Patent ID: 11935256
Assignee: AI INCORPORATED
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A method for remotely estimating distance, comprising:
projecting, with a laser light emitter of a distance estimation device, a light onto surfaces opposite the laser light emitter, thereby illuminating the surfaces;
iteratively capturing, with each of at least two image sensors of the distance estimation device, images of the illuminated surfaces simultaneously at discrete time intervals, each captured image including the projected light;
superimposing, with the processor, the images captured by the at least two image sensors at a same time step to produce a superimposed image;
determining, with the processor, a first distance in the superimposed image between the projected light from each of the captured images forming the superimposed image; and
determining, with the processor, a second distance from the at least two image sensors to a surface on which the light is projected;
wherein:
the distance estimation device is disposed on a robotic device for use in avoiding obstacles during navigation;
the distance estimation device is positioned behind a band-pass filter disposed on the robotic device to limit an amount of light;
the surfaces on which the light is projected are within a predetermined range of distance from the laser light emitter;
images captured by each of the at least two image sensors at a same time step at least partially overlap;
the at least two image sensors are symmetrically disposed on either side of the laser light emitter;
each of the at least two image sensors are positioned at an angle such that a field of view of each image sensor at least partially overlaps and each image captured by the at least two image sensors includes the projected light; and
as the second distance decreases, the first distance decreases.