If the difference between the calculated first and second distances is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the processor <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light <NUM> and the object reflecting the second light <NUM> are the same object <NUM>. For example, if the difference between the calculated first and second distances is the same, as shown in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> may identify that the object that reflects the first light <NUM> and the object that reflects the second light <NUM> are the same object <NUM>. If the difference between the calculated first and second distances exceeds a predetermined value, the processor <NUM> may identify that the object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> and the object <NUM> reflecting the second light <NUM> are different objects. For example, if it is determined that the difference between the calculated first and second distances is greater than or equal to one meter (<NUM>), the processor <NUM> may identify that the object <NUM> reflecting the first light <NUM> and the object <NUM> reflecting the second light <NUM> are different objects, as shown in <FIG>. Here, <NUM> is merely exemplary, and a predetermined value may be set in a diverse manner such as <NUM>, <NUM>, or the like.

The processor <NUM> may then perform different operations, depending on whether the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object or different objects. In one example, if it is determined that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same third object <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may control the electronic apparatus <NUM> to drive while avoiding the third object <NUM> at the first distance (this is the same as the second distance), and if it is determined that the object reflecting the first light is the first object <NUM> and the object reflecting the second light is the second object <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may control the electronic apparatus <NUM> to drive while avoiding the first object <NUM> at the first distance and drive while avoiding the second object <NUM> at the second distance.

It has been described above that the farther from the electronic apparatus <NUM>, the reflected light is received at an upper portion of the sensor <NUM>, and the nearer from the electronic apparatus <NUM>, the reflected light may be received at an upper portion of the sensor <NUM>. In this case, it is considered that a technical idea similar to that of the above-described technical idea may be applied. In this example, the reflected light received in a relatively upper row among reflected light received in the second region may be identified as reflected light by the second light, and the reflected light received in the relatively lower row may be identified as reflected light by the first light.

It is described that the reflected light received in the relatively higher row is identified as reflected light by the first light among the reflected light received in the second region based on the geometric structure of the first light source <NUM> and the second light source <NUM>, and that the reflected light received is received at a relatively lower low is identified as the reflected light by the second light, but the reflected light by the first light and the reflected light by the second light may be identified by various methods. This will be described later with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a sensor <NUM> may include a first light source <NUM>, a second light source <NUM>, an image sensor <NUM>, and a processor <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may be included in the electronic apparatus <NUM> described above. The image sensor <NUM> may include a plurality of pixels. Although not shown in <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may further include a lens for receiving reflected light.

The first light source <NUM> may perform a function same as the first light source <NUM>. The first light source <NUM> may irradiate the first light in a front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

The second light source <NUM> may perform the same function as the second light source <NUM>. The second light source <NUM> may irradiate the second light in a direction different from the first light. For example, the second light source <NUM> may be disposed lower than the first light source <NUM>, and may irradiate the second light from the front direction of the electronic apparatus <NUM> in the downward direction by <NUM> degrees, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

The image sensor <NUM> may be located in an upper portion of the first light source <NUM>. The image sensor <NUM> may receive the reflected light of the light irradiated toward the object. The image sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light when the first light irradiated by the first light source <NUM> is reflected by the object, and may receive the second reflected light when the second light irradiated by the second light source <NUM> is reflected by the object.

The plurality of pixels included in the image sensor <NUM> are arranged in a matrix form. A plurality of pixels may be arranged in the form of M X M or M X N where M, N are integers. In one example, the image sensor <NUM> may be composed of <NUM> pixels, and <NUM> pixels may be arranged in ten rows and <NUM> columns, but are not necessarily limited thereto.

The image sensor <NUM> are divided into pixels of a first region and pixels in a second region. The first region is a region for calculating a distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM> to an object located at a far distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and the second region may be a region for calculating a distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM> to an object located at a near distance from the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

The image sensor <NUM> are divided into pixels of a first region and pixels in a second region based on pixels of a predetermined row. For example, if the predetermined row is row <NUM>, the pixels included in row <NUM> equal to or lower than the row <NUM> including the row <NUM> (i.e., row <NUM> to row <NUM>) may be divided into pixels of the first region, and the pixels included in the row equal to or upper than row <NUM> (that is, rows <NUM> to row <NUM>) may be divided into pixels in the second region.

