Ams launches dToF module that enables smartphones to accurately measure distances

     Ams has announced the launch of the world's smallest integrated module for measuring Direct Time of Flight (dToF) distance, the TMF8801, which provides accurate measurements from 2cm to 2.5m. Available in 2.2mm x 3.6mm x 1.0mm package.

     The TMF8801 is more than 30% smaller than competing ToF sensors, making it particularly suitable for use in space-constrained compact designs. In addition, it can provide excellent performance in some important parameters, including accuracy, and usability in daylight. While competing ToF sensors struggle to accurately measure distances when the glass is dirty, the TMF8801 does not - it can use on-chip histogram processing to maintain high accuracy.

     "The new TMF8801 Direct Time of Flight sensor complements the TMF8701 short-range ToF sensor released in 2018 to increase the sensing range of smartphones," said Dave Moon, senior product Marketing Manager, Integrated Optical Sensors Business Line, AMS Semiconductor. "The TMF8801 is ideal for supporting rear phone cameras with laser detection Autofocus technology (LDAF) to help improve their performance and allow phone users to take sharper focused photos or take selfies."

     The TMF8801 integrates VCSEL infrared emitters, multiple SPAD (single photon avalanche photodiode) light detectors, time-to-digital converters, and on-chip microcontrollers that implement histogram processing to deliver superior ToF performance. The TMF8801, which uses the direct ToF time measurement method, provides more accurate and realistic distance measurement results than products that use the indirect ToF system to measure mean distance.

     When used to support LDAF, high-precision distance measurement further improves camera performance: sharper, more accurate focus images can be captured in any ambient light condition, and the camera flash brightness can be accurately adjusted according to the focus distance, improving picture quality. Due to its small size and low power consumption, the TMF8801 is ideal for applications such as automatic vacuum cleaners and industrial robots that require rapid distance detection and obstacle avoidance. For display-based products, such as mobile computing, the TMF8801 can be used to detect user occupancy, wake up automatically based on the user's presence or absence, or put the system into low-power sleep mode.