Position measuring apparatus and method

A position measuring method, which measures a position based on information provided from at least one communication device including a transmission light source, the method comprising:

• acquiring precise position information indicating a position of the transmission light source by capturing an image including an optical signal transmitted from the transmission light source with an image sensor, the precise position information including coordinates along X and Y axes on a two-dimensional plane using the X and Y axes;
• if the precise position information is received from at least two transmission light sources, calculating an actual light source distance between the transmission light sources on each of the X and Y axes based on the precise position information;
• calculating a virtual light source distance between the transmission light sources on each of the X and Y axes, imaged on the image sensor, from the captured image;
• measuring inclination of the image sensor along each of the X and Y axes;
• calculating a parallel virtual light source distance on each of the X and Y axes, corresponding a parallel state of the image sensor, based on the virtual light source distance and the inclination;
• and
• measuring a position of a measurement object on each of the X and Y axes based on the measured actual light source distance, parallel virtual light source distance, the inclination, and the precise position information.

A position measuring apparatus, which measures a position based on information provided from at least one communication device including a transmission light source, the apparatus comprising:

• a position information receiver that acquires precise position information indicating a position of the transmission light source by capturing an image including an optical signal transmitted from the transmission light source with an image sensor, the precise position information including coordinates along X and Y axes on a two-dimensional plane using the X and Y axes;
• an actual light source distance measuring unit that calculates an actual light source distance between transmission light sources on each of the X and Y axes based on the precise position information;
• a virtual light source distance measuring unit that calculates a virtual light source distance between the transmission light sources on each of the X and Y axes, imaged on the image sensor, from the captured image;
• an inclination measuring unit that measures an inclination of the image sensor along each of the X and Y axes;
• and
• a position information processing unit that measures a position of a measurement object on the X and Y axes based on an actual light source distance, a virtual light source distance, and inclination measured for each of the X and Y axes and the precise position information,
• wherein the position information processing unit calculates a parallel virtual light source distance for each of the X and Y axes, corresponding to a parallel state of the image sensor, based on the virtual light source distance and the inclination, and calculates the position based on the parallel virtual light source distance, the actual light source distance, and the precise position information about each transmission light source.