Method for associating stereo image and three-dimensional data preparation system

• US 20050286760A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Ohtomo, Fumio, Otani, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/06 by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area

Abstract

A method for associating a stereo image, by acquiring images of an object from a first point and a second point and by associating the image at the first point and the second point, comprising a step of moving from the first point to the second point while taking an image of the object, a step of setting two or more pass points on the image of the first point, a step of comparing a preceding image and a subsequent image over time, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points of the preceding image in the subsequent image, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points sequentially with respect to every frame image data from the image of the first point to the image of the second point, a step of identifying the pass points of the image of the second point, and a step of associating the image at the first point with the image at the second point via the pass points.

Claims

1. A method for associating a stereo image, by acquiring images of an object from a first point and a second point and by associating the image at the first point and the second point, comprising a step of moving from the first point to the second point while taking an image of the object, a step of setting two or more pass points on the image of the first point, a step of comparing a preceding image and a subsequent image over time, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points of the preceding image in the subsequent image, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points sequentially with respect to every frame image data from the image of the first point to the image of the second point, a step of identifying the pass points of the image of the second point, and a step of associating the image at the first point with the image at the second point via the pass points.

3. A method for associating a stereo image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein images of the objects are continuously taken during movement.

4. A method for associating a stereo image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein images of the objects are taken at predetermined time interval during movement.

5. A method for associating a stereo image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image at the first point and the image at the second point are taken in high resolution, and images are taken in low resolution during the movement from the first point to the second point.

6. A method for associating a stereo image according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a step of retrieving pass points of the preceding image based on the pass points of the subsequent image over time.

2. A method for associating a stereo image, comprising a step of taking images of two or more objects moving relatively while moving, a step of identifying one of images taken on a same object as an image at a first point, a step of identifying an image at a point separated from the first point due to moving as an image at a second point, a step of setting two or more pass points on the image at the first point, a step of comparing a preceding image and a subsequent image over time, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points of the preceding image in the subsequent image, a step of retrieving and identifying the pass points sequentially with respect to every frame image data from the image at the first point to the image at the second point, a step of identifying the pass points of the image at the second point, and a step of associating the image at the first point with the image at the second point via the pass points.

7. A 3-dimensional data preparation system, comprising an image pickup device for taking images of an object while moving from a first point to a second point, a GPS unit for detecting positional coordinates of said image pickup device, an azimuth sensor for detecting an image-taking direction of said image pickup device, and a control arithmetic operation unit for processing the images taken by said image pickup device, wherein said control arithmetic operation unit sets up two or more pass points on the image at the first point, compares a preceding image and a subsequent image over time, retrieves and identifies the pass points of the preceding image in the subsequent image, retrieves and identifies the pass points sequentially with respect to every frame image data from the image at the first point to the image at the second point, associates the image at the first point with the image at the second point via the pass points, and calculates 3-dimensional data of the object based on data of coordinate position of said image pickup device detected by said GPS unit and based on data of image-taking direction of said image pickup device detected by said azimuth sensor.

9. A 3-dimensional data preparation system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said control arithmetic operation unit sets up a cross point obtained by edge processing of the image at the first point as a pass point.

10. A 3-dimensional data preparation system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said image pickup device can take an all-around image of entire surroundings.

11. A 3-dimensional data preparation system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein images are taken in high resolution at the first point and at the second point, and images are taken in low resolution during movement.

8. A 3-dimensional data preparation system, comprising an image pickup device for taking images of two or more objects moving relatively while moving, a GPS unit for detecting position coordinates of said image pickup device, an azimuth sensor for detecting an image-taking direction of said image pickup device, and a control arithmetic operation unit for processing images taken by said image pickup device, wherein said control arithmetic operation unit defines one of the images taken on a same object as an image at a first point and defines an image at a point separate from the first point due to movement as an image at a second point, sets up two or more pass points on the image at the first point, compares the preceding image with the subsequent image over time, retrieves and identifies the pass points of the preceding image in the subsequent image, retrieves and identifies the pass points sequentially with respect to every frame image data from the image at the first point to the image at the second point, identifies the pass points of the image at the second point, associates the image at the first point with the image at the second point via the pass points, and calculates 3-dimensional data of the object based on data of coordinate position of said image pickup device detected by said GPS unit and based on data of image-taking direction of said image pickup device detected by said azimuth sensor.