Modular stackable camera compound eye array structure

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of camera equipment, in particular to a modular and stackable camera compound eye array structure which comprises at least one camera compound eye array module, the camera compound eye array module comprises a shell, a plurality of camera holes penetrating in and out are arranged on the side of the shell, a plurality of cameras are arranged in the shell and correspond to the camera holes through adjustable mounting racks, a central connecting pipe for connecting two camera compound eye array modules above and below is arranged in the middle of the shell, and a connecting block for connecting two horizontally adjacent camera compound eye array modules is arranged on the side of the shell. The problems that a traditional large-view-field camera array must be customized according to a view field and is difficult to combine and expand are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of camera equipment technology, and more specifically to a modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of optical imaging and video surveillance technologies, large field-of-view imaging systems have been widely used in wide-area security monitoring, target detection and tracking, intelligent transportation, and environmental monitoring. To achieve continuous observation over a large area, existing technologies mainly employ single-lens wide-angle imaging, fisheye lens imaging, PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) pan-tilt-zoom scanning, or distributed deployment of multiple independent cameras.

[0003] However, while single-lens wide-angle or fisheye lens imaging solutions can acquire images with a large field of view in a single shot, they suffer from significant edge distortion and a marked decrease in resolution as the field of view increases, making them unsuitable for long-distance target recognition and high-precision observation. PTZ (Pan-Touch Transmission) solutions achieve large field-of-view coverage through mechanical rotation, but they suffer from drawbacks such as blind spots in observation timing, complex mechanical structures, slow response speeds, and insufficient long-term operational reliability. While distributed deployment of multiple independent cameras can expand the observation range, the lack of unified spatial positioning and optical parameter calibration among the cameras leads to complex image stitching algorithms, a loose system structure, and high wiring and maintenance costs.

[0004] In recent years, inspired by the compound eye structure of insects in nature, biomimetic compound eye imaging technology based on multi-eye arrays has become a research hotspot in the field of large field-of-view imaging. Existing compound eye array imaging systems typically mount multiple cameras in a specific geometric layout on the same support structure, achieving large field-of-view, high-resolution imaging through synchronous acquisition and image stitching. However, existing compound eye array structures are mostly rigid, monolithic structures customized for specific field-of-view requirements. The installation angle, number, and array arrangement of each sub-eye (camera) are determined during the manufacturing stage. This fixed structure leads to the following shortcomings: First, for different observation scenarios or different field-of-view ranges, a dedicated array structure must be redesigned and manufactured, making it difficult to achieve universality and standardization; second, the system's observation range, resolution, and field-of-view coverage cannot be flexibly adjusted or expanded according to actual application needs after leaving the factory, resulting in poor scalability.

[0005] Therefore, a compact, flexible, and scalable large field-of-view camera compound eye array structure is needed to solve the technical problem that traditional large field-of-view camera arrays must be customized according to the field of view and are difficult to combine and expand. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a modular and stackable compound eye array structure for cameras, which solves the problem that traditional large field-of-view camera arrays must be customized according to the field of view and are difficult to combine and expand.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure includes at least one camera compound eye array module. The camera compound eye array module includes a housing, and the side of the housing is provided with a plurality of through-hole camera holes. Multiple cameras are mounted inside the housing corresponding to the camera holes through an adjustable mounting bracket. The middle of the housing is provided with a central connecting tube for connecting two upper and lower camera compound eye array modules. The side of the housing is provided with a connecting block for connecting two horizontally adjacent camera compound eye array modules.

[0009] A further technical solution is that the lower end of the central connecting tube passes through the lower side of the housing and is flush with the lower side of the housing. An upper connector and a lower connector are respectively provided inside the central connecting tube near the upper and lower ends. The upper connector and the lower connector inside the central connecting tube are electrically connected. The camera compound eye array module located on the upper side is electrically connected to the upper connector of the camera compound eye array module located on the lower side through the lower connector.

[0010] A further technical solution is that both the upper and lower connectors are connected to the inner wall of the central connecting pipe by means of threaded connection, and the side wall of the central connecting pipe is provided with a wire hole that runs through the inside and outside.

[0011] A further technical solution is that the lower connector has a socket on its lower side, and the lower connector has at least two positioning and fixing holes around the socket. The upper connector has a plug that matches the socket on its upper side, and the upper connector has at least two positioning and fixing rods that match the positioning and fixing holes around the plug on its upper side.

