A color scannerless range imaging system comprises four component systems, including an illumination system, an image capture device, an optical assembly and a controller for interconnecting and controlling the component systems. The illumination system separately illuminates a scene with modulated and unmodulated illumination, while the image capture device is positioned in an optical path of the reflected illumination from the scene for capturing a plurality of images thereof, including (a) at least one image of the reflected modulated illumination, whereby the modulation of the reflected modulated illumination incorporates a phase delay corresponding to the distance of objects in the scene from the range imaging system, and (b) at least one color image of the reflected unmodulated illumination. The optical assembly includes a first optical system for imaging a color image of unmodulated illumination from the scene and a second optical system including a modulating stage for modulating the reflected modulated illumination from the scene and generating an interference image representative of range information of the scene. The controller selectively places each of the optical systems in the optical path of the image capture device whereby both range information and color information of the scene are captured.
A method for producing a distance map of scene distance values for a digital image captured by a digital camera includes capturing a first digital image of a scene under a first illumination condition, wherein the first digital image includes a plurality of pixels and the scene includes a plurality of scene objects located at different distances from the digital camera, capturing a second digital image of the scene under a second illumination condition that is different from the first illumination condition, and using the first and second digital images to produce a distance map having a plurality of scene distance values, wherein each scene distance value relates to the distance between the digital camera and the corresponding scene object.
An apparatus for image taking includes a range image sensor, in which a range image is produced in which a distance is represented with a pixel value by image taking of a principal object from an image taking position. An image pickup device receives light reflected by the principal object, to output an image signal for respective pixels. A light reception control unit changes over a reception sequence and reception time, and causes the image pickup device to output image signals associated with first and second distance ranges. The second distance range is a distance range where the principal object exists and is over the first distance range. A first range image and second range image, are formed according to the image signals. Blank portions are designated within the second range image by comparison of the first range image and second range image, to compensate for the blank portions.
Scannerless loss modulated flash color range imaging methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing three dimensional (3D) images of a target within a scene. Apparatus and methods according to the present invention comprise a light source providing at least three wavelengths (passbands) of illumination that are each loss modulated, phase delayed and simultaneously directed to illuminate the target. Phase delayed light backscattered from the target is spectrally filtered, demodulated and imaged by a planar detector array. Images of the intensity distributions for the selected wavelengths are obtained under modulated and unmodulated (dc) illumination of the target, and the information contained in the images combined to produce a 3D image of the target.
Scannerless loss modulated flash color range imaging methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing three dimensional (3D) images of a target within a scene. Apparatus and methods according to the present invention comprise a light source providing at least three wavelengths (passbands) of illumination that are each loss modulated, phase delayed and simultaneously directed to illuminate the target. Phase delayed light backscattered from the target is spectrally filtered, demodulated and imaged by a planar detector array. Images of the intensity distributions for the selected wavelengths are obtained under modulated and unmodulated (dc) illumination of the target, and the information contained in the images combined to produce a 3D image of the target.
