Stereographic positioning systems and methods

• US 20070171526A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Feron, Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/340,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/470
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/10 having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining position relative to a stereographic pattern generator including capturing an image of a stereographic pattern from a known stereographic pattern generator with a viewer. The location of portion of the stereographic pattern is determined relative to the stereographic pattern generator is then determined with a processor. The location information is used to find the orientation of the viewer relative to the pattern generator.

Claims

1. An object positioning and attitude estimation system, comprising:

at least one stereographic device associated with a reference location and capable of generating a stereographic pattern;

a viewer mountable on an object for capturing an image of the pattern generated by the stereographic device; and

a processor in communication with the viewer for analyzing the image and, based thereon, determining the orientation of the viewer relative to the reference location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stereographic pattern provides a pattern loci that is a function of the viewing angle of the viewer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises two stereographic devices associated with the reference location.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the stereographic devices has a longitudinal axis, and the stereographic devices are positioned such that the longitudinal axes are generally perpendicular to one another

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the stereographic device includes a lens assembly and a base card positioned behind the lens assembly.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the base card includes a pattern.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the lens assembly comprises a series of elongate lenses extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens assembly.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the base card includes a linear pattern that extends at an angle φ

with respect to the longitudinal axis of lens assembly.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the stereographic device further comprises a light source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes at least one optical marker to provide an estimate of distance and orientation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the optical marker defines a border around the pattern generator.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the viewer comprises a camera.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises an image processor that is adapted to determine the relative location of the stereographic device based on the stereographic pattern produced by the stereographic device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the stereographic device is an autostereoscopic device.

3. The system of clam 2, wherein the function is a generally linear relationship.

16. A method of determining position relative to a stereographic device, comprising:

capturing an image of a stereographic pattern from a known stereographic device with a viewer;

finding the location of a pattern loci relative to the stereographic device;

determining a relative orientation, using a processor, of the stereographic device with respect to the viewer based on the location of the pattern loci.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the location of the pattern loci a function of the viewing angle of the viewer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the stereographic device includes a lens assembly having a longitudinal axis L and a series of lenses extending parallel to the longitudinal axis.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stereographic device includes a linear pattern extending parallel to an axis L_p.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the longitudinal axis L of the lens assembly and the axis L_p of the pattern are positioned at an angle φ

relative to one another.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pattern loci is at a location x on the stereographic device and the relative angle of the viewer with respect to the stereographic device is at an angle θ

.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the angle θ

is determined based on an equation x =d tan Θ

/sin Φ

, where d is a characteristic length of the stereographic device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the angle θ

is determined based on an equation x ≅

d Θ

/Φ

, where d is a characteristic length of the stereographic device.