Method and apparatus for quantitative 3-D imaging

• US 20080239316A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Gharib, Morteza, Pereira, Francisco, Grall, Emilio
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2509 Color coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

Described is a method and apparatus for obtaining additional information from an object and a method for surface imaging and three-dimensional imaging. Single lens, single aperture, single sensor system and stereo optic systems are enhanced via selective filtering, use of defocusing information, use of an addressable pattern, image matching, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A single-lens device for three-dimensional imaging of a surface of an object, comprising:

a lens;

a plurality of filtering apertures obstructing the lens and configured such that light that is reflected from a surface of an object passes through the lens and the filtering apertures and is filtered to become filtered information of the surface;

a sensor operable for capturing the filtered information of the surface; and

a processor communicatively connected with the sensor for receiving the filtered information of the surface from the sensor and further configured to produce a surface image, the surface image being representative of the surface of the object.

2. The single-lens device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filtering apertures includes at least two apertures that are color-coded.

3. The single-lens device of claim 2, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern projector for projecting a pattern on the surface of the object.

4. The single-lens device of claim 2, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern physically placed on the surface of the object.

5. The single-lens device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filtering apertures includes at least two apertures that are polarization-coded and the sensor is configured to receive polarization-coded information.

6. The single-lens device of claim 5, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern projector for projecting a pattern on the surface of the object.

7. The single-lens device of claim 5, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern physically placed on the surface of the object.

8. The single-lens device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filtering apertures includes at least two apertures that are each shape-coded.

9. The single-lens device of claim 8, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern projector for projecting a pattern on the surface of the object.

10. The single-lens device of claim 9, wherein the multi-wavelength addressable pattern is selected from a group consisting of a sequence of colors, a sequence of shapes, and a sequence of locations.

11. The single-lens device of claim 8, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern physically placed on the surface of the object.

12. The single-lens device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filtering apertures includes at least two apertures are time-coded.

13. The single-lens device of claim 12, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern projector for projecting a pattern on the surface of the object.

14. The single-lens device of claim 13, wherein the multi-wavelength addressable pattern is selected form a group consisting of a sequence of colors, a sequence of shapes, and a sequence of locations.

15. The single-lens device of claim 12, further comprising a multi-wavelength addressable pattern physically placed on the surface of the object.

16. A single-lens device for three dimensional imaging of the surface of an object comprising:

a lens;

a plurality of filtering apertures obstructing the lens and configured such that light that is reflected from a surface of an object passes through the lens and the filtering apertures and is filtered to become filtered information of the object surface;

an addressable pattern for placing addressable pattern information on the surface of the object;

a sensor operable for capturing the filtered information and addressable pattern information of the object surface; and

a processor communicatively connected with the sensor for receiving the filtered information of the surface from the sensor and further configured to produce a surface image, the surface image being representative of the surface of the object.

17. The single-lens device of claim 16, wherein the addressable pattern is a projected from a multi-wavelength addressable pattern projector.

18. The single-lens device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of filtering apertures selectively filter light onto a light sensor.

19. The single-lens device of claim 17, wherein the addressable pattern is produced by a plurality of multi-wavelength filters, whereby depth information is obtained from a multi-wavelength image by evaluating the distance of a marker in the different color image.

20. A single-lens device for three dimensional imaging of the surface of an object comprising:

a lens;

a first color filtering aperture and a second color filtering aperture configured such that light that is reflected from a surface of an object passes through the first color filtering aperture and the second color filtering aperture and is filtered to become filtered information of the object surface;

an addressable pattern projector configured to project an addressable pattern for placing addressable pattern information on the surface of the object;

a sensor operable for capturing the filtered information and addressable pattern information of the object surface; and

a processor communicatively connected with the sensor for receiving the filtered information of the surface from the sensor and further configured to produce a surface image, the surface image being representative of the surface of the object.