Information processing device

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing device that can easily measure the distance to mirrors and glossy objects by incorporating multiple sensors and enabling distance measurement of mirror surfaces. [Solution] The information processing device of the present invention comprises a light-emitting unit that emits light, a plurality of first light-receiving units and second light-receiving units with different light-receiving directions, a timing unit that measures the first light-receiving time and the second light-receiving time of the first light-receiving unit and the second light-receiving unit, an attitude information acquisition unit that measures the attitude of the device, and a calculation unit that calculates the distance from the object to which the light emitted by the light-emitting unit hits the device, based on the first light-receiving time, the second light-receiving time and the attitude of the device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, and more particularly to an information processing device equipped with multiple sensors that enables distance measurement of a mirror surface. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, information processing devices have been developed that can measure the distance to an object using light, such as LIDAR.

[0003] Conventional information processing devices have multiple units that measure the distance to an object using light, and also have a unit that measures the angle between objects measured by each unit, and calculate the distance between objects from the distance to each object and the angle between objects (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-269955 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Typically, LIDAR-based ranging functions determine the distance to an object based on the time difference between the time it takes for the emitted light to hit the object, the time it is scattered, and the time it takes for the reflected light to return to the measuring instrument.

[0006] On the other hand, mirrors and glossy objects cause light to reflect off their surface, resulting in less light returning to the measuring instrument. Therefore, in a configuration where the light-emitting and light-receiving units are paired, as in the conventional technology described above, it is difficult to measure the distance to mirrors and glossy objects.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide an information processing device that can easily measure the distance to mirrors and glossy objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the information processing device of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a light-emitting unit that emits light; a first light-receiving unit and a second light-receiving unit having different light-receiving directions; a timing unit that measures the first and second light-receiving times of the first and second light-receiving units; a posture information acquisition unit that measures the posture of the device; and a calculation unit that calculates the distance from the device to an object struck by light emitted by the light-emitting unit, based on the first and second light-receiving times and the posture of the device.

[0009] Another feature of the present invention is that the object to which the light projected by the light projector shines is an object having a mirrored surface.

[0010] Another feature of the present invention is that the first light-receiving unit is composed of two or more light-receiving units.

[0011] Another feature of the present invention is that the second light-receiving unit is composed of two or more light-receiving units. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the distance to mirrors and glossy objects can be easily measured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device related to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart illustrating the control operation of the information processing device related to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the light-receiving unit and the reflected light it receives. [Figure 4] This is a timing chart showing the sequence of events from when the light emitted from the light-emitting unit is received by the light-receiving unit.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Example

[0014] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0015] 101 is a light projecting unit that emits near-infrared light, visible light, or ultraviolet light based on a light emission instruction from the system control unit 107. 102 and 103 are light receiving units that receive light reflected from an object when the light emitted from the light projecting unit 101 hits the object. Note that the light receiving unit 103 is arranged so that its angle can be changed based on a control instruction from the system control unit 107, and can receive reflected light at an angle different from that of the light receiving unit 102.

[0016] 104 is a time measurement unit that measures the light emission time of the light projecting unit 101 and the light reception times of the light receiving units 102 and 103, respectively. 105 is a distance measurement calculation unit that obtains the distance to a mirror or a shiny object using calculations described later from the light reception time from the time measurement unit 104, the inclination information of the apparatus from the position and orientation information acquisition unit 106, and the light reception angle information of the light receiving unit 103 from the system control unit 107. 106 is a position and orientation information acquisition unit that obtains the inclination information of the apparatus. 107 is a system control unit that issues control instructions to the entire system.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0018] [[ID=二十三]] In this embodiment, it will be described on the assumption that the user has been previously instructed to be in a distance measurement mode for measuring the distance to a mirror or a shiny object.

[0019] In Figure 2, S101 is when the light-emitting unit 101 emits light toward the object based on a light-emitting instruction from the system control unit 107, and the process proceeds to S102. In S102, the reflected light that the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 101 has reflected back from the object is received by the light-receiving unit 102, and the process proceeds to S103. In S103, the reflected light that the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 101 has reflected back from the object at a different angle than the reflected light received by the light-receiving unit 102 is received by the light-receiving unit 103, and the process proceeds to S104.

[0020] Here, we will explain the reflected light received by the light receiving units 102 and 103 using Figure 3. In Figure 3, O indicates the position of the information processing device, M indicates the position of the mirror or glossy object to be measured, and A indicates a non-glossy object. Also, Θ B Θ indicates the angle between the information processing device O and the mirror or glossy object to be measured. A The angle between the information processing device O and the non-glossy object A is shown.