The predetermined row may be determined based on a location where the reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may be received at the image sensor <NUM>. For example, if the reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may be received only in pixels included in rows <NUM> to <NUM> of the plurality of pixels <NUM>, the predetermined row may be row <NUM>. The position where the reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may be received in the image sensor <NUM> may be different according to the embodiment based on the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, the angle at which the sensor <NUM> is inclined in the ground direction, and the like.

The processor <NUM> may control overall operations of the sensor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may include, for example, and without limitation, one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or the like. The processor <NUM> may be implemented as at least one of a general processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a microcomputer (MICOM), or the like.

When the reflected light is received by the processor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may sense a pixel that has received the reflected light among the plurality of pixels. The processor <NUM> may sense a pixel having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as a pixel that has received the reflected light. The predetermined brightness value may be variously set according to the brightness value of the light illuminated by the light source.

The processor <NUM> may receive information from the image sensor <NUM> regarding the location of the pixels that received the first reflected light and the locations of the pixels that received the second reflected light from among the plurality of pixels included in the image sensor <NUM>. When the first and second reflected lights are received, the image sensor <NUM> may sense the brightness of the plurality of pixels included in the image sensor <NUM>. The image sensor <NUM> may sense pixels having a brightness greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness value among the plurality of pixels as pixels receiving the first reflected light and pixels receiving the second reflected light, and transmit information regarding the position of the pixels receiving the first reflected light and the position of the pixels receiving the second reflected light to the processor <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may determine whether the position of the pixels receiving the first reflected light is included in the first region or the second region. The processor <NUM> may determine whether the position of the pixels receiving the second reflected light is included in the first region or the second region.

The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light included in the first region as the reflected light by the first light and identify the second reflected light included in the second region as the reflected light by the second light. As described above, the first region is the region where the reflected light by the second light source <NUM> may not be received.

When the first reflected light by the first light is identified by the processor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance between the first light source and the first object reflecting the first light using the first algorithm. When the second reflected light by the second light is identified by the processor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may calculate a distance from the second light source to the second object reflecting the first light using the second algorithm. The processor <NUM> may calculate a first distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object that reflects the first light and a second distance from the electronic apparatus to the object that reflects the second light using a different calculation scheme. The description of the first and second algorithms is described above, and will therefore be omitted.

When the first reflected light and the second reflected light are received in the second region of the image sensor <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may identify the reflected light by the first light and the reflected light by the second light among the first and second reflected light based on the position of the first pixels which received the first reflected light and the position of the second pixels which received the second reflected light.

The processor <NUM> may identify the reflected light received in the pixels located at a relatively upper row, among the plurality of pixels, as the reflected light by the first light, and may identify the reflected light received in the pixels located at a relatively lower row as the reflected light by the second light.

The processor <NUM> may calculate a first distance by applying the first algorithm described above to the first reflected light, which is a reflected light by the first light. The processor <NUM> may determine the first angle based on the location of the row of pixels that received the first reflected light, apply the first algorithm to the first angle, the installation angle of the image sensor <NUM>, and the distance from the first light source <NUM> to the image sensor <NUM> to calculate the first distance. For example, if the first reflected light is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the first angle.

Here, y1 is the first distance from the first light source <NUM> and the object that reflects the first light, and a is the first angle described above. In addition, r1 is the distance between the first light source <NUM> and the image sensor <NUM>, and b is the installation angle of the image sensor <NUM>. The distance r1 between the first light source <NUM> and the image sensor <NUM> and the installation angle b of the image sensor <NUM> may be preset in the sensor <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may calculate the second distance by applying the second algorithm described above to the second reflected light, which is reflected by the second light. The processor <NUM> may determine the second angle based on the position of the row of pixels that received the second reflected light, apply a second algorithm to the second angle, the installation angle of the image sensor <NUM>, the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, and the distance from the second light source <NUM> to the image sensor <NUM> to calculate the second distance. As an example, if the second reflected light is received at the pixels of row <NUM>, and the angle per pixel on the column is <NUM> degrees, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> degrees as the second angle.

y2 is the second distance that is the distance from the second light source <NUM> to the object that reflects the second light, a is the second angle described above, r2 is the distance between the second light source <NUM> and the image sensor <NUM>, and b is the installation angle of the image sensor <NUM>. c is the illumination angle of the second light source <NUM>, and r3 is the distance on the vertical axis between the point at which the second light is reflected by the second object and the second light source <NUM>. The distance r2 between the second light source <NUM> and the image sensor <NUM>, the installation angle b of the image sensor <NUM>, and the irradiation angle c of the second light source <NUM> may be preset in the sensor <NUM>.

