Three-dimensional image capturing device

• US 20030043287A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kakiuchi, Shinichi, Yamamoto, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/269
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters

Abstract

A three-dimensional image capturing device has a center LED and peripheral LEDs which are arranged around the center LED. The center LED and peripheral LEDs irradiate distance measuring light beams to a measurement subject. The distance measurement light beams are reflected by a surface of the measurement subject, and the reflected light beams are received by an imaging device, so that distances from the imaging device to the measurement subject are sensed in accordance with the received light amount. The irradiation timings of the center LED and the peripheral LEDs are adjusted, in such a manner that, when the measurement subject is a flat plane parallel to the light receiving surface of the imaging device, the reflected light beams from all of the LEDs are simultaneously received by the imaging device.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional image capturing device, comprising:

a center light emitting element that irradiates a distance measuring light beam to a predetermined area of a measurement subject, which reflects said distance light beam to generate a first reflected light beam;

a plurality of peripheral light emitting elements that are disposed around said center light emitting element, and irradiate distance measuring light beams to peripheral areas around said predetermined area, which reflect said distance light beams to generate second reflected light beams;

a distance measurement information sensing processor that receives said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams on a light receiving surface of an imaging device, so that distances from said imaging device to said predetermined area and said peripheral areas are sensed in accordance with the amount of light received by said distance measurement information sensing processor; and

a light emission timing adjusting processor that adjusts the irradiation timings of said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements, in such a manner that, when said measurement subject is a flat plane parallel to said light receiving surface, said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams are simultaneously received by said light receiving surface.

2. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral light emitting elements are arranged in a plurality of circles, which are coaxial with said center light emitting element.

3. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said light emission timing adjusting processor comprises:

a pulse signal generating processor that generates a pulse signal in accordance with an image capturing operation of said three-dimensional image capturing device;

a pulse signal adjusting processor that adjusts an output timing of said pulse signal in accordance with the distance difference between a first distance from said center light emitting element to said predetermined area of said flat plane and a second distance from said peripheral light emitting elements to said peripheral areas of said flat plane, to generate an adjusted pulse signal for said center light emitting element and each of said peripheral light emitting elements; and

a light emitting element driving processor that operates said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements in accordance with said adjusted pulse signal.

4. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 3, wherein the earlier said adjusted pulse signal is output in comparison with that of said center light emitting element, the farther said peripheral light emitting elements are positioned from said center light emitting element.

5. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 1, further comprising an electric power source that applies electric voltage to said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements, said light emission timing adjusting processor having a light emitting element control switch that is turned ON to designate said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements, to which said electric voltage is to be applied, in accordance with a rise of said electric voltage output by said electric power source.

6. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 5, wherein said light emitting element control switch is turned ON in such a manner that said electric voltage is applied first to said peripheral light emitting elements, which are disposed at the outer periphery, and is then applied to said peripheral light emitting elements, which are disposed inward of said outer periphery, in the order of the outermost to innermost peripheral light emitting elements.

7. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein the optical axes of said peripheral light emitting elements are inclined to converge to the optical axis of said center light emitting element in such a manner that the amount of the inclination is greater as said peripheral light emitting elements are positioned further from said center light emitting element.

8. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a camera body that houses said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements;

a photographing lens that leads said distance measuring light beam and beams irradiated by said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements to said measurement subject, and leads said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams into said camera body; and

a half-mirror that reflects said distance measuring light beam and beams to lead the reflected distance measuring light beam and beams to said measurement subject, and passes said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams to lead said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams to said imaging device.

9. A three-dimensional image capturing device, comprising:

a center light emitting element that irradiates a distance measuring light beam to a predetermined area of a measurement subject, which reflects said distance light beam to generate a first reflected light beam;

a plurality of peripheral light emitting elements that are disposed around said center light emitting element, and irradiate distance measuring light beams to peripheral areas around said predetermined area, which reflect said distance light beams to generate second reflected light beams; and

a distance measurement information sensing processor that receives said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams on a light receiving surface of an imaging device, so that distances from said imaging device to said predetermined area and said peripheral areas are sensed in accordance with the amount of light received by said distance measurement information sensing processor;

said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements being arranged in such a manner that, when said measurement subject is a flat plane parallel to said light receiving surface, said first reflected light beam and said second reflected light beams are simultaneously received by said light receiving surface.

10. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral light emitting elements are arranged in a plurality of circles, which are coaxial with said center light emitting element.

11. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements are arranged in accordance with the distance difference between a first distance from said center light emitting element to said predetermined area of said flat plane and a second distance from said peripheral light emitting elements to said peripheral areas of said flat plane.

12. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral light emitting elements are positioned closer to said measurement subject relative to said center light emitting element.

13. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein the optical axes of said peripheral light emitting elements are inclined to converge to the optical axis of said center light emitting element in such a manner that the amount of the inclination is greater as said peripheral light emitting elements are positioned further from said center light emitting element.

14. A three-dimensional image capturing device according to claim 9, further comprising a base plate that has a curved surface, on which said center light emitting element and said peripheral light emitting elements are arranged.