Distance measurement system, mobile object, and component

• US 10,663,295 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Socionext Inc.
• Original Assignee: Socionext Inc.
• Inventors: Imaki, Shunsaku, Murao, Yukiteru, Noguchi, Tetsuro, Ishida, Kenichi, Suzuki, Masato, Ohhashi, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US15/994,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20180274917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/06 by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/06 Use of electric means to obtain final indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/085 with electronic parallax measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/55 from multiple images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A distance measurement system includes a pair of cameras and is arranged on a roof of a mobile object or an upper edge portion of a door of the mobile object. One of the cameras is arranged at a first portion on an upper surface of the roof or on the upper edge portion of the door, includes an optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and has a field of view in all directions around the optical axis. The other camera is arranged at a second portion different from the first portion on the upper surface of the roof or the upper edge portion of the door, includes an optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and has a field of view in all directions around the optical axis. Distance measurement in all directions from the mobile object is performed by using this pair of cameras.

Claims

1. A distance measurement system comprising:

a first camera which is arranged at a first portion that is located on an upper surface of a roof of a mobile object on which the distance measurement system is arranged, located on an upper surface of an upper edge portion of a door of the mobile object, or located on an upper surface of a component arranged on the roof or the upper edge portion, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a first optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the first optical axis;

a second camera which is arranged at a second portion different from the first portion located on the upper surface, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a second optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the second optical axis; and

a first supporting member and a second supporting member, each supporting member protruding from the upper surface, wherein

a first end portion of the first supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the first supporting member protrudes,

a first end portion of the second supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the second supporting member protrudes,

the first camera and the second camera are arranged over the first end portion of the first supporting member and the first end portion of the second supporting member, respectively,

a first space is located between the first camera and the upper surface,

a second space is located between the second camera and the upper surface,

a distance measurement is performed based on parallax between a first image acquired by the first camera and a second image acquired by the second camera,

the first image includes an image of the second space, and

the second image includes an image of the first space.

2. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second cameras include first and second lenses, respectively, located above the upper surface.

3. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile object is a vehicle.

4. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second cameras are arranged on front and rearsides of the mobile object, respectively, in a forward direction of the mobile object.

5. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second cameras are arranged on right and left sides of the mobile object, respectively, with respect to a forward direction of the mobile object.

6. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, further comprising a connection member connecting the first and second cameras and held inside the upper surface.

7. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, further comprising a third camera which is arranged at a third portion that is located on the upper surface, wherein the third portion is different from the first and second portions located on the upper surface, and the third portion includes a third optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and has a field of view in all directions around the third optical axis.

8. The distance measurement system according to claim 7, wherein distance measurement in all directions is performed based on first parallax between the first image acquired by the first camera and the second image acquired by the second camera, second parallax between the second image and a third image acquired by the third camera, and third parallax between the third image and the first image.

9. The distance measurement system according to claim 7, further comprising a third supporting member, wherein third camera is held above the upper surface by the third supporting member.

10. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second supporting members has a shark-fin-like shape.

11. The distance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second supporting members has a columnar shape.

12. The distance measurement system according to claim 11, wherein an angle of each first and second supporting member with respect to the upper surface is adjustable.

13. The distance measurement system according to claim 11, wherein a height of said each first and second supporting member from the upper surface is adjustable.

14. A mobile object comprising:

a roof;

a door;

a first camera which is arranged at a first portion that is located on an upper surface of the roof or located on an upper surface of an upper edge portion of the door, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a first optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the first optical axis;

a second camera which is arranged at a second portion different from the first portion located on the upper surface, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a second optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the second optical axis; and

a first supporting member and a second supporting member, each supporting member protruding from the upper surface, wherein

a first end portion of the first supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the first supporting member protrudes,

a first end portion of the second supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the second supporting member protrudes,

the first camera and the second camera are arranged over the first end portion of the first supporting member and the first end portion of the second supporting member, respectively,

a first space is located between the first camera and the upper surface,

a second space is located between the second camera and the upper surface,

a distance measurement is performed based on parallax between a first image acquired by the first camera and a second image acquired by the second camera,

the first image includes an image of the second space, and

the second image includes an image of the first space.

15. A component comprising:

an upper surface;

a first camera which is arranged at a first portion that is located on the upper surface, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a first optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the first optical axis;

a second camera which is arranged at a second portion different from the first portion located on the upper surface, which is located above the upper surface, which includes a second optical axis oriented upward from the upper surface, and which has a field of view in all directions around the second optical axis; and

a first supporting member and a second supporting member, each supporting member protruding from the upper surface,

wherein the component is attached to a roof of a mobile object or to an upper edge portion of a door of the mobile object,

a first end portion of the first supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the first supporting member protrudes,

a first end portion of the second supporting member is located diagonally upward from a first part of the first supporting member that contacts the upper surface, the first end portion being located diagonally upward along a direction that the second supporting member protrudes,

the first camera and the second camera are arranged over the first end portion of the first supporting member and the first end portion of the second supporting member, respectively,

a first space is located between the first camera and the upper surface,

a second space is located between the second camera and the upper surface,

a distance measurement is performed based on parallax between a first image acquired by the first camera and a second image acquired by the second camera,

the first image includes an image of the second space, and

the second image includes an image of the first space.

16. The component according to claim 15, wherein the mobile object is a vehicle, and the component is a rear spoiler, a roof rail, or a roof carrier.