Realtime range imaging using adjustment-free photo-VLSI-silicon range finder

Presents a range imaging VLSI sensor which gives a range image of a scene with high robustness and high accuracy at a video frame rate. No adjustment is required. Photodiodes and operational circuits are integrated into each pixel of the range imaging VLSI sensor to function as analog/digital micro-rangefinders. The 2D array of the micro-rangefinders, the range imaging VLSI sensor, acquires frames of range data in fully parallel manner as a light stripe is swept across a scene. Complementary pairs of photodiodes in each cell realize reliable capturing of range data without being disturbed by temperature drift, ambient light, manufacturing irregularities or other noise. A prototype system has been built using a 24/spl times/24 VLSI array of sensing elements and gives 24/spl times/24 range images at a video frame rate.<<ETX>>