Mobile device accessory for three-dimensional scanning

Abstract

A variety of techniques are disclosed for enabling three-dimensional scanning with mobile devices. In general, an accessory provides additional optics, image sensors, lighting and/or processing to complement preexisting device hardware in support of a variety of three-dimensional imaging techniques.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for three-dimensional imaging with a mobile device, the system comprising:
 a housing with a mechanical interface configured to removably and replaceably attach to a predetermined mobile computing device in a predetermined orientation; and an illumination source coupled to the housing that illuminates a field of view of a camera of the predetermined mobile computing device from a predetermined pose.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the illumination source is a structured light source that projects a predetermined pattern of light from the predetermined pose. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the predetermined pattern of light includes one or more lines. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the predetermined pattern of light includes one or more shapes. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a fixture on the housing to move the illumination source in a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the illumination source includes a laser light source. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the illumination source includes a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of illumination sources coupled to the housing, each one of the plurality of illumination sources having a different pose relative to the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a communication interface in the housing configured for data communications between the housing and the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the communication interface includes a wired communication interface that couples to a data port of the predetermined mobile computing device when the housing is attached to the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the communication interface includes a wireless communication interface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the communication interface includes a sensor to detect an action of the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising processing circuitry to obtain three-dimensional data from one or more images acquired by the camera of the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the processing circuitry is within the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the processing circuitry is within the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes a power source independent from the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an optical train in the housing, wherein the optical train includes a first optical path that optically couples the camera to the field of view and a second optical path that optically couples a second camera of the predetermined mobile computing device to a second field of view from a different pose than the field of view. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an optical train in the housing, wherein the optical train includes a first optical path that optically couples the camera to the field of view and a second optical path that optically couples the camera to a second field of view from a different pose than the field of view, the optical train further including an optical switch that selectively couples the camera to the first optical path and the second optical path. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a second camera in the housing wherein the housing includes processing circuitry to control the second camera in response to a control signal received through a communication interface to the predetermined mobile computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the predetermined mobile computing device includes processing circuitry configured to receive a first image from the camera and a second image through the communication interface from the second camera, and further configured to process the first image and the second image to obtain three-dimensional data from an overlapping field of view of the camera and the second camera.