Abstract: A calibration pattern unit which obtains correction information of an imaging system by imaging at the imaging system is formed by combining a plurality of three-dimensionally arranged planes. The calibration pattern unit comprises supporting members each of which has a predetermined surface corresponding to one of the planes, and a calibration pattern in which a predetermined pattern is formed on the predetermined surface of the supporting member. The supporting member can selectively set the calibration pattern unit to a first form for photographing when the correction information is obtained, and a second form for other purposes.

Abstract: A safe movement support apparatus includes an environmental three-dimensional information acquisition unit 1 for acquiring environmental three-dimensional information corresponding to a state of an actual object within a virtual space surrounding a moving body or an assumed movement track relating the moving body with a prescribed finite expanse; a moving body state information acquisition unit 2 for acquiring moving body state information relating to the moving body; and a safe movement-enabled space calculation unit 3 for calculating a safe movement-enabled space which is a virtual space with a finite expanse in which the moving body is presumed to be movable safely, based on the environmental three dimensional information obtained from the environmental three-dimensional information acquisition unit and moving body state information obtained from the moving body state information acquisition unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stereo imaging unit or system that can have a suitable degree of parallax and a wide angle of view even when used with an image pickup device smaller than film.

Abstract: In this stereo optical module, a constituent member is arranged in at least one of a circuit arrangement space which exists substantially behind a front lens unit and above a primary deflecting mirror and a secondary deflecting mirror and a circuit arrangement space which exists substantially behind a front lens unit and below a primary deflecting mirror and a secondary deflecting mirror.

Abstract: This stereo camera system is constituted of a stereo optical module which acquires a stereo image, a central control unit which evaluates an object as a target based on the stereo image acquired by the stereo optical module, and a communication line through which stereo image data output from the stereo optical module is input to the central control unit. Further, in this stereo camera system, an image output processing circuit which performs predetermined image processing with respect to the stereo image acquired by the stereo optical module is provided in the stereo optical module, whereby this image output processing circuit performs a correction arithmetic operation which corrects unbalance at the time of capturing the stereo image.

Abstract: The object recognition apparatus has an active range finder having a floodlight unit which floodlights a light onto a target object, and determines a distance up to a target object on the basis of a reflected light therefrom, a stereo camera to determine a distance up to the target object on the basis of image information from the target object, an object recognition unit which recognizes the target object on the basis of an output signal from the active range finder and an output signal from the stereo camera, and a fill light control unit which controls the floodlight unit to operate so as to irradiate a light floodlit by the floodlight unit as a fill light of the stereo camera.

Abstract: An image generation method for generating a viewpoint-modified image is carried out based on camera information sensed by one or a plurality of image sensing unit sensing an image around an image sensing unit-disposed object. The image generation method comprises displaying an image sensing unit-disposed object model on the viewpoint-modified image, detecting the change of the movable member of the image sensing unit-disposed object and transforming/displaying the relevant part of the image sensing unit-disposed object model in the viewpoint-modified image. The image generation method can also comprise transforming/displaying the virtual viewpoint position of the viewpoint-modified image, according to the amount of change of the movable member of the image sensing unit-disposed object.

Abstract: A device for generating a viewpoint conversion image based on image data supplied from one or a plurality of imaging units arranged in a vehicle comprises a supplementary light source for illuminating an area to be imaged by the imaging units, and a control unit for selecting the casting directions of the supplementary light source in accordance with the viewpoint conversion image to be generated.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photographing apparatus includes a photographing unit configured to photograph an object from a plurality of viewpoints and a projecting unit configured to project a pattern on the object in photographing. The projecting unit including an optical system having a projection view angle. The projection view angle of the optical system falls within a range where the photographing unit photographs the object and is set so as to project the pattern on an overlapped area which is formed by overlapping photographing spaces capable of photographing the object from the viewpoints.

Abstract: In a device for generating one viewpoint conversion image based on a plurality of image data, a first unit including two cameras with different viewpoints, for acquiring one of the image data, and a second unit, including two cameras with different viewpoints, which is arranged in line with the first unit so that the first and second units are in a positional relationship where the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of at least one of the two cameras included in the second unit is parallel to the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of one of the cameras included in the first unit, for acquiring the other one of the image data are provided. The units are arranged so that the imaging lenses of the two cameras included in the first and the second units have optical axes which are not parallel to each other.

