1461187662-0821e7dd-4fe0-4a5a-ad7b-51e1cd2a8b82

1. A wind turbine comprising:
a nacelle;
a blade rotor hub adjacent to said nacelle;
a main shaft coupled to said hub and said nacelle;
a generator coupled to said main shaft between said nacelle and said hub, said generator having a housing containing a generator rotor adjacent to said main shaft and a stator positioned adjacent to and radially outward from said generator rotor;
a cylindrical roller bearing coupled between said main shaft and said housing adjacent to said nacelle; and,
a second bearing coupled between said main shaft and said housing adjacent to said hub, wherein said second bearing is spaced apart from said cylindrical roller bearing a distance equal to the diameter of said main shaft.
2. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein said second bearing is a double-tapered roller bearing.
3. The wind turbine of claim 2 wherein said second bearing is a crossed roller bearing.
4. The wind turbine of claim 1 wherein said second bearing is a three row roller bearing.
5. A wind turbine comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle mounted for rotation at one end of said tower;
a blade rotor hub adjacent to said nacelle;
a main shaft coupled to said hub and said nacelle;
a direct drive generator coupled to a main shaft, said direct drive generator having a housing positioned between said nacelle and said blade rotor hub;
a first bearing coupled to said main shaft, said first bearing being positioned between said housing and said nacelle; and,
a second bearing coupled to said main shaft, said second bearing being positioned between said housing and said hub, whereby the distance between said first and second bearing is equal to the diameter of said main shaft.
6. The wind turbine of claim 5 wherein said first bearing is a cylindrical roller bearing.
7. The wind turbine of claim 6 wherein the second bearing is a cylindrical roller bearing.
8. The wind turbine of claim 6 wherein the second bearing is a tapered roller bearing.
9. A wind turbine comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle mounted for rotation at one end of said tower;
a blade rotor hub adjacent to said nacelle; a plurality of blades coupled to said hub a main shaft attached to said hub and mounted for rotation to said nacelle;
an electrical generator coupled to a main shaft, said direct drive generator having a stationary housing mounted to said nacelle; a first rotational support means for coupling said main shaft to said housing, said first rotational support means being positioned adjacent said nacelle; and,
a second rotational support means for coupling to said main shaft to said housing, said second rotational support means being positioned between said housing and said hub and spaced apart from said first rotational support means a distance equal to the diameter of said main shaft.
10. The wind turbine of claim 9 wherein said first rotational support means is a bearing.
11. The wind turbine of claim 10 wherein said second rotational support means is a bearing.
12. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein said first bearing and said second bearing are cylindrical roller bearings.
13. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein said first bearing is a cylindrical bearing and said second bearing is a double tapered roller bearing.
14. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein said first bearing is a cylindrical bearing and said second bearing is a crossed roller bearing.
15. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein said first bearing is a cylindrical bearing and said second bearing is a three row type roller bearing.
16. The wind turbine of claim 11 wherein said generator further comprises: a rotor coupled to said shaft, said rotor having coils for generating a magnetic field; and, a stator mounted within said housing, said stator having means for inducing electrical current in response to the movement of said magnetic field.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal at a receiver of a communications system;
receiving an antenna signal at the receiver; and
estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the received antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the estimating of the parameters is further based on the received beam signal, and
wherein the antenna signal includes a common pilot channel, and estimating the parameters is based on signals received in the common pilot channel,
wherein the communication system is a cellular communication system and said cellular communication system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over a part of a sector,
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor, and
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal.
2. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal at a receiver of a communication system, the receiver having an adaptive antenna transmitter, wherein the communication system is a cellular system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector;
receiving an antenna signal at the receiver; and
estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the received antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimating of the parameters is further based on the received beam signal wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor.
3. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal at a receiver of a communication system, the receiver having an adaptive antenna transmitter, wherein the communication system is a cellular system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector;
receiving an antenna signal at the receiver; and
estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the received antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimating of the parameters is further based on the received beam signal wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;

wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal;
wherein the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient, \u03c1, is calculated as
\u03c1
_

