Image forming apparatus

Abstract

The invention discloses an imaging device. The image forming apparatus includes: a rotary table; and the sensor module is arranged on the rotating table and is provided with a plurality of imaging units, each imaging unit is provided with a first-type sensor and a second-type sensor which are arranged in an array, the first-type sensor has a first imaging type, and the second-type sensor has a second imaging type. A first type sensor and a second type sensor are integrated in each imaging unit, in the imaging process, each imaging unit can obtain image information of two different imaging types at the same time, and the image information of the two different types corresponds to different parts of the same target area. Therefore, spatially and completely aligned multi-modal image acquisition is realized. Meanwhile, the overall size and power consumption of the system are effectively reduced, and the system is particularly suitable for application scenes with strict requirements for spatial layout and energy efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sensor technology, and in particular to an imaging device. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, infrared imaging and visible light imaging are two important visual perception methods, widely used in security monitoring, industrial inspection, intelligent driving, and fire rescue. Traditional solutions typically employ a dual-sensor parallel layout, mounting an infrared thermal imager and a visible light camera separately in the same device, achieving spatial alignment through a physically fixed structure. However, this structure has several technical drawbacks: First, due to the physical offset between the infrared and visible light sensors in space, accurate image registration is difficult to achieve during acquisition, especially at long distances or in dynamic scenes, where image misalignment is significant and severely affects the fusion effect; second, dual-sensor systems are usually large in size and consume a lot of power, making it difficult to meet the deployment requirements of miniaturized, low-power devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, the purpose of this application is to provide an imaging device that can effectively reduce system power consumption and size, and improve imaging registration accuracy.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, an imaging apparatus is disclosed, comprising: a rotating stage; and a sensor module disposed on the rotating stage, having a plurality of imaging units, each of the imaging units having a first type of sensor and a second type of sensor arranged in an array, the first type of sensor having a first imaging type and the second type of sensor having a second imaging type.

[0005] Optionally, in each of the imaging units, the first type of sensor is disposed in a first region, and the second type of sensor is disposed in a second region, with the first region and the second region being adjacent to each other.

[0006] Optionally, the first type of sensor is a visible light sensor, and the second type of sensor is an infrared sensor.

[0007] Optionally, the area ratio of the first region to the second region can range from 1:1 to 10:1.

[0008] Optionally, the sensor further includes a housing disposed on the rotating platform and forming a sealed cavity with the rotating platform, wherein the sensor module is disposed in the sealed cavity.

[0009] Optionally, the shell is made of transparent high-density polyethylene.

[0010] Optionally, the sealed cavity is evacuated.

[0011] Optionally, the sensor module is mounted vertically on the rotating platform.

[0012] Optionally, the rotation angle range of the rotary table is -10° to 10°, and the rotation period of the rotary table is 0.5 seconds.

[0013] Optionally, each of the imaging units also has an independent switch.

[0014] According to the imaging device provided in this application, each imaging unit integrates a first type of sensor and a second type of sensor. During the imaging process, each imaging unit can simultaneously acquire image information of two different imaging types, and these two different types of image information correspond to different parts of the same target area, thereby achieving spatially aligned multimodal image acquisition. Simultaneously, it effectively reduces the overall size and power consumption of the system, making it suitable for application scenarios with strict requirements on spatial layout and energy efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become clearer from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagrams of the imaging apparatus in some embodiments are shown;

[0017] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the sensor module;

[0018] Figure 3 Show Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of each imaging unit in the diagram;

[0019] Figure 4A A schematic diagram showing the first image;

[0020] Figure 4B A schematic diagram showing the second image;

[0021] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagrams of the imaging apparatus in some other embodiments are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Various embodiments of the present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the various drawings, the same elements are indicated by the same or similar reference numerals. For clarity, the various parts in the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0023] Furthermore, certain terms are used in this specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in name, but rather on differences in function.

[0024] It should be understood that, in the following description, "circuit" may include single or combined hardware circuits, programmable circuits, state machine circuits, and / or elements capable of storing instructions executed by the programmable circuit. When an element or circuit is said to be "connected" to another element or "connected" between two nodes, it may be directly coupled or connected to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements; the connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly coupled to" or "directly connected" to another element, it means that there are no intermediate elements between them.

