US 10,591,291 B2 · Imaging device, rotating device, distance measuring device, distance measuring system and distance measuring method

Abstract

A distance measuring device coupled to a camera and a rotator for driving the camera to rotate. The camera includes a photo sensor and a lens. The distance measuring device includes a distance obtaining module, an angle obtaining module, and a computing module coupled to the distance obtaining module and the angle obtaining module. The distance obtaining module is configured to obtain an unaligned target image of a target captured by the camera. A projection of the unaligned target image on a reference plane does not overlap with a projection of a center point of the photo sensor on the reference plane. The reference plane is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the camera. The distance obtaining module is further configured to calculate a projection distance between the projection of the unaligned target image and the projection of the center point. The angle obtaining module is configured to obtain a rotation angle between an unaligned position at which the camera captures the unaligned target image and an aligned position at which the camera captures an aligned target image of the target. A projection of the aligned target image on the reference plane overlapping with the projection of the center point of the photo sensor. The computing module is configured to calculate a target distance between the target and the imaging camera based on the projection distance and the rotation angle.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A distance measuring device coupled to a camera and a rotator for driving the camera to rotate, the camera including a photo sensor and a lens, the distance measuring device comprising a processor that is configured to:

obtain an unaligned target image of a target captured by the camera, a projection of the unaligned target image on a reference plane not overlapping with a projection of a center point of the photo sensor on the reference plane, the reference plane being perpendicular to a rotation axis of the camera;
calculate a projection distance x between the projection of the unaligned target image and the projection of the center point;
obtain a rotation angle θ between an unaligned position at which the camera captures the unaligned target image and an aligned position at which the camera captures an aligned target image of the target, a projection of the aligned target image on the reference plane overlapping with the projection of the center point of the photo sensor;
and
calculate a target distance L between the target and the imaging camera based on the projection distance x, the rotation angle θ, and a focal length f of the lens according to
L
=
xf
⁢
x
-
f
⁢
⁢
tan
⁢
⁢
θ
.

16 more elements

A distance measuring system, comprising:

a camera having a photo sensor and a lens, configured to rotate along a rotation axis to capture an unaligned target image and an aligned target image of a target, wherein:
a projection of the unaligned target image on a reference plane does not overlap with a projection of a center point of the photo sensor on the reference plane,
a projection of the aligned target image on the reference plane overlaps with the projection of the center point, and
the reference plane is perpendicular to the rotation axis;
a rotator coupled to the camera, configured to drive the camera to rotate along the rotation axis;
and
a processor configured to:
obtain a projection distance x between the projection of the unaligned target image and the projection of the center point of the photo sensor, and
obtain a rotation angle θ between an unaligned position at which the camera captures the unaligned target image and an aligned position at which the camera captures the aligned target image, wherein:
the processor includes a calculator that is configured to calculate a target distance L between the target and the camera based on the projection distance x, the rotation angle θ, and a focal length f of the lens according to
L
=
x
⁢
⁢
f
x
-
f
⁢
⁢
tan
⁢
⁢
θ
.

23 more elements

A distance measuring method for measuring a target distance between a target and a camera, comprising:

rotating the camera along a rotation axis to capture an unaligned target image and an aligned target image, wherein:
a projection of the unaligned target image on a reference plane does not overlap with a projection of a center point of a photo sensor of the camera on the reference plane,
a projection of the aligned target image on the reference plane overlaps with the projection of the center point, and
the reference plane is perpendicular to the rotation axis;
measuring a projection distance x between the projection of the unaligned target image and the projection of the center point of the photo sensor;
measuring a rotation angle θ of the camera between an unaligned position at which the camera captures the unaligned target image and an aligned position at which the camera captures the aligned target image;
and
calculating the target distance L according to
L
=
x
⁢
⁢
f
x
-
f
⁢
⁢
tan
⁢
⁢
θ
,
wherein:
L represents the target distance,
x represents the projection distance,
θ represents the rotation angle, and
f represents a focal length of the lens.

26 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Imaging device, rotating device, distance measuring device, distance measuring system and distance measuring method

Life of this patent

Imaging device, rotating device, distance measuring device, distance measuring system and distance measuring method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19