US 11,856,303 B2
Systems and methods for digital imaging using computational pixel imagers with multiple in-pixel counters
Michael W. Kelly, North Reading, MA (US); Curtis Colonero, Shrewsbury, MA (US); Christopher David, Chelmsford, MA (US); Joseph Bari, Concord, MA (US); and William Ross, Westford, MA (US)
Assigned to Anduril Industries, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA (US)
Filed by Anduril Industries, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/083,794.
Application 18/083,794 is a continuation of application No. 17/425,767, previously published as PCT/US2020/016601, filed on Feb. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/807,683, filed on Feb. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/800,685, filed on Feb. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124286 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/741 (2023.01); G06T 7/194 (2017.01); G06T 3/40 (2006.01); G06T 7/60 (2017.01); H04N 23/11 (2023.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 23/74 (2023.01); H04N 23/957 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/767 (2023.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 23/741 (2023.01) [G06T 3/40 (2013.01); G06T 7/194 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2013.01); H04N 23/11 (2023.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 23/74 (2023.01); H04N 23/957 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/767 (2023.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01); H01L 27/14681 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stereo imaging system, comprising:
a computational pixel imager (CPI) having a plurality of pixels;
a plurality of modulated light sources, including:
a first light source modulated at a first frequency F1 and configured to illuminate an environment with first modulated light, and
a second light source modulated at a frequency F2 different from the frequency F1 and configured to illuminate the environment with second modulated light; and
an optical assembly configured to receive light from a light field scattered from an object in the environment, and to direct the light to the CPI,
wherein each of the pixels of the CPI includes:
a light sensor,
a plurality of counters configured to receive a photocurrent from the light sensor, to convert the photocurrent to a digital signal, and to perform digital signal processing on the digital signal,
wherein the optical assembly includes:
a focusing lens configured to receive the first modulated light scattered from the object and the second modulated light scattered from the object, and to direct the first and second modulated light to form first and second images on sensors of the sensors of the CPI, and
wherein the CPI processes the first and second modulated light to yield image data for a stereo image of the object.