Active Illumination Camera Synchronization via Time Division

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Solution Overview

Problem

As active illumination range cameras become more popular and are used simultaneously in crowded venues, they can interfere with each other's operations, leading to potential interference in light transmission and image acquisition.

Innovation Solution

A camera synchronization system (CAM-Sync) coordinates active illumination range cameras through a cloud-based hub and mobile app, implementing a time division multiplexing (TDM) imaging mode by establishing a wireless local area network (WLAN) to allocate exclusive imaging time slots, ensuring that only one camera operates at a time to minimize interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple active illumination range cameras operate simultaneously in a crowded venue, then the productivity and usage of the system is improved, but light interference between cameras increases causing operational reliability to deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage of range camerasVSAvoidoperation of range cameras

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements time-division multiplexing where multiple range cameras operate in periodic time slots rather than continuously simultaneously. Each camera is assigned specific time windows for transmission and imaging, creating a periodic operation pattern that eliminates light interference while maintaining high overall system productivity and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If multiple active illumination range cameras operate simultaneously, then the productivity is improved, but light interference causes measurement precision to deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage of range camerasVSAvoidrange imaging accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

By implementing periodic time-division multiplexing operation, the patent ensures that only one camera transmits and images at any given time slot. This periodic scheduling eliminates cross-camera light interference that would otherwise corrupt distance measurements and range imaging accuracy, while still allowing high productivity through coordinated multi-camera operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If time division multiplexing is implemented to reduce interference, then the reliability and measurement precision are improved, but the device complexity increases due to coordination requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation of range camerasVSAvoidcoordination system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a central coordinator device that acts as an intermediary to manage time-division multiplexing schedules for multiple range cameras. This intermediary handles the complex coordination logic, assigning time slots and synchronizing operations, thereby improving reliability and measurement precision while containing device complexity within the coordinator rather than distributing it across all cameras

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10523923B2Synchronizing active illumination cameras

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Apparatus for controlling a plurality of active illumination cameras to operate in a time division multiplexed operating mode to acquire images of scenes that the cameras image.