Patent ID: 8891067

Claim:
A phase-based time-of-flight (TOF) system that includes a primary optical source that emits optical energy S out having a modulation frequency ω and a phase φ and a time of flight sensor which detects S in , which is at least a fraction of emitted said optical energy that is reflected-back by a target object a distance Z away, and determines said distance Z from a shift in said phase φ in S in , said TOF system further including: at least one auxiliary optical emitting unit whose output optical energy is substantially indistinguishable to said time of flight sensor from optical energy emitted by said primary optical source; said auxiliary optical emitting unit including at least one of a wireless optical emitting (WOE) unit, and a plug-wired optical emitting (PWOE) unit; wherein optical energy emitted by each said auxiliary optical emitting unit is substantially indistinguishable to said time of flight sensor in modulation frequency and phase as optical energy S out emitted by said TOF system when reflected by said target object.