Measuring apparatus

• US 7,016,528 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Kochi, Nobuo, Otani, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jing Ge
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUHN, JORDAN M
• Application Number:
  US10/194,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• 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 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

An image measuring apparatus includes an approximate position measuring portion for approximately obtaining, from a pair of images of a subject for measurement in different directions, positional information of the subject for measurement in each of the images. A data setting portion, having one image of the pair of images set as a reference image and the other image as a searched image, sets up, in accordance with the positional information obtained in the approximate position measuring portion, reference data blocks in the reference image and sets up searched areas in the searched image and searched data blocks in the searched area. A correspondence determining portion obtains correspondence between the searched data block set up in the searched area and the reference data block. The data setting portion, in accordance with the positional information obtained in the approximate position measuring portion, performs at least either setting up of the reference data blocks in the reference image or setting up of the searched areas and setting up of the searched data blocks in the searched image.

Claims

1. An image measuring apparatus comprising:

an approximate position measuring portion for approximately obtaining from a pair of images of a subject for measurement in different directions, positional information of the subject for measurement in each of the images;

a data setting portion, having one image of the pair of images set as a reference image and the other image as a searched image, for setting up, in accordance with the positional information obtained in said approximate position measuring portion, reference data blocks in the reference image and setting up searched areas in the searched image and searched data blocks in the searched area; and

a correspondence determining portion for obtaining correspondence between the searched data block set up in the searched area and the reference data block, wherein

said data setting portion is adapted, in accordance with the positional information obtained in said approximate position measuring portion, to perform at least either setting up of the reference data blocks in the reference image or setting up of the searched areas and setting up of the searched data blocks in the searched image.

2. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said pair of images include a characteristic pattern image of which positional information is previously known, and

said approximate position measuring portion is adapted, in accordance with the position of the characteristic pattern image in the reference image and the positional information of the characteristic pattern image in the searched image, to approximately obtain the positional information of the subject for measurement in each of the pair of images.

3. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up the range of the searched area in the searched image in accordance with the position of the characteristic pattern image in the searched image.

4. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up the range of the searched area in the searched image in accordance with its relationship with the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the searched area in the searched image or with the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the reference data block in the reference image.

5. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up the magnitude of the range of the searched area in the searched image in accordance with its relationship with the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the searched area in the searched image or with the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the reference data block in the reference image.

6. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up in the searched image the range of the searched area having a larger width or area according as the characteristic pattern image and the searched area in the searched image, or the characteristic pattern image and the reference data block in the reference image are more distant from each other.

7. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of searched areas differing in size.

8. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up the reference data block in the reference image in accordance with the position of the characteristic pattern image in the reference image.

9. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up the magnitude of the reference data block in the reference image in accordance with the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the reference data block in the reference image.

10. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up in the reference image the reference data block larger in height or width according as the position of the characteristic pattern image and the position of the reference data block in the reference image are more distant from each other.

11. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of reference data blocks differing in size in accordance with the characteristic pattern image in the reference image.

12. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of searched areas differing in size.

13. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of searched areas differing in size.

14. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of searched areas differing in size.

15. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of reference data blocks differing in size in accordance with the characteristic pattern image in the reference image.

16. An image measuring apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said data setting portion is adapted to set up a plurality of reference data blocks differing in size in accordance with the characteristic pattern image in the reference image.