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SonyGranted patentCameras & imagingInterest 6/10

Sony patents camera tech that fixes moving objects in 3D scans

Sony describes circuitry for time-of-flight cameras that measures how long light takes to bounce off objects to create 3D images. The system compares two snapshots to track movement and only combines the data if the motion matches the measured depth, preventing blurry or incorrect 3D maps.

Why it mattersThis improves the accuracy of 3D cameras used in devices like AR glasses or robot eyes, ensuring they can correctly map moving objects without errors.

In the filing’s own words

The present disclosure generally pertains to a time-of-flight imaging circuitry configured to: obtain first image data from an image sensor, the first image data being indicative of a scene, which is illuminated with spotted light; determine a first image feature in the first image data; obtain second image data from the image sensor, the second image data being indicative of the scene; determine second image feature in the second image data; estimate a motion of the second image feature with respect to the first image feature; and merge the first and the second image data based on the estimated motion.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. Imaging circuitry configured to: obtain first image data from an image sensor, the first image data being indicative of a scene; determine a first image feature in the first image data, the first image feature having a first depth; obtain second image data from the image sensor, the second image data being indicative of the scene; determine a second image feature in the second image data; estimate a motion of the second image feature with respect to the first image feature; validate the estimated motion by comparing the first depth with a second depth of the second image feature that is determined based on the estimated motion; and merge the first and the second image data conditioned on the estimated motion being validated as accurate based on the comparison.

Facts

Company
Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
Official title
Time-of-flight imaging circuitry, time-of-flight imaging system, time-of-flight imaging method
Patent number
US12761360B2
Application number
17781727
Filed
Dec 15, 2020
Granted
Oct 13, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
22

Classified under

G01S 17/894 Physics & computingG01S 7/4808 Physics & computingG01S 17/48 Physics & computingG06T 7/248 Physics & computingG06T 7/521 Physics & computingG06T 7/579 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.