Coaxial Spherical 3D Camera for Real-Time Depth Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D camera technologies face challenges in accurately capturing depth information due to high costs, environmental issues, and computational complexity, particularly in real-time applications, and are limited by the need for expensive emission and reception devices and complex calculations in binocular stereo vision.
Innovation Solution
A 3D camera system with two image photographing units in a coaxial spherical optical system, connected through a processing system that calculates 3D coordinates by recording and processing 2D images from both units, allowing for direct calculation of object distance, height, and optical meridian plane angle, enabling efficient and accurate 3D imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If active method (ultrasonic, laser, infrared ranging) is used to obtain distance and depth information, then ranging is convenient, rapid, and simple to calculate, but emission and receiving devices are expensive and costly, and it is difficult to avoid environmental problems such as reflection, noise, and crossover
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active ranging methods (ultrasonic, laser, infrared) with a passive optical imaging system. Instead of using emission and reception devices that actively send signals, the system uses two cameras to passively capture images and calculates depth through geometric relationships and parallax, eliminating the need for expensive active components while avoiding environmental interference issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual 3D model by copying spatial information from two 2D images. Through coordinate transformation and geometric calculation, the system reconstructs three-dimensional object information from two-dimensional photograph data, achieving 3D ranging without requiring physical emission and reception devices
2Measurement precision
If binocular stereo vision is used to accurately restore 3D information, then 3D information can be restored through parallax information, but obtaining spatial distance information requires matching analysis of corresponding points which involves a large amount of calculation and is difficult to meet real-time requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary geometric calibration and establishes fixed spatial relationships between the two cameras before actual measurement. By pre-determining camera positions, focal lengths, and optical axes, the system enables rapid depth calculation during operation without time-consuming real-time calibration, thus meeting real-time requirements while maintaining 3D accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the calculation approach by using fixed geometric parameters and pre-established camera models rather than iterative feature matching. This transforms the computation from complex iterative optimization to direct geometric calculation, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining measurement precision
3Measurement precision
If binocular vision is used to measure spatial distance, then 3D information can be obtained, but it is easily affected by the mismatch of feature points and difficult to achieve universal applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal 3D measurement system by establishing a standardized geometric model that can handle various object types and distances. The system uses fixed camera configurations and geometric relationships that work across different scenarios, making it universally applicable without requiring scene-specific calibration or feature-matching algorithms that limit adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D camera and a photographing method thereof are provided. The 3D camera includes an image 1 photographing unit and an image 2 photographing unit in the same optical system and a processing system that processes data of the image 1 photographing unit and the image 2 photographing unit. The processing system includes a control unit that controls image photographing by the image 1 photographing unit and the image 2 photographing unit, a recording and storage unit that performs processing on the control unit, and a 3D coordinate calculation unit that performs calculation on the recording and storage unit. 3D coordinates of an object point in 3D space or all space object points constituting a 3D object directly facing the camera are calculated by simultaneously photographing one or more pairs of images for the object point in the 3D space or all space object points constituting the 3D object.