Method for measuring environment depth using image extraction device rotation and image extraction device thereof

{
  "publication_number": "US2014362192A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Method for measuring environment depth using image extraction device rotation and image extraction device thereof",
  "abstract": "A measurement method for environment depth and the image extraction device thereof is revealed. First, rotate an image extraction unit and extract a plurality of images using an image extraction device according to different viewing angles of a target object. Then, use disparity information of the plurality of images and an image parameter of the image extraction unit to give a plurality pieces of depth-of-field information, which are further used for giving environment depth information. The image extraction device has an image extraction unit and a rotating member. The rotating member is connected with the base; the rotating member is connected to the image extraction unit, which is located on one side of the rotating member. The plurality of images with different viewing angles are extracted to the image extraction unit as the rotating member rotates about a rotating center to different image extracting locations.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A measurement method for environment depth, comprising steps of: rotating an image extraction unit, the optical axes of respective image extracting locations parallel to a rotating axis for acquiring different viewing angles of a target object, and extracting a plurality images to said image extraction unit according to said different viewing angles of said target object; acquiring a plurality pieces of depth information according to a disparity information of said images and the parameter of said image extraction unit; and calculating an environment depth information according to said plurality pieces of depth information. 2. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 1, further comprising steps of: extracting a plurality of feature points of said images; calculating the disparity information of said images according to said feature points. 3. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 1, wherein said rotating axis is parallel to said optical axes, the distances between said rotating axis and said optical axes are nonzero, and said image extraction unit rotates about said rotating center in said step of extracting a plurality images to an image extraction unit according to a target object. 4. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 1, further comprising a step of: adjusting the relative horizontal viewing angles of said images. 5. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 3, wherein after adjusting the relative horizontal viewing angles of said images, a plurality of horizontal shifts exist between said plurality of feature points and said plurality of images. 6. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 1, wherein a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm, a speeded up robust features (SURF) algorithm, a histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) descriptor, or a corner detection method is adopted in said step of extracting a plurality of feature points of said images for acquiring said plurality of feature points of said images. 7. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 1, wherein comparing said feature points of two adjacent images and calculating shifts of said feature points for producing said disparity information in said step of calculating disparity information of said plurality of images according to said feature points. 8. The measurement method for environment depth of claim 6, wherein said shifts of said plurality of feature points correspond to the intervals between different image extracting locations of said image extraction unit. 9. An image extraction device for measuring environment depth, comprising: a rotating member, having a rotating axis parallel to an optical axis; and an image extraction unit, disposed fixedly to one side of said rotating member, facing said optical axis, rotating to a plurality of image extracting locations according to said rotating center, and extracting a plurality of images of at least a target object at different viewing angles according to said image extracting locations. 10. The image extraction device for measuring environment depth of claim 9, wherein said plurality of images have a plurality of feature points, respectively, and shifts of said feature points on different images correspond to the intervals of said image extraction unit at different image extracting locations. 11. The image extraction device for measuring environment depth of claim 9, further comprising a base disposed under the rotating member."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to a measurement method and the device thereof, and particularly to a method for measuring environment depth using image extraction device rotation and the image extraction device thereof.\n\nIn recent years, three-dimensional measurement has been applied extensively to various fields and hence many measurement methods, roughly categorized into contact scanning, non-contact active scanning, and non-contact passive scanning methods, have been developed. The contact scanning method uses a three-dimensional scanner to touch the surface of the object under test for calculating the outline depth of the surface of an object. For example, the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is a typical contact three-dimensional scanner. In general, the measurement result of contact scanning is quite accurate, making it widely used in engineering and manufacturing industries. Nonetheless, the contact scanning method needs to contact the surface of an object during the scanning process and risking damaging the contact surface of the object under test by probes. Thereby, the contact scanning method is not suitable for the reconstruction of high-priced objects such as antiques or relics. Moreover, compared with other methods, contact scanning requires longer operation time; it cannot measure the surface of soft materials.\n\nNon-contact active scanning means that measurement instruments need to emit light or electron beams to the surface of an object for three-dimensional measurement and acquiring three-dimensional information.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 13/221",
    "G06T 7/593",
    "H04N 13/0207",
    "H04N 2013/0081",
    "H04N 2213/001"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04N 13/221",
    "G06K 9/00",
    "G06T 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "National Chung Cheng University"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Huei-Yung Lin",
    "Chun-Lung Tsai"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-07-26",
  "publication_date": "2014-12-11",
  "priority_date": "2013-06-05",
  "application_number": "US-201313951695-A",
  "family_id": "52005146",
  "cited_by_count": 11,
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}