Omnidirectional visual sensor having a plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolution

• US 6,130,783 A
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Masahiko Yachida, Yasushi Yagi
• Inventors: Yagi, Yasushi, Yachida, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEYRAFI, SAEED HMT
• Application Number:
  US09/311,275
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 359/627, 359/648, 359/633, 359/850, 359/853, 359/856, 359/857, 359/728, 359/729, 359/730, 359/731
• US Class Current: 359/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

An omnidirectional visual sensor which can observe a 360-degree panoramic field area, obtain a sharp image and correctly transform a central projection with respect to the image and can be minimized as a whole includes a convex mirror with a surface of revolution having a focal point, a plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions having at least one focal point, a photoreceiving lens system receiving light reflected by the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions and an image acquisition surface receiving the light received in the photoreceiving lens system and converting the same to an electric signal, and the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions are so arranged that the focal point of a first mirror included in the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions aligns with the focal point of a second mirror, included in the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions, further reflecting light reflected by the first mirror.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional visual sensor including:

a convex mirror with a surface of revolution having a focal point;

a plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions having at least one focal point;

a photoreceiving lens system receiving light reflected by said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions; and

an image acquisition surface receiving said light received by said photoreceiving lens system and converting the same to an electric signal, wherein

said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions are so arranged that the focal point of a first mirror included in said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions aligns at the same point with the focal point of a second mirror included in said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions, further reflecting light reflected by said first mirror.

2. The omnidirectional visual sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein a mirror with a surface of revolution, among said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions, reflecting light to said photoreceiving lens system has a first focal point on the side of said photoreceiving lens system and is so arranged that said first focal point aligns with the principal point of said photoreceiving lens system.

3. An omnidirectional visual sensor including:

a convex mirror with a surface of revolution having a focal point;

a plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions having at least one focal point;

a photoreceiving lens system receiving light reflected by said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions; and

an image acquisition surface receiving said light received by said photoreceiving lens system and converting the same to an electric signal, wherein

said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions are so arranged that;

a first mirror having only one focal point included in said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions has said focal point on the side opposite to the reflecting surface of said first mirror,

a second mirror, included in said convex mirror with the surface of revolution and said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions, having only one focal point and further reflecting light reflected by said first mirror has said focal point on the side of the reflecting surface of said second mirror, and

the rotation axis of said first mirror aligns with that of said second mirror.

4. The omnidirectional visual sensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein a mirror with a surface of revolution, among said plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions, reflecting light to said photoreceiving lens system has a first focal point on the side of said photoreceiving lens system and is so arranged that said first focal point aligns with the principal point of said photoreceiving lens system.