초록 ▼

Provided is an image input device which includes a laser range finder and a camera, and is capable of automatically calibrating the laser range finder and the camera at an appropriate timing without using special equipment. The image input device includes the laser range finder which measures distan

Provided is an image input device which includes a laser range finder and a camera, and is capable of automatically calibrating the laser range finder and the camera at an appropriate timing without using special equipment. The image input device includes the laser range finder which measures distance information of an object by using invisible light and the camera which measures color information of the object. In order to detect a calibration error between the laser range finder and the camera, an invisible light filter which blocks visible light and transmits invisible light is automatically attached to a lens of the camera by a switching operation between two kinds of lenses. By the camera to which the invisible light filter is being attached, a pattern of the invisible light projected onto the object from the laser range finder is photographed as a visible image. By the comparison between the thus obtained invisible light pattern image and a reference image, the calibration error between the laser range finder and the camera is calculated. When the calibration error exceeds a predetermined value, a relative position and a relative posture between the laser range finder and the camera are automatically calibrated by control of a platform or the like.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An image input device, comprising:a laser range finder which measures distance information of an object by using invisible light;a camera which measures color information of the object;filter attachment means which comprises a first filter which transmits visible light and b

What is claimed is: 1. An image input device, comprising:a laser range finder which measures distance information of an object by using invisible light;a camera which measures color information of the object;filter attachment means which comprises a first filter which transmits visible light and blocks invisible light and a second filter which transmits invisible light and blocks visible light, to be attachable to the camera;calibration error verification means which calculates a calibration error between the laser range finder and the camera by comparison between an image which has a pattern of the invisible light projected from the laser range finder onto the object and is photographed by the camera to which the first filter is being attached, and a reference image;calibration means which calibrates a relative position and a relative posture between the laser range finder and the camera when the calibration error exceeds a predetermined value; andmeasurement means which records the color information obtained by the camera and the distance information obtained by the laser range finder during an acquisition of the color information, as an image data; wherein: the reference image is the pattern of the invisible light that is projected from the laser range finder onto the plane of the object and photographed of a previous calibration by the camera to which the first filter is attached;the filter attachment means switches the filter attached to the camera from the first filter to the second filter in one of a case where calibration by the calibration means is terminated and a case where the calibration error is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value; andthe measurement means, after the filter attached to the camera is switched form the first filter to the second filter, records the color information obtained by the camera to which the second filter is attached and the distance information obtained by the laser range finder concurrently with acquisition of the color information, as the image data.