US 12,078,729 B2
Method for obtaining depth information, and camera module
Eun Song Kim, Seoul (KR); Hyeong Jin Kim, Seoul (KR); and Ju Un Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/277,157
Filed by LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Oct. 7, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/013133
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 17, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/071883, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0119341 (KR), filed on Oct. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0373163 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H04N 5/225 (2006.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G06T 3/4053 (2024.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/951 (2023.01)
CPC G01S 17/894 (2020.01) [G06T 3/4053 (2013.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/951 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camera module comprising:
a light source configured to output light to an object;
a receiver configured to receive light reflected from the object through reception pixels, the reception pixels including a first reception pixel and a second reception pixel adjacent to the first reception pixel; and
a processor configured to:
turn on the first reception pixel at a first phase time point in a first period while the second reception pixel is turned off, and generate first information based on light received by the first reception pixel at the first phase time point in the first period,
turn on the second reception pixel at a second phase time point in the first period while the first reception pixel is turned off, and generate second information based on light received by the second reception pixel at the first phase time point in the first period,
turn on the first reception pixel at a third phase time point in a second period while the second reception pixel is turned off, and generate third information based on light received by the first reception pixel at the third phase time point in the second period,
turn on the second reception pixel at a fourth phase time point in the second period while the first reception pixel is turned off, and generate fourth information based on light received by the second reception pixel at the fourth phase time point in the second period, and
generate a depth image of the object based on the first, second, third and fourth information,
wherein the receiver includes a first block and a second block obtained by partitioning the reception pixels,
wherein the processor is further configured to generate the depth image of the object by using both light received through the first block and light received through the second block,
wherein one of two pixels included in the first block and one of two pixels included in the second block overlap, and
wherein the third phase time point for turning on the first reception pixel in the second period corresponds to a first delayed phase shift relative to the first phase time point in the first period, the fourth phase time point for turning on the second reception pixel in the second period corresponds to a second delayed phase shift relative to the second phase time point in the first period, and the first delayed phase shift for turning on the first reception pixel in the second period is greater than the second delayed phase shift for turning on the second reception pixel in the second period.