US Patent 9613406 Method and apparatus for providing specular surface reconstruction

An approach is provided for reconstruction of dynamic arbitrary specular objects. The approach involves determining time-of-flight data for at least one pixel of at least one time-of-flight sensor configured with at least one retro-reflector, wherein the time-of-flight data includes a first distance from the at least one time-of-flight sensor to at least one point of at least one surface, and a second distance from the at least one point to the at least one retro-reflector. The approach also involves determining other time-of-flight data for one or more neighboring pixels which are neighboring the at least one pixel. The approach further involves determining at least one range distance to the at least one point of the at least one surface by causing, at least in part, a factoring out of the second distance from the time-of-flight data by using the other time-of-flight data. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a reconstruction of the at least one surface using the at least one range distance.