Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6734951?dq=6,123,819
Timestamp: 2016-07-26 16:11:33
Document Index: 489328534

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 105', 'art 5', 'art 206', 'art 206', 'art 206', 'art 518', 'art 533']

Patent US6734951 - Range finder device and camera - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA range finder device, for measuring, when a plurality of projected lights having radiation patterns whose light intensity differs three-dimensional space-wise are irradiated onto an object from a light source on a time-sharing basis to image-pick up reflected light of the projected light from the object...http://www.google.com/patents/US6734951?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6734951 - Range finder device and cameraAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6734951 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/420,686Publication dateMay 11, 2004Filing dateApr 22, 2003Priority dateMay 25, 1998Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE69943406D1, EP1006386A1, EP1006386A4, EP1006386B1, EP2306228A1, EP2306229A1, EP2312363A1, EP2312363B1, EP2416197A1, EP2416198A1, EP2416198B1, US6587183, US6704099, US6897946, US20030193657, US20030193658, US20030193659, US20040145722, WO1999061948A1Publication number10420686, 420686, US 6734951 B2, US 6734951B2, US-B2-6734951, US6734951 B2, US6734951B2InventorsKenya Uomori, Takeo Azuma, Atsushi MorimuraOriginal AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (30), Non-Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (4), Classifications (24), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRange finder device and camera
US 6734951 B2Abstract
A range finder device, for measuring, when a plurality of projected lights having radiation patterns whose light intensity differs three-dimensional space-wise are irradiated onto an object from a light source on a time-sharing basis to image-pick up reflected light of the projected light from the object with a camera, a distance using the light intensity of an image picked up, characterized in that, with respect to each of a plurality of surfaces including the center of the light source and the center of a lens, there is obtained, in advance, relation between an angle of each projected light from the light source and light intensity ratio in each surface, characterized in that, at the time of actual distance measurement, light intensity of each pixel of the camera is measured, and on the basis of the light intensity thus measured, and relation between the angle and the light intensity ratio on a predetermined surface corresponding to a coordinate position of the pixel measured, there is obtained the angle corresponding to the light intensity of the predetermined, pixel thus measured, and characterized in that, on the basis of these light intensity measured, the angles obtained and further two-dimensional coordinate position information on the predetermined pixel on the image, a distance to the object is calculated.
What is claimed is: 1. A camera for shape measuring or object extracting, comprising light-emitting means of irradiating an object with projected light having a specified radiation pattern, and means of picking up reflected light of said object to obtain a depth image using light intensity of the image picked up
wherein; said light-emitting means includes; a set of one or more shading plates; and a plurality of straight-line shaped light sources, each straight-line shaped light source having a longitudinal axis and a midpoint; wherein; the set of one or more shading plates includes a plurality of openings, each opening arranged between a corresponding one of the plurality of straight-line shaped light sources and the object; a center of each opening is offset from the midpoint of the corresponding straight-line shaped light source along the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight-line shaped light source; and said plurality of straight-line shaped light sources emits light one at a time on a time-sharing basis. 2. A camera for shape measuring or object extracting, comprising;
light-emitting means irradiating an object with projected light having a plurality of specified radiation pattern; and means of picking up reflected light said object to obtain a depth image using light intensity of the image picked up, wherein; said light-emitting means includes a light source and a light modulation device arranged between the light source and the object; light transmittance of the light modulation device is switchable between a plurality of two-dimensional distributions of light transmittance, each two-dimensional distribution of light transmittance causes the light-emitting means to irradiate the object with one of the plurality of specified radiation patterns; and said light-emitting means emits light in response to switching of the light modulation device between the plurality of two-dimensional distributions of light transmittance. 3. A range finder device comprising:
a camera for shape measuring or object extracting, including; light-emitting means of irradiating an object with projected light having a specified radiation; and means of picking up reflected light from said object to obtain a depth image using light intensity of the image picked up, wherein; said light-emitting means includes; a set of one or more shading plates; and a plurality of straight-line shaped light sources, each straight-line shaped light source having a longitudinal axis and a midpoint; the set of one or more shading plates includes a plurality of openings, each opening arranged between a corresponding one of the plurality of straight-line shaped light sources and the object; a center of each opening is offset from the midpoint of the corresponding straight-line shaped light source along the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight-line shaped light source; and said plurality of straight-line shaped light sources emits light one at a time-sharing basis. 4. A range finder device comprising:
a camera for shape measuring or object extracting, having; light-emitting means of irradiating an object with projected light having a plurality of specified radiation patterns; and means of picking up reflected light from said object to obtain a depth image using light intensity of the image picked up, wherein; said light-emitting means includes a light source and a light modulation device arranged between the light source and the object, light transmittance of the light modulation device is switchable between a plurality of two-dimensional distributions of light transmittance, each two-dimensional distribution of light transmittance causes the light-emitting means to irradiate the object with one of the plurality of specified-radiation patterns, and said light-emitting means emits light in response to switching of the light modulation device between the plurality of two-dimensional distributions of light transmittance.
