Underwater 3D image reconstruction utilizing triple wavelength dispersion and camera system thereof

US10019809B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Governors of the University of Alberta · CA

Inventors

• Herbert Yang · Ann Arbor, US
• Xida Chen · Edmonton, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 19, 2016
• Grant date: Jul 10, 2018
• Expiry date: Jan 9, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/10152
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An underwater camera system includes a projector operable to project a pattern of electromagnetic radiation toward a target object. The electromagnetic radiation includes at least three different wavelengths. A sensor directed toward the target object receives reflected electromagnetic radiation from the target object and stores corresponding image data received from the sensor. One or more processors process the image data to compute a refractive normal according to a wavelength dispersion represented by differences in the image data, and to compute an interface distance corresponding to a distance from a center point of the sensor to a first refractive interface nearest the sensor according to the refractive normal. The processors generate a 3D representation of the target object by back projecting each pixel of the image data at the first, second, and third wavelengths in order to determine an object point location according to the refractive normal and interface distance.