Three-dimensional scanner

Abstract

This disclosure provides a 3D scanner. The 3D scanner includes a mounting device comprising a ring-shaped camera mounting bracket and a radar mounting portion located on one side of the camera mounting bracket along its axial direction; multiple image acquisition devices arranged circumferentially on the camera mounting bracket and adapted to acquire image data of objects within the camera's field of view, each centered on a camera normal, and the multiple camera fields of view partially overlapping; and a lidar unit arranged on the radar mounting portion and adapted to acquire point cloud data of objects within the radar's field of view, the radar's field of view centered on a radar normal, the radar normal forming a non-zero angle with the normal plane containing the multiple camera normals, and the radar's field of view partially overlapping with the multiple camera fields of view. By partially overlapping the radar's field of view with the multiple camera fields of view, the accuracy of calibration parameters can be improved, errors reduced, and the data processing effect enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a three-dimensional scanner. Background Technology

[0002] A 3D scanner is a scientific instrument that uses 3D scanning technology to detect and analyze the shape and appearance data of objects or environments in the real world. The significant practical application of 3D scanning technology lies in converting the three-dimensional information of physical objects into digital signals that computers can recognize and process directly, enabling non-contact measurement of objects. The data collected by a 3D scanner is often used for 3D reconstruction calculations, creating digital models of real objects in the virtual world. One use of a 3D scanner is to create a point cloud of the geometric surface of an object. These points can be used to interpolate the surface shape of the object; a denser point cloud allows for a more accurate model (this process is called 3D reconstruction). If the scanner can obtain the surface color, a material map can be further applied to the reconstructed surface, a process known as material imprinting.

[0003] 3D scanners are increasingly being used for measuring and scanning building structures. For example, when scanning an interior environment, a 3D scanner is typically placed in a fixed position inside the building being scanned, and its optical detection components (including cameras and lidar) are usually driven to rotate a full circle to complete the scanning of the room's structure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a 3D scanner is provided. The 3D scanner includes: a mounting device comprising a camera mounting bracket of an annular structure and a radar mounting portion located on one side of the camera mounting bracket along its axial direction; a plurality of image acquisition devices arranged circumferentially on the camera mounting bracket and adapted to acquire image data of objects within the camera's field of view, each camera's field of view centered on a camera normal, and the plurality of camera fields of view partially overlapping; and a lidar arranged on the radar mounting portion and adapted to acquire point cloud data of objects within the lidar's field of view, the lidar's field of view centered on a lidar normal, the lidar normal forming a non-zero angle with the normal plane containing the plurality of camera normals, and the lidar's field of view partially overlapping the plurality of camera fields of view.

[0005] By partially overlapping the fields of view of multiple cameras, it is beneficial to calibrate the parameters of multiple image acquisition devices. Accurate parameter calibration facilitates precise subsequent data processing. Furthermore, the overlapping of radar and camera fields of view also facilitates parameter calibration between the lidar and image acquisition devices. On the other hand, this overlapping arrangement allows the lidar and image acquisition devices of the 3D scanner to acquire data simultaneously (e.g., in a static state), and then fuse the simultaneously acquired point cloud data and image data to generate a virtual reality image with depth information. This improves the accuracy and reliability of data fusion between image acquisition devices and between the image acquisition device and the radar. Moreover, a non-zero angle between the radar normal and the normal plane reduces or avoids interference between the radar and lidar fields of view, thus facilitating their arrangement and consequently contributing to the miniaturization of the 3D scanner.

[0006] In some embodiments, the camera mounting bracket includes a plurality of positioning parts arranged circumferentially, which are adapted to position and mount a plurality of image acquisition devices such that the multiple camera normals of the plurality of image acquisition devices intersect at the normal intersection point. By using the positioning parts, the plurality of image acquisition devices can be precisely and reliably assembled into place, and the intersection of the multiple camera normals at the normal intersection point can eliminate acquisition parallax between the plurality of image acquisition devices and improve the data fusion effect and accuracy of the image acquisition devices.

[0007] In some embodiments, the radar mounting portion includes a first radar alignment portion, and the lidar includes a second radar alignment portion. The first radar alignment portion is adapted to couple with the second radar alignment portion to position and mount the lidar on the radar mounting portion, and the radar normal of the lidar passes through the intersection of normals. By employing the radar alignment portion, the lidar can be easily and reliably assembled onto the radar mounting portion, thereby ensuring the positioning and assembly accuracy of the lidar. Furthermore, by ensuring that the radar normal passes through the intersection of normals, the amount of data processing and computation during the data fusion of point cloud data and image data can be effectively reduced, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of the output data.

[0008] In some embodiments, the normal plane containing the camera normals of the plurality of image acquisition devices is a plane, and the radar normal is perpendicular to the normal plane. This allows for a more rational layout of the 3D scanner, thereby further promoting the miniaturization of the 3D scanner.