=

E
\u2061
conj
\u2061

(
h
^
P

CPICH
)
\xb7
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf603
h
^
P

CPICH
\uf604

\xb7

\uf603
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf604
,
wherein conj (\xb7) is the complex conjugation of the argument.
4. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal having a dedicated channel at a receiver, the receiver having an adaptive antenna transmitter, wherein the communication system is a cellular system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector;
receiving an antenna signal at a receiver, the antenna signal having a primary common pilot channel; and
performing channel estimation on the received beam signal based on pilot signals received in the primary common pilot channel,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the channel estimation is additionally based on dedicated signals received in the dedicated physical channel wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor.
5. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal having a dedicated channel at a receiver, the receiver having an adaptive antenna transmitter, wherein the communication system is a cellular system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector;
receiving an antenna signal at the receiver, the antenna signal having a primary common pilot channel; and
performing channel estimation on the received beam signal based on pilot signals received in the primary common pilot channel,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the channel estimation is additionally based on dedicated signals received in the dedicated physical channel wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal.
6. A method comprising:
receiving a beam signal having a dedicated channel at a receiver, the receiver having an adaptive antenna transmitter, wherein the communication system is a cellular system comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising at least one sector;
receiving an antenna signal at the receiver, the antenna signal having a primary common pilot channel; and
performing channel estimation on the received beam signal based on pilot signals received in the primary common pilot channel,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the channel estimation is additionally based on dedicated signals received in the dedicated physical channel wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal;
wherein the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient, \u03c1, is calculated as
\u03c1
_

=

E
\u2061
conj
\u2061

(
h
^
P

CPICH
)
\xb7
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf603
h
^
P

CPICH
\uf604

\xb7

\uf603
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf604
,
wherein conj (\xb7) is the complex conjugation of the argument.
7. An apparatus comprising:
a first input element configured to receive a beam signal;
a second input element configured to receive an antenna signal; and
an estimator, connected to the second input element, configured to estimate parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimator is further connected to the first input element, and configured to estimate the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a first input element configured to receive a beam signal;
a second input element configured to receive an antenna signal; and
an estimator, connected to the second input element, configured to estimate parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimator is further connected to the first input element, and configured to estimate the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a first input element configured to receive a beam signal;
a second input element configured to receive an antenna signal; and
an estimator, connected to the second input element, configured to estimate parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimator is further connected to the first input element, and configured to estimate the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal;
wherein the exoectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient, \u03c1, is calculated as
\u03c1
_

=

E
\u2061
conj
\u2061

(
h
^
P

CPICH
)
\xb7
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf603
h
^
P

CPICH
\uf604

\xb7

\uf603
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf604
,
wherein conj (\xb7) is the complex conjugation of the argument.
10. An apparatus comprising:
first input means for receiving a beam signal;
second input means for receiving an antenna signal; and
estimating means, connected to the second input means, for estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimating means is further connected to the first input means, for estimating the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor.
11. An apparatus, comprising:
first input means for receiving a beam signal;
second input means for receiving an antenna signal; and
estimating means, connected to the second input means, for estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimating means is further connected to the first input means, for estimating the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal.
12. An apparatus comprising:
first input means for receiving a beam signal;
second input means for receiving an antenna signal; and
estimating means, connected to the second input means, for estimating parameters of the received beam signal based on information received in the antenna signal,
wherein estimating the parameters includes channel estimation,
wherein the antenna signal is transmitted in a communications system, the communications system comprising a plurality of cells and each cell comprising at least one sector and the antenna signal is transmitted over an entire sector and the beam signal is transmitted over part of a sector and the estimating means is further connected to the first input means, for estimating the channel based on information additionally received in the beam signal;
wherein the channel is estimated as:
\u0125joint={circumflex over (\u03b2)}\u0125DL-DPCCH+(1\u2212{circumflex over (\u03b2)})\u0125P-CPICH
wherein \u0125P-CPICH is a channel estimate obtained from the antenna signal and \u0125DL-DPCCH is a channel estimate obtained from the beam signal, and {circumflex over (\u03b2)} is a weight factor;
wherein the weight factor is calculated as:
\u03b2
^

=
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
(

1

\u03c1
_
)

\xb7
SNR
^
h

DL

DPCCH
+
\u03c1
_

\u2062
SNR
^
h

P

CPICH
,
where \u03c1 is the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient and S {circumflex over (N)} R is the estimate of the signal-to-noise-ratio of the signal;
wherein the expectation value of the time variant correlation coefficient, \u03c1, is calculated as
\u03c1
_

=

E
\u2061
conj
\u2061

(
h
^
P

CPICH
)
\xb7
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf603
h
^
P

CPICH
\uf604

\xb7

\uf603
h
^
DL

DPCCH
\uf604
,
wherein conj (\xb7) is the complex conjugation of the argument.

