IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,320,536
Granted Patent B2
US 11,320,536 · App. 16/610,283 · Granted May 3, 2022

Imaging device and monitoring device

Inventors: Yohei Ogura (Kanagawa, JP); Kensei Jo (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
G01S17/08G01N21/27G01N21/55G06K9/6201G06T7/0002H04N5/2256G06T2207/10024G06T2207/30204
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,320,536
App. No.
16/610,283
Granted
May 3, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are an imaging device and a monitoring device capable of accurately measuring a distance and a shape of a region of an object that is difficult to measure by one distance measuring camera. Provided is an imaging device including a sensor unit configured to irradiate an object with light and detect the light reflected by the object; a distance calculation unit configured to calculate a distance to the object on the basis of sensing data of the sensor unit; a specular reflector located on an opposite side of the sensor unit across the object; and a correction unit configured to correct an error included in the calculated distance, the error being caused by an interference between the light following a first path from the sensor unit toward the object and the light following a second path from the sensor unit, reflected by the specular reflector, and going toward the object.

Claims (40)

1. An imaging device comprising:

a sensor configured to irradiate an object with light and detect the light reflected by the object;

distance calculation circuitry configured to calculate a distance to the object on a basis of sensing data of the sensor;

a specular reflector located on an opposite side of the sensor across the object; and

correction circuitry configured to correct an error included in the calculated distance, the error in the calculated distance being caused by an interference between the light following a first path from the sensor toward the object and the light following a second path from the sensor, then reflected by the specular reflector, and then going toward the object.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixing member that fixes a distance between the sensor and the specular reflector.

3. An imaging device comprising:

a sensor configured to irradiate an object with light and detect the light reflected by the object;

distance calculation circuitry configured to calculate a distance to the object on a basis of sensing data of the sensor; and

correction circuitry configured to correct an error included in the calculated distance, the error in the calculated distance being caused by an interference between the light following a first path from the sensor toward the object and the light following a second path from the sensor, then reflected by a specular reflector located on an opposite side of the sensor across the object, and then going toward the object.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the sensor includes

irradiation circuitry configured to emit the light,

light receiving circuitry configured to receive the reflected light, and

phase difference calculation circuitry configured to calculate a phase difference between the emitted light and the received light, and

the distance calculation circuitry calculates the distance on a basis of the phase difference.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the correction circuitry corrects the error by comparing the sensing data of the sensor with an estimation value estimated to occur by the interference.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising determination circuitry configured to determine presence or absence of occurrence of the error by the interference.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the determination circuitry determines the presence or absence of occurrence of the error according to presence or absence of match between a real image of the object to which the correction has been applied and a mirror image of the object to which the correction has been applied and projected on the specular reflector.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7 , further comprising

color sensor circuitry configured to acquire a color image of the object, wherein

the determination circuitry determines presence or absence of the error by comparing a color image of the real image of the object with a color image of the mirror image.

9. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the specular reflector is provided with a marker having a non-glossy surface.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein the marker includes three or more marker portions provided spaced from one another.

11. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising specular reflector sensor circuitry configured to measure a distance to the specular reflector.

12. A monitoring device comprising the imaging device according to claim 1 .

13. A monitoring device comprising the imaging device according to claim 3 .

14. An imaging device comprising:

a memory storing program code; and

a processor the executes the program code to perform operations comprising:

irradiating an object with light, using a sensor with a light source that emits the light, wherein a specular reflector is located on an opposite side from the sensor across the object,

detecting the light reflected by the object,

calculating a distance to the object on a basis of sensing data of the sensor, and

correcting an error included in the calculated distance, the error in the calculated distance being caused by an interference between the light following a first path from the sensor that extends directly from the light source toward the object and the light following a second path from the sensor, then reflected by the specular reflector, and then going toward the object.

15. The imaging device according to claim 14 , wherein correcting the error further comprises comparing the sensing data of the sensor with an estimation value estimated to occur by the interference.

16. The imaging device according to claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining presence or absence of occurrence of the error by the interference.

17. The imaging device according to claim 16 , wherein said determining the presence or absence of occurrence of the error according to presence or absence of match between a real image of the object to which the correction has been applied and a mirror image of the object to which the correction has been applied and projected on the specular reflector.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise acquiring a color image of the object, wherein said determining the presence or absence of the error compares a color image of the real image of the object with a color image of the mirror image.

19. The imaging device according to claim 14 , wherein the specular reflector is provided with a marker having a non-glossy surface.

20. The imaging device according to claim 19 , wherein the marker includes three or more marker portions provided spaced from one another.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2020
From: OGURA, YOHEI; JO, KENSEI
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051853/0680 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-135381 · Jul 11, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210096250A1 · Apr 1, 2021