[0009] In some embodiments, the normal plane containing the camera normals of the multiple image acquisition devices is a conical surface, and the radar normal is collinear with the center line of the conical surface. This approach facilitates a compact arrangement of the image acquisition devices and the lidar, promotes field-of-view overlap between the image acquisition devices and the lidar, and facilitates subsequent parameter calibration, thereby improving data fusion quality.

[0010] In some embodiments, multiple image acquisition devices are arranged circumferentially within a range greater than 180° of the camera mounting bracket. This allows for a wider overall camera field of view for the 3D scanner.

[0011] In some embodiments, the mounting device further includes an auxiliary mounting bracket disposed on the main mounting bracket at the end opposite to the radar mounting section, and wherein the 3D scanner further includes a rotating gimbal disposed on the mounting device via the auxiliary mounting bracket, and adapted to drive multiple image acquisition devices and the LiDAR to rotate along a rotation axis perpendicular to the radar normal and passing through the intersection of the normals. By employing the auxiliary mounting bracket, the rotating gimbal can be assembled to the mounting device with high precision and ensure that the rotation axis passes through the intersection of the normals. This arrangement helps to reduce parallax of the image acquisition devices and the LiDAR during rotational acquisition, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0012] In some embodiments, the auxiliary mounting bracket includes a pair of mounting bodies arranged symmetrically based on the central plane of the mounting device, for arranging a rotating gimbal therebetween. In this manner, precise positioning of the rotating gimbal can be achieved with a simple structure and assembly method.

[0013] In some embodiments, the 3D scanner further includes: a housing adapted to accommodate a mounting device, multiple image acquisition devices, a lidar, and a rotating pan-tilt head, and including a body comprising an annular recess and a hemispherical protrusion disposed on one axial side of the annular recess. The annular recess includes multiple camera windows, wherein the multiple image acquisition devices are arranged at positions corresponding to the multiple camera windows to acquire image data within the camera's field of view through the multiple camera windows, and the lidar is disposed in the hemispherical protrusion. By arranging the image acquisition devices in the annular recess, damage to the image acquisition devices due to impacts can be avoided. Furthermore, by arranging the lidar in the hemispherical protrusion, the lidar can be protected from external foreign objects without affecting the scanning process.

[0014] In some embodiments, the body further includes: a first protrusion located between the annular recess and the hemispherical protrusion; and a second protrusion located on the side of the annular recess axially away from the first protrusion, wherein the annular recess is recessed radially by a predetermined distance relative to the first and second protrusions. In this way, the image acquisition device can be protected from impact damage. Furthermore, the first and second protrusions can also accommodate necessary components, thereby facilitating the spatial layout of the 3D scanner and promoting its miniaturization.

[0015] In some embodiments, the body further includes a first ventilation hole disposed at the axial end of the second protrusion in the annular recess. By providing the first ventilation hole, it is convenient to install components such as fans in the second protrusion, thereby promoting airflow within the housing and facilitating heat dissipation of the components within the housing.

[0016] In one embodiment, the body further includes a second ventilation hole formed on the first protrusion, located around the hemispherical protrusion. By providing the second ventilation hole, a stable airflow can be reliably formed between the image acquisition device and the lidar, thereby facilitating heat dissipation for both the image acquisition device and the lidar.

[0017] In some embodiments, the housing further includes a bottom cover disposed at the bottom of the body longitudinally away from the annular recess, and having a third ventilation hole. By providing the third ventilation hole in the bottom cover, longitudinally flowing airflow can be introduced, thereby facilitating heat dissipation of components such as circuit boards disposed on the main mounting bracket.

[0018] In some embodiments, the rotating gimbal includes: a gimbal portion adapted to be exposed to the outside from an opening in the bottom cover and flush with the bottom cover, the gimbal portion being adapted to be coupled to a fixing component to fix the 3D scanner to the fixing component. In this way, the 3D scanner can be conveniently fixed to the fixing component by means of the gimbal portion, thereby improving the reliability of data acquisition by the 3D scanner.

[0019] In some embodiments, the main mounting bracket includes through-holes for airflow. These through-holes further facilitate airflow within the housing and consequently aid in heat dissipation for the components. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 A perspective view of a three-dimensional scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 A side view of a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 3 A front view of a mounting apparatus for a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 4 A side view of a mounting apparatus for a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 5A perspective view of a mounting apparatus for a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 6 An exploded view of a mounting apparatus for a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 7 A stereoscopic view of a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from another angle, is shown; and

[0028] Figure 8 A rear view of a 3D scanner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0030] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0031] A 3D scanner, also known as a 3D camera or virtual reality (VR) camera, is used to detect and analyze the shape (geometry) and appearance data (such as color, surface albedo, etc.) of objects or environments in the real world. A 3D scanner used for scanning room structures typically consists of two parts: a first part, also called the drive unit or mounting unit, used to fix drive components such as stepper motors; and a second part, also called the sensing unit, which typically includes an image acquisition device such as a camera and a lidar unit. The sensing unit can rotate relative to the first part about a rotation axis under the drive of the drive unit. When scanning the interior of a room, the 3D scanner is usually fixed at a predetermined position in the room to be scanned by a support device such as a tripod. The drive unit drives the sensing unit to rotate by a predetermined angle to complete the scanning of the entire interior structure of the room, thereby obtaining image data and point cloud data about the interior structure of the room.

