Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6704099?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=7,444,563
Timestamp: 2014-12-19 13:56:16
Document Index: 548710253

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 6', 'art 6', 'art 536', 'art; 533', 'art; 535', 'art; 536', 'art; 538']

Patent US6704099 - Range finder device and camera - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA 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/US6704099?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6704099 - Range finder device and cameraAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6704099 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/420,256Publication dateMar 9, 2004Filing dateApr 22, 2003Priority dateMay 25, 1998Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE69943406D1, EP1006386A1, EP1006386A4, EP1006386B1, EP2306228A1, EP2306229A1, EP2312363A1, EP2312363B1, EP2416197A1, EP2416198A1, EP2416198B1, US6587183, US6734951, US6897946, US20030193657, US20030193658, US20030193659, US20040145722, WO1999061948A1Publication number10420256, 420256, US 6704099 B2, US 6704099B2, US-B2-6704099, US6704099 B2, US6704099B2InventorsKenya Uomori, Takeo Azuma, Atsushi MorimuraOriginal AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (22), Non-Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (10), Classifications (25), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRange finder device and cameraUS 6704099 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.
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a range finder device for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object.
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan θ+tan φ) (1) 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.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been achieved in light of such problems, and aims to provide a stable range finder device free from any mechanical operations, at a low cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a range finder device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS 1 Camera
Best Code for Carrying out the Invention Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, descriptions of a range finder device according to embodiments of to the present invention will be provided.
First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a range finder according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 denotes a camera; 2 a and 2 b, light sources; 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.
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan θ−tan φ) According to the present embodiment as described above, a distance is measured by correcting any variations in the light intensity generated by the light sources or the optical system at the time of measuring the distance by means of a range finder using light intensity, whereby it is possible to realize a stable range finder device with high precision capable of implementation by electronic operations.
X=Z/tan θ Y=Z/tan ω (2) In this respect, in the present embodiment, if light sources 2 a and 2 b emit light at the same time, and are used as a normal flash lamp in which brightness in one center is great and the marginal portion becomes dark as indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4, a normal two-dimensional image can be image-picked up.
Second Embodiment 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.
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan φ−tan φ) The distance calculation part 6 calculates a distance image from a video signal of the camera 1 a. The calculation method may be accomplished in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Another method of performing more accurate measurements is described below. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the distance calculation part 6. In FIG. 8, the reference numerals 11 a and 11 b denote field memories; 12 a and 12 b, light intensity correction means; 13, light intensity ratio calculation means; and 14, distance conversion means. Hereinafter, the description will be made of the operation of each component.
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan θ−tanφ) X=Z/tan θ Y=Z/tan ω and to output the corresponding three-dimensional coordinate data.
Third Embodiment FIG. 10(a) is a schematic perspective view illustrating a third embodiment of a range finder according to the present invention. With reference to the figure, the description will be made of the configuration of the present embodiment hereinafter.
Fourth Embodiment FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating a shape measuring camera and an object extracting camera according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing this camera.
Z=D tan θ tan φ/(tan θ−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:
X=Z/tan θ Y=Z/tan ω Also, a color image calculation part 536 calculates an image obtained by adding and averaging image pickup data when the above-described two types of light patterns are irradiated to make the image into a color image. These two types of light patterns have characteristic properties such that the brightness varies complementally to each other as shown in FIG. 18, and by adding and averaging them, the same color image as a color image obtained by picking up with strobes with uniform brightness can be obtained.
Fifth Embodiment FIG. 28 is a block diagram showing a shape measuring camera and an object extracting camera according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 28, the reference numeral 501 refers to a camera housing; 505 and 506, first and second strobes, each forming the light source part respectively; 518, a display panel; 519, a touch panel; 532, a display part; 533, an image pickup part; 535, a distance calculation part; 536, a color image calculation part; 538, a media recording/reproducing part; and 537, a control part. Hereinafter, the description will be made of the operation of the shape measuring camera and the object extracting camera having the above-described configuration.
Lab={square root over ([(Xa−Xb)2+(Ya−Yb)2+(Za−Zb)2])} using the values of actual coordinates A (Xa, Ya, Za) and B (Xb, Yb, Zb) of respective coordinate positions of the depth image obtained to be displayed in another portion of display panel 518. In this example, the displayed length of AB is 25 cm. In this manner, the user can measure a distance between points, of the object image-picked up without touching it even if it is a distance in the depth-wise direction.
Industrial Applicability As will be apparent from the foregoing description, according to a range finder device of the present invention, it is possible to provide, at low cost, a highly reliable range finder device capable of using electronic operations and not mechanical operations.
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