Image analysis – Applications – 3-d or stereo imaging analysis
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2003-06-03
Au, Amelia M. (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Applications
3-d or stereo imaging analysis
C700S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06574361
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image measurement method of measuring positions and azimuths of a point and a surface, which appear on an image, in space, an image measurement apparatus for implementing the measurement method, and an image measurement program storage medium storing an image measurement program for implementing the image measurement.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to move a mobile robot, a motorcar, an airplane, etc. to meet surroundings, there is a need to measure surroundings on a three-dimensional basis from a dynamic picture image on a camera and the like. Now, let us consider as to how a person performs a three-dimensional measurement through a visual sensation (exactly to say, a movement vision) in the event that a person lands an airplane and a person walks.
FIG. 1
shows an optical flow pattern which is reflected in the retinas of a pilot. The pilot exactly lands an airplane in accordance with this pattern through perceiving a slope (three-dimensional azimuth) of a runway and information as to such a matter that “continuous traveling of the airplane brings about an arrival at the runway after what second”. That is, the pilot measures a three-dimensional azimuth of a plane (the runway) and a “time up to crossing the plane” to land the airplane.
Next, let us consider a case where we walk a passage. When a person walks in a direction that the person runs against a wall of the passage, the optical flow pattern as mentioned above is reflected in the retinas of the person. A time up to going across the wall, that is, a time up to running against the wall, is measured from the pattern, and the person moves in a direction to avoid the wall in accordance with a three-dimensional azimuth, which is simultaneously measured with the time up to running against the wall. On the other hand, in the event that the person walks in parallel to the wall, it is measured that the person does not run against to the wall always, in other words, the person runs against the wall after the infinite time elapses, and thus the person continues to walk in that direction. In this manner, the person can exactly avoid the wall and walk even if it is a curved passage. Also in the event that a person walks in an office, in a similar fashion, the person can avoid an “object constituted of a plane”, such as a white board, a desk, a locker. Further, in the event that a person drives a motor car, the person performs driving on a high way, putting a car into the garage, and the like through performing the similar “three-dimensional measurement on a plane”.
In this manner, our visual sensation makes it possible to perform an exact movement through a measurement of three-dimensional geometric information (a three-dimensional azimuth on a plane, and a time up to crossing the plane) of an object constituting of a plane (there are a lot of such objects). Also with respect to a curved object, it is possible to spatially recognize the curved object through a measurement of three-dimensional geometric information of a “group of planes contacting to the curved object”.
If such “three-dimensional geometric information on a plane” can be measured from an image, it is possible to move a mobile robot, a motorcar, an airplane, etc. so as to meet surroundings or so as to avoid the obstacles.
With respect to the respective velocity elements of the optical flow pattern shown in
FIG. 1
, that is, a motion (a local motion) on a local area, there is reported a technology of measuring those elements from a dynamic picture image (Japanese Patent Laid Open Gazettes Hei. 05-165956, Hei. 06-165957, Hei. 06-044364, and Hei. 09-081369; “A method of performing a two-dimensional correlation and a convolution along the &rgr; coordinates on the Hough plane on a one-dimensional basis” by Kawakami, S. and Okamoto, H., SINNGAKUGIHOU, vol. IE96-19, pp. 31-38, 1996; and “A cell model for the detection of local image motion on the magnocellular pathway of the visual cortex,” Kawakami, S. and Okamoto., H., Vision Research, vol. 36, pp. 117-147, 1996).
However, there is no report as to a method of measuring “three-dimensional geometric information on a plane (a three-dimensional azimuth on a plane, a time up to crossing the plane, and a shortest distance to the plane)” through unifying the optical flow pattern.
Further, there is reported a technology of measuring three-dimensional geometric information (a three-dimensional azimuth on those elements, the shortest distance on those elements, etc.) as to a straight line and a column in a space from a dynamic picture image (Japanese Patent Publications Hei. 03-52106, Hei. 06-14356, Hei. 06-14335, and Hei. 06-10603, and Japanese Patent Laid Open Gazette Hei. 02-816037; “A measurement of three-dimensional azimuth and distance of a line segment by a spherical mapping” by Inamoto, Y., et al., a society for the study of COMPUTER VISION, vol. 45-2, pp. 1-8, 1986; “Implementation of monocular stereoscopic vision with bird-mimicry” by Science Asahi, June, pp. 28-33, 1987; “Measurement in three dimensions by motion stereo and spherical mapping” by Morita, T., et al., CVPR, pp. 422-428, 1989; “Motion stereo vision system” by Inamoto, Y., Proceeding of '91 ISART, pp. 239-246, 1991; and Section 4.2.2.1, “Report of Sho. 60 Utility Nuclear Electric Power Generation Institution Robot Development Contract Research (Advanced Robot Technology Research Association)”).
However, there is no report as to a method of measuring three-dimensional geometric information on a plane.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technology of measuring three-dimensional geometric information on a plane and position information on a point from an image such as the optical flow pattern. Incidentally, as will be described later, a measuring of the three-dimensional geometric information includes a measurement of the shortest distance to a plane.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technology of measuring three-dimensional geometric information on a plane from a stereo image.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides, of image measurement methods, a first image measurement method of determining an azimuth of a measuring plane and/or a physical quantity indexing a superposing time in which the measuring plane is superposed on a predetermined observation point, using a compound ratio {p
inf
p
0
p
1
p
c
}, which is determined by four positions p
inf
, p
0
, p
1
, p
c
of a measuring point, or an operation equivalent to said compound ratio, where p
0
and p
1
denote measuring positions at mutually different two measuring times on an arbitrary measuring point appearing on an image obtained through viewing a predetermined measurement space from a predetermined observation point inside the measurement space, respectively, p
inf
denotes a position of the measuring point after an infinite time elapses in a moving continuous state wherein it is expected that a movement of the measuring point, which is relative with respect to the observation point, is continued in a direction identical to a moving direction v between said two measuring times and at a velocity identical to a moving velocity between said two measuring times, and p
c
denotes a position of the measuring point at a superposing time in which a measuring plane including the measuring point is superposed on the observation point in the moving continuous state.
In the first image measurement method as mentioned above, said compound ratio {p
inf
p
0
p
1
p
c
} or the operation equivalent to said compound ratio include an operation using the measuring position p
0
at one measuring time of said two measuring times on said measuring point, and a motion parallax &tgr;, which is a positional difference between the two measuring positions p
0
and p
1
at the two measuring times on the measuring point, instead of the two measuring positions p
0
and p
1
at the two meas
Hosogi Shinya
Kawakami Susumu
Matsuoka Masahiro
Okamoto Hiroaki
Au Amelia M.
Fujitsu Limited
Hesseltine Ryan J.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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