Patent · US Expired

Automatic calibration of cameras and structured light sources

US6101455A · kind A · utility

168Cited by
13References
21Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 14, 1998
Grant dateAug 8, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 14, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B2219/39008
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A work cell containing robot(s), video camera(s), and structured lighting source(s) is calibrated by observing targets with the camera(s) as a robot is displaced through a set of offsets. Complete information is recovered about the camera(s) calibration data and the structure of illumination from the light source(s). The robot is utilized to create known relative movements between the targets and the camera(s) and light source(s). Therefore, this technique is applicable to both the fixed and moving camera cases. Except for the target surface profile, there is no requirement to externally determine any absolute or relative positions, or any relationships either within or between the camera(s), targets, light source(s), and robot(s). Either single or multiple cameras (acting independently or in stereo) are calibrated to the robot's coordinate frame, and then optionally used as measuring devices to determine the position and form of the structured light.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.