Automated lens calibration
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a camera including an imaging array and a lens system for projecting an image of an object onto the array, said lens system inducing some distortion in the projected image;
a laser for generating a laser beam;
a scanner for scanning the laser beam over the object in a manner so that laser light reflected from the object is imaged by the lens system onto the array, said scanner generating information corresponding to the position of the laser beam on the object; and
a processor for controlling the scanner and for comparing the position of the laser light imaged by the camera onto the array with position information received from the scanner to determine the distortion in the image induced by the lens system.
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Abstract
An improved approach for correcting lens distortion in an imaging system is disclosed. The method is applicable to systems which include both an image system and a laser scanner. In the method, a comparison is made between the location of laser spots on a remote image as captured by the imaging system with calculated locations of the laser spots generated by the laser scanner. The difference between distorted imaged spots and undistorted computationally determined spot locations is utilized to generate a distortion map. The distortion map is then applied to correct a distorted image.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a camera including an imaging array and a lens system for projecting an image of an object onto the array, said lens system inducing some distortion in the projected image;
a laser for generating a laser beam;
a scanner for scanning the laser beam over the object in a manner so that laser light reflected from the object is imaged by the lens system onto the array, said scanner generating information corresponding to the position of the laser beam on the object; and
a processor for controlling the scanner and for comparing the position of the laser light imaged by the camera onto the array with position information received from the scanner to determine the distortion in the image induced by the lens system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of determining the distortion created by the lens system of a camera, wherein said lens system projects an image onto an array, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing a laser beam to reflect off an object in a manner so that the reflected light is imaged by the array; and
comparing the position of the laser light falling on the array with independent information about the position of the laser beam on the object to determine the imaging model of and distortion created by the lens system.
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14. A method of determining the distortion created by the lens system of a camera, wherein said lens system projects an image onto an array, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing a laser beam with a scanner to reflect off an object in a manner so that the reflected light is imaged by the array, said scanner generating position information; and
comparing the position of the laser light falling on the array with position information generated by the scanner to determine the distortion created by the lens system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a camera including an imaging array and a lens system for projecting an image of an object onto the array;
a laser for generating a laser beam;
a scanner for scanning the laser beam over the object in a manner so that laser light reflected from the object is imaged by the lens system onto the array, said scanner generating information corresponding to the position of the laser beam on the object; and
a processor for controlling the scanner and for comparing the position of the laser light imaged by the camera onto the array with position information received from the scanner to determine an optical imaging model of the camera.
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Specification