Single-Camera Distance Ranging Method and System

• US 20150310619A1
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: CAO, Heng
• Application Number:
  US14/648,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20150310619A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/00 Measuring distances in line of sight; Optical rangefinders tapes, chains or wheels for measuring length G01B3/00; active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20104 Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/579 from motion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and system for single-camera distance ranging. When a mobile terminal is in camera filming mode, the outer edge of a target object is continuously recognized and tracked. A user orients the mobile terminal toward the target object and moves said terminal laterally; the mobile terminal calculates the distance between the mobile terminal and the target object according to the change in the display width of the target object on a screen or the change in the framing width on a mobile terminal screen and the lateral-shift distance of the mobile terminal. The whole ranging process is completed based on the existing mobile terminal image processing and movement perception functions, thereby making possible single-camera ranging from a mobile terminal with no requirement for additional optical component. Ranging accuracy can be further enhanced with the addition of a posture-monitoring step during the lateral movement of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A single-camera distance ranging method, comprising:

a displaying and inputting step;

a camera of a mobile terminal acquiring an image which contains a target object and displaying the image on a screen, and receiving a selection of the target object by a user;

a tracking step;

during a translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object, recognizing and tracking the target object;

a recording step;

recording a translation distance of the mobile terminal and a ratio of a display width of the target object before the translation of the mobile terminal to a display width of the target object after the translation of the mobile terminal; and

a calculating step;

based on data recorded in the recording step, calculating a distance between the mobile terminal and the target object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

a monitoring step;

monitoring a posture during the translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object, and when a rotation of the mobile terminal is monitored, reporting that a distance ranging operation fails;

when the rotation of the mobile terminal is not monitored, continuing to execute the tracking step.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

a judging step;

when the rotation of the mobile terminal is monitored in the monitoring step, judging whether the rotation of the mobile terminal is valid, and when the rotation of the mobile terminal is valid, continuing to execute the tracking step;

when the rotation of the mobile terminal is not valid, reporting that the distance ranging operation fails;

a valid rotation comprises;

for a mobile terminal with a camera being on a center position of the mobile terminal, a rotation of the mobile terminal around the center position of the mobile terminal in a plane where the mobile terminal locates;

for a mobile terminal with a camera being on other position except the center position of the mobile terminal, a rotation of the mobile terminal around the center position of the mobile terminal in the plane where the mobile terminal locates, when a line from the center position of the mobile terminal to a center position of the target object is perpendicular to the plane where the mobile terminal locates.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein in the monitoring step, the posture during the translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object is monitored by a three-axis gyro in the mobile terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the recording step, the translation distance of the mobile terminal is acquired by an accelerometer in the mobile terminal and the acquired translation distance of the mobile terminal is recorded.

6. A single-camera distance ranging system, located on a mobile terminal, comprising:

a displaying and inputting component;

configured to acquire an image which contains a target object by a camera of a mobile terminal and display the image on a screen; and

receive a selection of the target object by a user;

a tracking component;

configured to recognize and track the target object during a translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object;

a recording component;

configured to record a translation distance of the mobile terminal and a ratio of a display width of the target object before the translation of the mobile terminal to a display width of the target object after the translation of the mobile terminal; and

a calculating component;

configured to calculate a distance between the mobile terminal and the target object based on data recorded in the recording component.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the system further comprises:

a monitoring component;

configured to monitor a posture during the translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object, and when a rotation of the mobile terminal is monitored, reporting that a distance ranging operation fails;

when the rotation of the mobile terminal is not monitored, continue to call the tracking component to recognize and track the target object.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system further comprises:

a judging component;

configured to, when the rotation of the mobile terminal is monitored by the monitoring component, judge whether the rotation of the mobile terminal is valid, and when the rotation of the mobile terminal is valid, continue to call the tracking component to recognize and track the target object;

when the rotation of the mobile terminal is not valid, report that the distance ranging operation fails;

a valid rotation comprises;

for a mobile terminal with a camera being on a center position of the mobile terminal, a rotation of the mobile terminal around the center position of the mobile terminal in a plane where the mobile terminal locates;

for a mobile terminal with a camera being on other position except the center position of the mobile terminal, a rotation of the mobile terminal around the center position of the mobile terminal in the plane where the mobile terminal locates, when a line from the center position of the mobile terminal to a center position of the target object is perpendicular to the plane where the mobile terminal locates.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the monitoring component is configured to monitor the posture during the translation of the mobile terminal towards the target object by a three-axis gyro in the mobile terminal.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the recording component is configured to acquire the translation distance of the mobile terminal by an accelerometer in the mobile terminal and record the acquired translation distance of the mobile terminal.