[0032] The image acquisition unit of a 3D scanner is used to acquire image data from the environment. An important parameter of the image acquisition unit is the field of view (FOV). In optical engineering, the field of view, also known as the field of view, determines the range of the optical instrument's field of view. The field of view of a camera is typically a cone-shaped region centered on the normal and with the camera's origin as its vertex; the apex angle of this cone is the field of view. The field of view of each camera may differ when measured in the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, some cameras may have a longitudinal field of view of approximately 100°, while the lateral field of view may be around 80°.

[0033] LiDAR, also known as Laser Radar, is an abbreviation for Light Detection and Ranging. It's a sensing technology that emits low-power, eye-safe laser pulses for measurement, measuring the time it takes for the laser to travel round-trip between the sensor and the target. The resulting aggregated data is used to generate 3D point cloud images, providing spatial location and depth information for identifying, classifying, and tracking moving objects. Similar to cameras, LiDAR also has a field of view, i.e., the angle covered by the sensor. The field of view of LiDAR is also centered on the radar normal.

[0034] Traditional 3D scanners typically employ a coaxial or parallel arrangement of the camera's normal and the lidar's normal to facilitate data calibration and integration. However, this arrangement limits the scanning range of both the camera and lidar. Furthermore, current traditional 3D scanners have relatively low scanning efficiency and pixel density, failing to meet the requirements for efficient full-space scanning.

[0035] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a 3D scanner 200 is provided to solve, or at least partially solve, the aforementioned or other potential problems of conventional 3D scanners. The image acquisition device 202 of the 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure has a more rational layout, enabling it to scan approximately one full circle in the longitudinal circumference while stationary. This allows for obtaining a full-space panoramic image by rotating only half a circle around the longitudinal axis (hereinafter also referred to as the rotation axis) when acquiring image data. Furthermore, the lidar 203 of the 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure increases the scanning range and improves the scanning method. Through the arrangement of the image acquisition device 202 and lidar 203, as well as various improvements to parameters such as the field of view, scanning range, and scanning method, the 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can complete full-space scanning with higher efficiency, significantly improving scanning efficiency.

[0036] The specific structure and improvements of the 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 An external stereoscopic view of the 3D scanner 200 is shown. Figure 2 A side view of the 3D scanner 200 is shown. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The internal structure of the 3D scanner 200 is shown. (Example) Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the 3D scanner 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure generally includes a housing 201, a plurality of image acquisition devices 202, a lidar 203, and a rotating gimbal 204.

[0037] Multiple image acquisition devices 202, lidar 203, and a rotating gimbal 204 are housed within the housing 201. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the housing 201 includes a body and a bottom cover located at the bottom of the body. The body includes an annular recess 2011 and a hemispherical protrusion 2012 located on one side of the annular recess 2011 in the axial direction. The hemispherical protrusion 2012 is used to accommodate at least a portion of the lidar 203. The hemispherical protrusion 2012 may be made of a non-metallic material that allows electromagnetic waves emitted and received by the lidar 203 to pass through without any obstruction. The body of the housing 201 includes a first protrusion 2015 and a second protrusion 2016. The first protrusion 2015 is disposed between the annular recess 2011 and the hemispherical protrusion 2012 for accommodating components of the lidar 203, such as processing circuitry and a heat dissipation unit. The second protrusion 2016 is disposed on the axial side of the annular recess 2011 away from the hemispherical protrusion 2012 and is arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the annular recess 2011 to the first protrusion 2015. The second protruding section 2016 can be used to accommodate components such as the main control circuit board of the 3D scanner 200.

[0038] Multiple image acquisition devices 202 are arranged circumferentially along the annular recess 2011. Multiple camera windows 2018 can be provided on the annular recess 2011. The positions of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 correspond to the multiple camera windows 2018, so that each image acquisition device 202 can acquire image data of objects within the camera's field of view 2022 radially outward through its corresponding camera window 2018. The multiple image acquisition devices 202 are positioned and fixed inside the housing 201 by a mounting device 100, the specific structure of which will be further described later in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0039] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2In the exemplary embodiment shown, to better protect the lens modules of the multiple image acquisition devices 202, the annular recess 2011 is recessed radially by a certain distance relative to the first protrusion 2015 and the second protrusion 2016 to prevent the image acquisition devices 202 from being bumped or damaged. In some embodiments, a transparent cover made of a material such as glass or plastic may be provided at the camera window 2018 to better protect the lens modules of the image acquisition devices 202.