1461187651-9e8fe5b7-0568-4173-b9ed-1916d89e266c

What is claimed:

1. A golf club which comprises:
a head which has a face on a front surface, a shaft attachment portion at one side and a cavity on a rear surface, said cavity having a bottom surface defined by a maximum length H1 in a top-to-sole direction and another maximum length W1 in a toe-to-heel direction; and a shaft connected to the head,
wherein the cavity is formed to satisfy an inequality: H1W10.6.
2. A golf club which comprises:
a head which has a face on a front surface, said face having a maximum length H2 in a top-to-sole direction, a shaft attachment portion at one side and a cavity on a rear surface, said cavity having a bottom surface defined by a maximum length H1 in a top-to-sole direction; and a shaft connected to the head,
wherein the cavity is formed to satisfy an inequality: 0.7H1H20.85.
3. A golf club which comprises:
a head which has a face on a front surface, a shaft attachment portion at one side and a cavity on a rear surface, said cavity having a bottom surface defined by an inner top surface, an inner lower surface and inner side surfaces; and a shaft connected to the head,
wherein the inner lower surface of said cavity is formed with an undercut configuration defined toward a sole, said undercut having a maximum depth of 7 mm or above.
4. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising: a face member; a head body having an aperture on a front surface for securing the face member thereto and a shaft attachment portion at one side; and a shaft connected to the head body, said method comprising the steps of:
inserting a mechanical processing unit from a front side of said head body through the aperture to process said head body; and then,
securing the face member to the aperture by means of laser beam welding or the like.
5. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising: a face member; a head body having an aperture on a front surface for securing the face member thereto, a cavity on a rear surface and a shaft attachment portion at one side; and a shaft connected to the head body, said method comprising the steps of:
forging a raw material to form a head prototype so that the head prototype may have a face corresponding portion and a cavity corresponding portion;
hollowing the face corresponding portion from the head prototype to provide a separate face corresponding portion and a resultant hollow portion, said separate face corresponding portion being processed to said face member;
forming the resultant hollow portion into said aperture;
forming an undercut portion on said cavity corresponding portion to thereby form said cavity; and then,
securing said face member to the aperture by means of laser beam welding or the like.
6. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising: a face member; a head body having an aperture on a front surface for securing the face member thereto and a shaft attachment portion at one side; and a shaft connected to the head body, said method comprising the steps of:
inserting a die from a front side of said head body through the aperture to process the said head body; and
securing the face member to the aperture by means of laser beam welding or the like.
7. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 4, wherein said head body is formed by forging.
8. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising: a head having a face on a front surface and a shaft attachment portion at one side, said head being formed by combining a plurality of members; and a shaft connected to the head, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a protrusion on an entire or a part of a periphery of at least one of said plurality of members; and
joining the members together by welding.
9. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of members essentially consist of: a head body formed with an aperture on a front face; and a face plate to be fitted into the aperture, said protrusion being formed on the periphery of said aperture.
10. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of members essentially consist of: a head body formed with an aperture on a front face; and a face plate to be fitted into the aperture, said protrusion being formed on the periphery of said face plate.
11. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising: a head having a face on a front surface and a shaft attachment portion at one side, said head being formed by combining a plurality of members; and a shaft connected to the head, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a recessed portion on either a rear surface or a side surface of at least one of said plurality of members; and
joining the members together by welding.
12. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of members essentially consist of: a head body formed with an aperture on a front face; and a face plate to be fitted into the aperture, said recessed portion being in a form of a beveled portion formed on the rear surface of the face plate.
13. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 5, wherein said head body is formed by forging.
14. A method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 6, wherein said head body is formed by forging.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for determining three-dimensional information, the method comprising:
identifying a single reference element created by a fixed pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object in each of two images, the fixed pattern including a background region, an element, and the single reference element, wherein the element and the single reference element are distinct from the background region, and wherein the single reference element is distinct from the element;
determining a correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference element created by the fixed pattern;
determining three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images; and
generating a three dimensional surface model using the three-dimensional information based on projection of only the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
2. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, further comprising:
projecting the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
3. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 2, wherein the fixed pattern comprises a stripe.
4. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 3, wherein the single reference element comprises a wide stripe, wherein the wide stripe is wider than the stripe.
5. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, wherein the fixed pattern further comprises a plurality of repeating elements.
6. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, wherein determining the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images comprises:
determining a three-dimensional point cloud about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images.
7. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 6, wherein determining the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images further comprises:
determining a three-dimensional surface model of the three-dimensional object.
8. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises a human face.
9. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, wherein the pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object results in one or more elements having a depth discontinuity.
10. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 9, wherein determining the correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference elements comprises:
