Patent application EP20181302A (EP), filed 2020-06-22
Publication number: EP3757618A1
Title: TIMEOF-FLIGHT IMAGE SENSOR RESOLUTION ENCHANTMENT AND INCREASED DATA ROBUSTNESS USING A BINNING MODULE
Abstract: A time-of-flight (ToF) image sensor system includes a pixel array, where each pixel of the pixel array is configured to receive a reflected modulated light signal and to demodulate the reflected modulated light signal to generate an electrical signal; a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), where each ADC is coupled to at least one assigned pixel of the pixel array and is configured to convert a corresponding electrical signal generated by the at least one assigned pixel into an actual pixel value; and a binning circuit coupled to the plurality of ADCs and configured to generate at least one interpolated pixel, where the binning circuit is configured to generate each of the at least one interpolated pixel based on actual pixel values corresponding to a different pair of adjacent pixels of the pixel array, each of the at least one interpolated pixel having a virtual pixel value.
IPC codes: G01S  17/    89            A I
H04N  25/    46            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A time-of-flight (ToF) image sensor system, comprising:
number: 2
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 1, wherein each virtual pixel value is an average of the actual pixel values corresponding to the different pair of adjacent pixels of the pixel array.
number: 3
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 1 or 2, wherein:
number: 4
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 3, wherein the output circuit is configured to interleave the first actual pixel values with the first virtual pixel values in an image line of the image structure.
number: 5
text: The ToF image sensor system of claims 3 or 4, wherein:
number: 6
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 5, wherein the output circuit is configured to:
number: 7
text: The ToF image sensor system of claims 5 or 6, wherein the output circuit is configured to:
number: 8
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 7, wherein the image structure includes only virtual pixel values of interpolated pixels.
number: 9
text: The ToF image sensor system of any of claims 5 to 8, wherein:
number: 10
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 9, wherein the output circuit is configured to:
number: 11
text: The ToF image sensor system of claim 10, wherein the image structure includes only virtual pixel values of interpolated pixels.
number: 12
text: The ToF image sensor system of any of the preceding claims, wherein a total number of pixel values in the image structure is greater than a number of total pixels of the pixel array.
number: 13
text: The ToF image sensor system of any of the preceding claims, wherein:
number: 14
text: A method of pixel interpolation in a time-of-flight (ToF) image sensor system, the method comprising:
number: 15
text: The method of claim 14, wherein the pixel array includes a first actual pixel line comprising a first plurality of pixels having first actual pixel values, wherein the first plurality of pixels is arranged into a first plurality of pairs of adjacent pixels, and the method further comprises:
generating a first plurality of interpolated pixels having first virtual pixel values based on the first actual pixel values of the first plurality of pairs of adjacent pixels.
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-30
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2018295297A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2011129123A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018081043A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2011129123
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018081043
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018295297
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-30)