[0040] In some embodiments, the 3D scanner 200 may further include an ambient light sensor (not shown). Correspondingly, a light-sensing window 2019 corresponding to the position of the ambient light sensor (not shown) may be provided on the annular recess 2011. The ambient light sensor, arranged on the mounting device 100 within the housing 201, can detect changes in external light and flickering through the light-sensing window 2019. Based on the changes in light and flickering sensed by the light-sensing window 2019, the 3D scanner 200 can adjust the parameters of the image acquisition device 202, thereby helping to improve the imaging quality of the 3D scanner 200.

[0041] exist Figure 3 The front view shown includes the mounting device 100 inside the housing 201 and the image acquisition device 202 and the rotating gimbal 204 arranged thereon. Figure 4 The side view of the mounting device 100 shown also schematically illustrates a camera field of view 2022 centered on the camera normal and a radar field of view 2031 centered on the radar normal. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the normals of multiple cameras in the multiple image acquisition devices 202 are arranged in a surface, which will be referred to as the normal surface below. The normal surface can be a plane or a conical surface.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, the fields of view of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 overlap longitudinally. In some embodiments, the overlap of the fields of view of two adjacent image acquisition devices 202 is greater than 10°. This arrangement facilitates the calibration of the parameters of each image acquisition device 202, thereby improving calibration accuracy. The calibration accuracy of the image acquisition devices 202 affects the effect of subsequent data processing. Therefore, the control unit can reliably calibrate the parameters of the image acquisition devices 202 using the overlapping fields of view, thereby improving the processing effect of subsequent data processing. On the other hand, image distortion that may exist at the edges of the image acquisition devices 202 can be effectively mitigated or eliminated by the overlapping fields of view of the image acquisition devices 202, thereby significantly improving the imaging effect of the final panoramic image.

[0043] To improve the imaging effect of panoramic images, multiple camera normals 2021 of multiple image acquisition devices 202 intersect at a normal intersection point 1023, such as... Figure 3 As shown. This arrangement can improve the imaging effect of panoramic images by eliminating the parallax that may exist between multiple image acquisition devices 202 and reducing the difficulty of stitching panoramic images.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the radar field of view 2031 of the lidar 203 is roughly a ring-shaped conical region. The ring-shaped conical shape mentioned herein refers to the shape formed by subtracting a coaxial cone with a smaller apex angle from a cone with a larger apex angle (e.g., an obtuse angle or greater than 180°). It should be understood that... Figure 4 The radar field of view 2031 of the lidar 203 shown is only a cross-sectional shape. The actual shape of the radar field of view 2031 is a toroidal cone shape obtained by rotating the illustrated cross-sectional shape around the radar normal 1011. Furthermore, Figure 4 Due to image size limitations, only a portion of the radar field of view 2031 of the lidar 203 and the camera field of view 2022 of the image acquisition device 202 are shown, where the arc-shaped dashed lines indicate that the radar field of view 2031 and the camera field of view 2022 can also extend outward along the radial direction shown in the figure.

[0045] Of course, it should also be understood that, Figure 4 The radar field of view 2031 of the lidar 203 shown is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. The 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure may employ a lidar 203 with any other field of view and scanning method. For example, in some embodiments, the lidar 203 may also be a line-scanning radar or any other suitable radar.

[0046] According to the 3D scanner of this disclosure embodiment, the radar field of view 2031 of the lidar 203 and the camera field of view 2022 of the image acquisition device 202 also partially overlap, such as Figure 4As shown. In some embodiments, the overlapping area of ​​the radar field of view 2031 and the camera field of view 2022 can occupy 70% of one of the two fields of view. This arrangement allows for the calibration of the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203 using image data and point cloud data acquired by the 3D scanner when it is stationary, thereby improving calibration accuracy and enhancing the fusion effect of image data and point cloud data. On the other hand, this arrangement also enables the 3D scanner to simultaneously (at the same time) acquire point cloud data and image data of a certain area in space using the lidar 203 and the image acquisition device 202, respectively, while the 3D scanner is stationary. The simultaneously acquired point cloud data and image data can then be processed simultaneously to generate a virtual reality image with depth information about that area. In this way, image acquisition efficiency and image fusion quality can be further improved.

[0047] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the normal plane containing the camera normal 2021 of the 3D scanner 200 forms a non-zero angle with the radar normal 1011 of the lidar 203. For example, in Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the normal plane is a plane, and the radar normal 1011 is perpendicular to the normal plane. This arrangement ensures that the fields of view of the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203 do not interfere with each other, thereby making the layout of the 3D scanner 200 more reasonable and promoting the miniaturization of the 3D scanner 200.