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/463,530 filed Mar. 30, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 09/463,530 which is a U.S. National Phase Application OF PCT International Application PCT/JP99/02715.
This application is a U.S. National Phase Application of PCT International Application PCT/JP99/02715.
A range finder device for performing three-dimensional shape measurement based on triangulation of projected, light and an observed image, such as real-time operable range finder device shown in, for example, FIG. 40 has been proposed.
In FIG. 40, reference numerals 101A and 101B denote laser light sources having slightly different wavelengths; 102, a half mirror for synthesizing laser, light from the laser light sources having the different wavelengths; 103, a light source control part for controlling light intensity of the laser light source; 104, a rotary mirror for scanning laser light; 105, a rotation control part for controlling the rotary mirror; 106, an object; 107, a lens for forming an image on a CCD; 108A and 108B, light wavelength separation filters for separating light having wavelength from the laser light source; 109A and 109B, CCDs for picking up a monochromatic image; 109C, a CCJ for picking up a color image; 110A and, 110B, signal processing parts for a monochromatic camera; 111, a signal processing part for a color camera; 112, a distance calculation part for calculating a distance or a shape of an object from intensity of laser light photographed by CCDs 109A and 109B; and 113, a control part for adjusting synchronization of the entire device. Hereinafter, the description will be made of the operation of a range finder device thus configured.
The reason why two light sources having close wavelengths to each other are used resides in the fact that it is less influenced by dependency of the reflection factor of the object on a wavelength. The laser light emitted from the laser light sources 101A and 101B is synthesized by the half mirror 102, and is scanned on the object by the rotary mirror 104.
Scanning of the laser light is performed when the rotation control part 105 drives the rotary mirror 104 at one field period. At that time, light intensities of both light sources is varied as shown in FIG. 42(a) within one field period. The variations in the laser light intensity are synchronized by driving of the mirror angle, whereby the intensities of those two laser lights are monitored by CCD 109A and 109B to calculate the light intensity ratio, making it possible to measure time at one scanning period. If the light intensity is Ia/Ib, as shown in, for example, FIG. 42(b), the scanning time is measured to be t0, and a rotation angle (φ)of the rotary mirror 104 can be determined from the measured value.
X=Z/ tan θ
Y=Z/ tan ω
The φ in the formula (1) is calculated by the light intensity ratio of laser light sources 101A and 101B monitored by the CCDs 109A and 109B as described above, and θ and ω are calculated from coordinate values of pixels. Of the values shown in the formula (1), if all of them are calculated, the shape will be determined; and if only Z is determined, the distance image will be determined.
On the other hand, for photography of a place where light from the light source cannot be directly irradiated onto an object, there has been known a camera which uses an optical fiber. For example, in endoscopes to be used for examining the interior of a human body, there is a gastrocamera and the like. In the case of the gastrocarmera, the inner walls of the stomach are normally irradiated by light irradiation from the optical fiber, and reflected light from the inner wall portion is received by another optical fiber which is guided by an external camera part, and this is two-dimensionally processed to display a normal image on a monitor.
That is, the present invention is a range finder devices for measuring, when a plurality of projected lights, having radiation patterns whose light intensity differs three-dimensional space-wise, are irradiated onto an object from a light source on a lime-sharing basis to image-pick up reflected light of the projected light from the object with a camera, a distance using the light intensity of an image picked up.
FIG. 31 is another block diagram illustrating a camera; according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
The light source control part 5 causes the light sources 2 a and 2 b to alternately emit light for each field period in synchronism with a vertical; synchronizing signal of the camera 1. Light sources 2 a and 2 b may include flash light sources 7 and 8 such as xenon flash lamps that are lengthwise arranged and the directions of passive reflection plates behind them are laterally deviated as shown in, for example, FIG. 2(a). FIG. 2(b) is a plan view of FIG. 2(a). The light sources 2 a and 2 b radiate light within ranges A and B respectively. This xenon lamp has a small-sized light emitting portion, and one which can be regarded as a point light source as viewed from above. Further, the light sources 2 a and 2 b are lengthwise arranged, and the distance therebetween is about 1 cm, and these light sources appear as if light was emitted substantially from one point.
