Patent · US Active

Minimizing variations in camera height to estimate distance to objects

US9691152B1 · kind B1 · utility

7Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 14, 2015
Grant dateJun 27, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 18, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V40/16
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Approaches provide for minimizing variations in the height of a camera of a computing device when estimating the distance to objects represented in image data captured by the camera. For example, a front-facing camera of a computing device can be used to capture a live camera view of a user. An application can analyze the image data to locate features of the user's face for purposes of aligning the user with the computing device. As the position and/orientation of the device changes with respect to the user, the image data can be analyzed to detect whether a location of a representation of a feature of the user aligns with the alignment element. Once the feature is aligned with the alignment element, a rear-facing camera (or other camera) can capture second image data of an object. The second image data can be analyzed to determine a geometric relationship between the rear-facing camera and the object, and the geometric relationship can be used to determine a distance to the object with respect to the computing device.

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