Position/orientation measurement method and apparatus

A position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of a measurement target object, characterized by comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the measurement target object;
• a captured image acquisition step of acquiring a captured image;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the measurement target using information associated with image coordinates of the detected indices, and the orientation measurement value,
• wherein in the position/orientation calculation step,
• the position and the orientation of the image capture device are calculated using, as evaluation criteria, a difference between actually measured values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices and theoretical values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices, which are calculated based on estimated values of the position and the orientation of the image capture device, and
• a difference between the estimated values and at least some parameters of the orientation measurement value.

A position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of an image capture device as a measurement target object, characterized by comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the image capture device;
• an image input step of inputting an image captured by the image capture device;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• a weight setting step of setting a weight input by an operator;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the image capture device using information associated with image coordinates of the indices detected in the index detection step, and the orientation measurement value,
• wherein in the position/orientation calculation step, the position and the orientation of the image capture device are calculated by changing influences of the information associated with the image coordinates of the indices and the orientation measurement value in accordance with the weight set in the weight setting step.

A position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of an image capture device as a measurement target object, characterized by comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the image capture device;
• an image input step of inputting an image captured by the image capture device;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• a mode selection step of selecting one of a first mode focused on the information associated with the image coordinates of the indices, a second mode focused on the orientation measurement value, and a third mode as an intermediate mode between the first mode and the second mode;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the image capture device by applying a method according to the mode selected in the mode selection step using information associated with image coordinates of the indices detected in the index detection step, and the orientation measurement value.

A position/orientation measurement apparatus for measuring a position and an orientation of a measurement target object, characterized by comprising:

• captured image acquisition means for acquiring a captured image;
• index detection means for detecting indices included in the captured image;
• distribution range calculation means for calculating an evaluation value associated with a distribution range of the indices detected by said index detection means;
• and
• position/orientation calculation means for calculating the position and the orientation of the measurement target object using information associated with image coordinates of the detected indices, and the evaluation value associated with the distribution range.

A position/orientation measurement apparatus for measuring a position and an orientation of a measurement target object, characterized by comprising:

• orientation measurement value input means for inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the measurement target object;
• captured image acquisition means for acquiring a captured image;
• index detection means for detecting indices included in the captured image;
• and
• position/orientation calculation means for calculating the position and the orientation of the measurement target object using information associated with image coordinates of the detected indices, and the orientation measurement value,
• wherein said position/orientation calculation means calculates the position and the orientation of the image capture device using, as evaluation criteria,
• a difference between actually measured values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices and theoretical values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices, which are calculated based on estimated values of the position and the orientation of the image capture device, and
• a difference between the estimated values and at least some parameters of the orientation measurement value.

A computer-readable medium storing commands for causing a computer to perform a position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of a measurement target object, the method comprising:

• a captured image acquisition step of acquiring a captured image;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• a distribution range calculation step of calculating an evaluation value associated with a distribution range of the indices detected in the index detection step;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the measurement target object using information associated with image coordinates of the detected indices, and the evaluation value associated with the distribution range.

A computer-readable medium storing commands for causing a computer to perform a position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of a measurement target object, the method comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the measurement target object;
• a captured image acquisition step of acquiring a captured image;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the measurement target using information associated with image coordinates of the detected indices, and the orientation measurement value,
• wherein in the position/orientation calculation step,
• the position and the orientation of the image capture device are calculated using, as evaluation criteria, a difference between actually measured values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices and theoretical values of the information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices, which are calculated based on estimated values of the position and the orientation of the image capture device, and
• a difference between the estimated values and at least some parameters of the orientation measurement value.

A computer-readable medium storing commands for causing a computer to perform a position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of an image capture device as a measurement target object, the method comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the image capture device;
• an image input step of inputting an image captured by the image capture device;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• a weight setting step of setting a weight input by an operator;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the image capture device using information associated with image coordinates of the indices detected in the index detection step, and the orientation measurement value,
• wherein in the position/orientation calculation step, the position and the orientation of the image capture device are calculated by changing influences of the information associated with the image coordinates of the indices and the orientation measurement value in accordance with the weight set in the weight setting step.

A computer-readable medium storing commands for causing a computer to perform a position/orientation measurement method for measuring a position and an orientation of an image capture device as a measurement target object, the method comprising:

• an orientation measurement value input step of inputting an orientation measurement value from an orientation sensor attached to the image capture device;
• an image input step of inputting an image captured by the image capture device;
• an index detection step of detecting indices included in the captured image;
• a mode selection step of selecting one of a first mode focused on the information associated with the image coordinates of the indices, a second mode focused on the orientation measurement value, and a third mode as an intermediate mode between the first mode and the second mode;
• and
• a position/orientation calculation step of calculating the position and the orientation of the image capture device by applying a method according to the mode selected in the mode selection step using information associated with image coordinates of the indices detected in the index detection step, and the orientation measurement value.