Three-dimensional position detecting device, three-dimensional position detecting system and method for detecting three-dimensional positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020175706-A1
Application number	US-201916697669-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Nov 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 4, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional position detecting device includes a rotational mechanism configured to rotate about a predetermined rotation axis, and includes a LIDAR unit disposed on the rotation axis to scan in response to each rotation angle at which the rotational mechanism rotate to detect at least one first three-dimensional position of an object. The three-dimensional position detecting device includes an imaging unit disposed to be away from the rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, the imaging unit being configured to capture multiple images of the object based on rotation of the imaging unit through the rotational mechanism. The three-dimensional position detecting device includes a processor configured to detect a second three-dimensional position of the object based on the captured multiple images with respect to respective rotation angles at which the rotational mechanism rotates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional position detecting device comprising:
a rotational mechanism configured to rotate about a predetermined rotation axis; a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit disposed on the rotation axis, the LIDAR unit being configured to scan in accordance with each rotation angle at which the rotational mechanism rotates to detect at least one first three-dimensional position of an object; an imaging unit disposed to be away from the rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, the imaging unit being configured to capture multiple images of the object based on rotation of the imaging unit through the rotational mechanism; a memory; and a processor electrically coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to:
detect a second three-dimensional position of the object based on the captured multiple images with respect to respective rotation angles at which the rotational mechanism rotates; and
obtain a three-dimensional position of the object based on a comparison of the first three-dimensional position and the second three-dimensional position; and
output the three-dimensional position.

2 . The three-dimensional position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the LIDAR unit includes a light scanning unit configured to scan with light with respect to two axial directions that are mutually perpendicular.

3 . The three-dimensional position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to detect the second three-dimensional position based on a disparity between the multiple images.

4 . The three-dimensional position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit includes a 360-degree camera configured to capture a 360-degree image.

5 . The three-dimensional position detecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one first three-dimensional position is multiple first three-dimensional positions with respect to respective rotation angles at which the rotational mechanism rotates.

6 . A three-dimensional position detecting system comprising:
the three-dimensional position detecting device according to claim 1 ; and a location changing unit on which the three-dimensional position detecting device is disposed, the location changing unit being configured to change a location at which the three-dimensional position detecting device is disposed, the processor of the three-dimensional position detecting device being configured to:
use structure from motion (SFM) to estimate a location of the imaging unit based on respective images that the imaging unit captures in accordance with locations of the three-dimensional position detecting device changed through the location changing unit;
estimate a location of the LIDAR unit and an angle at which the LIDAR unit is rotated based on a positional relationship between the rotation axis and the imaging unit, the angle corresponding to a given rotational angle at which the rotational mechanism is rotated;
combine three-dimensional positions based on the location of the LIDAR unit and the angle at which the LIDAR unit is rotated, each of the three-dimensional positions being obtained based on a comparison of a given first three-dimensional position and a given second three-dimensional position; and
output a three-dimensional position combination.

7 . A method for detecting three-dimensional positions comprising:
rotating a rotational mechanism about a predetermined rotation axis; scanning, by a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit disposed on the rotation axis, in accordance with each rotation angle at which the rotational mechanism rotates to detect at least one first three-dimensional position of an object; capturing, by an imaging unit disposed to be away from the rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, multiple images of the object based on rotation of the imaging unit through the rotational mechanism; detecting a second three-dimensional position of the object based on the captured multiple images with respect to respective rotation angles at which the rotational mechanism rotates; and obtaining a three-dimensional position of the object based on a comparison of the first three-dimensional position and the second three-dimensional position; and outputting the three-dimensional position.

Assignees

• Namiki Hitoshi
• Fujii Toshishige
• Ueda Takeshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Namiki Hitoshi
• Fujii Toshishige
• Ueda Takeshi

Classifications

• G06T2207/10028

  Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G06T7/593 Primary

  from stereo images · CPC title

• G01S7/4817 Primary

  relating to scanning · CPC title