US5870179A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for estimating range
Assignee: University of Colorado Boulder
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1999-02-09
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract Range or distance to points is estimated within a scene, while simultaneously imaging the scene. The range to various points within the scene is estimated by imaging at least a first color of light from the scene through an optical mask and a lens onto a CCD, and then digitally processing the first color light intensity values stored in the CCD. At least a second color of light passes through the mask essentially unchanged and is separated from the first color of light before reaching the CCD and used for imaging the scene. The optical mask is designed such that the optical system transformation matrix for the first color of light is rank deficient for a particular set of object ranges. In this way, linear functions can be found to annihilate given sampled image data at a plurality of ranges, independent of the intensity of the light received from the object. A statistical detector is used to determine the closest associated range to the actual range of the point within the scene.
Inventors
- 👤 Wade Thomas Cathey, Jr.
- 👤 Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 08:49
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/0025; G01; G01C; G01C3/00; G01C3/02; G01C3/06; G01C3/08; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
Apparatus for estimating the distance from an observation location to various points in a three-dimensional scene that contains a three-dimensional object while imaging the scene, comprising: a color optical mask means at said observation location constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for a predetermined spread of object distances for at least a first color of light, thereby encoding object distance information onto the intensity field of said first color of light passing through said mask means, said color mask means permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unchanged, means for separating the first color of light from the second color of light, imaging means for forming an image of said scene from said second color of light, image recording and retrieval means for digitally recording the intensity of said distance encoded first color of light, and digital processing means for extracting said distance information from said digitally recorded intensity of said distance encoded first color of light.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
Apparatus for estimating the distance from an observation location to various points in a three-dimensional scene that contains a three-dimensional object while imaging the scene, comprising: a color optical mask means at said observation location constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for a predetermined spread of object distances for at least a first color of light, thereby encoding object distance information onto the intensity field of said first color of light passing through said mask means, said color mask means permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unchanged, means for separating the first color of light from the second color of light, imaging means for forming an image of said scene from said second color of light, image recording and retrieval means for digitally recording the intensity of said distance encoded first color of light, and digital processing means for extracting said distance information from said digitally recorded intensity of said distance encoded first color of light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said optical mask means comprises optical material having variations in opaqueness for at least one pigment providing said rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrices for said predetermined spread of object distances, said optical material having constant levels of at least a second pigment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mask means is formed by imaging a high resolution visual display in a first color corresponding to said rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrices onto color photographic film, and imaging a constant level of a second color onto said film, said film when developed forming said mask means.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for estimating the distance to various points in a three-dimensional scene, comprising; a lens, a mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for at least a first color of light for a predetermined spread of scene distances, thereby encoding distance information into the intensity of the first color of light passing through said mask, while permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said lens substantially unchanged except for constant attenuation, means for separating the first color of light from the second color of light, and distance detecting means responsive to said encoded distance information on said first color of light.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for estimating the distance to various points in a three-dimensional scene, comprising; a lens, a mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for at least a first color of light for a predetermined spread of scene distances, thereby encoding distance information into the intensity of the first color of light passing through said mask, while permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said lens substantially unchanged except for constant attenuation, means for separating the first color of light from the second color of light, and distance detecting means responsive to said encoded distance information on said first color of light.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for estimating the distance to various points in a three-dimensional scene that contains a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of: passing light from the scene through a color optical mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for at least a first color of light for a predetermined spread of object distances, thereby encoding distance information into the intensity of the first color of light passing through said mask, permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unchanged except for a constant attenuation factor, separating the first color of light from the second color of light, forming an image from the second color of light, recording the intensity of the first color of light onto an image recording and retrieval device, and processing said recorded intensity of the first color of light to extract said distance information therefrom.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for estimating the distance to various points in a three-dimensional scene that contains a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of: passing light from the scene through a color optical mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, imaging system transformation matrix for at least a first color of light for a predetermined spread of object distances, thereby encoding distance information into the intensity of the first color of light passing through said mask, permitting at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unchanged except for a constant attenuation factor, separating the first color of light from the second color of light, forming an image from the second color of light, recording the intensity of the first color of light onto an image recording and retrieval device, and processing said recorded intensity of the first color of light to extract said distance information therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
198 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said processing step comprises the steps of: extracting said imaging system transformation matrix for a small block of scene pixels stored in said image recording and retrieval device, storing a set of vectors associated with various known distances such that multiplying one of said stored vectors by a given imaging system transformation matrix produces a multiplication value of zero if, and only if, said given imaging system transformation matrix was produced by a point in the object at a distance that is associated with said one of said stored vectors, multiplying said extracted imaging system transformation matrix by each of said stored vectors and storing a set of multiplication values produced thereby, utilizing a statistical detector to select a multiplication value from said set that is equal to or closest to zero, assigning a distance value associated with the vector that produced said selected multiplication value equal to, or closest to, zero to the portion of the scene which produced said small block of scene pixels, and repeating above said extracting, storing, multiplying, utilizing and assigning steps for each small block of scene pixels stored in said image recording and retrieval device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 6 wherein utilizing step utilizes a maximum likelihood detector as said statistical detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said repeating step repeats said claim 6 method steps for overlapping blocks of scene pixels stored in said image recording and retrieval device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus for modifying the optical image of an object in order to encode said image with information representing a physical parameter that is associated with said object, comprising: a color optical mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, transformation matrix for a first color of light from said image so that said first color of light will contain information representative of said parameter associated with said object; said mask further constructed and arranged to permit at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unaffected except for a constant attenuation factor; separation means for separating said first color of light from said second color of light; first detecting means responsive to the output of said mask for detecting said information contained on said first color of light; and second detecting means for detecting said second color of light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus for modifying the optical image of an object in order to encode said image with information representing a physical parameter that is associated with said object, comprising: a color optical mask constructed and arranged to yield a rank deficient, known, transformation matrix for a first color of light from said image so that said first color of light will contain information representative of said parameter associated with said object; said mask further constructed and arranged to permit at least a second color of light to pass through said mask substantially unaffected except for a constant attenuation factor; separation means for separating said first color of light from said second color of light; first detecting means responsive to the output of said mask for detecting said information contained on said first color of light; and second detecting means for detecting said second color of light.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-02-08 | 2002-08-10 | 2003-02-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-08 | 2006-08-10 | 2007-02-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-08 | 2010-08-10 | 2011-02-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |