METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR OBTAINING AN IMPROVED STEREO IMAGE OF AN OBJECT

• US 20120307017A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lievens, Sammy, Tytgat, Donny, Macq, Jean-Francois, Aerts, Maarten
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras

Abstract

A method for obtaining an improved depth precision for a stereo image of an object of interest is disclosed, comprising:

• • imaging a first image of the object of interest from a first position;
  • imaging a second image of the object of interest from a second position different from the first position;
    wherein the method comprises
  • determining a rough estimate of the depth for the object of interest, based on the first image and the second image;
  • determining an improved set of imaging positions corresponding to an improved depth precision for the object of interest, based on the rough estimate of the depth;
  • imaging improved images from the improved set of imaging positions;
  • determining an improved depth based on the improved images.

Also associated systems have been described.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining an improved depth precision for a stereo image of an object of interest, comprising:

imaging a first image of said object of interest from a first position;

imaging a second image of said object of interest from a second position different from said first position;

determining a rough estimate of a depth for said object of interest based on the first image and the second image;

determining an improved set of imaging positions corresponding to an improved depth precision for said object of interest based on said rough estimate of said depth;

imaging improved images from said improved set of imaging positions; and

determining an improved depth based on said improved images.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining said rough estimate of said depth is based on the distance between said first and said second position, and disparity, being the difference in image location of said object of interest between the first image and the second image.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said improved set of imaging positions comprises at least one of said first position or said second position.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the imaging positions of said improved set of imaging positions are along a straight line connecting said first position with said second position.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising imaging said first image and said second image by a first and a different second camera.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising selecting a set of two cameras out of a plurality of cameras, bringing said set of two cameras in correspondence with said improved set of imaging positions, and imaging said object of interest from said improved set of imaging positions by said set of two cameras.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising moving at least one of said first and said second camera and imaging said object of interest from said improved set of imaging positions by said first and said second cameras.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising selecting a third and a fourth camera out of a plurality of cameras at fixed positions, based on the positions of said plurality of cameras and on said improved set of imaging positions, and imaging said object of interest from the selected two cameras.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stereo image rectification for the first and second images.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stereo image rectification for the improved images taken from said improved set of positions.

11. A system for obtaining a stereo image with improved depth precision of an object of interest, comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices comprising a first imaging device configured to take a first image of the object of interest and a second imaging device configured to take a second image of the object of interest;

means for deriving a rough depth for said object of interest based on said first image and said second image;

means for determining an improved set of imaging positions corresponding to improved depth precision for said object of interest based on said rough depth; and

means for controlling said plurality of imaging devices in reply to an improved set of imaging positions received from said means for determining, to image said object of interest from locations that correspond to said improved set of imaging positions.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said means for controlling comprises a means for moving said first and/or said second imaging device to said improved set of imaging positions.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said means for controlling comprises a means for selecting a third and a fourth camera out of said plurality of imaging devices, and a means for moving said third and fourth cameras to said improved set of imaging positions.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a guiding means along which at least one of said plurality of imaging devices can be guided.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of imaging devices is located at fixed positions;

said means for controlling comprising

means for selecting two imaging devices out of said plurality of imaging devices, the positions of which correspond best to said improved set of imaging positions.