[0048] In some embodiments, as mentioned above, the normal plane containing the camera normal 2021 can also be a conical surface, and the radar normal 1011 passes through the center line of the conical surface, or is collinear with the center line. In this way, the fields of view of the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203 can be prevented from interfering with each other, while further increasing the overlap area of ​​the fields of view of the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203, and further promoting parameter calibration and data fusion.

[0049] In some embodiments, the radar normal 1011 passes through the intersection point 1023 of the normals of multiple camera normals 2021 of multiple image acquisition devices 202. This arrangement can effectively reduce or eliminate parallax between the image acquisition devices 202 and the lidar 203, thereby improving the data processing effect, reducing the workload of image data and point cloud data processing, and thus obtaining a better spatial model.

[0050] The rotating gimbal 204 can drive multiple image acquisition devices 202 and LiDAR 203 to rotate along the rotation axis R. In some embodiments, in order to effectively reduce or eliminate parallax that may occur when the image acquisition devices 202 and LiDAR 203 rotate around the rotation axis R, the rotation axis R can be perpendicular to the radar normal 1011 and pass through the intersection point 1023 of the normals. In this way, the workload of subsequent data processing caused by parallax can be reduced, and the model creation effect can be improved.

[0051] The mounting device 100 can be used to ensure the aforementioned positional relationship between the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203. In some embodiments, the mounting device 100 includes a main mounting bracket 101 and a camera mounting bracket 102. Figure 5 and Figure 6 A perspective view and an exploded view of the mounting device 100 are shown respectively. For example... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the main mounting bracket 101 can be generally plate-shaped extending in the longitudinal direction and includes two ends in the extension direction, namely, a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. During the use of the 3D scanner 200, the first end is typically at the top and the second end is at the bottom.

[0052] The main mounting bracket 101 includes a radar mounting portion 1014 adapted to accommodate the lidar 203. In some embodiments, the radar mounting portion 1014 may be disposed at a first end of the main mounting bracket 101. To ensure the positioning accuracy of the lidar 203 on the main mounting bracket 101, a lidar alignment structure may be included on the main mounting bracket 101. Correspondingly, an alignment structure may be included on the lidar 203. In some embodiments, the lidar alignment structure may include a plurality of recesses with different cross-sectional shapes. The cross-sectional shapes of the plurality of recesses can be matched with the cross-sectional shapes of the protrusions on the lidar 203 itself, which serve as alignment structures. The positioning accuracy of the lidar 203 on the main mounting bracket 101 is ensured by at least partially inserting the protrusions of the lidar 203 into the lidar alignment structure. The lidar 203 can then be fastened to the main mounting bracket 101 using appropriate fasteners.

[0053] The camera mounting bracket 102 has an overall ring-shaped structure. It should be understood that the ring-shaped structure referred to here means that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to its axis is approximately ring-shaped; this ring shape includes not only circular rings but also polygonal rings or other suitable ring shapes. The camera mounting bracket 102 can be precisely mounted on the main mounting bracket 101 using an alignment structure (hereinafter referred to as the first alignment structure), which will be further explained later.

[0054] The camera mounting bracket 102 includes multiple positioning portions 1021 for mounting multiple image acquisition devices 202. The multiple positioning portions 1021 are arranged circumferentially at predetermined intervals on a ring structure. Each positioning portion 1021 can be used to mount one image acquisition device 202. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the example shown, the camera mounting bracket 102 may include four mounting sections for mounting four image acquisition devices 202 respectively. It should be understood that this is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The number of positioning sections 1021 and the number of image acquisition devices 202 can be adjusted as needed, for example, three, five, or more respectively.

[0055] In some embodiments, to ensure that the camera fields of view 2022 of the image acquisition devices 202 can partially overlap, the field of view angle of the camera fields of view 2022 of the image acquisition devices 202 can be adjusted or selected according to the number of image acquisition devices 202. In a scheme employing four image acquisition devices 202, the field of view angle of each image acquisition device 202 can be set to approximately 99°. If there are only three image acquisition devices 202, the field of view angle of each image acquisition device 202 can be set to greater than or equal to 120°. If there are more than four image acquisition devices 202, the field of view angle of each image acquisition device 202 can be set to 77°~80°. If there are more than six image acquisition devices 202, the field of view angle of each image acquisition device 202 can be set to 60°.

[0056] When the image acquisition device 202 leaves the factory, its field of view can be set to the required angle. In some embodiments, the field of view of the image acquisition device 202 can also be adjusted according to an algorithm. Adjusting the field of view by an algorithm can crop out areas with severe edge distortion, thereby further improving image quality.

[0057] To facilitate the installation of the image acquisition device 202 into the positioning section 1021, each positioning section 1021 may have a suitable shape that matches the structure of the housing 201 of the image acquisition device 202. For example, a camera alignment structure that matches the alignment structure of the image acquisition device 202 itself may be provided at a suitable position in the positioning section 1021, thereby ensuring the positioning accuracy of the image acquisition device 202 in the positioning section 1021 by matching the two alignment structures.

