Color sensor insensitive to distance variations

Abstract

A system for calibrating a color sensing pixel based upon the distance between the color sensing pixel and an object. The distance is determined by measuring the phase shift of electromagnetic radiation as reflected from the surface of the object compared with the wave profile of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the object surface. The color sensing pixel is associated with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) pixel which is employed to determine the distance of the color sensing pixel. The electromagnetic radiation can be from any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, in particular the infrared and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The color sensing pixel and the ToF pixel can reside on the same semiconductor or on disparate semiconductors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a color sensing pixel that receive a first electromagnetic radiation from an object and generates a color indicating output based on the first electromagnetic radiation;   a distance sensing pixel, associated with the color sensing pixel, that receives second electromagnetic radiation from the object and generates a distance indicating output based on the second electromagnetic radiation; and   a controller that:
 determines a distance from the color sensing pixel to the object based upon the distance indicating output; and 
 adjusts the color indicating output based upon the distance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different size from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different resolution from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the color sensing pixel and the distance sensing pixel are on single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the color sensing pixel and the distance sensing pixel employ a common radiation source. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller employs a lookup table that correlates the distance to a degree of color adjustment 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to associate an alternative distance sensing pixel with the color sensing pixel in response to determining that the distance sensing pixel is not operating properly. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a device including a processor, a color indicating output based on a first electromagnetic radiation received by a color sensing pixel;   receiving, by the device, a distance indicating output based on a second electromagnetic radiation received by a distance sensing pixel associated with the color sensing pixel; and   determining, by the device, a distance from the color sensing pixel to the object based upon the distance indicating output; and   adjusting, by the device the color indicating output based upon the distance.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different size from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different resolution from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the color sensing pixel and the distance sensing pixel are on single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the color sensing pixel and the distance sensing pixel employ a common radiation source. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the controller employs a lookup table that correlates the distance to a degree of color adjustment 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising associating, by the device, an alternative distance sensing pixel with the color sensing pixel in response to determining that the distance sensing pixel is not operating properly. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a color indicating output based on a first electromagnetic radiation received by a color sensing pixel;   receiving a distance indicating output based on a second electromagnetic radiation received by a distance sensing pixel associated with the color sensing pixel;   determining a distance from the color sensing pixel to the object based upon the distance indicating output; and   adjusting the color indicating output based upon the distance.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different size from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the color sensing pixel is a different resolution from the distance sensing pixel. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the color sensing pixel and the distance sensing pixel are on single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the controller employs a lookup table that correlates the distance to a degree of color adjustment 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising associating an alternative distance sensing pixel with the color sensing pixel in response to determining that the distance sensing pixel is not operating properly.