Patent ID: 7274815

Claim:
An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional (3-D) image of a scene illuminated by a light source, comprising: (a) a two-dimensional (2-D) array of photodetectors for receiving reflected or scattered light from the scene illuminated by the light source with the light being imaged onto the 2-D array of photodetectors, and with each photodetector in the 2-D array generating therefrom an electrical output signal; (b) a plurality of modulators associated with each photodetector in the 2-D array, each modulator receiving the electrical output signal from that photodetector and an alternating current (ac) reference signal with a different phase delay for each modulator, and generating a modulated output signal from each modulator associated with that photodetector; (c) a plurality of integrators associated with each photodetector, each integrator receiving the modulated output signal from one of the plurality of modulators, and generating therefrom an integrator output signal for each integrator associated with that photodetector; and (d) a computational unit receiving each integrator output signal associated with each photodetector and generating therefrom intensity and range information about the scene illuminated by the light source to generate the 3-D image of the scene.