Target object angle determination using multiple cameras

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9269146-B2
Application number	US-201213592890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2012
Priority date	Aug 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer media for determining the angle of a target object with respect to a device are provided herein. Target object information captured at approximately the same time by at least two cameras can be received. The target object information can comprise images or distances from the target object to the corresponding camera. An angle between the target object and the device can be determined based on the target object information. When the target object information includes images, the angle can be determined based on a correlation between two images. When the target object information includes distances from the target object to the corresponding camera, the angle can be calculated geometrically.

First claim

We claim:

1. At least one non-volatile computer memory storing computer-executable instructions for determining an angle of a target object with respect to a device, the determining the angle comprising:
receiving a first image captured using a first camera on the device and a second image captured using a second camera on the device, wherein the first camera is spaced a distance apart from the second camera on the device, and wherein the first and second images are captured at approximately a same capture time;
determining a correlation value for a correlation between the first and second images;
accessing a tuning table having image-to-image correlation values and corresponding angles; and
retrieving the angle corresponding to the image-to-image correlation value closest to the determined correlation value.

2. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises:
receiving a first estimated distance from the target object to the first camera;
receiving a second estimated distance from the target object to the second camera; and
geometrically calculating the angle of the target object with respect to the device based on the first and second estimated distances.

3. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 2 , wherein the first and second estimated distances are acquired using an autofocus function of the first and second cameras, respectively.

4. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the target object and the device is an angle between a first reference line extending from the target object to the device and a second reference line extending through the device, wherein the second reference line is substantially perpendicular to a third reference line extending between the first and second cameras, and wherein the first reference line and the second reference line intersect at the approximate midpoint of the third reference line.

5. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises:
receiving a user selection of a first object visible on a display of the device; and
identifying the first object as the target object in response to the user selection of the first object.

6. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 5 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises:
receiving a user selection of a second object visible on the display of the device; and
updating the target object from the first object to the second object in response to the user selection of the second object.

7. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises:
receiving user selections of a plurality of objects visible on a display of the device; and
identifying the plurality of objects as the target object in response to the user selections.

8. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 7 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises:
determining an angle for each of the plurality of objects; and
determining a representative angle for the target object based on the angles determined for the plurality of objects.

9. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the determining the angle further comprises providing the determined angle to a microphone audio source separation algorithm.

10. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the device is a mobile phone.

11. The non-volatile computer memory of claim 1 , wherein the capture time is a first time, and further comprising:
receiving additional images captured at approximately a second time using the first camera and second camera; and
tracking the target object by determining an updated angle between the target object and the device based on the additional images.

12. A multi-camera mobile device having target object angle determination capabilities, the mobile device comprising:
a first camera;
a second camera;
a touchscreen display;
a target object identification component configured to identify an object visible on the touchscreen display of the device as the target object;
a target object information acquisition component configured to receive a first image captured by the first camera and a second image captured by the second camera, the first image and the second image captured approximately simultaneously by the first and second cameras, respectively; and
an angle determination component configured to determine an angle between the target object and the device using the received first and second images, the angle determination component comprising a correlation component configured to determine a correlation value for a correlation between the first and second images and determine the angle by accessing a tuning table having image-to-image correlation values and corresponding angles and retrieving the angle corresponding to the image-to-image correlation value closest to the determined correlation value.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the angle determination component further comprises:
a geometric calculation component configured to, upon receipt of estimated distances from the target object to the corresponding camera on the device acquired using an autofocus function, determine the angle through geometric calculation.

14. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the target object identification component is configured to identify the target object based on at least one of user selection of the target object from the touchscreen display of the device or the target object being located in a specified section of the touchscreen display.

15. A method of determining an angle of a target object with respect to a device, the method comprising:
receiving an identification of an object visible on a display of the device as the target object;
receiving a pair of images including at least a portion of the target object, the pair of images comprising a first image captured by a first camera on the device and a second image captured by a second camera on the device;
determining a correlation value for a correlation between the first and second images; and
determining an angle between a first reference line extending from the target object to the device and a second reference line extending through the device by:
accessing a tuning table having correlation values and corresponding angles; and
retrieving the angle corresponding to the correlation value closest to the determined correlation value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the target object is identified by at least one of user selection of the target object from the device display or the target object being located in a specified section of the display.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing the retrieved angle to a microphone audio source separation algorithm.

18. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the angle between the target object and the mobile device is an angle between a first reference line extending from the target object to the mobile device and a second reference line extending through the mobile device, wherein the second reference line is substantially perpendicular to a third reference line extending between the first and second cameras, and wherein the first reference line and the second reference line intersect at the midpoint of the third reference line.

19. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the angle is provided to a microphone audio source separation algorithm.

20. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the correlation values in the tunin

Assignees

• Khawand Charbel
• Kim Chanwoo
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Khawand Charbel
• Kim Chanwoo

Classifications

• G06T7/004 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06T2207/10012

  Stereo images · CPC title

• G06T7/70 Primary

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