US 6,611,664 B2 · Stereo image photographing system

Abstract

The present invention provides a stereo image photographing system capable of easily obtaining a stable, highly reliable and accurate stereo image when three-dimensional measurement is carried out by a general camera. A photographing unit includes a camera and an omni-directional prism. By collimating the prism on the photographing unit, a measuring unit measures position data thereof (measured value). A photographing position calculating unit calculates a proper photographing position based on a photographing condition set by a condition setting unit. To realize coincidence or rough coincidence between the data of the position (measured value) of the photographing unit measured by the measuring unit and the data of the photographing position calculated by the photographing position calculating unit, a photographing control unit allows a movement control unit and a driving unit to move the photographing unit, and outputs a timing signal for photographing to the photographing unit and the measuring unit. Based on the timing signal, an image data storing unit stores image data and the position data. A signal processing unit performs three-dimensional measurement and analysis based on the image data and the position data.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A stereo image photographing system comprising:

a photographing unit which is movable and has a camera for photographing and a reflection member placed thereon;
a signal generating unit for generating a timing signal indicating a photographing timing when photographing is made by the camera of said photographing unit;
and
a measuring unit placed in a position apart from said photographing unit, for emitting a measuring light toward the reflection member of said photographing unit in accordance with the timing signal from said signal generating unit, and measuring positions of said photographing unit based on a reflected light reflected from the reflection member,
wherein the system determines a base line length of photographing points based on the measured positions of said photographing unit, obtains photographed data by said photographing unit and obtains three-dimensional coordinates of an object photographed based on the base line length and the photographed data.

2 more elements

A stereo image photographing system comprising:

a photographing unit which is movable and has a camera for photographing an image of an object in accordance with a timing signal indicating a timing and a reflection member placed thereon;
a measuring unit placed in a position apart from said photographing unit, for emitting a measuring light toward the reflection member of said photographing unit, and measuring a position of said photographing unit based on a reflected light reflected from the reflection member;
a photographing position calculating unit for calculating photographing position data based on photographing condition data regarding the object to be photographed;
a driving unit for moving said photographing unit to a predetermined position based on the photographing position data calculated by said photographing position calculating unit;
a movement control unit for controlling said driving unit;
and
a photographing control unit for outputting the timing signal to the camera of said photographing unit when any one of coincidence and approximate coincidence is determined between position data regarding the position of said photographing unit measured by said measuring unit and the photographing position data calculated by said photographing position calculating unit,
wherein the system determines a base line length of photographing points based on the measured positions of said photographing unit, obtains photographed data by said photographing unit and obtains three-dimensional coordinates of an object photographed based on the base line length and the photographed data.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Stereo image photographing system

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Stereo image photographing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33