[0012] A further technical solution is that the adjustable mounting bracket includes a base plate and a left side plate and a right side plate disposed on both sides of the base plate. A fixing plate for mounting a camera is disposed above the base plate between the left side plate and the right side plate. Fixing pivots and adjusting pivots are disposed at intervals on both sides of the fixing plate. The left side plate and the right side plate are respectively provided with a first rotating hole and a second rotating hole at the positions of the fixing pivots on both sides of the fixing plate. The two fixing pivots are respectively rotatably disposed in the first rotating hole and the second rotating hole. The left side plate and the right side plate are respectively provided with a first arc-shaped slot and a second arc-shaped slot at the positions of the adjusting pivots on both sides of the fixing plate. The two adjusting pivots are respectively placed in the first arc-shaped slot and the second arc-shaped slot.

[0013] A further technical solution is that the end of the adjusting shaft away from the fixed plate is provided with a threaded hole, and a locking screw is connected to the threaded hole. The end of the locking screw located outside the threaded hole is connected to a locking knob plate.

[0014] A further technical solution is that the base plate has at least two third arc-shaped slots, which are connected to the inner bottom of the housing by locking screws, and the mounting plate has mounting holes for fixing the camera.

[0015] A further technical solution is that the housing is a multi-faceted prism, a protective light-transmitting glass is installed inside the camera hole, and a first heat dissipation fin is provided on the side of the housing where the camera hole is not located.

[0016] A further technical solution is that the top of the housing is detachably fitted with a top cover, which has an upper viewing window and a second heat dissipation fin.

[0017] A further technical solution is to connect the connecting blocks of two adjacent camera compound eye array modules with fixing bolts.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. Based on the camera compound eye array module as the basic unit, multiple camera compound eye array modules can be assembled to form a camera compound eye array structure. This allows for the selection of different numbers of camera compound eye array modules according to different field environments, eliminating the need for customization. Instead, batch and modular production is adopted, reducing production costs and improving versatility; 2. By setting a central connecting tube, the camera compound eye array modules can be easily assembled in a vertical layout. By setting a connecting block, the camera compound eye array modules can be easily assembled in a horizontal layout. These two methods cover almost all scenario requirements and can achieve the monitoring needs of a large area through assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a camera compound eye array module, which is a modular and stackable camera compound eye array structure according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an adjustable mounting bracket for a modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of point A in the middle.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the vertical connection of two central connecting tubes in a modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the mounting top cover for a camera compound eye array module according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a partial first heat dissipation fin and connecting block on the side of the housing of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal connection of multiple camera compound eye array modules of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the vertical connection of multiple camera compound eye array modules according to the present invention.

[0027] Icons: 1-House, 2-Camera hole, 3-Adjustable mounting bracket, 4-Camera, 5-Central connecting pipe, 6-Connecting block, 7-Upper connector, 8-Lower connector, 9-Wire hole, 10-Socket, 11-Positioning fixing hole, 12-Plug, 13-Positioning fixing rod, 14-Base plate, 15-Left side plate, 16-Right side plate, 17-Fixing plate, 18-Fixing pivot, 19-Adjusting shaft, 20-First rotating hole, 21-First arc-shaped strip hole, 22-Threaded hole, 23-Locking screw, 24-Locking knob plate, 25-Third arc-shaped strip hole, 26-First heat dissipation fin, 27-Protective light-transmitting glass, 28-Top cover, 29-Top viewing window, 30-Second heat dissipation fin. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0029] Figures 1 to 8 The image shows an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1:

[0031] A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure includes at least one camera compound eye array module. Each module includes a housing 1 with multiple through-hole camera holes 2 on its sides. Multiple cameras 4 are mounted inside the housing 1 via adjustable mounting brackets 3, corresponding to the camera holes 2. A central connecting pipe 5 is located in the middle of the housing 1 for connecting two vertically adjacent camera compound eye array modules. Connecting blocks 6 are located on the sides of the housing 1 for connecting two horizontally adjacent camera compound eye array modules. Using the camera compound eye array module as the basic unit, multiple modules can be assembled to form a camera compound eye array structure. This allows for selection of different numbers of modules according to different site environments, eliminating the need for customization and enabling batch, modular production, reducing production costs and improving versatility. The central connecting pipe 5 facilitates vertical assembly of the camera compound eye array modules, while the connecting blocks 6 facilitate horizontal assembly. These two methods cover almost all scenario requirements, enabling the assembly of large-area monitoring coverage.

[0032] The lower end of the central connecting tube 5 passes through the lower side of the housing 1 and is flush with the lower side of the housing 1. The central connecting tube 5 has an upper connector 7 and a lower connector 8 located near the upper and lower ends, respectively. The upper connector 7 and the lower connector 8 inside the central connecting tube 5 are electrically connected to each other. The camera compound eye array module located on the upper side is electrically connected to the upper connector 7 of the camera compound eye array module located on the lower side through the lower connector 8.

[0033] Both the upper connector 7 and the lower connector 8 are connected to the inner wall of the central connecting pipe 5 by means of threaded connection. The side wall of the central connecting pipe 5 is provided with a wire hole 9 that runs through the inside and outside.

