Methods for reducing power consumption of a 3d image capture system

Abstract

A method for reducing power consumption of a 3D image capture system includes capturing 3D image data with the 3D image capture system while the 3D image capture system is in a first power state, detecting a power state change trigger, and switching from the first power state to a second power state based on the power state change trigger, wherein the 3D image capture system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 capturing, by a sensor and a camera associated with the sensor, active depth data and image data;   analyzing, by a processing resource, the active depth data and the image data to generate a three dimensional (3D) map of an environment;   detecting a device motion change;   determining a rate of the device motion change; and   reducing power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the device motion change satisfies a motion threshold.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the camera is visible camera and the sensor is an active depth camera. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor is at least partially in response to determining that a set of poses of the 3D map of the environment satisfies a completion threshold. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first image capture technique comprises capturing image data by pulsing an emitter of the 3D image capture system or reducing power of the emitter to capture the image data. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein determining the rate of the device motion change further comprises:
 determining a distance to an image target has satisfied a distance threshold.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the device motion change satisfies a motion threshold further comprises:
 switching the sensor from a continuous mode to a pulsed mode.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein determining the rate of the device motion change further comprises:
 determining at least one distance to an image target;   determining, based at least in part on the at least one distance to the image target, a rate of change of the distance to the image target; and   determining the rate of change of the distance to the image target has satisfied the motion threshold.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein determining the rate of the device motion change is based at least in part on a table of stored emitter intensities at various imaging target distance ranges. 
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 a sensor to capture active depth data;   a camera to capture image data;   one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 analyzing the active depth data and the image data to generate a three dimensional (3D) map of an environment; 
 detecting a system motion change; 
 determining a rate of the system motion change; and 
 reducing power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the system motion change satisfies a motion threshold. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein determining the rate of the system motion change further comprises:
 determining at least one distance to an image target;   determining, based at least in part on the at least one distance to the image target, a rate of change of the distance to the image target; and   determining the rate of change of the distance to the image target has satisfied the motion threshold.   
     
     
         32 . The system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor is at least partially in response to determining that a set of poses of the 3D map of the environment satisfies a completion threshold. 
     
     
         33 . The system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the system motion change satisfies a motion threshold further comprises:
 switching the sensor from a continuous mode to a pulsed mode.   
     
     
         34 . The system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein determining the rate of the system motion change further comprises:
 determining a distance to an image target has satisfied a distance threshold.   
     
     
         35 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving from, a sensor and a camera associated with the sensor, active depth data and image data;   analyzing the active depth data and the image data to generate a three dimensional (3D) map of an environment;   detecting a device motion change;   determining a rate of the device motion change; and   reducing power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the device motion change satisfies a motion threshold.   
     
     
         36 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 35 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving from, the sensor and the camera associated with the sensor, second active depth data and second image data;   detecting a second device motion change;   determining a second rate of the device motion change; and   increasing the power to the sensor in response to determining that the second rate of the device motion change satisfies a second motion threshold.   
     
     
         37 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the second motion threshold is the first motion threshold. 
     
     
         38 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 35 , wherein determining the rate of the device motion change further comprises:
 determining at least one distance to an image target;   determining, based at least in part on the at least one distance to the image target, a rate of change of the distance to the image target; and   determining the rate of change of the distance to the image target has satisfied the motion threshold.   
     
     
         39 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 35 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor is at least partially in response to determining that a set of poses of the 3D map of the environment satisfies a completion threshold. 
     
     
         40 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 35 , wherein reducing the power to the sensor in response to determining that the rate of the device motion change satisfies a motion threshold further comprises:
 switching the sensor from a continuous mode to a pulsed mode.   
     
     
         41 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in  claim 35 , wherein determining the rate of the device motion change further comprises:
 determining a distance to an image target has satisfied a distance threshold.