[0058] In the camera mounting bracket 102, multiple positioning parts 1021 are arranged such that the camera normals 2021 of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 mounted therein intersect at the normal intersection point 1023. This arrangement effectively reduces the workload and computational burden of subsequent calibration and data processing for each image acquisition device 202, thereby improving the scanning range and reliability of the 3D scanner 200. For example, as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the camera normals 2021 of the four image acquisition devices 202 installed in the positioning unit 1021 can intersect at a normal intersection point 1023 located at the center of the ring structure.

[0059] In some embodiments, the camera normals 2021 of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 can be distributed within a predetermined angular range (e.g., 180°~240°) in the circumferential direction. For example, in some embodiments, the camera normals 2021 of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 can be distributed within an angular range of approximately 220° in the circumferential direction. The camera normals 2021 of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 can evenly divide this angle. Of course, the camera normals 2021 of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 can also not evenly divide this angle. However, regardless of whether they are evenly or unevenly divided, in order to facilitate the stitching and calibration of the image data acquired by the multiple image acquisition devices 202, the camera fields of view 2022 of at least two adjacent image acquisition devices 202 overlap.

[0060] With an image acquisition device 202 employing a longitudinal field of view of approximately 100°, four image acquisition devices 202 can acquire image data within a circumferential range of approximately 320°. That is, when the 3D scanner 200 is in a stationary state, except for a small area at the bottom, the four image acquisition devices 202 can acquire image data from front to back for approximately the entire circumference. In this case, acquiring image data across the entire spatial range only requires rotating the four image acquisition devices 202 half a revolution (180°) around the rotation axis R. Compared to conventional 3D scanners 200, the 3D scanner 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure can significantly reduce the angle range required for acquisition, thereby improving scanning efficiency while effectively reducing errors caused by multiple stitching operations.

[0061] As mentioned earlier, the camera mounting bracket 102 can be precisely mounted on the main mounting bracket 101 via an alignment structure (hereinafter referred to as the first alignment structure). Correspondingly, the camera mounting bracket 102 may include a second alignment structure. The second alignment structure can couple with the first alignment structure so that when the camera mounting bracket 102 is mounted on the main mounting bracket 101, the radar normal 1011 of the LiDAR 203 passes through the intersection point 1023 of the normals of the camera normal 2021 of the image acquisition device 202. This arrangement ensures, on the one hand, that the normal planes containing the radar normal 1011 of the LiDAR 203 and the camera normals of the multiple image acquisition devices 202 form a non-zero angle, thereby facilitating the rational layout and miniaturization of the various components in the 3D scanner 200. On the other hand, this arrangement can significantly reduce the difficulty of calibrating the LiDAR 203 and the image acquisition device 202 and subsequent data fusion, thereby improving the reliability of the 3D scanner 200.

[0062] In some embodiments, the radar mounting portion 1014 and the camera mounting bracket 102 may be respectively arranged on opposite sides of the first end of the main mounting bracket 101. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the camera mounting bracket 102 can be arranged at a predetermined distance from the main mounting bracket 101 to facilitate airflow therebetween, thereby facilitating heat dissipation of the various components in the 3D scanner 200. In some embodiments, the main mounting bracket 101 may further include a heat dissipation rib (hereinafter referred to as the first heat dissipation rib 1016) arranged on one side adjacent to the camera mounting bracket 102. The first heat dissipation rib 1016 may extend along the direction of airflow, thereby increasing the heat dissipation area and facilitating heat dissipation.

[0063] In some embodiments, a plurality of second heat dissipation fins 1024 may be provided on the camera mounting bracket 102. The second heat dissipation fins 1024 may be provided on the inner surface of the annular structure corresponding to the positioning part 1021, thereby increasing the heat dissipation area and effectively dissipating heat for the image acquisition device 202, thereby improving system stability. In some embodiments, to further improve heat dissipation efficiency, heat dissipation coatings for further accelerating heat transfer may be provided at appropriate positions on the main mounting bracket 101 and the camera mounting bracket 102, thereby facilitating heat dissipation of the components in the 3D scanner 200.

[0064] In some embodiments, for mounting the rotating gimbal 204, the mounting device 100 may further include an auxiliary mounting bracket 103 disposed at the second end of the main mounting bracket 101. The auxiliary mounting bracket 103 is located on the same side as the camera mounting bracket 102. The rotating gimbal 204 may include a fixed part and a gimbal part 2041 rotatable relative to the fixed part. The fixed part is fixedly coupled to the main mounting bracket 101 via the auxiliary mounting bracket 103. The gimbal part 2041 is coupled to a gimbal base for supporting the tripod of the 3D scanner 200 and is rotatable about a rotation axis R under the drive of a power component such as a motor. Since the tripod and the gimbal base are fixed, and the gimbal part 2041 is also fixed relative to the tripod and the gimbal base, the fixed part and the mounting device 100, which are rotatably coupled thereto, will rotate about the rotation axis R and drive the image acquisition device 202 and the lidar 203 mounted thereon to rotate.

