System and method for sensing geometric and photometric attributes of a scene with multiplexed illumination and solid states optical devices

• US 8,009,192 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhao, Yong, Westhues, Jonathan, Summet, Jay W., Noland, Michael, Branzoi, Vlad, Nayar, Shree, Nii, Hideaki, Bruns, Erich, Raskar, Ramesh, Dietz, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiett; Carramah J
• Application Number:
  US11/435,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 348/139, 348/164, 348153-155, 348/335, 348/370, 235/492
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/557 Detecting specular reflective parts on sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning

Abstract

An optical receiver is arranged at a location in a scene. The optical receiver includes a photo sensor configured to detect spatio-temporal modulated optical signals directed at the scene from a set of spatially dispersed optical transmitters, and to convert the optical signals from each of the optical transmitters to a corresponding electronic signal. The electronic signals can be analyzed to determine geometric properties of the location in the scene.

Claims

1. An apparatus arranged at a location in a scene, comprising:

a photo sensor arranged at the location in the scene and configured to detect spatio-temporal modulated optical signals directed at the scene from a set of spatially dispersed optical transmitters, and to convert the optical signals from each of the optical transmitters to a corresponding electronic signal, wherein an encoding of the spatio-temporal modulated signals exploit an epipolar geometric relationship between the spatially dispersed optical transmitters and the photo sensor, and wherein the photo sensor is a single photo diode; and

wherein a passive binary mask in front of each of the optical transmitters encodes the spatio-temporal modulated optical signals; and

a means, connected to the photo sensor, for analyzing values of the electronic signals to determine geometric properties of the location in the scene.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the geometric properties include three-dimensional coordinates of the location and a three dimensional orientation at the location in the scene.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the geometric properties include a six-dimensional pose, wherein the pose specifies a 3D location and a 3D orientation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the geometric properties include a rate of change of coordinates of the location and a rate of change of an orientation of the location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the optical signals are multiplexed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the optical signals have frequencies that are selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and far-infrared light.

7. The apparatus r of claim 1, in which the optical light is modulated according to modulation selected from the group consisting of amplitude, time, wavelength, frequency, code, phase, and polarization modulation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the optical signal is unique at all locations in the scene to generate a space labeling projection.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for transmitting the geometric properties.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the optical receiver includes an radio frequency identification tag.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the optical receiver is mounted on a moving object.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for transceiving with optical communication signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, in which a wavelength of the optical signals is in a range of about 0.01 to 1000 micrometers.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the three dimensional orientation at the location in the scene is determined by measuring a cosine falloff of the optical signals as the photo sensor is tilted.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a reflectance in the scene.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for setting parameters of a camera according to the detected optical signals.