If the columns of pixels receiving the first reflected light and the columns of pixels receiving the second reflected light match in at least a part, the processor <NUM> calculates the first and second distances described above. For example, as in the case where the columns of pixels that received the first reflected light are <NUM> to <NUM> and the columns of pixels that received the second reflected light are <NUM> to <NUM>, if the columns of pixels that received the first reflected light <NUM> and the columns of pixels that received the second reflected light <NUM> match at least in part, the first and second distances described above may be calculated.

If there is no matched part in the columns receiving the reflected light, the first and second reflected light are received at different positions in the horizontal direction with respect to the electronic apparatus <NUM>, and each of the first and second reflected light may be viewed as reflected by different objects. In this case, the processor <NUM> applies the second algorithm described above to each of the first and second reflected lights to calculate a distance between the first light source <NUM> and the first object and a distance from the second light source <NUM> to the second object. The processor <NUM> may calculate a first distance through the first algorithm and calculate a second distance through the second algorithm if a plurality of reflected light is received in the second region and the columns of the plurality of reflected light received in the second region match at least in part. Accordingly, an unnecessary operation of the processor <NUM> may be prevented.

The processor <NUM> may identify whether the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object or different objects based on a difference between the first and second distances calculated through the above-described method. The processor <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object if the difference between the calculated first and second distances is less than or equal to a predetermined value. If the calculated difference between the first and second distances exceeds a predetermined value, the processor <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are different objects. For example, if it is determined that the calculated difference between the first and second distances is greater than or equal to <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light may be identified as being different objects. <NUM> is merely exemplary and a predetermined value may be set in a diverse manner, such as <NUM>, <NUM>, or the like.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of irradiating light of different patterns by a plurality of light sources according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving a plurality of lights of different patterns according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the first light source <NUM> according to an embodiment may irradiate a first light <NUM> in a solid line pattern, and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate a second light <NUM> in a dotted line pattern. For this purpose, a film to irradiate the dotted line pattern may be attached to the second light source <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> may receive a first reflected light <NUM> in a solid line pattern and a second reflected light <NUM> in a dotted line pattern.

The processor <NUM> may identify, based on the pattern of reflected light, reflected light by the first light <NUM> and reflected light by the second light <NUM> from among the plurality of reflected light. The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> having the same pattern as the pattern of the first light <NUM> as the reflected light by the first light <NUM>, and identify the second reflected light <NUM> having the same pattern as the dotted line pattern of the second light <NUM> as the reflected light by the second light <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may apply a first algorithm to the first reflected light <NUM> to calculate a first distance, apply a second algorithm to the second reflected light <NUM> to calculate a second distance, and determine whether the first and second reflected lights <NUM>, <NUM> are light reflected by the same object or light reflected by different objects, as described above. Since the detailed description thereof has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

It has been described that the first light <NUM> is in the sold line pattern and the second light <NUM> is in the dotted line pattern, and the pattern of the first light <NUM> and the pattern of the second light <NUM> may be various patterns that are different from each other.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of irradiating light of thickness by a plurality of light sources according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a sensor receiving a plurality of lights having different thickness according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the first light source <NUM> according to an embodiment may irradiate first light <NUM> in the first thickness, and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate second light <NUM> in the second thickness. The first thickness may be thicker than the second thickness, but it is not limited thereto and the second thickness may be thicker than the first thickness. The size of the diode irradiating the light included in the first light source <NUM> may be larger than the size of the diode that irradiates light included in the second light source <NUM>.

The sensor <NUM> may receive the first reflected light <NUM> in the first thickness and the second reflected light <NUM> in the second thickness as illustrated in <FIG>.