[0025] Furthermore, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0026] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagrams of the imaging apparatus in some embodiments are shown; Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the sensor module; Figure 3 Show Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of each imaging unit is shown below. Figures 1 to 3 The imaging apparatus provided in this application is described in detail.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, the imaging device 100 disclosed in this application includes a rotating stage 120 and a sensor module 110.

[0028] The sensor module 110 can be vertically mounted on the rotary table 120 for acquiring image information of the target area. Specifically, in conjunction with... Figure 2The sensor module 110 includes multiple imaging units 111, which are arranged, for example, in an array, to simultaneously acquire multi-angle image information of the target area. More specifically, combined with Figure 3 Each imaging unit 111 includes a first type of sensor 111a and a second type of sensor 111b.

[0029] The first type of sensor 111a and the second type of sensor 111b are arranged in an array. In some embodiments, the first type of sensor 111a and the second type of sensor 111b may be arranged alternately to form a hybrid array structure. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the first type of sensor 111a and the second type of sensor 111b are arranged in separate regions. For example, the first type of sensor 111a is located in the first region A, and the second type of sensor 111b is located in the second region B. The two regions are adjacent but do not overlap.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first type of sensor 111a is a visible light sensor used to acquire optical image information of the target area; the second type of sensor 111b is an infrared sensor used to simultaneously acquire thermal radiation information of the target area. The two types of sensors sharing the same imaging optical path enable collaborative acquisition of multimodal information.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, when the first type of sensor 111a is a visible light sensor and the second type of sensor 111b is an infrared sensor, and the two types of sensors are arranged in separate regions, the area ratio of the first region A and the second region B ranges from 1:1 to 10:1. This ratio range can ensure the resolution of visible light imaging while also taking into account the sensitivity requirements of infrared thermal imaging. Figure 3 In the example, the area ratio of the first region A and the second region B is approximately 4:1.

[0032] In some embodiments, each imaging unit 111 also has an independent switch to enable independent control of the operating state of each imaging unit 111, thereby flexibly adjusting the number of imaging units 111 activated according to actual imaging needs. This can further reduce system power consumption and the computing resources required for information processing.

[0033] The rotating stage 120 carries the sensor module 110 and can rotate around its central axis within a range of, for example, -10° to 10°, to achieve scanning imaging of the target area. The rotation period of the rotating stage 120 is, for example, 0.5 seconds. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the rotation range and period can be dynamically adjusted according to the relative positional relationship between the target area and the imaging device 100 to achieve optimal imaging coverage. For example, when the target area is close, a smaller rotation angle and a shorter period are used to increase the sampling density; conversely, the rotation range is increased and the period is extended to ensure imaging integrity. This design effectively improves the system's adaptability and imaging stability in complex environments. By dynamically adjusting the rotation parameters, the system can adaptively optimize image acquisition efficiency and accuracy in different working scenarios.

[0034] To facilitate understanding of the imaging device of this application, the following is combined with... Figure 4A and Figure 4B Taking a pet care scenario as an example, the imaging device of this application will be further explained. In this example, a visible light sensor is still used as the first type of sensor 111a, and an infrared sensor is used as the second type of sensor 111b. Figure 4A A schematic diagram showing the first image is provided. Figure 4B A schematic diagram showing the second image.

[0035] Many pet owners are concerned about their pets' activity at home while they are away, and therefore wish to obtain timely information about their pets' behavior through remote monitoring. The imaging device of this application can be deployed in a fixed location in the home environment, and can capture the pet's activity status in real time through the coordinated operation of, for example, visible light sensors and infrared sensors.

[0036] The sensor module 110 of the imaging device 100 is, for example, vertically fixed on a rotating stage 120, and periodically reciprocates with the rotating stage to perform scanning imaging of the indoor space. For example, it can reciprocate with a rotation angle range of -10° to 10° and a period of 0.5 seconds. The visible light sensor and infrared sensor in each imaging unit 111 synchronously acquire visible light and infrared thermal images of the environment as the rotating stage rotates, and transmit the acquired image information to the user terminal for processing and display. Specifically, since each imaging unit has both an infrared sensor and a visible light sensor, the first part of the image information can be acquired by the visible light sensor. The second part of the image information is synchronously captured by the infrared sensor. The first part of the image information is a collection of image information from a first region A in each imaging unit 111, which is a visible light image type; the second part of the image information is a collection of image information from a second region B in each imaging unit 111, which is an infrared thermal image type.

