Patent ID: 7990415
Filing Date: 2011-08-02
Classification: G01C,G01S

Abstract:
1. An image input device, comprising: a laser range finder which measures distance information of an object by using invisible light; a camera which measures color information of the object; filter attachment means which comprises a first filter which transmits visible light and blocks invisible light and a second filter which transmits invisible light and blocks visible light, to be attachable to the camera; calibration error verification means which calculates a calibration error between the laser range finder and the camera by comparison between an image which has a pattern of the invisible light projected from the laser range finder onto the object and is photographed by the camera to which the first filter is being attached, and a reference image; calibration means which calibrates a relative position and a relative posture between the laser range finder and the camera when the calibration error exceeds a predetermined value; and measurement means which records the color information obtained by the camera and the distance information obtained by the laser range finder during an acquisition of the color information, as an image data; wherein: the reference image is the pattern of the invisible light that is projected from the laser range finder onto the plane of the object and photographed of a previous calibration by the camera to which the first filter is attached; the filter attachment means switches the filter attached to the camera from the first filter to the second filter in one of a case where calibration by the calibration means is terminated and a case where the calibration error is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value; and the measurement means, after the filter attached to the camera is switched form the first filter to the second filter, records the color information obtained by the camera to which the second filter is attached and the distance information obtained by the laser range finder concurrently with acquisition of the color information, as the image data.