Bus Camera Mounting for Distortion Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera arrangements for monitoring elongated spaces, such as corridors, face challenges in maintaining high image quality across all areas due to significant equipment costs and noticeable installations, especially with wide-angle cameras causing image distortion in remote edge areas.

Innovation Solution

A camera arrangement featuring a wide-angle camera with an attachment that allows for a low-distortion field of view for distant objects and a high-distortion field of view for closer objects, utilizing the camera's optical axis alignment to optimize image quality, and employing two back-to-back cameras with an offset mounting for seamless image generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple cameras are provided to observe different areas with high resolution, then the monitoring coverage and image quality are improved, but the equipment cost and arrangement complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidequipment arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the monitoring task into two distinct optical paths within a single camera system: a wide-angle lens for capturing distant areas and a telephoto lens for capturing close-up areas. This segmentation allows one camera to perform the work of multiple cameras with different focal lengths, reducing equipment complexity while maintaining high measurement precision for both distant and close objects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal camera system that can simultaneously perform multiple monitoring functions - capturing both distant and close-up areas with high resolution. The single camera unit with multiple lenses and image recording media achieves what would otherwise require multiple specialized cameras, making the system both universal and cost-effective

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If a wide-angle camera is used to capture a large spatial area, then the monitoring coverage is improved, but image distortion increases in remote edge areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring coverageVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different lens types to different spatial zones: the wide-angle lens captures distant areas with minimal distortion, while the telephoto lens captures close-up areas with high detail. Each lens optimizes image quality for its specific zone, ensuring that both distant and close objects are recorded with appropriate clarity and minimal distortion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a dimensional aspect to image capture by using multiple image recording media positioned at different distances from the lens. The first image recording medium captures distant areas, while the second medium captures close-up areas. This dimensional arrangement allows the system to maintain high image quality across varying distances within the same optical path

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If cameras are arranged on ceilings to be inconspicuous, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but image quality deteriorates in long corridors due to high distortion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearrangement visibilityVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the optical function into wide-angle and telephoto components, allowing a single ceiling-mounted camera to achieve both wide coverage and high detail. This segmentation eliminates the need for multiple visible camera locations while maintaining image quality through the combined capability of different lens types within one unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2382607B1Bus camera
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 MOBOTIX
  • EP2382607B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a camera arrangement having at least one wide-angle camera for monitoring an elongated space, and a mount for the camera. The mount is thereby designed for setting up the wide-angle camera having a field of vision having less distortion for further distant parts of the space and having a field of vision having greater distortion for closer parts of the space.