Distance information acquisition apparatus or system, pattern projector, and distance information acquisition method

摘要

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.