Smartphone-Based Depth Camera Calibration Using Coded Geometric Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional depth camera systems require precise calibration, which is typically done at the manufacturer and cannot be easily recalibrated by consumers without specialized tools or equipment, leading to inaccurate results due to environmental stresses and mechanical misalignments over time.
Innovation Solution
A smartphone-based dynamic depth camera calibration system that uses a calibration application to display a coded image with known objects, allowing the depth camera to capture and calibrate based on precise geometric patterns, enabling users to recalibrate the camera without specialized equipment or technical skills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional depth camera systems are calibrated at the manufacturer, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because consumers cannot easily recalibrate without specialized tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a smartphone display to create a virtual copy of the traditional physical calibration target. The calibration application generates an image displaying geometric patterns (checkerboard, stripes, or dots) that replicate the function of physical calibration targets, eliminating the need for consumers to carry and handle specialized physical equipment while maintaining calibration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables consumers to perform calibration themselves using their smartphone's display and camera. The calibration application automatically captures images, processes geometric patterns, and updates calibration parameters without requiring specialized tools or technical expertise, making the calibration process accessible to end users.
2Ease of operation
If physical calibration targets are used for consumer recalibration, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the smartphone display serve multiple functions: it acts as both the calibration target (displaying geometric patterns) and the imaging device (using the smartphone's camera to capture the pattern). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate physical calibration targets and specialized equipment, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration application serves as an intermediary between the smartphone hardware and the depth camera calibration process. It manages the complexity of pattern generation, image capture, geometric processing, and calibration parameter calculation, presenting a simplified user interface that hides the underlying technical complexity.
3Ease of operation
If depth camera systems are recalibrated in-situ by consumers, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate due to lack of specialized calibration tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical calibration target system with a digital/optical system. The smartphone display projects geometric patterns that can be captured and processed digitally, substituting the need for physical targets with a software-based calibration approach that maintains precision through computational geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration process uses feedback from the smartphone camera capturing the displayed geometric patterns to iteratively adjust and refine calibration parameters. The system processes the captured images, compares them with the known geometric patterns, and updates calibration data to maximize measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there is described a depth camera calibration system which includes: a depth camera to be calibrated; a calibration application to execute upon a mobile device, the calibration application to: (i) determine a precise image size of a calibration image to be displayed to a screen of the mobile device based on a screen size of the mobile device, the calibration image having embedded therein a plurality of objects of a known size, (ii) encode the known size of the objects into an optical machine-readable data representation, and (iii) display the encoded optical machine-readable data representation to the mobile device; in which the depth camera is to read the optical machine-readable data representation displayed by the mobile device to determine the known size of the objects of the calibration image; in which the calibration application is to display the calibration image to the mobile device; and in which an imager of the depth camera is to capture the objects of the coded image pattern and calibrate based on the known size of the objects of the captured calibration image. Other related embodiments are disclosed.