An example of a light pattern to be radiated from such light sources is shown in FIG. 3. When light is projected onto a provisional screen, a size of the brightness of the screen surface is shown by a direction → in the figure. That is, the respective light sources have characteristic properties that the screen surface is brightest at the central axis, and becomes darker toward the marginal portion. It is bright at the center and dark in the marginal portion in this manner because semi-cylindrical passive reflection plates 9 and 10 are located behind the flash light sources 7 and 8. Also, the directions of those semi-cylindrical passive reflection plates 9 and 10 are deviated, and the respective projected light is emitted so that it is partially overlapped.
FIG. 4 shows the relationship between angles of projected light from the light sources and light intensity in a plane of the H direction of FIG. 3. This H direction is a direction of a crossing line between an arbitrary plane S, of a plurality of planes including the center of the light source and the lens center, and the above-described provisional screen. In the α portion of these light patterns, light to be irradiated from the two light sources into the object space becomes bright on the right side in one and bright on the left side in the other, as viewed from each light source. This pattern varies, however, also in the height-wise direction (Y direction).
FIG. 5 indicates the relationship between the light intensity ratio in the object illumination by the two projected lights, and an angle φ, made by the X-axis, of the one obtained by projecting the projected light onto the XZ plane in the a portion in FIG. 4. In the a portion, the relationship between the light intensity ratio and angle φ is a one-to-one correspondence. In order to measure distance, two types of light patterns are alternately projected onto a plane, which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the light sources and are set up vertically, and such data on the relationship between the light intensity ratios and the angle of projected light as is shown in FIG. 5 is obtained in advance for each Y-coordinate (which corresponds to Y-coordinate on CCD) from the result obtained by image-picking up this reflected light with the camera 1. The “for each Y-coordinate” means for each of a plurality of planes including the light source center and the lens center.
Y=Z/ tan ω (2)
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a range finder device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, the reference numeral 1 a denotes a camera having sensitivity in infrared light; 2 a and 2 b, light sources; 3 a and 3 b, infrared transmission filters; 4 a and 4 b. ND filters whose transmittance varies in the horizontal direction; 5, a light source control part; and 6, a distance calculation part. Hereinafter, the description will be made of an operation of the above-described configuration.
If a distance of arranging the object is known in advance, the reference distance is set to a value close to the known distance, thereby making it possible to improve the accuracy, at the time of measuring the distance.
In this respect, in the distance calculation part according to the present embodiment, a description has been presented where only the distance Z is calculated and the calculation result is outputted as the distance image, but it is possible to calculate all of the three-dimensional coordinate values X, Y and Z using the angle (a shown in FIG. 6 from the following formulas:
Also, for the light pattern to be projected onto an object in the present embodiment, it may be possible to use a light transmission type liquid crystal display device (e.g., a device used in an ordinary liquid crystal video projector) one light source in place of the ND filters 4 a and 4 b whose transmittance vanes in the horizontal direction, and the light sources 2 a and 2 b. These ND filters and two light sources are switched to a light transmission pattern of the light transmission type liquid crystal display device such that the light source emits light twice, or that the light source is left lighted to switch to two types of light patterns of the light transmission type liquid crystal display device, whereby it is possible to irradiate two types of light patterns onto the object on a time-shared basis.
