Multi-Camera Synchronization via Delayed Signal Forwarding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image capturing systems with multiple cameras face challenges in synchronizing exposure times across different cameras, leading to inconsistent image quality and synchronization issues, particularly when capturing images for applications like face verification and depth sensing.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a second processing unit to calculate a delay time period based on the exposure time periods of multiple cameras, ensuring synchronization by forwarding a synchronization signal to the first camera after the calculated delay, allowing for synchronized image capture and processing across cameras, including infrared and speckle image processing for depth information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple cameras are used to capture images simultaneously, then image quality and visual effect are improved, but synchronization of exposure times across cameras deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates delay time periods for each camera based on their individual exposure time periods before actual image capture. This preliminary timing configuration ensures that when the synchronization signal is sent, each camera knows in advance when to start and end its exposure, achieving synchronized image capture across multiple cameras with different exposure requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the synchronization timing by calculating different delay time periods for different cameras based on their specific exposure time periods. Rather than using a fixed synchronization scheme, the system adapts the timing dynamically to match each camera's exposure characteristics, resolving the contradiction between maintaining synchronization and accommodating different exposure requirements
2Manufacturing precision
If exposure time periods are adjusted for different cameras, then image content consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a central processing unit as an intermediary that receives synchronization signals, calculates the appropriate delay time periods for each camera based on their exposure time periods, and sends out adjusted synchronization signals. This intermediary coordinate mechanism simplifies the overall control by centralizing the timing calculation logic, making the system more manageable despite the complexity of coordinating multiple cameras with different exposure requirements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus (700) for controlling image capturing, an electronic device (200) and a computer storage medium. The method includes: (1410) a second processing unit (140) controlling a second camera (120) to collect a second image according to a data obtaining request and sending an image collection instruction to a first processing unit (130) in response to receiving the data obtaining request; (1420) the second processing unit (140) obtaining a first exposure time period of the first camera (110) and a second exposure time period of the second camera (120) in response to receiving a synchronization signal sent by the second camera (120); (1430) calculating a delay time period according to the first exposure time period and the second exposure time period; (1440) the second processing unit (140) forwarding the synchronization signal to the first camera (110) in response to a time period of receiving the synchronization signal reaching the delay time period; and (1450) the first processing unit (130) processing the first image, and sending the processed first image to the second processing unit (140).