Field calibration of stereo cameras with a projector

1. A method comprising:

projecting a first feature and a second feature that is separate and distinct from the first feature onto a surface from a projector of a camera system;

imaging the first feature and the second feature with a first camera of the camera system, wherein a first distance from the first camera to the projector is known;

imaging the first feature and the second feature with a second camera of the camera system, wherein a second distance from the second camera to the projector is known;

determining a first disparity between the first camera and the second camera to the first feature;

determining a second disparity between the first camera and the second camera to the second feature; and

determining an epipolar alignment error of the first camera using the first disparity and the second disparity,

wherein the projector, the first camera, and the second camera are in fixed positions relative to each other, and

wherein the first camera is positioned between the projector and the second camera.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a third distance from the camera system to the first feature is not known, and wherein a fourth distance from the camera system to the second feature is not known.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third distance is different from the fourth distance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epipolar alignment error comprises a pointing error.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a third disparity between the projector and the first camera;

determining a fourth disparity between the projector and the second camera; and

determining an epipolar alignment error of the second camera using the first disparity, the second disparity, the third disparity, and the fourth disparity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera system has a planar base, and wherein the projector, the first camera, and the second camera are all mounted to the planar base.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projector is configured to project a patterned light onto the surface, and wherein the patterned light defines the first feature and the second feature.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising correcting for magnification errors and pointing errors that are orthogonal to a stereo axis before determining the epipolar alignment error.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating calibration parameters using the epipolar alignment error; and

warping images of the first camera and the second camera using the calibration parameters.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the epipolar alignment error of the first camera comprises:

extending a first epipolar line from the first feature from the first camera;

extending a second epipolar line from the first feature from the second camera;

determining a first orthogonal distance from the first feature to the first epipolar line;

determining a second orthogonal distance from the first feature to the second epipolar line; and

determining scale and displacement parameters using the first orthogonal distance and the second orthogonal distance.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the epipolar alignment error comprises minimizing a rectification error.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein minimizing the rectification error comprises applying a matrix multiplication form to known parameters.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

projecting additional features onto the surface from the projector, the additional features being separate and distinct from the first feature and the second feature;

imaging the additional features with the first camera and the second camera; and

determining additional disparities, each of the additional disparities based on an additional feature,

wherein determining the epipolar alignment error further comprises determining the epipolar alignment error using the additional disparities that are determined.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing near object scanning with the projector.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, when operated on by an electronic processor, cause the electronic processor to perform a set of operations comprising:

receiving a first image captured by a first camera including a first feature and a second feature that is separate and distinct from the first feature, wherein the first feature and the second feature are both projected from a projector, and wherein a first distance from the first camera to the projector is known;

receiving a second image captured by a second camera including the first feature and the second feature, wherein a second distance from the second camera to the projector and a third distance from the second camera to the first camera are known;

determining a first disparity between the first camera and the second camera to the first feature;

determining a second disparity between the first camera and the second camera to the second feature; and

determining an epipolar alignment error of the first camera using the first disparity and the second disparity,

wherein the projector, the first camera, and the second camera are in fixed positions relative to each other, and

wherein the first camera is positioned between the projector and the second camera.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the set of operations further includes correcting for magnification errors and pointing errors that are orthogonal to a stereo axis between the first camera and the second camera before determining the epipolar alignment error.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the epipolar alignment error of the first camera comprises:

extending a first epipolar line from the first feature from the first camera;

extending a second epipolar line from the first feature from the second camera;

determining a first orthogonal distance from the first feature to the first epipolar line;

determining a second orthogonal distance from the first feature to the second epipolar line; and

determining scale and displacement parameters using the first orthogonal distance and the second orthogonal distance.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the epipolar alignment error comprises minimizing a rectification error by applying a matrix multiplication form to known parameters.

19. A camera system comprising:

a projector configured to project a first feature and a second feature that is separate and distinct from the first feature onto a surface;

a first image sensor configured to image the first feature and the second feature, wherein a first distance from the first image sensor to the projector is known;

a second image sensor configured to image the first feature and the second feature, wherein a second distance from the second image sensor to the projector is known; and

an electronic processor configured to

determine a first disparity between the first image sensor and the second image sensor to the first feature,

determine a second disparity between the first image sensor and the second image sensor to the second feature, and

determine an epipolar alignment error of the first image sensor using the first disparity and the second disparity,

wherein the projector, the first image sensor, and the second image sensor are in fixed positions relative to each other, and

wherein the first camera is positioned between the projector and the second camera.

20. The camera system of claim 19 , further comprising:

a first camera including the first image sensor;

a second camera including the second image sensor; and

a printed circuit board,

wherein the projector, the first camera, and the second camera are all mounted to the printed circuit board.

21. The camera system of claim 19 , further comprising a memory to store images, and

wherein the images of the first feature and the second feature from the first image sensor and the second image sensor are stored in the memory for post processing by the electronic processor.