As shown in FIG. 10(a), a semiconductor laser 201 is an exemplary light source means for emitting light with a wavelength λ. A first optical fiber 202 is an exemplary means for guiding light to be emitted from the semiconductor laser 201 to a light distributor 203. Also, a collimator lens 204 is arranged between the first optical fiber 202 and the semiconductor laser 201. The light distributor 203 is an exemplary light distribution means for dividing the light guided through the first optical fiber 202 into two courses. Also, the light distributor 203 has a shutter mechanism, and is an exemplary means for transmitting the divided light to second optical fibers a and b on a time-shared base. The second optical fiber a (205 a) and the second optical fiber b (205 b) are each connected at one end thereof, to the light distributor 203 for irradiating the light divided from an aperture at the other end onto an object (for example, the inner walls of the stomach, or the like). A camera part 206 is an exemplary image pickup means for acquiring image data of the object received through light-receiving optical fiber bundle 207 by means of reflected light from the object. In this respect, at the tip end of the light-receiving optical fiber bundle 207, there is arranged a lens 210 in proximity thereto. CCD 209 is an image pickup element mounted to the camera part 206 so as to receive light from the light-receiving optical fiber bundle 207. Light to be irradiated, from the aperture 208 a of the second optical fiber a (205 a) has a light intensity distribution as shown in FIG. 4 which has been described in the embodiment. Light to be irradiated from the aperture 208 b of the second optical fiber b (205 b) is also the same. These lights have different light intensity distributions depending upon the position in the horizontal direction because light to be emitted from the aperture of the optical fiber diffuses based on the angular aperture. Therefore, by adjusting the angular aperture, the shape of the light intensity distribution can be changed. In this respect, the angular aperture can be adjusted to some degree by setting the refractive index of the optical fiber in the diameter-wise direction to a predetermined value.
Also, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been made of a configuration in which nothing has been provided in front of the optical fibers 205 a and 205 b as shown in FIG. 11(a), however, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is possible to arrange a collimator lens 301 (See FIG. 11(b).) at the front of the aperture 208 a, 208 b of each optical fiber 205 a, 205 b, or to arrange a cylindrical lens (or a rod lens) 302 (See FIG. 11(c).) at the front of each aperture 208 a, 208 b This enables the intensity of light to be irradiated from the aperture to be position-wise uniformly varied. In this respect, it is also possible to output light, which has no different local light intensity, from the front of each aperture 208 a, 208 b, and instead, to arrange a transmittance change filter 1 (303 a) and a transmittance change filter 2 (303 b), whose light transmittance differs position-wise, at the front of each aperture 208 a, 208 b. With reference to FIGS. 12(a) and (b), a further description of the characteristic properties of the filter shown in FIG. 11(d) is provided.
The intensity distribution of light that passes through the transmittance change filter 1 (303 a) shown in, for example, FIG. 12(a), is set as denoted by the reference numeral 401 a in FIG. 12(b). In contrast, the intensity distribution of light that passes through the transmittance change filter 2 (303 b), is set as denoted by the reference numeral 401 b in FIG. 12(b). FIG. 12(b) illustrates the light intensity distribution for a range a shown in FIG. 4. The present invention can be implemented even if such a transmittance change filter is used.
Also, in the above-described embodiment, a description has been provided where the light distributor includes a shutter mechanism such that the object is irradiated with light on a time-shared basis, however, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, light from the light source includes light having a plurality of frequencies, and the light distributor may be provided with a filter, whereby light having a different wavelength is irradiated from the aperture. Thus, the camera part is provided with a filter and a light-receiving element, capable of distinguishing between these two types of wavelengths, thereby making it possible to irradiate the object with each light having two types of wavelengths at the same time. This reduces the measuring time. In FIG. 10(b), if the wavelength of the semiconductor lasers 201 a and 201 b are different from each other, and the camera part 206 is provided with a filter and a light receiving element, capable of distinguishing between these two types of wavelengths, it is possible to reduce the measurement time, as described above.
Also, in the above-described embodiments a semiconductor laser has been used as the light source, however, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a LED, a lamp or the like may be used as the light source.
Assuming that the optical center of the camera is the origin, and setting the optical axis direction of the camera as the Z-axis, the horizontal direction as the X-axis, the vertical direction as the Y-axis, and assuming an angle, made by the X-axis, of the direction of the attention point as viewed from the light source to be φ an angle, made by the X-axis, of the direction of the attention point as viewed from the camera to be θ and the light source position to be (0, −D), that is, the base length to be D, then the depth value Z of the attention point P can be calculated using the following formula:
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan η−tan φ)
When the value of D (distance between lens and light source part) is small, the accuracy of the depth value Z measured is degraded. If the D value is set to 20 to 30 cm for an object up to a distance of, for example, about 3 m, the depth can-be measured with an error of plus or minus about 1% of the measured distance. As the D value becomes smaller than 20 to 30 cm, the measurement error increases. Also, the X and Y coordinates of the attention point P are given by the following formulas:
According to the present embodiment as described above, it is possible to generate a plurality of light patterns in a single configuration, and to realize a shape measuring camera with a stable configuration through the use of a straight-line-shaped strobe light-emitting tube and a shading plate with a hole for a light intensity change pattern.
