THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEM FOR IMAGING BUILDING FACADES USING A DIGITAL CAMERA, A NEAR-INFRARED CAMERA, AND LASER RANGE FINDER

• US 20150326783A1
• Filed: 07/03/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kroepfl, Michael, Gruber, Michael, Ponticelli, Martin Josef, Lawler, Stephen, Bauer, Joachim, Leberl, Franz W., Karner, Konrad, Cosic, Zanin, Hegenbarth, Hannes, Kimchi, Gur, Curlander, John Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,715,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/108 using 'non-standard' camera systems, e.g. camera sensor used for additional purposes i.a. rain sensor, camera sensor split in multiple image areas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system that facilitates collecting data is described herein. The system includes a digital camera that is configured to capture images in a visible light spectrum and a near-infrared camera that is configured to capture near infrared images, wherein a field of view of the digital camera and the field of view of the near-infrared camera are substantially similar. The system further includes a trigger component that is configured to cause the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to capture images at a substantially similar point in time, and also includes a mounting mechanism that facilitates mounting the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to an automobile.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a first camera; and

a second camera that is vertically offset from the first camera, the sensor system mounted to a vehicle, and the first camera and the second camera each having a field of view that is orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, the first camera positioned between 0.5 meters and 1.5 meters above the second camera.

3. The sensor system of claim 2, the first camera positioned between 3.6 meters and 3.8 meters above ground.

4. The sensor system of claim 2, further comprising a panoramic head that comprises a plurality of cameras, the first camera positioned in the panoramic head.

5. The sensor system of claim 4, further comprising a near-infrared camera that is positioned proximate the first camera in the panoramic head, wherein the near-infrared camera and the first camera have substantially similar fields of view.

6. The sensor system of claim 5, the first camera and the near-infrared camera configured to synchronously capture images.

7. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising a laser measurement system, the laser measurement system configured to generate data that is indicative of a distance between the laser measurement system and an object captured in an image generated by at least one of the first camera or the second camera.

8. The sensor system of claim 7, the laser measurement system is configured to scan vertically orthogonally to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

9. The sensor system of claim 1, the first camera and the second camera being synchronized.

10. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising a trigger board, the trigger board configured to output trigger signals to the first camera and the second camera, wherein the first camera and the second camera re configured to synchronously capture images in response to receipt of a trigger signal from the trigger board.

11. The sensor system of claim 10, the trigger board outputs the trigger signals to cause images consecutively captured by the first camera to have a threshold amount of overlap therebetween.

12. A sensor system comprising:

a first laser measurement system; and

a second laser measurement system, the sensor system mounted to a vehicle, the first laser measurement system configured to scan in a first plane, the second laser measurement system configured to scan in a second plane that is different from the first plane.

13. The sensor system of claim 12, the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane.

14. The sensor system of claim 13, the first plane is in a direction of travel of the vehicle, the second plane is orthogonal to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

15. The sensor system of claim 12, further comprising a camera that is configured to capture images of objects, wherein data generated by at least one of the first laser measurement system or the second laser measurement system is assigned to an image generated by the camera, the data is indicative of a distance between the sensor system and an object captured in the image.

16. The sensor system of claim 15, further comprising a panoramic head that comprises a plurality of cameras, the camera included in the panoramic head.

17. The sensor system of claim 16, the panoramic head further comprises a near-infrared camera positioned proximate the camera, the camera and the near-infrared camera have substantially similar fields of view.

18. The sensor system of claim 15, further comprising a second camera that is vertically offset from the camera.

19. A sensor system comprising:

a panoramic head that comprises a plurality of cameras, the sensor system mounted to a vehicle such that the plurality of cameras are positioned between 3.6 and 3.8 meters above ground.

20. The sensor system of claim 19, further comprising:

a camera that is vertically offset from the panoramic head by between 0.5 meters and 1.5 meters.