Patent application EP19178290A (EP), filed 2019-06-04
Publication number: EP3748393A1
Title: SURROUND-VIEW IMAGING SYSTEM
Abstract: The present invention refers to a surround-view imaging system for time-of-flight (TOF) depth sensing applications and a time-of-flight sensing based collision avoidance system comprising such an imaging system. The imaging system (100) for time-of-flight depth sensing applications comprises a lens system (10), adapted for imaging angles of view (AOV) larger than 120° in an image (16) on an image plane (14); a sensor system (20), adapted to convert at least a part the image (16) in the image plane (14) into an electronic image signal; and an evaluation electronics (30), adapted to analyze the electronic image signal and to output resulting environmental information; wherein the lens system (10) and/or the sensor system (20) are designed for specifically imaging fields of view (FOV) starting at zenithal angles larger than 60°.
IPC codes: G01S  17/    08            A I
G01S  17/    89            A I
G01S  17/    93            A I
G01S   7/   481            A I
G02B  13/    06            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: Imaging system (100) for time-of-flight depth sensing applications, comprising:
number: 2
text: Imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation electronics (30) is further adapted to correct optical distortions in the image signal and to output undistorted image information.
number: 3
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens system (10) is a panomorph lens system (10) using panomorph distortion as a design parameter for increasing the magnification of zenithal angles in the field of view compared to zenithal angles outside the field of view.
number: 4
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens system (10) is an anamorphic lens system (10) adapted to change the aspect ratio of the image (16) in the image plane (14).
number: 5
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central region of the entrance aperture of the lens system (10) is covered by a blind (16).
number: 6
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens system (10) is a catadioptric lens system.
number: 7
text: Imaging system according to claim 6, wherein the first lens of the lens system (10) is a biconcave lens element (40) in which object rays are reflected by a single total internal reflection (42).
number: 8
text: Imaging system according to claim 6, wherein the first lens of the lens system (10) is a complex freeform lens element (50) in which object rays are reflected by two total internal reflections (52, 54).
number: 9
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens system (10) comprises plastic lenses, glass lenses or a combination thereof.
number: 10
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor system (20) comprises at least a single 2D sensor, at least a single 1D sensor or a combination thereof.
number: 11
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a detection of the central region of the image (16) is omitted by the sensor system (20).
number: 12
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the field of view comprises zenithal angles between 80° and 100°, between 60° and 90° or between 90° and 120°.
number: 13
text: Imaging system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor system (20) is combined with an emitter array.
number: 14
text: Imaging system according to claim 13, wherein the sensor system (20) and the emitter array forming a coherent transceiver.
number: 15
text: Collision avoidance system comprising an imaging system according to one of the preceding claims.
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-09
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
inventive_step_epc_56
Prior art cited: ref_id: DE102017125686A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2016188985A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2002012059A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2010238568A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2017310952A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2002012059
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2010238568
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: US2016188985
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
ref_id: US2017310952
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
ref_id: DE102017125686
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-09)