title: Applications of the Integrated High-Performance CMOS Image Sensor to Range Finders - from Optical Triangulation to the Automotive Field.
abstract: With their significant features, the applications of complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) image sensors covers a very extensive range, from industrialautomation to traffic applications such as aiming systems, blind guidance, active/passiverange finders, etc. In this paper CMOS image sensor-based active and passive rangefinders are presented. The measurement scheme of the proposed active/passive rangefinders is based on a simple triangulation method. The designed range finders chieflyconsist of a CMOS image sensor and some light sources such as lasers or LEDs. Theimplementation cost of our range finders is quite low. Image processing software to adjustthe exposure time (ET) of the CMOS image sensor to enhance the performance oftriangulation-based range finders was also developed. An extensive series of experimentswere conducted to evaluate the performance of the designed range finders. From theexperimental results, the distance measurement resolutions achieved by the active rangefinder and the passive range finder can be better than 0.6% and 0.25% within themeasurement ranges of 1 to 8 m and 5 to 45 m, respectively. Feasibility tests onapplications of the developed CMOS image sensor-based range finders to the automotivefield were also conducted. The experimental results demonstrated that our range finders arewell-suited for distance measurements in this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ming Chuan University, No. 5, Deming Rd., Gweishan Township, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jih-Huah
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Optics and Photonics, National Central University, No. 300, Jung-Da Rd., Chung-Li City, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pen
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan. jajiang@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Joe-Air
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jiang
keywords: complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS); distance measurement; image sensor; range finder; triangulation method.