[0065] To further reduce the difficulty of calibration and data fusion of multiple image acquisition devices 202 and lidar 203, the rotation axis R of the mounting device 100, which is driven to rotate, can pass through the intersection of normals 1023, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown. In this way, the reliability of the 3D scanner 200 can be further improved.

[0066] In some embodiments, the auxiliary mounting bracket 103 may include a pair of mounting bodies 1031 therebetween for the rotation gimbal 204 to be arranged. The pair of mounting bodies 1031 may have identical structures and be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central plane of the mounting device 100. The central plane of the mounting device 100 is the plane passing through the radar normal 1011 and the rotation axis R; that is, the radar normal 1011 and the rotation axis R lie within the central plane. Besides the pair of mounting bodies 1031, other parts of the mounting device 100 may also have a symmetrical structure with respect to the central plane. On the one hand, this helps the mounting device 100 maintain balance during rotation. On the other hand, it also facilitates the installation and adjustment of the various components of the 3D scanner 200.

[0067] In some embodiments, each mounting body 1031 may include a positioning structure 1032 disposed on adjacent surfaces of a pair of mounting bodies 1031 to ensure that the rotation axis R of the gimbal 204 passes through the intersection point 1023 of the normals 2021 of the camera normals of the plurality of image acquisition devices 202. The positioning structure 1032 may be coupled to the gimbal 204 to provide positioning for the gimbal 204. For example, the positioning structure 1032 may include a plurality of protrusions arranged in a particular pattern. At appropriate locations on the gimbal 204, a plurality of recesses corresponding to the positions of the protrusions may be included. By aligning the protrusions with the recesses to ensure precise positioning of the gimbal 204, the gimbal 204 may then be mounted on the mounting device 100 by fasteners. Similarly, precise positioning between the mounting body 1031 and the main mounting bracket 101 may also be achieved through a mutually engaging alignment structure between the two. In some embodiments, the main mounting bracket 101 may include a plate-like body 1012 and a pair of side ribs 1013 therebetween for the auxiliary mounting bracket 103 to be disposed. The body 1012 extends generally along the extension direction. A pair of side ribs 1013 are symmetrically arranged relative to the central face at the second end of the body 1012 and extend in the longitudinal direction. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the side ribs 1013 can have a consistent height in the portion used to install the auxiliary mounting bracket 103, while the height of the side ribs 1013 can decrease as they extend from this portion toward the first end of the body 1012. This arrangement helps to improve the stability of the mounting device 100.

[0068] A through hole 1015 for airflow can be provided on the body 1012 of the main mounting bracket 101. The through hole 1015 can further promote the flow of air inside the housing, thereby facilitating heat dissipation of the various components in the 3D scanner 200. Figure 7 An external perspective view of a 3D scanner 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the bottom, is shown, illustrating the gimbal portion 2041 of a rotating gimbal 204 that is substantially flush with the bottom. As mentioned above, the gimbal portion 2041 is rotatable relative to the other parts of the bottom of the housing 201 (i.e., the bottom cover). Since the gimbal portion 2041 is fixed to a support device such as a tripod with a fixed position, the rotating gimbal 204 can ultimately drive the various components on the mounting device 100 and the housing 201 to rotate about the axis of rotation via the gimbal portion 2041, thereby achieving full-space scanning.

[0069] In addition, to facilitate heat dissipation, the housing 201 also includes multiple heat dissipation holes, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown in some embodiments, such as Figure 8As shown in the rear view, the body of the housing 201 includes a first ventilation hole 2013 disposed at the axial end of the aforementioned second protrusion 2016 in the annular recess 2011. The first ventilation hole 2013 may have a plurality of small holes, each of which may have a predetermined cross-sectional shape. The plurality of small holes can effectively ventilate while effectively preventing foreign objects from entering the interior of the housing 201. In some embodiments, a fan may be provided inside the housing 201 at a position corresponding to the first ventilation hole 2013.

[0070] In some embodiments, the body of the housing 201 further includes a second ventilation hole 2014 formed around the hemispherical protrusion 2012, such as Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown. In addition, to further promote airflow within the housing, a third ventilation hole 2017 can be provided on the bottom cover of the housing 201. With the operation of the fan, airflow can enter the housing 201 through the second ventilation hole 2014 and the third ventilation hole 2017, carrying away the heat generated by the components inside the housing before being discharged through the first ventilation hole 2013. In this way, more effective heat dissipation can be provided for the various components inside the 3D scanner 200, thereby improving the reliability of the 3D scanner 200.

