Imagery axle turning method for stereo vision and apparatus thereof

• US 9,106,901 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Largan Precision Co Limited (Largan Precision)
• Original Assignee: Largan Precision Co Limited (Largan Precision)
• Inventors: Li, Min-Che, Chen, Shing-Chia, Lin, Huang-Long
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): SULLIVAN, TYLER
• Application Number:
  US13/219,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling
• 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 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

An imagery axle turning method for stereo vision and an apparatus thereof. The method turns an imagery axle of a stereo vision apparatus to capture images, and constructs a 3D image from the captured 2D images. The imagery axle turning method is realized by rotating the imagery axles of the first lens unit and second lens unit to an angle θ, so as to have different aspect ratios for the first image and second image. Thereby, the 3D image formed from the stereo vision reconstruction steps can achieve a user'"'"'s expectation of capturing images with an appropriate aspect ratio. This invention also provides specific stereo vision apparatus corresponding to various applications by the imagery axle turning method.

Claims

1. An imagery axle turning method for stereo vision, applied to a stereo vision apparatus, comprising a first lens unit, a second lens unit and a stereo vision reconstruction processor;

the first lens unit comprising a first image pickup unit and a first image sensor;

the second lens unit comprising a second image pickup unit and a second image sensor;

the method comprising steps of;

rotating the first image sensor and the second image sensor to an imagery axle angle θ

while the first image pickup unit and the second image pickup unit being stationary;

taking a first image of a photographed object by the first lens unit, and taking a second image of the photographed object by the second lens unit; and

transmitting the first image, the second image and data of the imagery axle angle θ

to the stereo vision reconstruction processor for constructing a 3D image;

wherein the imagery axle angle θ

is an angle between a horizontal axle and an imagery axle of the first image sensor, and the imagery axle angle θ

is greater than zero.

2. An imagery axle turning apparatus for stereo vision, comprising a first lens unit, a second lens unit, a rotation mechanism and a stereo vision reconstruction processor;

the first lens unit comprising a first image pickup unit and a first image sensor;

the second lens unit comprising a second image pickup unit and a second image sensor;

the rotation mechanism rotating the first image sensor and the second image sensor to an imagery axle angle θ

while the first image pickup unit and the second image pickup unit being stationary;

the first image sensor capturing a projected image of a photographed object to form a first image, and transmitting the first image to the stereo vision reconstruction processor;

the second image sensor capturing a projected image of the photographed object to form a second image, and transmitting the second image to the stereo vision reconstruction processor;

the stereo vision reconstruction processor constructing the 3D image from the first image, the second image and data of the imagery axle angle θ

;

wherein the imagery axle angle θ

is an angle between a horizontal axle and an imagery axle of the first image sensor, and the imagery axle angle θ

is greater than zero.

3. The imagery axle turning apparatus for stereo vision as described in claim 2, wherein the rotation mechanism further comprises a first rotation mechanism and a second rotation mechanism, and the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism are driven synchronously by a rack, a stepping motor, a sleeve cylinder or a combination of the above.