US 7,526,121 B2
Three-dimensional visual sensor
Kazunori Ban, Yamanashi (Japan); and Ichiro Kanno, Yamanashi (Japan)
Assigned to Fanuc Ltd, Yamanashi (Japan)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/689,721.
Claims priority of application No. 2002-308451 (JP), filed on Oct. 23, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0080758 A1, Apr. 29, 2004
Int. Cl. G06K 9/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 382—154 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
2. A three-dimensional visual sensor which performs a three-dimensional measurement of an object, comprising:
a two-dimensional information acquiring unit;
a three-dimensional information acquiring unit; and
an information combining unit, wherein:
said two-dimensional information acquiring unit determines a position of a measuring point of said object on a two-dimensional image including said object captured by a camera, compares a reference image including a characteristic area of the object with an image of said characteristic area in said two-dimensional image and determines parameter values that describe a transformation expressing geometrical deformation with respect to said reference image provided by mapping using said camera,
said three-dimensional information acquiring unit receives a reflected light of a light projected by projecting unit onto said object by unit of light receiving unit to acquire three-dimensional information on an inclination of a surface on which said measuring point of said object exists and/or a distance from said camera to the surface, and
said information combining unit combines information acquired by said two-dimensional information acquiring unit and information acquired by said three-dimensional information acquiring unit based on calibration information of said camera and generates new three-dimensional information, by determining, in the three-dimensional space, a straight line which passes through the measuring point on said object and a specific point on said camera, and determining an intersection between said surface and said straight line based on information on said straight line and the surface on which the measuring point on said object exists.