performing a disparity propagation routine that identifies depth discontinuities.
11. A system configured to determine three-dimensional information, the system comprising:
a computer processor; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the computer processor and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
identify a single reference element created by a fixed pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object in each of two images, the fixed pattern including a background region, an element, and the single reference element, wherein the element and the single reference element are distinct from the background region, and wherein the single reference element is distinct from the element;
determine a correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference element created by the fixed pattern;
determine three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images; and
generate a three dimensional surface model using the three-dimensional information based on projection of only the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
12. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 11, further comprising:
a projector configured to project the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
13. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 12, wherein the projector is configured to project the fixed pattern in infrared.
14. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 12, wherein the fixed pattern projected by the projector comprises a stripe.
15. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 11, further comprising:
a first camera configured to capture a first image of the two images; and
a second camera configured to capture a second image of the two images.
16. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 15, wherein the first camera or the second camera comprises an infrared filter.
17. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the computer processor to determine the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images comprises processor-readable instructions that cause the computer processor to:
determine a three-dimensional point cloud about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images.
18. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the computer processor to determine the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images comprises processor-readable instructions that cause the computer processor to:
determine a three-dimensional surface model of the three-dimensional object.
19. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 11, wherein the pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object results in one or more elements having a depth discontinuity.
20. The system for determining three-dimensional information of claim 19, wherein the instructions that cause the computer processor to determine the correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference elements comprises processor-readable instructions that cause the computer processor to:
perform a disparity propagation routine that identifies depth discontinuities of the pattern projected onto the three-dimensional object.
21. An apparatus for determining three-dimensional information, the apparatus comprising:
means for identifying a single reference element created by a fixed pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object in each of two images, the fixed pattern including a background region, an element, and the single reference element, wherein the element and the single reference element are distinct from the background region, and wherein the single reference element is distinct from the element;
means for determining a correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference element created by the fixed pattern;
means for determining three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images; and
means for generating a three dimensional surface model using the three-dimensional information based on projection of only the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
22. The apparatus for determining three-dimensional information of claim 21, further comprising:
means for projecting the fixed pattern in infrared onto the three-dimensional object.
23. The apparatus for determining three-dimensional information of claim 21, wherein the means for determining the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images comprises:
means for determining a three-dimensional point cloud about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images.
24. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for determining three-dimensional information, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
identify a single reference element created by a fixed pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object in each of two images, the fixed pattern including a background region, an element that is distinct from the background region, and the single reference element that is distinct from the background region and the element;
determine a correspondence between portions of the two images based on the single reference element created by the fixed pattern;
determine three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images; and
generate a three dimensional surface model using the three-dimensional information based on projection of only the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object.
25. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for determining three-dimensional information of claim 24, wherein the instructions that cause the computer processor to determine the three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images comprises processor-readable instructions that cause the computer processor to:
determine a three-dimensional point cloud about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images.
26. A method for determining three-dimensional information, the method comprising:
identifying a non-repeating reference element created by a fixed pattern projected onto a three-dimensional object at a single position in each of two images, the fixed pattern being fixed relative to a light source that is projecting the fixed pattern, the fixed pattern including a first portion having a first repetitive component created by light projected from the light source and a second portion having a second repetitive component created by an absence of light projected from the light source, wherein the non-repeating reference element is distinct from the first portion and the second portion;
determining a correspondence between portions of the two images based on the non-repeating reference element created by the fixed pattern;
determining three-dimensional information about the three-dimensional object based on the correspondence between the portions of the two images; and
generating a three dimensional surface model using the three-dimensional information based on projection of only the fixed pattern onto the three-dimensional object at the single position.
27. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 26, wherein the non-repeating reference element comprises light projected from the light source.
28. The method for determining three-dimensional information of claim 1, wherein the element and the single reference element of the fixed pattern comprise light projected onto the object, and wherein the background region of the fixed pattern comprises an area separating the projected light.