DISTANCE MEASURING APPARATUS HAVING DUAL STEREO CAMERA

• US 20100328437A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siliconfile Technologies Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Siliconfile Technologies Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: LEE, Byoung-Su
• Application Number:
  US12/817,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328437A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/06 by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• 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

A distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras includes a first stereo camera including left and right CMOS image sensors provided on one board and detecting parallax of a reference object to extract distance information, the left CMOS image sensor being spaced apart from the right CMOS image sensor at a predetermined interval, a second stereo camera separated from the first stereo camera at a predetermined distance, including left and right CMOS image sensors provided on one board, and detecting parallax of the reference object to extract distance information, the left CMOS image sensor being spaced apart from the right CMOS image sensor at a predetermined interval, and a depth map matching unit that extracts distance information on the reference object by comparing the distance information on the reference object acquired through the first stereo camera with the distance information on the reference object acquired through the second stereo camera.

Claims

1. A distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras, comprising:

a first stereo camera including a left CMOS image sensor and a right CMOS image sensor provided on one board and detecting parallax of a reference object to extract distance information, the left CMOS image sensor being spaced apart from the right CMOS image sensor at a predetermined interval;

a second stereo camera separated from the first stereo camera at a predetermined distance, including a left CMOS image sensor and a right CMOS image sensor provided on one board, and detecting parallax of the reference object to extract distance information, the left CMOS image sensor being spaced apart from the right CMOS image sensor at a predetermined interval; and

a depth map matching unit that extracts distance information on the reference object by comparing the distance information on the reference object acquired through the first stereo camera with the distance information on the reference object acquired through the second stereo camera.

2. The distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras of claim 1, wherein each of the first stereo camera and the second stereo camera comprises:

a left lens and a right lens that receive light from a point light source on a same plane;

the left CMOS image sensor and the right CMOS image sensor provided on one board at the predetermined interval while being vertically spaced apart from the left lens and the right lens by a predetermined distance, respectively; and

a signal processing section provided between the left CMOS image sensor and the right CMOS image sensor, and receiving images acquired through the two CMOS image sensors to extract three-dimensional information of the point light source.

3. The distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras of claim 2, wherein the depth map matching unit extracts the distance information on the reference object by matching a depth map from the distance information on the reference object acquired through the first stereo camera with a depth map from the distance information on the reference object acquired through the second stereo camera.

4. The distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras of claim 3, wherein a distance between the first stereo camera and the second stereo camera is variable.

5. The distance measuring apparatus having dual stereo cameras of claim 3, wherein the first stereo camera and the second stereo camera rotate according to a position of the reference object to be measured.