Omni-directional stereo camera and method of controlling thereof

• US 20070223911A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Roh, Kyung Shik, Han, Woosup, Yoon, Sukjune, Ki Min, Seung
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/323
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence

Abstract

An omni-directional stereo camera and a control method thereof. The omni-directional stereo camera includes two or more omni-directional cameras, and a supporting member installed within a shooting range between the omni-directional cameras to interconnect the omni-directional cameras and including compensation patterns formed at the surfaces.

Claims

1. An omni-directional stereo camera comprising:

two or more omni-directional cameras; and

a supporting member installed within a shooting range between the omni-directional cameras to interconnect the omni-directional cameras and including compensation patterns formed at surfaces thereof.

2. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the omni-directional cameras are installed to face each other.

3. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the omni-directional cameras each comprise a CCD and the supporting member has a narrow width and a long length when viewing from the respective CCDs of the omni-directional cameras such that a dead angle is decreased and mechanical strength is increased.

4. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 3, wherein the supporting member comprises a rod having a circular cross-section.

5. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 3, wherein the supporting member comprises a rod having a teardrop-shaped cross-section.

6. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 3, wherein the supporting member comprises a rod having an oval cross-section.

7. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of the supporting members.

8. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 1, further comprising a signal line transmitting an image signal generated from one of the omni-directional cameras, wherein the signal line passes through an inside of the supporting member to the other of the omni-directional cameras to prevent the signal line from occupying a portion of the image.

9. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein each of the omni-directional cameras comprises a non-single viewpoint omni-directional camera.

11. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 4, wherein a width of the compensation patterns is equal to a diameter of the rod.

12. The omni-directional stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the compensation patterns comprise a plurality of bands.

10. A control method of an omni-directional stereo camera comprising two or more omni-directional cameras, and a supporting member installed within a shooting range between the omni-directional cameras to interconnect the omni-directional cameras and including compensation patterns formed at surfaces thereof, the control method comprising:

transforming a circular omni-directional image obtained by the omni-directional cameras into a panoramic image using image information; and

obtaining an image transformation algorithm and a three-dimensional coordinate estimating algorithm by assuming the respective omni-directional cameras to be independent projection cameras through the panoramic image captured by the omni-directional cameras.