Camera Array Interleaving for High-Speed Video Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-speed video capture solutions rely on single cameras that are expensive and often trade off spatial resolution to achieve high frame rates, limiting the applications of slow motion videos.
Innovation Solution
A camera array is used to synchronize multiple cameras to capture images at staggered times, interleaving frames to achieve an effective frame rate that is multiple times higher than a single camera, with post-processing techniques like view synthesis and content-aware warping to smooth out the video and maintain spatial resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a single camera is used to capture high-speed video, then high frame rate is achieved, but spatial resolution is compromised and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single camera function into multiple cameras arranged in an array. Each camera captures frames at lower individual frame rates, but collectively they achieve high effective frame rates while maintaining spatial resolution through the array geometry. The segmentation of capture tasks across multiple sensors resolves the trade-off between frame rate and resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple camera captures are merged through temporal interleaving and view synthesis to produce a single high-speed video output. The individual camera frames are combined in a coordinated manner to achieve both high frame rate and high spatial resolution, eliminating the need for specialized high-speed single cameras.
2Productivity
If multiple cameras are used to increase frame rate, then effective frame rate is multiplied, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera array system performs multiple functions: capturing images at different times, providing multiple perspectives for view synthesis, and enabling high-speed video production. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering capabilities that single cameras cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
A controller is introduced as an intermediary component to manage the camera array. It coordinates the timing of captures, manages the interleaving process, and orchestrates the view synthesis to produce the final high-speed video. This intermediary simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing control functions.
3Speed
If frames are captured at staggered times from multiple cameras, then high-speed video is achieved, but video quality may be degraded without post-processing
Solution Approach 1:
The view synthesis process uses feedback from multiple camera perspectives to reconstruct consistent images. The controller analyzes the staggered captures and adjusts the synthesis parameters to maintain temporal coherence and spatial consistency, ensuring high video quality despite the complex capture timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameters of frame capture by staggering camera activation times. This creates an effective frame rate that is multiple times higher than individual camera rates. The post-processing then adjusts synthesis parameters to compensate for the staggered timing and produce smooth, high-quality video.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to process high-speed video are disclosed. An example apparatus comprises at least one memory; instructions in the apparatus; and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to: interleave a plurality of images from a first camera and a second camera in chronological order, the first camera to capture first images of the plurality of images, the second camera to capture second images of the plurality of images at a different time offset than the first camera; and generate video with an adaptive frame rate from the plurality of images by applying a mask to the plurality of images.