Patent ID: 6961092

Claim:
A three-dimensional image capturing device, comprising: a light source that radiates a light beam; an image device that accumulates signal charge corresponding to a quantity of light received on said image device; a distance information sensing processor that controls radiating of a distance measuring light beam from said light source to a measurement subject and detects distance information which relates to said measurement subject by receiving a reflected light beam from said measurement subject, said distance information sensing processor radiating said distance measuring light beam from said light source a predetermined number of times, so that signal charge is accumulated in said image device due to each radiation of said distance measuring light beam; and a data transmitting processor that controls radiating of a data transmitting light beam from said light source, so that data is transmitted to an external device, wherein said light source outputs the distance measuring light beam and the data transmitting light beam in a single operation, wherein a series of said distance measuring light beams and a series of said data transmitting light beams are superposed so that said data transmitting light beams are radiated in the intervals between said distance measuring light beams and timing for radiating said data transmitting light beams is based upon the timing of said radiation of said distance measuring light beams.