EP1014112A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rangefinder and imager
Assignee: Panasonic Corp
•
Filing: 1999-12-21
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2019-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A rangefinder according to the present invention includes light source section, camera section, distance-measuring sensor, exposure controller and shutter. The light source section projects light onto an object for 3D imaging purposes. The camera section receives the light that was emitted from the light source section and then reflected from the object. The distance-measuring sensor estimates an approximate distance to the object. Based on the approximate distance, the exposure controller controls the optical output power of the light source section and/or the open/closed states of the shutter. The rangefinder can control the intensity of the projected light even if the object is on the move. As a result, the rangefinder can obtain highly precise information about the 3D location of the object. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Kenya Uomori
- 👤 Takeo Azuma
- 👤 Kunio Nobori
- 👤 Atsushi Morimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/88; G01S17/89; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/42; G01S7/00; G01S7/48; G01S7/481; G01S7/483; G01S7/484; H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N23/72; H04N23/74
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A rangefinder for obtaining information about the
three-dimensional location of an object by projecting light
onto the object and receiving part of the light that has been
reflected from the object, the rangefinder comprising: a light source for projecting the light on the object; a camera for receiving the part of the projected light
that has been reflected from the object; and a controller for controlling optical output power of the
light source and/or exposure conditions of the camera based on
range information about the object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
The rangefinder of Claim 1, further comprising a distance-measuring
sensor for measuring the distance to the object, wherein the controller uses the output of the distance-measuring
sensor as an item of the range information about the
object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The rangefinder of Claim 1, further comprising a
range calculator for obtaining a range image based a video
signal output from the camera, wherein the controller uses the range image obtained by
the range calculator as an item of the range information about
the object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
The rangefinder of Claim 1, wherein if the controller
has determined based on the range information that the distance
to the object is equal to or greater than a first threshold
value, the controller increases the optical output power of
the light source, and wherein if the controller has determined based on the
range information that the distance is equal to or smaller
than a second threshold value, the controller decreases the
optical output power of the light source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rangefinder of Claim 1, wherein the exposure conditions
of the camera are defined based on at least one of a
diaphragm stop, a sensitivity of an imager and a shutter
speed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The rangefinder of Claim 1, further comprising a
shutter, which can open and close freely and blocks the light
that has been projected from the light source when closed, wherein the controller selectively controls the open and
closed states of the shutter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
A rangefinder for obtaining information about the
three-dimensional location of an object by projecting light
onto the object and receiving part of the light that has been
reflected from the object, the rangefinder comprising: a light source for projecting the light on the object; a camera for receiving the part of the projected light
that has been reflected from the object; and a controller for controlling optical output power of the
light source and/or exposure conditions of the camera based on
information about the level of a video signal output from the
camera.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The rangefinder of Claim 7, wherein if the controller
has determined based on the level information that the distance
to the object is equal to or greater than a first threshold
value, the controller increases the optical output power of
the light source, and wherein if the controller has determined based on the
level information that the distance is equal to or smaller
than a second threshold value, the controller decreases the
optical output power of the light source.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rangefinder of Claim 7, wherein the exposure conditions
of the camera are defined based on at least one of a
diaphragm stop, a sensitivity of an imager and a shutter
speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The rangefinder of Claim 7, further comprising a
shutter, which can open and close freely and blocks the light
that has been projected from the light source when closed, wherein the controller selectively controls the open and
closed states of the shutter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
A rangefinder for obtaining information about the
three-dimensional location of an object by projecting light
onto the object and receiving part of the light that has been
reflected from the object, the rangefinder comprising: a light source for projecting the light on the object; a camera for receiving the part of the projected light
that has been reflected from the object, the camera being
able to capture a two-dimensional image; and a controller for setting a signal level of an image component
of the object lower in capturing a three-dimensional
image than in capturing the two-dimensional image so as to
sufficiently increase a signal level of the reflected light
when the light source projects the light on the object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The rangefinder of Claim 11, wherein the camera includes
a filter for adjusting an intensity per unit area of
the light incident on the camera, and wherein the controller sets transmittance of the filter
relatively low in capturing the three-dimensional image and
relatively high in capturing the two-dimensional image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The rangefinder of Claim 12, wherein the filter comprises
a liquid crystal device, the transmittance of the filter
being controllable based on a voltage applied to the
liquid crystal device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rangefinder of Claim 11, wherein the controller
controls the exposure conditions of the camera.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rangefinder of Claim 14, wherein the exposure
conditions of the camera are defined based on at least one of
a diaphragm stop, a sensitivity of an imager and a shutter
speed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
An imager comprising: a light source for projecting light onto an object, the
optical properties of the projected light changing depending
on a direction in which the light has been projected; a camera for capturing a two-dimensional image of the
object by receiving part of the projected light that has been
reflected from the object; and a foreground/background distinguisher for dividing the
two-dimensional image into foreground and background parts
based on optical properties of the light that has been reflected
from the object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The imager of Claim 16, further comprising a separator
for cutting out the foreground or background part from
the two-dimensional image based on the result of division
performed by the identifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
87 words
The imager of Claim 16, wherein the light source
projects first and second light beams, the intensity of each
of the first and second beams being variable depending on a
direction in which the beam has been projected, the intensity
of the first beam changing in a different pattern than that of
the second beam, and wherein the foreground/background distinguisher distinguishes
the foreground and background parts from each other
based on an intensity ratio of reflected part of the first
beam to that of the second beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The imager of Claim 16, wherein the light source
projects light with an intensity variable depending on a direction
in which the light has been projected, and wherein the foreground/background distinguisher distinguishes
the foreground and background parts from each other
based on an intensity of reflected part of the projected
light.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The imager of Claim 16, further comprising a threshold
determiner for determining a threshold value on an object-by-object
basis as a reference for distinguishing the foreground
and background parts from each other.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The imager of Claim 20, wherein the threshold determiner
determines the threshold value based on the distribution
of optical properties of the light that has been reflected
from the object and incident on respective pixels in the camera.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The imager of Claim 20, wherein the threshold determiner
determines the threshold value based on a surface reflectance
of the object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The imager of Claim 22, further comprising a distance-measuring
sensor for measuring the distance to the object, wherein the threshold determiner estimates the surface
reflectance of the object based on the distance measured by
the distance-measuring sensor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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