Systems and methods for 3-D imaging
First Claim
1. An imaging system, comprising:
- an image capture system configured to generate 2-dimensional (2-D) digital image information representing a first object;
a ranging signal transmitter configured to transmit a ranging signal towards the first object;
a ranging signal receiver configured to receive the ranging signal returned by the first object;
an image processor configured to compute distance information from a time difference between transmission and reception of the ranging signal;
the image processor further configured to combine the distance information and the 2-D digital image information to produce 3-dimensional (3-D) digital information representing the first object; and
a control signal transmitter configured to transmit a control signal for controlling the first object, the control signal derived using the 3-D digital information representing the first object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The various embodiments generally describe systems and methods related to 3-dimensional (3-D) imaging. In one exemplary embodiment, an imaging system incorporates a 2-dimensional (2-D) image capture system that generates 2-D digital image information representing an object, a signal transmitter that transmits a ranging signal towards the object, and a signal receiver that receives the ranging signal returned by the object. Also included, is an image processor that computes distance information from the time difference between signal transmission and reception of the ranging signal. The image processor combines the distance information and 2-D digital image information to produce 3-D digital image information representing the object.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An imaging system, comprising:
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an image capture system configured to generate 2-dimensional (2-D) digital image information representing a first object; a ranging signal transmitter configured to transmit a ranging signal towards the first object; a ranging signal receiver configured to receive the ranging signal returned by the first object; an image processor configured to compute distance information from a time difference between transmission and reception of the ranging signal;
the image processor further configured to combine the distance information and the 2-D digital image information to produce 3-dimensional (3-D) digital information representing the first object; anda control signal transmitter configured to transmit a control signal for controlling the first object, the control signal derived using the 3-D digital information representing the first object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17)
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11. An imaging system, comprising:
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an image capture system configured to capture 2-dimensional (2-D) digital image information representing a first object and a second object; a signal transmitter configured to transmit a ranging signal towards the first object at a first instant in time, and towards the second object at a second instant in time, the ranging signal having a radiation pattern that is selected to preclude concurrent incidence of the ranging signal upon the first and second objects; a signal receiver configured to receive the ranging signal after reflection by one of the first object or the second object; and an image processor configured to compute distance information of the first object from a time difference between transmission of the ranging signal towards the first object and reception of the ranging signal after reflection by the first object, and distance information of the second object from a time difference between transmission of the ranging signal towards the second object and reception of the ranging signal after reflection by the second object;
the image processor further configured to combine the distance information of the first object and the second object with the 2-D digital image information to produce a 3-dimensional (3-D) digital image information representing the first object and the second object. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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12. An imaging method, comprising:
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using an image capture device for capturing a blurred 2-dimensional (2-D) digital image of a first object; computing distance information of the first object from a time difference between transmission and receiving of a ranging signal; and combining the distance information of the first object and spatial frequencies contained in the blurred 2-D digital image of the first object to generate 3-dimensional (3-D) digital information of the first object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 20)
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Specification