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Image pickup system employing a three-dimensional reference object

  • US 7,423,666 B2
  • Filed: 05/20/2002
  • Issued: 09/09/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An image pickup system comprising:

  • (a) a movable image-pickup apparatus;

    (b) a reference object having a known shape in a three-dimensional space;

    (c) a calibration-use information processing device; and

    (d) a subject-use image-pickup apparatus for acquiring an image of a subject as second image data,wherein said movable image-pickup apparatus includes;

    (a-1) an image-pickup device for acquiring an image of said reference object as first image data;

    (a-2) a driver which rotates and drives said image-pickup device with respect to a fixed portion;

    (a-3) a controller which controls said driver in such a manner that, when said movable image-pickup apparatus is moved, said image-pickup device can acquire the image of said reference object;

    (a-4) a first communication device for carrying out data communications with said calibration-use information processing device;

    (a-5) a securing member which secures said fixed portion to another object;

    (a-6) an element for finding a rotation angle from a reference orientation of said image-pickup device that has been rotated by said driver; and

    (a-7) an image-pickup controller which is attached to said subject-use image-pickup apparatus by said securing member, and allows said image-pickup device to acquire said first image data in cooperation with the acquiring of said second image data by said subject-use image-pickup apparatus,wherein said calibration-use information processing device includes;

    (c-1) a second communication device for carrying out data communications with said movable image-pickup apparatus;

    (c-2) a first calculator which, based upon said first image data, calculates a first parameter used for calibration for said movable image-pickup apparatus that depends on a relative position and a relative orientation of an image-pickup position of said movable image-pickup apparatus and said reference object;

    (c-3) a second calculator which, based upon image data obtained by acquiring the image of said reference object, calculates a second parameter used for calibration for said subject-use image-pickup apparatus that depends on a relative position and a relative orientation of an image-pickup position of said subject-use image-pickup apparatus and said reference object;

    (c-4) a third calculator which, based upon said first parameter, said second parameter and said rotation angle, calculates a third parameter used for calibration for said subject-use image-pickup apparatus that depends on a relative position and a relative orientation between an image-pickup position in a reference orientation of said movable image pickup apparatus and an image-pickup position of said subject-use image-pickup apparatus; and

    (c-5) a fourth calculator which, based upon said first parameter and said third parameter, calculates a fourth parameter used for calibration for said subject-use image-pickup apparatus that depends on a relative position and a relative orientation between an image-pickup position of said subject-use image-pickup apparatus and said reference object, andwherein said subject-use image-pickup apparatus includes;

    (d-1) a third communication device for transmitting said second image data to said calibration-use information processing device.

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