Method of determining relative camera orientation position to create 3-D visual images

• US 6,094,215 A
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aurora Operations Incorporated (Aurora Innovation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sundahl, Robert C., Dunton, Randy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/003,389
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/46, 348/50, 348/135, 348/142, 702/150, 702/151, 702/152, 702/153, 702/155, 702/158
• US Class Current: 348/42
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/02 by sequential recording
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• 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 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A system for generating a three-dimensional image is described. The system includes a camera which records a first image of a first location and a second image of a second location. A motion detector detects the motion of the camera to compute a position of the camera corresponding to the first location and a second position corresponding to the second location. A processor uses the first and second image and the first and second location to generate a three-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A system for generating a three-dimensional image comprising:

an imaging apparatus configured to record a first image of a subject at a first location and a second image of the subject at a second location;

a motion sensor to detect movement of the imaging apparatus from the first location to the second location and record displacement data reflecting the movement of the imaging apparatus, the displacement data including lateral transition data; and

a processor configured to select corresponding points, which are points on the first and second images that correspond to a same point on the subject, and to generate a three-dimensional image of the subject by combining the first image and the second image using the corresponding points and the displacement data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is a MEMS sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is a global positioning system sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is a laser gyro.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging apparatus further comprises:

a lens system;

an array of electronic sensors for generating an electronic image.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the electronic sensors are part of a charge coupled device array.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the electronic sensors are part of a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging apparatus is a video camera.

9. A method of generating a three-dimensional image comprising:

recording a first image of a subject using an imaging apparatus at a first location;

moving the imaging apparatus to a second location;

recording sufficient displacement data to determine positions of the imaging apparatus at the first location and the second location, the displacement data including lateral transition data;

recording a second image of a subject using the imaging apparatus at the second location;

selecting corresponding points, which are points on the first image and the second image that correspond to a same point on the subject; and

combining the first image and the second image using the corresponding points and the displacement data to create a three-dimensional image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of creating a three-dimensional image further comprises:

computing a z-dimension for each of the corresponding points.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of recording sufficient displacement data to define the first location and a second location after the move further comprises:

detecting an acceleration; and

recording the acceleration and time duration of the acceleration to enable a processor to compute a distance.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of recording sufficient displacement data to define the first location and a second location after the move further comprises:

determining a position using a global positioning system sensor.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a mesh of triangles to simulate a three-dimensional surface.

14. A method of prompting a user in recording a three dimensional image comprising:

measuring a distance from a camera to a subject;

recording a first image of the subject from a first position;

prompting a user to move to a second position, the second position suitable for taking a second image for use in reconstructing a three-dimensional image of the subject;

recording sufficient displacement data to compute positions of the imaging apparatus at the first location and the second location, the displacement data including lateral transition data;

recording the second image of the subject from the second position;

prompting the user to select corresponding points, which are points on the first and second images that correspond to a same point on the subject; and

reconstructing a three-dimensional image by combining the first image and the second image using the corresponding points and the displacement data.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second position is approximately equidistant from the subject as the first position.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the recording of the first image and the recording of the second image occurs at two different points in time.