STEREO CAMERA AND STEREO CAMERA SYSTEM

摘要

A technique is capable of improving the precision of a distance measurement made using a stereo camera, and is capable of reducing the size of a stereo camera device. The stereo camera is equipped with left and right imaging systems having left and right optical systems and left and right imaging elements, and derives the distance to an imaging target on the basis of an image signal acquired by imaging the imaging target by means of the left and right imaging systems. The light receiving surface of the left and right imaging elements in the left and right imaging systems is caused to bend in the direction of the optical axis so as to correct an aberration in the left and right optical systems.

主权项

1. A stereo camera which includes a plurality of imaging units, each of which is configured to include an optical system and an imaging element on which light passing through the optical system is focused to derive a distance to a predetermined subject or to generate a stereoscopic image containing the subject based on an image signal acquired by imaging the subject by the imaging units,
wherein a light receiving surface of the imaging element in at least a portion of the imaging units is curved in an optical axis direction so as to correct aberration of an image plane of the optical system which forms an image of the subject on the imaging element, further comprising: a holding unit which holds the imaging units so that optical axes thereof do not intersect each other in front of the optical axes and angles of view of the optical systems of the imaging units overlap each other; a distance measuring unit which detects the distance to the subject from the image signal of the subject imaged by the imaging units in the portion where the angles of view overlap; wherein each angle of view of the optical systems is larger than 135 degrees and the holding unit holds the two imaging units so that an angle between the optical axes is 90 degrees or further changed degrees.