Dual distanced sensing method for passive range finding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12380595-B2
Application number	US-202117511571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 28, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

In various embodiments, image sensors are configured for detecting object distance based on images captured by the image sensors. In those embodiments, parameters within the images are analyzed to determine a distance of the object relative to the image sensors. In some implementations, techniques for distance detecting object distance in accordance with the present disclosure are deployed within a vehicle. In those implementations, the distance sensing in accordance with the present disclosure can be used to aid various driving scenario, such as different levels of autonomous self-driving by the vehicle. In some implementations, the distance sensing can be employed in robotic equipment such as unmanned underwater devices to aid distance sensing of certain underwater objects of interest. In some implementations, the distance sensing can be employed in monitoring or surveillance for detecting or measuring object distance relative to a reference point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distance measuring method, the method being implemented electronically by a processor, and the method comprising:
storing parameters regarding image sensors;
receiving images captured by the image sensors, the images capturing a same scene, wherein the image sensors include a first image sensor located on a first location of a vehicle, and a second image sensor located on a second location of the vehicle, and wherein the first image sensor is configured to capture a first image at a first time point and the second image sensor is configured to capture a second image at a second time point;
extracting image parameters from the images;
analyzing the image parameters to determine one or more attributes about an object in the scene;
receiving a first position of the first image sensor from a position sensor;
receiving a second position of the first image sensor from the position sensor;
determining a distance change by the first image sensor based on the first position and the second position; and
determining a distance of the object relative to the image sensors based on the first image, the second image, the distance change by the first image sensor, and the one or more attributes about the object.

2. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the image parameters include pixel color values and/or pixel illuminance values.

3. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensors are paired or configured to belong to a same sensor group.

4. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the determined distance is a first object distance and the method further comprises:
receiving a second object distance measured by a range finder; and calibrating the first object distance using the second object distance.

5. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the object distance includes comparing a signal amplitude captured in the images.

6. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising: detecting a probe illumination of an object in the images; and, wherein the determination of the object distance is based on the detected probe illumination of the object.

7. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the object distance comprises at least one of:
comparing the images captured at the first and second image sensors;
calculating the object distance by comparing dimensions of the images;
calculating the object distance by comparing an image occupied area or pixel; or
calculating the object distance by comparing an image brightness.

8. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the position sensor is a G sensor or a global position sensor (GPS).

9. The distance measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensors include a sensor configured to scan across a scene and be paired with one or more other sensors in different directions.

10. A system for measuring a distance, the system comprising a processor configured to execute machine-readable instructions such that when the machine-readable instructions arc executed by the processor, the system is caused to perform:
storing parameters regarding image sensors;
receiving images captured by the image sensors, the images capturing a same scene, wherein the image sensors include a first image sensor located on a first location of a vehicle, and a second image sensor located on a second location of the vehicle, and wherein the first image sensor is configured to capture a first image at a first time point and the second image sensor is configured to capture a second image at a second time point;
extracting image parameters from the images;
analyzing the image parameters to determine one or more attributes about an object in the scene;
receiving a first position of the first image sensor from a position sensor;
receiving a second position of the first image sensor from the position sensor;
determining a distance change by the first image sensor based on the first position and the second position; and
determining a distance of the object relative to the image sensors based on the first image, the second image, the distance change by the first image sensor, and the one or more attributes about the object.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the image parameters include pixel color values and/or pixel illuminance values.

12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the image sensors are paired or configured to belong to a same sensor group.

13. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the determined distance is a first object distance and the method further comprises:
receiving a second object distance measured by a range finder; and
calibrating the first object distance using the second object distance.

14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the determination of the object distance include comparing a signal amplitude captured in the images.

15. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprising: detecting a probe illumination of an object in the images; and, wherein the determination of the object distance is based on the detected probe illumination of the object.

16. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the determination of the object distance comprises at least one of:
comparing the images captured at the first and second image sensors;
calculating the object distance by comparing dimensions of the images;
calculating the object distance by comparing an image occupied area or pixel; or
calculating the object distance by comparing an image brightness.

17. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the position sensor is a G sensor or a global position sensor (GPS).

18. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the image sensors include a sensor configured to scan across a scene and be paired with one or more other sensors in different directions.

Assignees

• Shenzhen Goodix Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• He Yi
• Pi Bo

Classifications

• G06V10/60

  relating to illumination properties, e.g. using a reflectance or lighting model · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title

• G06T7/55

  from multiple images · CPC title

• G06V10/56

  relating to colour · CPC title

• G01B11/022

  by means of tv-camera scanning · CPC title