The processor <NUM> may identify, based on the thickness of the reflected light, the reflected light by the first light <NUM> and the reflected light by the second light <NUM> from among the plurality of reflected light. The processor <NUM> may identify the first reflected light <NUM> having the same thickness as that of the first light <NUM> as reflected light by the first light <NUM>, and identify the second reflected light <NUM> having the same thickness as that of the second light <NUM> as reflected light by the second light <NUM>.

Although the embodiment of identifying the reflected light by the first light <NUM> and the reflected light by the second light <NUM> is described herein based on the thickness of the reflected light, the disclosure may identify the reflected light by the first light and the reflected light by the second light based on the brightness of the reflected light. As an example, the first light source <NUM> may irradiate a first light of a first brightness, and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate a second light of a second brightness. The first brightness may be brighter than the second brightness, but it is not limited thereto and the second brightness may be brighter than the first brightness. For this purpose, a diode capable of irradiating light of a first brightness may be included in the first light source <NUM>, and a diode capable of irradiating light of a second brightness may be included in the second light source <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of identifying reflected light by first light source and reflected light by second light source using information on a thickness of reflected light according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may store information on the thickness of the reflected light by the first light source divided by the distance and information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source. The information regarding the thickness of the reflected light by the first light source is information matched with the thickness of the reflected light by the first light source received at the sensor <NUM>, for each distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object, and the information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source may be information matching the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source received at the sensor <NUM>, for each distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object.

The processor <NUM> may identify the reflected light by the first light irradiated from the first light source <NUM> and the reflected light by the second light irradiated from the second light source <NUM> among a plurality of reflected lights reflected to the sensor <NUM> based on the information on the thickness of the first and second reflected lights.

The processor <NUM> may apply the second algorithm described above to the plurality of reflected light included in the second region to determine a second distance that is the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object. The processor <NUM> may determine the thickness of the reflected light matched to the second distance based on information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source as shown in <FIG>. In one example, when the second distance is determined to be <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may determine <NUM> as the thickness of the reflected light matched to the second distance based on information regarding the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source. If the thickness of the reflected light received by the sensor <NUM> may match the thickness of the reflected light matched with the second distance, the processor <NUM> may determine that the reflected light is the reflected light by the second light source <NUM>, and if the thickness does not match, the processor <NUM> may determine that the reflected light is reflected light by the first light source <NUM>. For example, if it is determined that the thickness of the reflected light determined on the basis of the information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source is <NUM>, but the thickness of the actual reflected light received by the sensor <NUM> is determined to be <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may determine that the reflected light is by the first light source <NUM>. In this example, the processor <NUM> may apply the first algorithm to the reflected light again to calculate the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object. If the thickness of the actual reflected light received by the sensor <NUM> is <NUM> and the thickness of the reflected light determined on the basis of the information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source is <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may determine that the reflected light is reflected by the second light source <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of identifying reflected light by the first light source and reflected light by the second light source based on a cycle according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the first light source <NUM> and the second light source <NUM> may irradiate light at different cycles according to an embodiment. The first light source <NUM> may irradiate the first light with a period of T1. For example, when T1 is <NUM> msec, the first light source <NUM> may irradiate light in a period of <NUM> to <NUM> msec, and may not irradiate light in a period of <NUM> msec to <NUM> msec. The second light source <NUM> may irradiate light at a different cycle than the first light source <NUM>. For example, when T1 is <NUM> msec, the cycle T2 of the second light source <NUM> may be <NUM> msec. In this example, the second light source <NUM> may not irradiate light in a period of <NUM> to <NUM> msec, and may irradiate light in the period of <NUM> msec to <NUM> msec.

Based on the cycle of the first light source <NUM> and the second light source <NUM>, the processor <NUM> may identify whether the reflected light is reflected by the first light source <NUM> or by the second light source <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may identify the reflected light received at the sensor <NUM> in the T1 cycle as reflected light by the first light source <NUM>, and may identify the reflected light received at the sensor <NUM> in the T2 cycle as the reflected light by the second light source <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may calculate the first distance by applying the first algorithm to the reflected light by the first light source <NUM> and calculate the second distance by applying the second algorithm to the reflected light by the second light source <NUM> to determine whether the plurality of reflected lights is lights reflected by the same object or lights reflected by different objects. This has been described in detail above and will not be further described.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may irradiate the first light through the first light source and may irradiate the second light in a direction different from the first light through the second light source in operation S1210. The first light source may be located at a row upper than or equal to the second light source.

