ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM

• US 20180189591A1
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/36 with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/06 Topological mapping of higher dimensional structures onto lower dimensional surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/242 by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

In an electronic apparatus that captures images, characters in an image are accurately recognized.

The electronic apparatus includes an imaging section, a distance measurement section, a shape estimation section, and a coordinate conversion section. The imaging section images an object and captures image data. The distance measurement section measures distances from the imaging section to a plurality of measurement points on a surface of the object. The shape estimation section estimates a shape of the object from the measured distances. The coordinate conversion section performs coordinate conversion on the image data, the coordinate conversion including converting three-dimensional coordinates on the surface of the object into plane coordinates on a predetermined reference plane on the basis of the estimated shape.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

an imaging section that images an object and captures image data;

a distance measurement section that measures distances from the imaging section to a plurality of measurement points on a surface of the object;

a shape estimation section that estimates a shape of the object from the measured distances; and

a coordinate conversion section that performs coordinate conversion on the image data, the coordinate conversion including converting three-dimensional coordinates on the surface of the object into plane coordinates on a predetermined reference plane on the basis of the estimated shape.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a character recognition section that recognizes a character on the surface of the object in the image data that has been subjected to the coordinate conversion.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an irradiation section that performs irradiation with irradiation light, wherein

the distance measurement section measures the distances from a phase difference between reflected light of the irradiation light and the irradiation light.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the imaging section performs processing of capturing the image data and processing of receiving the irradiation light.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the irradiation section performs irradiation with pulsed light as the irradiation light, the pulsed light being in synchronization with a predetermined cycle signal.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the irradiation section selects spotlight or diffused light according to a predetermined operation and performs irradiation with the light as the irradiation light, and

the distance measurement section measures the distances when irradiation is performed with the diffused light.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the irradiation section starts irradiation with the irradiation light in a case where a predetermined button is pressed halfway down, and

the imaging section captures the image data in a case where the predetermined button is pressed all the way down.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic apparatus is a camera unit that is attached to a wearable terminal.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the shape estimation section estimates any one of a plurality of candidate shapes as the shape of the object on the basis of the distances.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the shape estimation section includes

a coordinate detection section that detects coordinates of the plurality of measurement points as measured coordinates on the basis of the distances,

a function acquisition section that acquires, for each of the plurality of candidate shapes, a function representing a relationship between coordinates of a candidate shape and coordinates of a predetermined reference coordinate system by using the measured coordinates,

an error computation section that computes an error at a time when the shape of the object is assumed for each of the plurality of candidate shapes on the basis of the acquired function and the measured coordinates, and

an estimation processing section that estimates a shape having the smallest error in the plurality of candidate shapes as the shape of the object.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image data includes a plurality of pixel data,

the imaging section includes

phase difference detection pixels that detect a phase difference between two pupil-split images, and

normal pixels that perform photoelectric conversion on light and generate any of the plurality of pixel data, and

the distance measurement section measures the distances on the basis of the phase difference detected by the phase difference detection pixels.

12. A method of controlling an electronic apparatus, comprising:

an imaging step of, by an imaging section, imaging an object and capturing image data;

a distance measurement step of measuring distances from the imaging section to a plurality of measurement points on a surface of the object;

a shape estimation step of estimating a shape of the object from the measured distances; and

a coordinate conversion step of performing coordinate conversion on the image data, the coordinate conversion including converting three-dimensional coordinates on the surface of the object into plane coordinates on a predetermined reference plane on the basis of the estimated shape.

13. A program for causing a computer to execute:

an imaging step of, by an imaging section, imaging an object and capturing image data;

a distance measurement step of measuring distances from the imaging section to a plurality of measurement points on a surface of the object;

a shape estimation step of estimating a shape of the object from the measured distances; and

a coordinate conversion step of performing coordinate conversion on the image data, the coordinate conversion including converting three-dimensional coordinates on the surface of the object into plane coordinates on a predetermined reference plane on the basis of the estimated shape.