Real-time image processing of TOF range images using a single shot image capture algorithm

During the last years, Time-of-Flight sensors achieved a significant impact onto research fields in machine vision. In comparison to other common 3D sensing devices they combine the advantages of active sensors providing accurate distance measurements and camera-based systems recording a 2D matrix at a high frame rate. This paper focuses on the currently implemented 4-phase-shift algorithm to calculate the range image in this type of sensors. A new approach is presented which increases the range calculation time by a factor of four. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is well suited for real-time processing of the range images of TOF cameras.