When the first and second reflected lights are received by a sensor as the first light and the second light are reflected by an object, the electronic apparatus may calculate the first distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the first light and the second distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the second light using different calculation methods in operation S1220.

The sensor includes a plurality of pixels, and is divided into pixels of a first region and pixels in a second region based on pixels of a predetermined row. The electronic apparatus <NUM> calculates a first distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the first light and a second distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the second light when the first and second reflected light are received in the second region of the sensor and the columns of the first pixels receiving the first reflected light and the columns of the second pixels receiving the second reflected light match at least in part.

The electronic apparatus <NUM> may identify reflected light received at pixels located in a relatively upper row of the plurality of pixels included in the second region as reflected light by the first light, and identify the reflected light received at the pixels located in the relatively lower row as reflected light by the second light.

The electronic apparatus <NUM> may determine the first angle based on the position of the row of the first pixels receiving the first reflected light, calculate the first distance by applying the first algorithm to the installation angle of the sensor and the distance from the first light source to the sensor, determine the second angle based on the position of the row of the second pixels which received the second reflected light, and calculate the second distance by applying the second algorithm to the second angle, the installation angle of the sensor, the irradiation angle of the second light source, and the distance from the second light source to the sensor. Since a detailed description of the method of calculating the first and second distances is described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

The electronic apparatus <NUM> identifies whether the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object or different objects based on the calculated first and second distances in operation S1230.

If the difference between the calculated first and second distances is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are the same object, and if the difference between the calculated first and second distances exceeds a predetermined value, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may identify that the object reflecting the first light and the object reflecting the second light are different objects.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> irradiates the first light through the first light source and may irradiate the second light in a direction different from the first light through the second light source in operation S1310. The first light source may be located at an upper portion of the second light source.

As the first and second lights are reflected by the object, if the first and second reflected lights are received by the image sensor, the sensor <NUM> may calculate the first distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the first light and the second distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the second light by using a different calculation method in operation S1320.

The image sensor includes plurality of pixels, and the plurality of pixels is divided into pixels of a first region and pixels in a second region on the basis of pixels of a predetermined row. The sensor <NUM> calculates a first distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object reflecting the first light and a second distance from the object reflecting the second light when the first and second reflected light are received in the second region of the sensor and the columns of the first pixels receiving the first reflected light and the columns of the second pixels receiving the second reflected light match in at least a part.

The sensor <NUM> may identify reflected light received at pixels located in a relatively upper row of the plurality of pixels included in the second region as reflected light by the first light, and identify the reflected light received at the pixels located in the relatively lower row as reflected light by the second light.

The sensor <NUM> may determine the first angle based on the position of the row of the first pixels receiving the first reflected light, calculate the first distance by applying the first algorithm to the first angle, installation angle of the image sensor and the distance from the first light source to the image sensor, determine the second angle based on the position of the row of the second pixels receiving the second reflected light, and calculate the second distance by applying the second algorithm to the second angle, the installation angle of the image sensor, the irradiation angle of the second light source, and the distance from the second light source to the image sensor. Since a detailed description of the method of calculating the first and second distances is described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

<FIG> is a detailed block diagram illustrating an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may include a first light source <NUM>, a second light source <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an inputter <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a driver <NUM>, a communicator <NUM>, and a processor <NUM>. The parts overlapped with the above description will be omitted or shortened.

The memory <NUM> may store operating systems (OS) for controlling the overall operation of the components of the electronic apparatus <NUM> and instructions or data associated with the components of the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may control multiple hardware or software components of the electronic apparatus <NUM> using various instructions or data stored in the memory <NUM>, load instructions or data received from at least one of the other components into a volatile memory, and store the various data in a non-volatile memory.

The memory <NUM> may store information about a first algorithm for calculating the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object based on the reflected light by the first light source <NUM>, and store information about a second algorithm for calculating the distance between the electronic apparatus <NUM> and the object based on the reflected light by the second light source <NUM>. The memory <NUM> may store information about the thickness of the reflected light by the first light source <NUM> divided by the distance, and information on the thickness of the reflected light by the second light source <NUM>.

