Photography – Plural image recording – Stereoscopic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-25
2003-08-26
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
Plural image recording
Stereoscopic
C396S431000, C348S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06611664
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stereo image photographing system, and more particularly to one capable of easily obtaining information and measuring data necessary for obtaining three-dimensional data from a stereo image.
In recent years, line drawing has been made for a site to be measured by using a surveying instrument, e.g., a pen-based mapping system, and a portable computer in combination thereof. In such a conventional pen-based mapping system, plotting has been carried out by drawing a line image on the portable computer, using a surveying instrument such as a total station and a GPS. The plotting of the site to be measured was carried out on site by watching the situation there, or in an office based on photographed images. In aerial photography, plotting was carried out by using an analytical plotting device or the like based on stereo-photographed images. When three-dimensional measurement was carried out from a stereo image in a terrestrial photogrammetry, conventionally, photographing, analysis and measurement were executed by a stereo-camera having a base line length and the facing direction of the camera strictly fixed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, in the conventional art, the fixing of the base line length or the like of the stereo-camera has placed limitations on the range of photographing and accuracy (object). In addition, conventionally, when measurement was carried out without fixing the base line length or the like, even if two images were overlapped and photographed for three-dimensional analysis by stereo-photographing, it was difficult to form an image to be subjected to stereo-analysis. In other words, in most cases, the analysis of images was impossible, and even if possible, the images were unstable with low accuracy and considerably low reliability. In particular, when photographing was carried out with a camera loaded on a balloon, a car, or other moving body, it was extremely difficult to obtain a highly reliable and analyzable image.
The present invention was made with the foregoing problems in mind, and it is an object of the invention to easily obtain a stable, highly reliable and accurate stereo image when three-dimensional measurement is carried out by a general camera. It is another object of the invention to provide a stereo image photographing system which makes it easy and reliable to perform stereo-photographing for three-dimensional measurement, which has been difficult, and further enable automatic stereo-photographing.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a stereo image photographing system is provided, comprising:
a photographing unit which is movable and has a camera for photographing and a reflection member placed thereon;
a signal generating unit for generating a timing signal indicating a photographing timing when photographing is made by the camera of the photographing unit; and
a measuring unit placed in a position apart from the photographing unit, for emitting a measuring light toward the reflection member of the photographing unit in accordance with the timing signal from the signal generating unit, and measuring a position of the photographing unit based on a reflected light reflected from the reflection member.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a stereo image photographing system is provided, comprising:
a photographing unit which is movable and has a camera for photographing an image of an object in accordance with a timing signal indicating a timing and a reflection member placed thereon;
a measuring unit placed in a position apart from the photographing unit, for emitting a measuring light toward the reflection member of the photographing unit, and measuring a position of the photographing unit based on a reflected light reflected from the reflection member;
a photographing position calculating unit for calculating photographing position data based on photographing condition data regarding the object to be photographed;
a driving unit for moving the photographing unit to a predetermined position based on the photographing position data calculated by the photographing position calculating unit;
a movement control unit for controlling the driving unit; and
a photographing control unit for outputting a timing signal to the camera of the photographing unit when coincidence/rough coincidence is determined between position data regarding the position of the photographing unit measured by the measuring unit and the photographing position data calculated by the photographing position calculating unit.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a stereo image photographing system is provided, comprising:
a photographing unit which is movable and has a camera for photographing and a reflection member placed thereon;
a photographing position calculating unit for calculating photographing position data based on photographing condition data regarding an object to be photographed;
a driving unit for moving the photographing unit to a predetermined position based on the photographing position data calculated by the photographing position calculating unit;
a movement control unit for controlling the driving unit; and
a storing unit for storing data of an image photographed by the camera of the photographing unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5424836 (1995-06-01), Weise et al.
patent: 6043891 (2000-03-01), Hartrumpf et al.
Kochi Nobuo
Otani Hitoshi
Yamada Mituharu
Adams Russell
Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
Smith Arthur A
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