[0034] A socket 10 is provided on the lower side of the lower connector 8. At least two positioning and fixing holes 11 are provided around the socket 10 on the lower connector 8. A plug 12 matching the socket 10 is provided on the upper side of the upper connector 7. At least two positioning and fixing rods 13 matching the positioning and fixing holes 11 are provided around the plug 12 on the upper side of the upper connector 7. When connecting the upper and lower camera compound eye array modules, the positioning and fixing rods 13 and the positioning and fixing holes 11 cooperate to perform positioning and installation, and to align the plug 12 and socket 10, preventing damage to the plug 12 or socket 10 due to misalignment. The diameter of the positioning and fixing rod 13 gradually increases from top to bottom, forming a tapered surface, which makes the insertion process smoother and reduces alignment difficulty. The diameter of the positioning and fixing holes 11 is matched to the outer diameter of the positioning and fixing rod 13. Connecting pieces are provided on the upper and lower edges of the housing 1. After the positioning and fixing rod 13 is inserted into the positioning and fixing hole 11, the two connecting pieces are fixed together by bolts to complete the final fixation, making the upper and lower camera compound eye array modules a single unit. By providing the wire hole 9, it is easy to lead the connecting wires of the plug 12 and socket 10 inside the central connecting tube 5 into the housing 1 and connect them to the main board inside the housing 1. The main board is connected to the power supply, camera 4, etc., which are located inside the housing 1, through circuit wires. A sealing strip is provided on the upper edge of the housing 1. During the connection process, the sealing strip is used to seal the edges of the upper and lower camera compound eye array modules.

[0035] The adjustable mounting bracket 3 includes a base plate 14 and a left side plate 15 and a right side plate 16 disposed on both sides of the base plate 14. A fixing plate 17 for mounting a camera 4 is disposed above the base plate 14 between the left side plate 15 and the right side plate 16. Fixing shafts 18 and adjusting shafts 19 are disposed at intervals on both the left and right sides of the fixing plate 17. The left side plate 15 and the right side plate 16 are respectively provided with a first rotating hole 20 and a second rotating hole at the positions of the fixing shafts 18 on both sides of the fixing plate 17. The two fixing shafts 18 are respectively rotatably disposed in the first rotating hole 20 and the second rotating hole. The left side plate 15 and the right side plate 16 are respectively provided with a first arc-shaped slot 21 and a second arc-shaped slot at the positions of the adjusting shafts 19 on both sides of the fixing plate 17. The two adjusting shafts 19 are respectively placed in the first arc-shaped slot 21 and the second arc-shaped slot.

[0036] The end of the adjusting shaft 19 away from the fixed plate 17 is provided with a threaded hole 22. The threaded hole 22 is threadedly connected to a locking screw 23. The end of the locking screw 23 located outside the threaded hole 22 is connected to a locking knob plate 24.

[0037] The base plate 14 has at least two third arc-shaped slots 25, which are connected to the inner bottom of the housing 1 by locking screws. The fixing plate 17 has fixing holes for fixing the camera 4. The base plate 14 is fixed to the bottom of the housing 1 by locking screws, thus fixing the entire adjustable mounting bracket 3. Before it is fully fixed, the base plate 14 can be rotated horizontally by adjusting the position of the locking screws in the third arc-shaped slots 25, thereby controlling the horizontal orientation of the camera 4 and enabling fine-tuning during installation. The fixing plate 17's fixing shaft 18 is installed by setting the first rotating hole 20 and the second rotating hole, allowing the fixing plate 17 to rotate horizontally around the fixing shaft 18. With the first arc-shaped slot 21, the second arc-shaped slot, and the two adjusting shafts 19, the shooting angle of the camera 4 can be finely adjusted vertically. During installation, these two fine-tuning adjustments can make the final image more perfect. With the help of the threaded hole 22 on the adjusting shaft 19 and the locking screw 23 and locking knob plate 24 that cooperate with it, the angle of the fixing plate 17 can be fixed by screwing in the locking knob plate 24 after the adjustment is completed, thereby clamping the left side plate 15 or the right side plate 16.

[0038] The housing 1 is a polygonal prism, and a protective light-transmitting glass 27 is installed inside the camera hole 2. A first heat dissipation fin 26 is provided on the side of the housing 1 without the camera hole 2. By providing the first heat dissipation fin 26, the heat dissipation effect can be improved by increasing the heat dissipation area on the side of the housing 1, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the housing 1 and improving its working efficiency. The protective light-transmitting glass 27 enhances the sealing of the housing 1, protecting the camera 4. Depending on the required field of view width, it can be a pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, or octagonal prism.