[0037] During the display process, the user-side processor needs to fuse the visible light image and the infrared thermal image to obtain, for example... Figure 4A The first image shown and Figure 4B The second image shown. For example, it could be generated by a processor converting the second part of the infrared thermal image information into the second part of the visible light image information, and then overlaying and fusing it with the first part of the visible light image information to produce an image like... Figure 4A The first image, shown is a visible light image, used to represent the indoor environment. Simultaneously, the processor can convert the first portion of the visible light image information into a first portion of an infrared thermal image, and fuse it with a second portion of the infrared thermal image information to generate an image such as... Figure 4B The second image shown is an infrared thermal image type, reflecting the pet's location.

[0038] In particular, when pets hide in corners or dimly lit areas, visible light sensors alone are insufficient to accurately capture their location and status. In such cases, infrared sensors can effectively identify the pet's location based on thermal radiation characteristics, and combined with visible light images, achieve precise pet positioning and behavior recognition. This enables accurate monitoring of the pet's status and tracking of its activities.

[0039] Furthermore, in some embodiments, during the rotation of the rotary stage 120, two images can be formed in each reciprocating cycle, so image correction can also be achieved based on these two images.

[0040] It should be noted that the user terminal can typically be installed on devices such as mobile phones, tablets, or other smart terminals. Therefore, the image fusion and processing tasks can be completed using the display processors of these smart terminals, such as MCUs (microcontroller units) or FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays). The relevant processing algorithms can be image fusion algorithms well-known to those skilled in the art, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0041] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagrams of the imaging apparatus in some other embodiments are shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, in some other embodiments, to avoid environmental contamination of the imaging device, the imaging device 200 may include a rotating stage 220 and a housing 230. The rotating stage 220 and the housing 230 form a sealed vacuum cavity to house and protect the sensor module 210. Figure 5 (Not shown in the image) This prevents dust, moisture, or other external impurities from entering the sensor's working area, thus ensuring long-term stable operation of the sensor. The housing 230 is, for example, made of transparent high-density polyethylene. This material has high transmittance in both visible and infrared bands, effectively supporting dual-mode imaging requirements. For descriptions of the rotary stage 220 and sensor module 210, please refer to [the description of the sensor module 210]. Figures 1 to 3The description of the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0042] According to the imaging device provided in this application, each imaging unit integrates a first type of sensor and a second type of sensor. During the imaging process, each imaging unit can simultaneously acquire image information of two different imaging types, and these two different types of image information correspond to different parts of the same target area, thereby achieving spatially aligned multimodal image acquisition. Simultaneously, it effectively reduces the overall size and power consumption of the system, making it suitable for application scenarios with strict requirements on spatial layout and energy efficiency.

[0043] The embodiments described above, as per the examples of this application, do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit this application to the specific embodiments described above. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the above description. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to effectively utilize this application and its modifications. The scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope defined in the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, wherein, The sensor comprises: a rotating table; and a sensor module arranged on the rotating table, having a plurality of imaging units, each of which has a first type of sensor and a second type of sensor arranged in an array, the first type of sensor having a first imaging type, and the second type of sensor having a second imaging type.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein, In each of the imaging units, the first type of sensor is arranged in a first region, and the second type of sensor is arranged in a second region, the first region and the second region being adjacent.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The first type of sensor is a visible light sensor, and the second type of sensor is an infrared sensor.

4. The imaging apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The area ratio of the first region to the second region ranges from 1:1 to 10:

1.

5. The imaging apparatus of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The sensor further comprises: a housing arranged on the rotating table and forming a sealed cavity with the rotating table, the sensor module being arranged in the sealed cavity.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The material of the housing is transparent high-density polyethylene.

7. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The sealed cavity is vacuumized.

8. The imaging apparatus of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The sensor module is vertically installed on the rotating table.

9. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein, The rotating angle of the rotating table ranges from -10° to 10°, and the rotating period of the rotating table is 0.5 seconds.

10. The imaging apparatus of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, Each of the imaging units further has an independent switch.

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