Imaging system with multiple wide-angle optical elements arranged on a straight line and movable along the straight line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10992879-B2
Application number	US-201816490820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

An imaging system includes a plurality of imaging bodies, a moving part, and an imaging control unit. Each of the imaging bodies includes a first optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at an optical axis and oriented in a first direction of the optical axis, and a second optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at the optical axis and oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The imaging bodies is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The moving part moves the imaging bodies on a straight line. The imaging control unit is configured to cause the imaging bodies to perform imaging in synchronization with each other, and acquire a taken image from each of the imaging bodies.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging system, comprising:
a plurality of imaging bodies, each of the imaging bodies including
a first optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at an optical axis and oriented in a first direction of the optical axis, and
a second optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at the optical axis and oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction,

the imaging bodies being arranged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis;
a moving part that moves the imaging bodies on a straight line;
imaging control circuitry configured to cause the imaging bodies to perform imaging in synchronization with each other, and acquire a taken image from each of the imaging bodies; and
processing circuitry configured to execute
first processing to create a first three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a first algorithm using a plurality of taken images taken by the imaging bodies in a single imaging; and
second processing to create a second three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a second algorithm using (1) a plurality of sets of the taken images taken at a plurality of different positions and a plurality of times by the imaging bodies moved by the moving part, and (2) the first three-dimensional model created based on the plurality of taken images taken in the single imaging.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to acquire positions of the respective imaging bodies on the straight line in synchronization with the imaging caused by the imaging control circuitry, wherein
the imaging control circuitry is further configured to associate the taken images with the positions acquired by the processing circuitry.

3. The imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
generate a three-dimensional image by arranging a plurality of taken images taken by the imaging bodies at the plurality of times at the plurality of different positions on the straight line in a moving direction of the imaging bodies that is set as a depth direction, and
perform a distance measuring calculation based on an image, the image being generated by cutting the generated three-dimensional image by a plane parallel to the set depth direction.

4. The imaging system according to claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the three-dimensional image constituted by converted images obtained by converting the respective taken images using projection according to equidistant cylindrical projection.

5. The imaging system according to claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the three-dimensional image constituted by transformed images obtained by transforming the respective taken images using projection according to gnomonic cylindrical projection.

6. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate a three-dimensional schematic model in the first processing, and use the generated three-dimensional schematic model as an initial value in the second processing, the second algorithm being different from the first algorithm.

7. An imaging system, comprising:
an imaging body including
a first optical element configured to image a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at an optical axis and oriented in a first direction of the optical axis, and
a second optical element configured to image a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at the optical axis and oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction;

a moving part that moves the imaging body on a straight line;
imaging control circuitry configured to cause the imaging body to perform imaging, and acquire a taken image; and
processing circuitry configured to execute
first processing to create a first three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a first algorithm using a plurality of taken images taken by the imaging body in a single imaging; and
second processing to create a second three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a second algorithm using (1) a plurality of sets of the taken images taken at a plurality of different positions and a plurality of times by the imaging body moved by the moving part, and (2) the first three-dimensional model created by the first processing.

8. A method of imaging control in an imaging system, the method comprising:
causing a plurality of imaging bodies to perform imaging in synchronization with each other; and
acquiring a taken image from each of the imaging bodies,
wherein each of the imaging bodies includes
a first optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at an optical axis and oriented in a first direction of the optical axis, and
a second optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at the optical axis and oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction,

the imaging bodies are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis and mounted on a moving part that moves on a straight line, and
wherein the method further comprises
first processing to create a first three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a first algorithm using a plurality of taken images taken by the imaging bodies in a single imaging; and
second processing to create a second three-dimensional reconstruction model based on a second algorithm using (1) a plurality of sets of the taken images taken at a plurality of different positions and a plurality of times by the imaging bodies moved by the moving part, and (2) the first three-dimensional model created based on the plurality of taken images taken in the single imaging.

Assignees

• Yokota Soichiro
• Takenaka Hirokazu
• Sadasue Tamon
• Katagiri Keita
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yokota Soichiro
• Takenaka Hirokazu
• Sadasue Tamon
• Katagiri Keita

Classifications

• H04N23/90 Primary

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• G02B13/06

  Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" {including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces} · CPC title