Image capturing device, data acquisition unit, image capturing system, and image capturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12284451-B2
Application number	US-202318185645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2023
Priority date	Mar 22, 2022
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

An image capturing device includes: an image capturing lens having a central axis; and an image sensor having a sensor surface and a perpendicular line perpendicular to the sensor surface, the image sensor to capture an image of an object surface of an object. A Scheimpflug angle between the central axis and the perpendicular line is set to an angle other than 0° based on an angle α obtained by subtracting an inclination angle of the object surface from 90°.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image capturing device comprising:
an image capturing lens having a central axis; and
an image sensor having a sensor surface and a perpendicular line perpendicular to the sensor surface, the image sensor configured to capture an image of an object surface of an object,
wherein a Scheimpflug angle between the central axis and the perpendicular line is set to an angle other than 0° based on an angle α obtained by subtracting an inclination angle of the object surface from 90°.

2. The image capturing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the Scheimpflug angle is set based on the angle α and a distance between the image capturing device and the object surface.

3. The image capturing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an installation member configured to install the image capturing device on a vehicle travelable along a road surface,
wherein the Scheimpflug angle is set based on the angle α and a height from the road surface to the image capturing device.

4. The image capturing device according to claim 3 , including:
a first image capturing device including:
a first image capturing lens; and
a first image sensor forming a first Scheimpflug angle with the first image capturing lens to capture a first region of the object surface; and

a second image capturing device including:
a second image capturing lens; and
a second image sensor forming a second Scheimpflug angle with the second image capturing lens to capture a second region of the object surface,

wherein the first Scheimpflug angle is different from the second Scheimpflug angle, and
the first region is different from the second region.

5. The image capturing device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first image capturing device has:
a first distance between the first image capturing device and the object surface; and
a first height from the road surface to the first image capturing device, and
the second image capturing device has:
a second distance between the second image capturing device and the object surface, the second distance is different from the first distance; and
a second height from the road surface to the second image capturing device, the second height is different from the first height.

6. The image capturing device according to claim 4 ,
wherein a focal length of the first image capturing lens is different from a focal length of the second image capturing lens.

7. The image capturing device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to change the Scheimpflug angle; and
circuitry configured to cause the actuator to change the Scheimpflug angle based on the angle α, a distance between the image capturing device and the object surface, and the height.

8. The image capturing device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the central axis of the image capturing lens on the vehicle intersects a moving direction of the vehicle.

9. A data acquisition unit comprising:
the image capturing device according to claim 7 ; and
a distance sensor configured to measure a distance between the image capturing device and the object surface,
wherein the circuitry changes the Scheimpflug angle based on the distance measured by the distance sensor.

10. The data acquisition unit according to claim 9 ,
wherein the distance sensor is configured to emit light from a projection unit to the object surface and receives the light reflected from the object surface to measure the distance.

11. The data acquisition unit according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a position detector configured to detect a position of the vehicle on which the image capturing device is installed,
wherein the circuitry changes the Scheimpflug angle based on the position detected by the position detector.

12. An image capturing system comprising:
a vehicle; and
an image capturing device on the vehicle, the image capturing device comprising:
an image capturing lens having a central axis; and
an image sensor having a sensor surface and a perpendicular line perpendicular to the sensor surface, the image sensor configured to capture an image of an object surface of an object,

wherein a Scheimpflug angle between the central axis and the perpendicular line is set to an angle other than 0° based on an angle α obtained by subtracting an inclination angle of the object surface from 90°.

13. An image capturing method comprising:
installing an image capturing device on a vehicle, the image capturing device including an image capturing lens having a central axis and an image sensor having a sensor surface;
setting a Scheimpflug angle between the central axis and a perpendicular line perpendicular to the sensor surface to an angle other than 0° based on an angle α obtained by subtracting an inclination angle of the object surface from 90°; and
capturing an image of an object surface of an object with the image capturing device while moving the vehicle.

Assignees

• Tatsuno Hibiki
• Ushio Kohei
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tatsuno Hibiki
• Ushio Kohei

Classifications

• H04N23/90 Primary

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

• H04N23/58

  Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title