Selectively paired imaging elements for stereo images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021012518-A1
Application number	US-202016886328-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 8, 2016
Publication date	Jan 14, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure describes a configuration of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of cameras that may be selectively combined to form a stereo pair for use in obtaining stereo images that provide depth information corresponding to objects represented in those images. Depending on the distance between an object and the aerial vehicle, different cameras may be selected for the stereo pair based on the baseline between those cameras and a distance between the object and the aerial vehicle. For example, cameras with a small baseline (close together) may be selected to generate stereo images and depth information for an object that is close to the aerial vehicle. In comparison, cameras with a large baseline may be selected to generate stereo images and depth information for an object that is farther away from the aerial vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:
a frame; a plurality of cameras coupled to the frame; a camera selection controller in communication with each of the plurality of cameras, the camera selection controller configured to at least:
during aerial navigation of the aerial vehicle apparatus:
detect an object;
determine first disparity information associated with a first camera combination selected from the plurality of cameras;
determine second disparity information associated with a second camera combination selected from the plurality of cameras;
determine that the first disparity information is greater than the second disparity information;
obtain a first image from the first camera combination; and
process the first image to generate depth information corresponding to the object.

2 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first baseline distance associated with the first camera combination and a second baseline distance associated with the second camera combination are different.

3 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first baseline distance is oriented in a non-parallel arrangement relative to the second baseline distance.

4 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera selection controller is further configured to at least:
determine third disparity information associated with a third camera combination selected from the plurality of cameras; and determine that the first disparity information is greater than the third disparity information.

5 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera selection controller is further configured to at least:
determine an approximate distance to the object; select the first camera combination based at least in part on the approximate distance and a first baseline distance associated with the first camera combination; and select the second camera combination based at least in part on the approximate distance and a second baseline distance associated with the second camera combination.

6 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras are spaced about the frame such that each camera pair selected from the plurality of cameras includes a different baseline distance.

7 . An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of imaging elements spaced about the aerial vehicle apparatus; an imaging element selection controller in communication with each of the plurality of imaging elements, the imaging element selection controller configured to at least:
during aerial navigation of the aerial vehicle apparatus:
receive detection of an object;
select a first combination of imaging elements from the plurality of imaging elements based at least in part on first disparity information associated with the first combination of imaging elements;
obtain a first image from the first combination of imaging elements; and
process the first image to generate depth information corresponding to the object.

8 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of imaging elements are spaced about the aerial vehicle apparatus such that each imaging element pair selected from the plurality of imaging elements includes a different baseline distance.

9 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the imaging element selection is further configured to at least determine a first approximate distance to the object, and wherein selection of the first combination of imaging elements is based at least in part on a ratio of the first approximate distance and a first baseline distance associated with the first combination of imaging elements.

10 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a selection of the first combination of imaging elements includes, at least:
determining the first disparity information associated with the first combination of imaging elements; determining second disparity information associated with a second combination of imaging elements selected from the plurality of imaging elements; and determining that the first disparity information is greater than the second disparity information.

11 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the selection of the first combination of imaging elements further includes, at least:
determining third disparity information associated with a third combination of imaging elements; and determining that the first disparity information is greater than the third disparity information.

12 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the imaging element selection is further configured to at least:
determine a second approximate distance to the object, wherein the second approximate distance is different from a first approximate distance; select the second combination of imaging elements from the plurality of imaging elements based at least in part on the second disparity information associated with the second combination of imaging elements; obtain a second image from the second combination of imaging elements; and process the second image to generate depth information corresponding to the object.

13 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second disparity information is greater than the first disparity information.

14 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a field of view of each imaging element of the plurality of imaging elements at least partially overlaps with a second view of view of another imaging element from the plurality of imaging elements.

15 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a distance determining element, and the distance determining element performs the detection of the object.

16 . The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first disparity information includes a comparison of corresponding pixels in images obtained by the first combination of imaging elements.

17 . A method, comprising:
during aerial navigation of an aerial vehicle:
detecting an object;
determining a plurality of combinations of imaging elements from a plurality of imaging elements;
for each of the plurality of combinations of imaging elements, determining a corresponding disparity information;
selecting one combination of imaging elements from the plurality of combinations of imaging elements based at least in part on the corresponding disparity information for each of the plurality of combinations of imaging elements;
obtaining an image of the object from the one combination of imaging elements; and
processing the image to generate depth information corresponding to the object.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein selecting the one combination of imaging elements includes:
determining a first corresponding disparity information for the one combination of imaging elements; determining a second corresponding disparity information for a second combination of imaging elements; and determining that the first corresponding disparity information is greater than the second corresponding disparity information.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the plurality of combinations of imaging elements is based at least in part on a corresponding baseline associated with each of the plurality of combinations of imaging elements.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining a first approximate distance to the object, and wherein selecting the one combination of imaging elements is based at least in part on the first approxi

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Harris Scott Raymond
• O'Brien Barry James
• Watson Joshua John

Classifications

• G06T7/596 Primary

  from three or more stereo images · CPC title

• G06T7/55 Primary

  from multiple images · CPC title

• G06T2207/10012

  Stereo images · CPC title

• G06T2207/10032

  Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing · CPC title

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title