High speed three dimensional imaging method
OwnerZheng Jason Genginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) surface profile measurement method and apparatus uses projected energy with a known spatially varying wavelength distribution over the surface of objects in a scene. The varying wavelength of the light corresponds to the angle at which the light is emitted from a light source. Given this correspondence, light reflected from the scene can be identified by wavelength as to angle at which it was emitted. Triangulation can then be used to determine the distance to the point in the scene from which the detected light is reflected. When performed over a number of points on the scene, a three-dimensional profile of the scene can be generated.
Claims20
An apparatus for determining a distance to each point in a scene so as to generate a three-dimensional profile of said scene, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a color camera for detecting and recording said scene, said camera discriminating a wavelength of light received from said scene for points of said scene;
- (b) a light projector for generating light to illuminate said scene for said camera, wherein a wavelength of said light from said light projector varies spatially across said scene such that only light of a particular wavelength is emitted by said light projector at a predetermined angle with respect to a line between said camera and said light projector;
- wherein said apparatus determines a distance to said points of said scene based on distance between said light projector and said camera, the wavelength of received light associated with that point by said camera and an angle corresponding to emission of that wavelength by said light projector.
An method for determining a distance to points in a scene so as to generate a three-dimensional profile of said scene, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) generating light to illuminate said scene, wherein a wavelength of said light varies spatially across said scene such that only light of a particular wavelength illuminates said scene at a predetermined angle with respect to a line between a camera and a source of said light;
- (b) detecting and recording said scene with said camera, and discriminating, with said camera, a wavelength of light received from said scene for points of said scene;
- (c) determining a distance to said points of said scene based on distance between said light source and said camera, the wavelength of received light associated with that point by said camera and an angle corresponding to emission of that wavelength by said light source.
A method of color ranging to capture a full frame of 3D image data of a scene-to-be profiled at the frame rate of a color camera comprising the steps of:
- illuminating said scene from a light projector which generates a fan of light, projecting said fan of light through a variable wavelength filter means whereby said scene is illuminated by projected light energy which has a known spatially varying wavelength spectrum whereby points on the scene are illuminated with predetermined radiation energy having a unique wavelength;
- and
- detecting said spectrum of reflected light by said color camera whereby the color spectrum detected for pixels of said color camera has a one-to-one correspondence with the projection angle of the plane of light due to a predetermined geometry of the illuminating plane of light and the variable wavelength filter means whereby the detected color spectrum provides an angular measurement for said points on the scene thereby facilitating a triangulation calculation of the 3D range data.
An apparatus for determining a distance to each point in a scene so as to generate a three-dimensional profile of said scene, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) means for imaging said scene and for discriminating a wavelength of light received from said scene for points of said scene;
- (b) means for generating light to illuminate said scene, wherein a wavelength of said light varies spatially across said scene such that only light of a particular wavelength is emitted at a predetermined angle with respect to a line between said light generating means and said imaging means;
- (c) means for determining a distance to said points of said scene based on distance between said light generating means and said imaging means, the wavelength of received light associated with that point by said imaging means and an angle corresponding to emission of that wavelength by said light generating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.