Attachable three-dimensional scan module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456202-B2
Application number	US-201514807903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 24, 2014
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An attachable three-dimensional scan module includes an attachable unit, at least two image sensing units, a depth map generation unit, and an output interface. The attachable unit fixes the attachable three-dimensional scan module on a mobile device. When the mobile device is moved around an object, a first image sensing unit and a second image sensing unit of the at least two image sensing units capture a plurality of first images including the object and a plurality of second images including the object, respectively. A plurality of depth maps generated by the depth map generation unit, the plurality of first images, and the plurality of second images are used for generating a color three-dimensional scan result corresponding to the object. The output interface outputs the color three-dimensional scan result, or the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An attachable three-dimensional scan module, comprising:
an attachment device fixing the attachable three-dimensional scan module on a mobile device or a user, wherein a size of the attachable three-dimensional scan module is less than a size of the mobile device or a hand of the user;
at least two image sensors, wherein when the attachable three-dimensional scan module is moved around an object, a first image sensor of the at least two image sensors captures a plurality of first images comprising the object, and a second image sensor of the at least two image sensors captures a plurality of second images comprising the object, wherein each first image of the plurality of first images corresponds to a second image of the plurality of second images, when the first image sensor generates the each first image, a corresponding distance exists between the attachable three-dimensional scan module and the object, wherein the plurality of first images or the plurality of second images are color images, and the corresponding distance is varied with time;
a depth map generation unit generator coupled to the at least two image sensors for generating a corresponding depth map according to the each first image and the second image, wherein a plurality of depth maps generated by the depth map generation unit generator according to the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images, the plurality of first images, and the plurality of second images are used for generating a color three-dimensional scan result corresponding to the object; and
an output circuit coupled to the depth map generator and the at least two image sensors for outputting the color three-dimensional scan result, or the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

2. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein when the first image sensor captures the each first image, a corresponding angle exists between a first line determined by a center of the first image sensor and the object and a second line determined by a center of the second image sensor and the object, and the object is located at an intersection of the first line and the second line.

3. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 2 , further comprising:
a lookup table storing relations between the corresponding distance, the corresponding angle, and the corresponding depth map.

4. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 2 , wherein when the first image sensor captures the each first image, a corresponding baseline exists between the first image sensor and the second image sensor.

5. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 4 , further comprising:
a lookup table storing relations between the corresponding distance, the corresponding angle, the corresponding baseline, and the corresponding depth map.

6. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein a corresponding baseline exists between the first image sensor and the second image sensor.

7. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 6 , further comprising:
a lookup table storing relations between the corresponding distance, the corresponding baseline, and the corresponding depth map.

8. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images are RGB images or YUV images.

9. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter unit coupled between the first image sensor, the second image sensor, and the depth map generator for converting the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images into monochrome images.

10. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a synchronization unit coupled between the first image sensor, the second image sensor, and the depth map generator for outputting a first synchronization signal to the each first image and a corresponding second synchronization signal to the second image.

11. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 10 , wherein the first synchronization signal corresponds to an image block of a plurality of image blocks comprised in the each first image, and the corresponding second synchronization signal corresponds to a corresponding image block of a plurality of image blocks comprised in the second image.

12. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 10 , further comprising:
a memory coupled to the synchronization unit and the depth map generator for storing the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

13. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 12 , further comprising:
an image processing unit coupled to the memory for generating the color three-dimensional scan result according to the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

14. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a register storing an image block of the each first image corresponding to each scan line of the first image sensor and a corresponding image block of the second image, wherein after the register completely stores image blocks of the each first image corresponding to scan lines of the first image sensor and corresponding image blocks of the second image, the register outputs the each first image and the second image.

15. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a calibration unit coupled to the first image sensor and the second image sensor, wherein before the first image sensor outputs the each first image and the second image sensor outputs the second image, the calibration unit executes calibration processing on the each first image and the second image.

16. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 15 , wherein the calibration processing comprises at least one of a color space calibration and an assembly calibration.

17. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory coupled to the first image sensor, the second image sensor, and the depth map generator for storing the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

18. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 17 , further comprising:
an image processing unit coupled to the memory for generating the color three-dimensional scan result according to the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

19. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein when the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps are transmitted to the mobile device through the output interface, the mobile device generates the color three-dimensional scan result according to the plurality of first images, the plurality of second images, and the plurality of depth maps.

20. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein the output circuit is a mobile-industry-processor-interface (MIPI) or a universal serial bus (USB).

21. The attachable three-dimensional scan module of claim 1 , wherein the output circuit is a wireless communication interface of a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4), a Bluetooth, a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),

Assignees

• Etron Tech Inc
• Eys3D Microelectronics Co

Inventors

• Lu chao-chun
• Hsueh Le-Shan
• Lin Wen-Kuo

Classifications

• H04N2013/0081

  Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals · CPC title

• H04N13/246

  Calibration of cameras · CPC title

• H04N2013/0077

  Colour aspects · CPC title

• G01B21/042

  Calibration or calibration artifacts (G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N13/296 Primary

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title