Aperture coded camera for three dimensional imaging

• US 7,006,132 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Jeon, David, Pereira, Francisco, Dabiri, Dana, Gharib, Mory, Modarress, Darius
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISLEH, JUSTIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/935,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/218.1, 348/262, 348/264, 348/265, 348/335, 348/337, 348/340, 348/369, 348/48, 348/36, 348/374, 396/429, 250/208.1, 250/363.06
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2207/129 Coded aperture imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/10 Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 using temporal 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 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/388 Volumetric displays, i.e. systems where the image is built up from picture elements distributed through a volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

Determining instantaneously the three-dimensional coordinates of large sets of points in space using two or more CCD cameras (or any other type of camera), each with its own lens and pinhole. The CCD'"'"'s are all arranged so that the pixel arrays are within the same plane. The CCD'"'"'s are also arranged in a predefined pattern. The combination of the multiple images acquired from the CCD'"'"'s onto one single image forms a pattern, which is dictated by the predefined arrangement of the CCD'"'"'s. The size and centroid on the combined image are a direct measure of the depth location Z and in-plane position (X,Y), respectively.

Claims

1. A method of three dimensionally imaging at least one site, comprising:

imaging the site through three seperate camera lens assemblies;

restricting an overall size of a scene that is imaged through the lens assemblies, by allowing light to pass only through a plurality of apertures of specified shapes, each associated with one of the lens assemblies;

associating each of the of lens assemblies and apertures with a separate camera portion, such that light which passes through each aperture is imaged by an entire camera portion; and

analyzing said light from each of the camera portions, to determine three dimensional object information about the object.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said apertures includes three apertures arranged in a substantially triangular shape.

3. A three-dimensional camera device, comprising:

first, second and third lens systems, arranged in the shape of an equilateral triangle;

first, second and third aperture plates, each associated with one of said lens systems;

a camera system, operating to obtain an image of a scene which has passed through said apertures, and

a controller, said controller controlling said camera such that each aperture is associated with a separate camera portion which includes substantially an entirety of said camera portion taking an image through each aperture at a specified time.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said camera portion includes three separate cameras.