[0021] The light emitted from the light-emitting unit 101 of the information processing device O is Θ B The light is shone onto a mirror or glossy object M at an angle Θ. When the shone light hits the mirror or glossy object M, specular reflection occurs on its surface, at an incident angle Θ. B The light is reflected at the same angle and heads toward the non-glossy object A. When the light specularly reflected by the mirror or glossy object M hits the non-glossy object A, it undergoes diffuse reflection, and some of the diffusely reflected light heads toward the information processing device O. Some of the reflected light heading toward the information processing device O has an incident angle Θ A The light is incident on the light-receiving unit 103 at this angle (root (1)).

[0022] On the other hand, some of the reflected light that strikes the non-glossy object A and undergoes diffuse reflection is directed at angle Θ B The reflected light returns to the mirror or glossy object M. This reflected light undergoes specular reflection on the surface of the mirror or glossy object M and returns to the information processing device O. The light returning to the information processing device O is incident on the light receiving unit 102 (root (2)).

[0023] Thus, the light emitted from the information processing device O is incident on the light receiving unit 102 and the light receiving unit 103 through two routes, namely route (1) and route (2).

[0024] Next, in S104, when the light receiving unit 102 and the light receiving unit 103 receive the light that has passed through route (1) and route (2), they output the time to the distance measurement calculation unit 105 and proceed to S105. In S105, it is determined whether the light receiving unit 102 and the light receiving unit 103 have completed receiving the light. If the reception is completed, the process proceeds to S106; if not, the process proceeds to S102.

[0025] In S106, the angle Θ B between the information processing device O and the mirror or shiny object M, and the angle Θ A between the non-shiny object A and the information processing device O are acquired, and the process proceeds to S107. Regarding the angle Θ B , the angle between the information processing device O and the mirror or shiny object M is obtained from the position and orientation information from the position and orientation information acquisition unit 106 composed of an acceleration sensor or the like. Also, regarding the angle Θ A , it is obtained based on the angle of the light receiving unit 103 determined according to the control instruction from the system control unit 107.

[0026] In S107, the distance measurement calculation unit 105 calculates the distance to the mirror or shiny object M from the time when the light receiving unit 103 received the light and the angles Θ A and Θ B , and the process proceeds to S108.

[0027] Hereinafter, the arithmetic expression for obtaining the distance to the mirror or shiny object M, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described using FIG. 4 and mathematical formulas.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a timing chart from when the light emitted from the light projecting unit 101 is received by the light receiving unit 102 and the light receiving unit 103.

[0029] In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the intensity of light.

[0030] At time a, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 101 is received by the light-receiving unit 102 and the light-receiving unit 103 at times b and c, respectively.

[0031] If we denote the time difference between light emitted at time a and light received by the light receiving unit 103 at time b as t2, the time difference between light emitted at time a and light received by the light receiving unit 102 at time c as t1, and the speed of light as v,

[0032]

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[0033] Also, according to the Law of Sines,

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[0034] From equation 2 of Math 1,

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[0035] Substituting equation 3 into equation 1 of equation 1,

number

[0036] Also, from Math 2

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[0037] Substituting number 5 into the second equation of number 1,

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[0038] Substituting number 6 into number 5,

number

[0039] In S108, it is determined whether the distance measurement is complete. If it is not complete, the process proceeds to S101. If it is complete, the distance measurement is completed.

[0040] As described above, the present invention includes a light-receiving unit that receives reflected light from emitted light at two angles, and by calculating from the time the reflected light was received and the angle of incidence of the reflected light, the distance to a mirror or a glossy object can be determined.

[0041] Although this embodiment uses a two-dimensional space as an example, the same calculations can be performed in a three-dimensional space.

[0042] Furthermore, although the light receiving unit 103 was described as having a configuration that allows its angle to be changed based on control instructions from the system control unit 107, it is sufficient for it to receive reflected light from an angle different from that of the light receiving unit 102. Therefore, it may be composed of two or more sensors, or it may be combined with a wide-angle lens so that reflected light from different angles can be received by a single sensor. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 101 Lighting Unit 102 Light receiving section 103 Light receiving part 104 Time measurement section 105 Distance calculation unit 106 Position and orientation information acquisition unit 107 System Control Unit

Claims

1. A light-emitting unit that projects light, The first light-receiving unit and the second light-receiving unit have different light-receiving directions. A timing unit that measures the first and second light reception times of the first and second light receiving units, A posture information acquisition unit that measures the posture of the device, A calculation unit calculates the distance from the object to which the light emitted by the light-emitting unit hits the device, based on the first light-receiving time, the second light-receiving time, and the orientation of the device. An information processing device characterized by having the following:

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the object to which the light projected by the light projecting unit shines is an object having a mirrored surface.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first light receiving unit is composed of two or more light receiving units.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second light receiving unit is composed of two or more light receiving units.

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