The inputter <NUM> may receive a user input. The inputter <NUM> may include a button and a touch screen.

The display <NUM> may display a variety of screens. For example, the display <NUM> may display information about the distance to objects and objects around the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

The display <NUM> may be implemented as various types of displays such as, for example, and without limitation, a liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), or the like. In the display <NUM>, a backlight unit, a driving circuit which may be implemented as a format such as an a-si thin-film transistor (TFT), low temperature poly silicon (LTPS) TFT, organic TFT (OTFT), or the like, may be included as well. The display <NUM> may be combined with a touch sensor and implemented as a touch screen.

The driver <NUM> may move the electronic apparatus <NUM>. The driver <NUM> may include a driving unit such as a motor connected to one or more wheels and capable of rotating the wheels. The driver <NUM> may perform a driving operation such as moving, stopping, changing a direction, or the like, of the electronic apparatus <NUM> according to a control signal of the processor <NUM>. For example, if one object is located near the electronic apparatus <NUM>, the driver <NUM> may be driven so that the electronic apparatus <NUM> drives by avoiding a corresponding object, and if a plurality of objects are located near the electronic apparatus <NUM>, the driver <NUM> may be driven so that the electronic apparatus <NUM> moves by avoiding a plurality of objects.

The communicator <NUM> is configured to communicate with an external device. For example, the communicator <NUM> may communicate with various external devices through a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (BT), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Zigbee, or the like, or an infrared (IR) communication method. The communicator <NUM> may be mounted on the processor <NUM>, and may be included in the electronic apparatus <NUM> as a configuration separate from the processor <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may be implemented with the exception of the configuration of some of the plurality of configurations described above, and may further include a plurality of additional configurations other than those described above.

For example, the electronic apparatus <NUM> may further include a speaker. The speaker may include a component outputting various audio data on which various processes such as, for example, and without limitation, decoding, amplification, noise filtering, and the like, are performed by an audio processor (not illustrated). A speaker may output sound when a driving of the electronic apparatus <NUM> is started or when the driving direction is changed.

The electronic apparatus <NUM> may further include a microphone. The microphone may receive user voice. The user voice may be a user voice or the like for task execution of the electronic apparatus <NUM>.

The methods according to various embodiments may be implemented as a format of software or application installable to a related art electronic apparatus.

The methods according to various embodiments may be implemented by software upgrade of a related art electronic apparatus, or hardware upgrade only.

The various embodiments described above may be implemented through an embedded server provided in the electronic apparatus or a server outside the electronic apparatus.

A non-transitory computer readable medium which stores a program for sequentially executing a method for controlling an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment may be provided.

Claim 1:
An electronic apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a sensor (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form of rows and columns, wherein the plurality of pixels are divided into pixels of a first region and pixels of a second region based on pixels of a predetermined row;
a first light source (<NUM>) configured to irradiate a first light (<NUM>);
a second light source (<NUM>) configured to irradiate a second light (<NUM>) in a direction different from the first light; and
a processor (<NUM>) configured to:based on first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) reflected lights being received by the sensor as the first and second lights are reflected by an object, identify reflected light of the first light and reflected light of the second light among the first and the second reflected lights based on a position of first pixels receiving the first reflected light and a position of second pixels receiving the second reflected light among the plurality of pixels,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
upon determining that there is no matching part among columns of the plurality of pixels that received the first reflected light (<NUM>) and the second reflect light (<NUM>), calculate a distance between the first light source (<NUM>) and an object and a distance between the second light source and an object by applying a second calculation method to each of the first and second reflected lights,
upon determining that the first reflected light (<NUM>) and the second reflected light (<NUM>) are received in the second region and the columns of the plurality of pixels that received the first reflected light (<NUM>) and the second reflect light (<NUM>) in the second region match at least in part, calculate a first distance by applying a first calculation method and calculate a thw second distance by applying the second calculation method, and
identify whether the object (<NUM>, <NUM>) reflecting the first light (<NUM>) and the object (<NUM>, <NUM>) reflecting the second light (<NUM>) are same or different objects based on the calculated first and second distances.