Three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition

• US 7,212,330 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stereo D Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Inventors: Seo, Cheong Soo, Cho, Gyoung Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh; Jack
• Application Number:
  US11/294,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/295, 359/298, 359/225, 359/226, 359/625, 359/626, 359/846, 359/721, 359/627, 345/6, 382/181, 382/199, 382/203, 382/206, 356/601
• US Class Current: 359/298
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19

Abstract

The present invention provides a real-time three-dimensional pattern recognition imaging system having a variable focal length, a wide depth of field, a high depth resolution, a fast acquisition time, a variable magnification, a variable optical axis for tracking, and capability of compensating various optical distortions and aberrations, which enables pattern recognition systems to be more accurate as well as more robust to environmental variation. The imaging system for pattern recognition comprises one or more camera system, each of which has at least one micromirror array lens(MMAL), a two-dimensional image senor, and an image processing unit. A MMAL has unique features including a variable focal length, a variable optical axis, and a variable magnification.

Claims

1. An three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition comprising at least one camera system, the camera system including:

a) A lens system comprising at least one variable focal MMAL;

b) An imaging unit, optically coupled to a lens system, configured to receive the focused object image from the lens system and to sense the focused object image; and

c) An image processing unit., communicatively coupled to the imaging unit, configured to process the object image sensed by the imaging unit and to generate all-in-focus image and position information of the object;

d) A pattern recognition unit comprising pattern recognition algorithm.

2. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 1, wherein the pattern recognition unit comprises an object detection algorithm.

3. The three-dimensional imaging system of claim 1, wherein the pattern recognition unit comprises an object database.

4. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the focal plane of the imaging system is changed by change of focal length of the variable focal length lens.

5. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit comprises one or more two-dimensional image sensor taking the two-dimensional image.

6. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the MMAL compensates for aberration.

7. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 6, wherein the aberration is caused by the imaging system.

8. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the MMAL is an adaptive optical component, wherein an object which does not lie on the optical axis can be imaged by the MMAL without macroscopic mechanical movement.

9. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the MMAL is an adaptive optical component, wherein the MMAL changes the field of view without macroscopic mechanical movement.

10. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, wherein the MMAL is an adaptive optical component, wherein the MMAL compensates for phase errors of light introduced by the medium between an object and its image.

11. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the field of view of the camera system by adjusting the MMAL.

12. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising using a time-sharing technique to obtain a wide field of view image and a narrow field of view image within a short time period.

13. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the optical axis of the camera system by adjusting the MMAL.

14. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 13, wherein the adjusting of the optical axis of the camera system by adjusting the MMAL is performed quickly to provide a large searching area.

15. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising an object tracking algorithm.

16. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising measuring three-dimensional information of an object by adjusting the MMAL.

17. The three-dimensional imaging system for pattern recognition of claim 1, further comprising correcting defects of the imaging system by adjusting the MMAL.