Microelectronics engineering company Melexis has entered into a license agreement with Chronoptics, which specializes in the design and integration of time-of-flight (ToF) 3D cameras. The agreement gives Melexis exclusive use of Chronoptics’ multipath and linearity error correction technologies in automotive applications, including advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) for autonomous vehicles, and interior monitoring and safety systems. The companies will also work together to further improve and deploy the technology in the automotive market.
Multipath interference in ToF cameras can, in some use cases, lead to inaccurate depth measurements under specific conditions, such as when a wide field of view (FOV) is used, or when the scene contains highly reflective objects. It is typically caused by stray light and scattering due to bright reflections in the scene. Chronoptics’ multipath correction technology recovers the correct depth values to produce accurate and robust point clouds even in the most challenging scenarios. With future vehicle applications set to demand an even wider FOV, the technology enables Melexis’ customers to address and mitigate potential challenges in advance.
The new IPs from Chronoptics will be available for evaluation in Melexis’ ToF reference design, according to Damien Macq, VP & General Manager of Melexis’ Sense and Light business unit.