[0039] A top cover 28 is detachably mounted on the top of the housing 1. The top cover 28 has an upper viewing window 29 and a second heat dissipation fin 30. By providing the top cover 28, for vertically connected camera compound eye array modules, the top cover 28 is provided for the uppermost camera compound eye array module. For horizontally connected camera compound eye array modules, the top cover 28 is provided for all camera compound eye array modules, preventing the interior of the housing 1 from being exposed. The second heat dissipation fin 30 further improves heat dissipation by increasing the surface area of ​​the top cover 28. The upper viewing window 29 is also a glass window for the camera 4 to shoot upwards and forwards. Because a vertical glass window is not suitable in some situations where the observation angle is large, a glass window is also provided on the top surface in the direction observed by the camera 4.

[0040] The connecting blocks 6 of two adjacent camera compound eye array modules are connected by fixing bolts. The connecting blocks 6 on the two housings 1 are staggered. Sometimes, the two connecting blocks 6 are fitted together and fixed by fixing bolts passing horizontally through the two connecting blocks 6.

[0041] Although the invention has been described herein with reference to several illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many other modifications and implementations can be devised by those skilled in the art, which will fall within the scope and spirit of the principles disclosed herein. More specifically, various variations and modifications can be made to the components and / or layout of the subject matter arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, drawings, and claims. Besides variations and modifications to the components and / or layout, other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure, characterized in that, The system includes at least one camera compound eye array module. The camera compound eye array module includes a housing (1). The side of the housing (1) is provided with a plurality of camera holes (2) that pass through the inside and outside. The housing (1) is equipped with a plurality of cameras (4) corresponding to the camera holes (2) through an adjustable mounting bracket (3). The middle part of the housing (1) is provided with a central connecting pipe (5) for connecting two upper and lower camera compound eye array modules. The side of the housing (1) is provided with a connecting block (6) for connecting two horizontally adjacent camera compound eye array modules.

2. The modular stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the central connecting tube (5) passes through the lower side of the housing (1) and is flush with the lower side of the housing (1). The central connecting tube (5) has an upper connector (7) and a lower connector (8) located near the upper and lower ends respectively. The upper connector (7) and the lower connector (8) inside the central connecting tube (5) are electrically connected. The camera compound eye array module located on the upper side is electrically connected to the upper connector (7) of the camera compound eye array module located on the lower side through the lower connector (8).

3. The modular stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper connector (7) and the lower connector (8) are both connected to the inner wall of the central connecting pipe (5) by means of threaded connection. The side wall of the central connecting pipe (5) is provided with a wire hole (9) that runs through the inside and outside.

4. The modular stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lower connector (8) is provided with a socket (10) on its lower side. The lower connector (8) is provided with at least two positioning and fixing holes (11) around the socket (10). The upper connector (7) is provided with a plug (12) that matches the socket (10) on its upper side. The upper connector (7) is provided with at least two positioning and fixing rods (13) that match the positioning and fixing holes (11) around the plug (12) on its upper side.

5. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustable mounting bracket (3) includes a base plate (14) and a left side plate (15) and a right side plate (16) disposed on both sides of the base plate (14). A fixing plate (17) for mounting a camera (4) is disposed above the base plate (14) between the left side plate (15) and the right side plate (16). A fixing pivot (18) and an adjusting pivot (19) are disposed at intervals on both the left and right sides of the fixing plate (17). The left side plate (15) and the right side plate (16) are respectively fixed on the fixing plate (17). The two fixed rotating shafts (18) are respectively provided with a first rotating hole (20) and a second rotating hole. The two fixed rotating shafts (18) are respectively rotatably disposed in the first rotating hole (20) and the second rotating hole. The left side plate (15) and the right side plate (16) are respectively provided with a first arc-shaped strip hole (21) and a second arc-shaped strip hole at the positions of the adjusting shafts (19) on both sides of the corresponding fixed plate (17). The two adjusting shafts (19) are respectively placed in the first arc-shaped strip hole (21) and the second arc-shaped strip hole.

6. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The adjusting shaft (19) is provided with a threaded hole (22) at one end away from the fixed plate (17). A locking screw (23) is connected to the threaded hole (22) with an internal thread. A locking knob plate (24) is connected to one end of the locking screw (23) outside the threaded hole (22).

7. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base plate (14) is provided with at least two third arc-shaped slots (25), which are connected to the inner bottom of the housing (1) by locking screws. The fixing plate (17) is provided with fixing holes for fixing the camera (4).

8. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing (1) is a polygonal prism, and a protective transparent glass (27) is installed inside the camera hole (2). The housing (1) has a first heat dissipation fin (26) on the side without the camera hole (2).

9. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the housing (1) is detachably fitted with a top cover (28), on which an upper viewing window (29) and a second heat dissipation fin (30) are provided.

10. A modular, stackable camera compound eye array structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting blocks (6) of two adjacent camera compound eye array modules are connected by fixing bolts.

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