Scanning illuminated three-dimensional imaging systems

1. A three-dimensional imaging system comprising:

a first illumination source configured to project a first fan of light toward one or more objects in a field of view, the first fan of light generating a first illumination line as the first fan of light strikes the one or more objects;

a second illumination source configured to project a second fan of light toward the one or more objects, the second fan of light generating a second illumination line as the second fan of light strikes the one or more objects, wherein the first illumination source and the second illumination source are configured to scan the first fan of light and the second fan of light synchronously laterally across the field of view such that a plane of the first fan of light and a plane of the second fan of light are kept substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other laterally in a direction perpendicular thereto;

a camera configured to capture images of the first illumination line and the second illumination line as the first fan of light and the second fan of light are scanned over the field of view, wherein the camera includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

a processor coupled to the camera and configured to:

for each respective pixel of the plurality of pixels of the image sensor:

determine a respective time delay between a time when the first illumination line appears in the respective pixel and a time when the second illumination line appears in the respective pixel; and

determine a distance from the camera to a respective portion of the one or more objects corresponding to the respective pixel based on the respective time delay; and

construct a three-dimensional image of the one or more objects based on the distance from the camera to each respective portion of the one or more objects determined from each pixel of the plurality of pixels.

2. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 1 wherein:

the first illumination source includes:

a first laser source configured to emit a first laser beam;

a first optical element configured to convert the first laser beam into the first fan of light; and

a first mirror configured to reflect the first fan of light toward the one or more objects; and

the second illumination source includes:

a second laser source configured to emit a second laser beam;

a second optical element configured to convert the second laser beam into the second fan of light; and

a second mirror configured to reflect the second fan of light toward the one or more objects.

3. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 2 wherein the first mirror and the second mirror are configured to be scanned synchronously so as to scan the first fan of light and the second fan of light synchronously laterally across the one or more objects.

4. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 3 wherein:

the first illumination source includes a first motor configured to scan the first mirror, and a first encoder configured to measure an angle of the first mirror;

the second illumination source includes a second motor configured to scan the second mirror, and a second encoder configured to measure an angle of the second mirror; and

the processor is coupled to the first motor, the second motor, the first encoder, and the second encoder, and is configured to control the first motor and the second motor based on the angle of the first mirror measured by the first encoder and the angle of the second mirror measured by the second encoder, so as to synchronize the scanning of the first mirror and the scanning of the second mirror.

5. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 4 wherein each of the first motor and the second motor comprises one of a stepper motor, a voice coil motor, a piezoelectric transducer, or a servo motor.

6. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 2 wherein each of the first mirror and the second mirror comprises a polygonal mirror and is configured to be rotated so as to scan the first fan of light and the second fan of light synchronously laterally across the one or more objects.

7. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 3 wherein the first mirror and the second mirror are mechanically linked to each other, and are configured to be scanned synchronously by using a single motor.

8. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 2 wherein each of the first mirror and the second mirror comprises an acoustic optical deflector configured to deflect the first fan of light and the second fan of light to a plurality of angular positions.

9. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 2 wherein each of the first optical element and the second optical element comprises a cylindrical lens or a diffractive optical element.

10. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 1 wherein:

the first illumination source includes:

a first laser source configured to emit a first laser beam; and

a first cylindrical mirror configured to convert the first laser beam into the first fan of light directed toward the one or more objects;

the second illumination source includes:

a second laser source configured to emit a second laser beam; and

a second cylindrical mirror configured to convert the second laser beam into the second fan of light directed toward the one or more objects; and

the first cylindrical mirror and the second cylindrical mirror are configured to be scanned synchronously so as to scan the first fan of light and the second fan of light synchronously laterally across the one or more objects.

11. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 1 is used in a vehicle for obstacle detection.