Vision-based augmented reality system using invisible marker

Abstract

A vision-based augmented reality system using an invisible marker indicates an invisible marker on a target object to be tracked, such that it can rapidly and correctly track the target object by detecting the invisible marker. The augmented reality system includes a target object (TO) including an infrared marker (IM) drawn by an invisible infrared light-emitting material; a visible-ray camera ( 110 ) for capturing an image of the TO; an infrared-ray camera ( 120 ) for capturing an image of the IM included in the TO image; an optical axis converter for allowing the infrared-ray camera ( 120 ) and the visible-ray camera ( 110 ) to have the same viewing point; an image processing system ( 140 ) for rendering a prepared virtual image to the TO image to generate a new image.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A vision-based augmented reality system using an invisible marker, comprising:
 A visible-ray camera for capturing target object (TO) including an infrared marker (IM) drawn by an invisible infrared light-emitting material;   an infrared-ray camera for capturing the IM included in the TO; and   an image processing system for tracking position and pose of the TO based on position and pose of the IM.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an output unit for displaying the rendered virtual image. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the output unit includes at least one of a head mount display, a  3 -dimensional glass and a glass-type HMD. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the image processing system receives an image of the infrared marker from the infrared-ray camera, receives an image of the TO from the visible-ray camera, and monitors position and pose of the IM associated with the infrared-ray camera. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the image of the visible-ray camera and the image of the infrared-ray camera are received separately. 
     
     
         26 . A display device, comprising:
 A visible-ray camera for capturing target object (TO) including an infrared marker (IM) drawn by an invisible infrared light-emitting material;   an infrared-ray camera for capturing the IM included in the TO; and   an image processing system for tracking position and pose of the TO based on position and pose of the IM; and   an output unit for displaying the rendered virtual image.   
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the image processing system receives an image of the infrared marker from the infrared-ray camera, receives an image of the TO from the visible-ray camera, and monitors position and pose of the IM associated with the infrared-ray camera. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein an image of the visible-ray camera and an image of the infrared-ray camera are received separately. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 26  wherein the output unit includes at least one of a head mount display, a  3 -dimensional glass and a glass-type HMD. 
     
     
         30 . A method for vision-based augmented reality using an invisible marker, comprising the steps of:
 (a) capturing target object (TO) including an infrared marker (IM) drawn by an invisible infrared light-emitting material using a visible-ray camera;   (b) capturing the IM included in the TO using an infrared-ray camera;   (c) monitoring position and pose of the IM associated with the infrared-ray camera, tracking position and pose of the TO based on position and pose of the IM, and rendering a virtual image to the TO image.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising optical axis converting step of changing viewing point of at least one of the visible-ray camera and the infrared-ray camera. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the optical axis converting step comprises the step of changing the viewing point of at least one of the visible-ray camera and the infrared-ray camera so that the infrared-ray camera and the visible-ray camera have the same viewing point. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein a cold mirror which reflects infrared ray generated from the TO on the infrared-ray camera and transmits infrared-ray generated from the TO to the visible-ray camera is used in the optical axis converting step. 
     
     
         34 . A method for vision-based augmented reality using an invisible marker, comprising the steps of:
 (a) capturing a target object (TO) having an infrared marker (IM) drawn by an invisible infrared light-emitting material using an infrared-ray camera;   (b) rendering a virtual image based on position and pose of the IM.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the step of displaying the rendered virtual image. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the capturing the TO using a visible-ray camera. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein an image of the visible-ray camera and an image of the infrared-ray camera are obtained separately. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the virtual image is rendered on the image of the visible-ray camera. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the optical axis converting step of changing viewing point of at least one of the visible-ray camera and the infrared-ray camera. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the optical axis converting step comprises the step of changing the viewing point of at least one of the visible-ray camera and the infrared-ray camera so that the infrared-ray camera and the visible-ray camera have the same viewing point.