[0071] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or technical improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional scanner, comprising: The mounting device (100) includes a camera mounting bracket (102) with an annular structure and a radar mounting part located on one side of the camera mounting bracket (102) in the axial direction. Multiple image acquisition devices (202) are arranged on the camera mounting bracket (102) and are adapted to acquire image data of objects within the camera field of view (2022) in the radial direction of the camera mounting bracket (102), each of the camera field of view (2022) being centered on the camera normal (2021), and the multiple camera field of view (2022) partially overlapping. as well as A lidar (203) is mounted on the radar mounting unit and is adapted to acquire point cloud data of objects within the radar field of view (2031), the radar field of view (2031) being centered on the radar normal (1011), the radar normal (1011) forming a non-zero angle with the normal plane containing multiple camera normals (2021), and the radar field of view (2031) partially overlapping with the multiple camera fields of view (2022). The camera mounting bracket (102) includes a plurality of positioning parts (1021) arranged circumferentially. These positioning parts (1021) are arranged at predetermined intervals circumferentially on the annular camera mounting bracket and are adapted to position and mount the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) such that the multiple camera normals (2021) of the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) intersect at the normal intersection point (1023). Wherein the plane of the normal (2021) of the camera of the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) is a plane, and the radar normal (1011) is perpendicular to the plane of the normal; or The normal plane of the camera normal (2021) of the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) is a conical surface, and the radar normal (1011) is collinear with the center line of the conical surface.

2. The 3D scanner according to claim 1, wherein the radar mounting portion includes a first radar alignment portion, and The lidar (203) includes a second radar alignment section, the first radar alignment section is adapted to couple with the second radar alignment section to position the lidar (203) on the radar mounting section, and the radar normal (1011) of the lidar (203) passes through the intersection point (1023) of the normals.

3. The 3D scanner according to claim 2, wherein the mounting device (100) further comprises: The main mounting bracket (101) includes a first camera alignment structure, and The camera mounting bracket (102) includes a second camera alignment structure at one axial end, the second camera alignment structure being adapted to couple with the first camera alignment structure to couple the camera mounting bracket (102) to the main mounting bracket (101).

4. The three-dimensional scanner according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) are arranged circumferentially within a range of more than 180° of the camera mounting bracket (102).

5. The 3D scanner according to claim 3, wherein the mounting device (100) further comprises: An auxiliary mounting bracket (103) is arranged on the main mounting bracket (101) at the end opposite to the radar mounting section, and The 3D scanner also includes: The rotating gimbal (204) is arranged on the mounting device (100) via the auxiliary mounting bracket (103) and is adapted to drive the plurality of image acquisition devices (202) and the lidar (203) to rotate along a rotation axis (R), which is perpendicular to the radar normal (1011) and passes through the intersection of the normals (1023).

6. The 3D scanner according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary mounting bracket (103) comprises: A pair of mounting bodies (1031) are arranged symmetrically based on the center plane of the mounting device (100) for the rotating gimbal (204) to be arranged therebetween.

7. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 5, further comprising: The housing (201) is adapted to accommodate the mounting device (100), the plurality of image acquisition devices (202), the lidar (203), and the rotating gimbal (204), and includes a body comprising an annular recess (2011) and a hemispherical protrusion (2012) disposed on one side of the annular recess (2011) in the axial direction, the annular recess (2011) including a plurality of camera windows (2018). The plurality of image acquisition devices (202) are arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of camera windows (2018) to acquire image data within the camera field of view (2022) through the plurality of camera windows (2018), and the lidar (203) is arranged in the hemispherical protrusion (2012).

8. The 3D scanner according to claim 7, wherein the body further comprises: The first protruding portion (2015) is located between the annular recess (2011) and the hemispherical protruding portion (2012); as well as The second protruding portion (2016) is located on the side of the annular recess (2011) axially away from the first protruding portion (2015), and The annular recess (2011) is recessed radially by a predetermined distance relative to the first protrusion (2015) and the second protrusion (2016).

9. The 3D scanner according to claim 8, wherein the body further comprises: The first ventilation hole (2013) is arranged at the end of the second protrusion (2016) in the axial direction of the annular recess (2011).

10. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 8, wherein the body further comprises: A second ventilation hole (2014) is formed on the first protrusion (2015) and is located around the hemispherical protrusion (2012).

11. The 3D scanner according to claim 7, wherein the housing (201) further comprises: The bottom cover is disposed at the bottom of the body in the longitudinal direction away from the annular recess (2011) and has a third ventilation hole (2017).

12. The 3D scanner according to claim 11, wherein the rotating gimbal (204) comprises: A gimbal (2041) is adapted to be exposed to the outside from an opening in the bottom cover and flush with the bottom cover, the gimbal (2041) being adapted to be coupled to a fixing component to fix the 3D scanner to the fixing component.

13. The 3D scanner according to any one of claims 7-11, wherein the main mounting bracket (101) includes a through hole for airflow.

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