FIG. 25 illustrates an aspect of attention position designation. First, it is assumed that a color image for a desk picked up by the user is displayed on the display part 518. The user denotes designation points A523 and B524 using, a finger or a rod-like object.
Lab={square root over ({(Xa−Xb)2+(Ya−Yb)2+(Za−Zb)2})}
Thereafter, the shape measuring camera determines, from space coordinate values A (Xa, Ya, Za), B (Xb, Yb, Zb) and C (Xc, Yc, Zc) for these three points, a formulas for a circle which passes through these points. Although there are various methods for determining it, for example, perpendicular bisectors for segments AB and BC may be determined and their point of intersection is assumed to be the center G (Xg, Yg, Zg) of the circle. Next, a mean value of the length of segments GA, GB and GC can be made into the radius of the circle.
The radius thus obtained is displayed to be 50 cm in FIG. 26, of which the user is notified. By doing so, the size of such a complicated shape as a circle can also be measured without touching the object. In addition, for any shape having a mathematical expression for defining the shape such as an equilateral triangle and an ellipse, its size can be measured from the depth image without touching the object by the user designating a plurality of points. Also, in his case, the user has input the coordinates for the attention point by using the touch panel, however, it may be possible to display a cursor (such as a figure of cross), which moves left, right, up or down, on the display panel 518, and to denote points by moving the cursor position with a push-button to input the coordinates for the attention point.
Further, another example of display and utilization of the pickup data will be described;
In this manner, the camera is capable of judging the object at which the user aims, for extracting the object to be displayed and recorded. In this case; depending upon the image processing, a portion may be erroneously judged to be a foreground (instead of background) by a malfunction as shown in FIG. 30.
In the fourth embodiment, a similar effect can be obtained even if the housing for a shape measuring camera is constructed as shown in FIG. 22. More specifically, the housing 517, that contains the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in the light source part, is made small in size, and is connected to the camera housing 501 using a hinge configuration. During use, the-housing 517 is turned by the user to thereby expose the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in the light source part, where normally the housing is small in size while the first and second strobes-505 and 506 in the light source part are not exposed (preventing them from being damaged due to any careless contact), and at the same time, during image-picking up, the interval D between these strobes and the lens can be enlarged.
In this case, if each light transmittance portion is sequentially provided on the left side of the light-emitting tube 529 as shown in FIG. 24(b) and provided on the right-side thereof as shown in FIG. 24(c) in such a manner that the light-emitting tube 529 sequentially emits light one at a time in the respective states, then the same light pattern as shown in FIG. 18 can be generated by sequentially causing one light-emitting tube to -emit light twice without using two light-emitting tubes as shown in FIG. 2.
Also, in the, fifth embodiment, the user can denote a coordinate using the touch panel in the configuration of FIG. 31, and other means can be used. When for example, a personal computer is used, an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard can be used. In addition, a track ball, a switch, a volume and the like can also be utilized.
Also, in the fourth and fifth embodiments, the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in two light source parts are arranged at one side of the image pickup part 533 as shown in FIGS. 13, 21, 22 and 23, and in this case, when an object 540 and the background 541 are image-picked up in an arrangement such as that shown in FIG. 32, light from the light sources is intercepted by the object 540 (as shown in FIG. 33) to cause shadow 542 in an obtained image.
This is an area where light from the light sources does not reach, and is an area where a information of a distance image cannot be obtained. In this case, light sources 543 and 544 having the same configuration as the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in the light sources and are arranged at a side opposite thereto with the lens at the center as shown in FIG. 34, whereby the area of the shadow can be eliminated. The method will be described below.
When the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in the light sources are used, an area β is a portion where information of a distance image cannot be obtained, and when the light sources 543 and 544 are used, an area α is a portion where information of a distance image cannot be obtained. In the same manner as in the foregoing calculation, a distance image A and a color image A (when the first and second strobes 505 and 506 in the light sources are used), and a distance image B and a color image B (when the light sources 543 and 544 are used), are independently calculated respectively in advance. At this time, in the respective images, the portions in the areas β and α are judged to be portions having low luminance from the image data obtained in advance.
Also, in order to arrange the lens and the light sources vertically as shown in FIG. 21(c), the housings 512 and 513 of, FIG. 35 can be arranged on the vertical sides of the housing 511, and in FIG. 36, the housings 512 and 513 can be arranged on the vertical sides of the housing 511.
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