Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, has entered into a license agreement with Chronoptics, a specialist in the design and integration of Time-of-Flight 3D cameras. The agreement gives Melexis exclusive use of Chronoptics’ multipath and linearity error correction technologies in automotive applications. This includes 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 Time-of-Flight 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’ patented 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.
Damien Macq, VP & General Manager Sense and Light business Unit, Melexis, commented: “These new IPs will be available for evaluation in our Time-of-Flight reference design. Our third-generation ToF sensors are a breakthrough in terms of sensor performance, and this innovative technology along with other Melexis’ IPs will further enhance system level performance”.
Richard Conroy, CEO, Chronoptics, said: “We are excited to partner with Melexis to deliver robust depth sensing solutions for the automotive industry. We are experts in tailoring fit-for-purpose 3D cameras that leverage our patented depth pipeline technologies and know-how to deliver clean and accurate 3D data for any application.”
