Time-of-flight imaging system for autonomous movable objects
A guiding system guides an autonomous movable object. The guiding system has a time-of-flight imaging system, which has a first light source to illuminate a first field of detection; and a light sensor. The light sensor detects first and second reflected light. The first reflected light has light emitted by the first light source reflected at the first field of detection. The second reflected light originates from a second field of detection illuminated by a second light source, which is independent from the first light source and is coupled to a different movable object. The imaging system differentiates between the first and second reflected light, determines a depth map of the first field of detection based on the detected first reflected light, and generates feedback. The imaging system has a motion controller that receives the feedback, and modifies a motion of the autonomous movable object based on the feedback.
1. A guiding system for guiding an autonomous movable object, the guiding system comprising:
a time-of-flight imaging system comprising:
a first light source, wherein the first light source is arranged to illuminate a first field of detection; and
at least one light sensor, wherein the light sensor is configured to detect reflected light, wherein the detected reflected light comprises first reflected light and second reflected light, wherein the first reflected light comprises light emitted by the first light source reflected at the first field of detection, wherein the second reflected light originates from a second field of detection illuminated by a second light source, wherein the second light source is independent from the first light source, wherein the second light source is a light source coupled to a different movable object, wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to differentiate between the first reflected light and the second reflected light, wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to determine a depth map of the first field of detection based on the detected first reflected light, and wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to generate a feedback signal for triggering a feedback action based on the detected second reflected light; and
a motion controller, wherein the motion controller is configured to receive the feedback signal, and to guide the autonomous movable object so as to change a direction of movement of the autonomous movable object based on the feedback signal.
2. The guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein the second reflected light comprises light emitted by a time-of-flight detector, wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to identify light originating from the time-of-flight detector based on the detected second reflected light, and wherein the feedback signal is adapted in accordance with the detected light emitted by the time-of-flight detector.
3. The guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein the second reflected light is light received from an overlap of the first field of detection and the second field of detection.
4. The guiding system according to claim 3 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is further configured to modify the first field of detection based on the feedback signal.
5. The guiding system according to claim 4 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to modulate the first light source to integrate an optical information signal in the first field of detection, wherein the optical information signal comprises information about at least one of a time of emission, a position at a time of emission, a velocity, or an intended driving direction.
6. The guiding system according to claim 4 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to modify the first field of detection such that the overlap between the first field of detection and the second field of detection is reduced as compared to prior to the modification.
7. The guiding system according to claim 4 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to modify an emission wavelength of the first light source.
8. The guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to establish a communication channel with a second movable object to exchange information data related to the detected second reflected light, wherein the communication channel is independent from the first light source.
9. The guiding system according to claim 8 , wherein the time-of-flight imaging system is configured to modify the first field of detection based on information data received via the communication channel.
10. The guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein the light sensor comprises at least a first light sensor and a second light sensor, wherein the first light sensor is configured to detect the first reflected light and wherein the second light sensor is configured to detect the second reflected light.
11. The guiding system according to claim 10 , wherein the first light sensor and the second light sensor of the time-of-flight imaging system have a different spectral sensitivity.
12. A system comprising a first autonomous movable object and a second autonomous movable object, wherein each of the first autonomous movable object and the second autonomous movable object comprises a respective one of the guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein the first autonomous movable object and the second autonomous movable object are configured to exchange data in reaction to the feedback signal, wherein the first autonomous movable object or the second autonomous movable object is configured to modify a corresponding field of detection or to modify a motion of the first autonomous movable object or the second autonomous movable object in reaction to the exchanged data.
13. A system comprising a plurality of autonomous movable objects, each of the plurality of autonomous movable object comprises a respective one of the guiding system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the autonomous movable objects is configured to modify a motion of the respective one of the autonomous movable objects in reaction to the feedback signal generated upon detection of at least one field of detection of another one of the autonomous movable object.
14. A method of guiding an autonomous movable object, the method comprising:
illuminating a first field of detection;
detecting reflected light, wherein the detected reflected light comprises first reflected light and second reflected light, wherein the first reflected light comprises light illuminating the first field of detection, wherein the second reflected light originates from a second field of detection illuminated by a second light source coupled to a different movable object and illuminated independently from illumination of the first field of detection;
differentiating between the first reflected light and the second reflected light;
determining a depth map of the first field of detection based on the detected first reflected light for guiding the autonomous movable object;
generating a feedback signal for triggering a feedback action based on the detected second reflected light for guiding the autonomous movable object; and
modifying a direction of movement of the autonomous movable object based on the feedback signal.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions configured to be saved on at least one memory device comprised in a guiding system, wherein the computer readable instructions are configured such that, when executed by at least one processor of the guiding system, the guiding system performs the method according to claim 14 .