Abstract: A user support apparatus comprises a user information acquisition unit configured to obtain information regarding a user, a user state estimation unit configured to judge at least one of user's position information, posture information, physical sate, and mental state as a user state based on the information obtained by the user information acquisition unit, and a user support unit configured to support at least one of user's action, memory and thinking based on the user state estimated by the user state estimation unit.

Abstract: A user activity support agent in a user support apparatus includes a target detection evaluation module configured to detect demand, desire, and/or instruction of the user in the form of a target based on a user's activity state and/or an environment situation detected by a sensor group, and to ask the user whether or not the target is desired by the user via a user information providing device to evaluate the user's reaction to the information, and an activity plan evaluation module configured to plan the detected target in such a manner as to realize the target by the user's activity group, and to provide the user with information suggesting the activity group via the user information providing device to perform monitoring and/or evaluation with respect to the user's-reaction to the information from the user's activity state and/or the environment situation.

Abstract: A stereo camera supporting apparatus of the present invention comprises a joining member constituted in such a manner as to support a stereo camera on a vehicle, and a control device which controls posture or position of the stereo camera supported on the vehicle by the joining member. The control device controls the posture or position of the stereo camera with respect to video obtained by the stereo camera in such a manner that a contour portion present in the highest level position in a contour of a noted subject in the video is positioned in a frame upper end of the video or its vicinity irrespective of a change of the posture or position of the vehicle.

Abstract: A finder apparatus which is used together with a photographing apparatus presents a marker for positioning for setting relative positions of the photographing apparatus and an object for calibration so as to be visually recognizable by an operator in a finder configured to present an image of a subject so as to be visually recognizable by the operator, when photographing the object for calibration including at least one of a known shape and a known surface attribute in order to acquire parameters of a photographing optical system of the photographing apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stereo imaging unit or system that can have a suitable degree of parallax and a wide angle of view even when used with an image pickup device smaller than film.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is capable of performing an image pickup with pattern projection on an object to obtain three-dimensional information on the object, and an image pickup without pattern projection. The image pickup apparatus comprises an exposure level determination section configured to determine a predetermined exposure level needed by an image pickup device of the image pickup apparatus, and a shutter speed determination section configured to determine a first shutter speed to achieve the predetermined exposure level determined by the exposure level determination section in the image pickup without pattern projection, and a second shutter speed not slower than the first shutter speed. The image pickup with pattern projection is conducted by use of the second shutter speed.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional image acquisition apparatus acquires images to be used for 3-dimensionally reconstructing an object by picking up the object by a camera twice or more in an image acquisition set including picking up at least once the object carrying a pattern projected onto it by a projection light source. The apparatus comprises a light projection information memory configured to store information on projection of light including information on the time for projecting light for the purpose of projecting the pattern in the image acquisition set, an image acquisition progress information memory configured to store information on the progress of image acquisition in the image acquisition set, and a controller configured to control the projection of light by the projection light source and the picking up by the camera on the basis of the stored information on projection of light and the stored information on the progress.

Abstract: A calibration apparatus which estimates a calibration parameter of an image acquisition apparatus, comprises a calibration jig which includes at least two planes and in which calibration markers having known three-dimensional positions are arranged in each plane based on a predetermined rule. The calibration apparatus further comprises a calibration marker recognition section configured to measure and number in-image positions of the calibration markers in at least one image obtained by photographing the calibration jig by the image acquisition apparatus, and a parameter estimate section configured to estimate the calibration parameters of the image acquisition apparatus by the use of the three-dimensional position and the in-image position of the calibration markers numbered by the calibration marker recognition section.

Abstract: A finder apparatus which is used together with a photographing apparatus presents a marker for positioning for setting relative positions of the photographing apparatus and an object for calibration so as to be visually recognizable by an operator in a finder configured to present an image of a subject so as to be visually recognizable by the operator, when photographing the object for calibration including at least one of a known shape and a known surface attribute in order to acquire parameters of a photographing optical system of the photographing apparatus.

Abstract: A distance information acquisition apparatus uses a pattern projector to project a pattern onto an imaging object as a ranging object and obtains distance information from an image captured by an image capturing apparatus. The pattern is formed by combining sub-patterns, each sub-pattern comprising at least three types of pattern segments having optically identifiable characteristics. A computer determines which pattern segment in a captured image belongs to which sub-pattern in the pattern based on optical characteristics and position coordinates of that pattern segment in the captured image. A specification result is used to find distance information associated with the imaging object.