Based on the three-dimensional binocular vision sensor measurement model, a kind of low cost single camera model used to measure coordinates in space was established. By using optical imaging, the single camera was imaged as two virtual cameras. Two parallax images which screened by the same object can be collected in the same charge coupled device (CCD) image surface. Then the three-dimensional information of the measured points can be retrieved. The principle of measuring coordinates in space by single camera sensor was discussed, and the single camera sensor model was constructed. This method overcame some disadvantages in double cameras system, such as high system cost, reduction of the measurement speed when switching the image of two cameras, and provided an economical, rapid, useful measuring approach. Experiment showed that the sensor can attain relative accuracy about 0.8％ which indicated the rationality and effectivity of this method.