Automatic camera orientation estimation for a partially calibrated camera above a plane with a line at known planar distance
This provides a lightweight solution for multi-camera systems in constrained environments where full calibration is impractical.
The paper tackles the problem of estimating camera roll and pitch orientation with minimal scene information, using a partially calibrated camera above a plane and a single reference line at known distance, achieving orientation estimation via inverse projection geometry.
We present a derivation for estimating the roll and pitch orientation of a partially calibrated camera mounted above a planar surface, using minimal scene information. Specifically, we assume known intrinsic parameters and a fixed height between the camera and the observed plane. By detecting a single straight reference line at a known planar distance -- such as the edge between a floor and a wall -- we estimate the roll and pitch angles via inverse projection geometry. The method leverages geometric constraints and the camera model, including lens distortion correction. This approach is suitable for scenarios where full calibration is impractical and offers a lightweight alternative for multi-camera systems operating in constrained environments.