Stereo image processing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10992920-B2
Application number	US-201816634699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2018
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a stereo image processing device that is capable of expanding the effective field of view by using a lens having distortion for realizing a wide field of view. This stereo image processing device has two sensors arranged so as to be shifted from the optical axes of respective lenses in directions separating each other, wherein each of the lenses has a property such that the distortion, in a region of a large viewing angle, is greater than that of an fθ lens.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stereo image processing device that processes a stereo image, comprising:
a first camera and a second camera that image an imaged target,
wherein the first camera includes a first lens that converges light from the imaged target and a first sensor that receives light transmitted through the first lens,
wherein the second camera includes a second lens that converges light from the imaged target and a second sensor that receives light transmitted through the second lens,
wherein the first camera and the second camera are placed away from each other,
wherein a center of the first sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the first lens by a first shift distance away from the second camera in a first direction parallel to a straight line connecting a center of the first lens and a center of the second lens,
wherein a center of the second sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the second lens by a second shift distance away from the first camera in the first direction, and
wherein the first lens and the second lens both have a characteristic in which an image height at an area of large viewing angle is smaller compared to a characteristic of a fθ lens, wherein the image height is increased in proportion to viewing angle.

2. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first lens has a characteristic in which an image height at a maximum viewing angle receivable by the first sensor is smaller than an image height of the fθ lens at same maximum viewing angle, and
wherein the second lens has a characteristic in which an image height at a maximum viewing angle receivable by the second sensor is smaller than an image height of the fθ lens at same maximum viewing angle.

3. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
a focal length of the first lens is given by f1;
a focal length of the second lens is given by f2;
a distance between a center of the first lens and a center of the second lens is given by D;
a distance from the first or the second lens to the imaged target is given by 1; and
a maximum distance by which it is possible to acquire a signal that has a sufficient accuracy for the first and the second sensors to calculate the distance 1 is L,
the first shift distance is larger than D×f1×L/{( 2 L)(L−f1)}, and
the second shift distance is larger than D×f2×L/{( 2 L)(L−f2)}.

4. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a center of the first sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the first lens by a first shift distance approaching to the second camera in the first direction, and
wherein a center of the second sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the second lens by a second shift distance approaching to the first camera in the first direction.

5. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a center of the first sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the first lens in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, and
wherein a center of the second sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the second lens in the second direction.

6. The stereo image processing device according to claim 5 ,
wherein a center of the first sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the first lens toward a first orientation and in the second direction, and
wherein a center of the second sensor is shifted from an optical axis of the second lens toward a second orientation opposite to the first orientation and in the second direction.

7. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first shading cover that blocks light incident onto the first lens from a source other than the imaged target and a second shading cover that blocks light incident onto the second lens from a source other than the imaged target,
wherein the first shading cover is attached to the first camera at an inclined angle, with respect to an optical axis of the first lens, smaller than a maximum viewing angle of the second sensor, and
wherein the second shading cover is attached to the second camera at an inclined angle, with respect to an optical axis of the second lens, smaller than a maximum viewing angle of the first sensor.

8. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor is placed so that light is receivable from the imaged target included within a first viewing angle range,
wherein the second sensor is placed so that light is receivable from the imaged target included within a second viewing angle range,
wherein the first viewing angle range and the second viewing angle range include common viewing angle ranges overlapping with each other, and
wherein the stereo image processing device further comprises a stereo processor that processes a signal generated according to light received by the first sensor from the imaged target included within the common viewing angle range and a signal generated according to light received by the second sensor from the imaged target included within the common viewing angle range.

9. The stereo image processing device according to claim 8 , further comprising a non-stereo processor that processes a signal generated according to light received by the first sensor from the imaged target that is not included within the common viewing angle range and a signal generated according to light received by the second sensor from the imaged target that is not included within the common viewing angle range.

10. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first shift distance and the second shift distance do not depend on a distance from the stereo image processing device to the imaged target.

11. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the distance from the stereo image processing device to the imaged target is 50 meters or more.

12. The stereo image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first shift distance is different from the second shift distance.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Yamazaki Kazuyoshi
• Betsui Keiichi

Classifications

• 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

• G03B15/00

  Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• H04N13/239

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03B35/08

  by simultaneous recording · CPC title

• G01C3/14 Primary

  with binocular observation at a single point, e.g. stereoscopic type (G01C3/20 takes precedence) · CPC title