{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8537218","patent":{"patent_number":"US-8537218","title":"Distance image sensor and method for generating image signal by time-of-flight method","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2009-07-30T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2013-09-17T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G01S","G01S","G01S","H04N","H04N"],"num_claims":12,"abstract":"A distance image sensor capable of enlarging the distance measurement range without reducing the distance resolution is provided. A radiation source 13 provides first to fifth pulse trains PT1 to PT5 which are irradiated to the object as radiation pulses in the first to fifth frames arranged in order on a time axis. In each of the frames, imaging times TPU1 to TPU5 are prescribed at points of predetermined time ΔTPD from the start point of each frame, also the pulses PT1 to PT5 are shifted respectively by shift amounts different from each other from the start point of the first to fifth frames. A pixel array 23 generates element image signals SE1 to SE5 each of which has distance information of an object in distance ranges different from each other using imaging windows A and B in each of five frames. A processing unit 17 generates an image signal SIMAGE by combining the element image signals. Since five times-of-flight measurement are used, the width of the radiation pulse does not have to be increased to obtain distance information of the object in a wide distance range, and the distance resolution is not reduced."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Distance image sensor and method for generating image signal by time-of-flight method","description":"A distance image sensor capable of enlarging the distance measurement range without reducing the distance resolution is provided. A radiation source 13 provides first to fifth pulse trains PT1 to PT5 ","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8537218","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8537218","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Distance image sensor and method for generating image signal by time-of-flight method\" (US-8537218). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8537218","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8537218","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-8537218","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-31T08:33:49.400Z"}