Coded-Exposure Camera Resolution Enhancement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for deblurring and resolution enhancement in images are ill-posed problems, particularly when dealing with motion-blurred images, as they often result in image degradation and are not effective in increasing the resolution of moving objects without introducing noise or blurring discontinuities.

Innovation Solution

A coded-exposure camera system that preserves high spatial frequencies by using a pseudo-random binary encoding pattern to modulate the exposure time, allowing for the inversion of the combined effect of motion and sensor blurs, thereby enhancing the resolution of moving objects in motion-blurred images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional deblurring methods are used on motion-blurred images, then the processing is simpler, but the resolution enhancement is limited and image quality degrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject resolutionVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by encoding the exposure pattern before capturing the motion-blurred image. The coded exposure pattern is predetermined and applied during image acquisition, which enables subsequent resolution enhancement beyond conventional limits. This pre-encoding approach allows the system to capture sufficient information upfront to support super-resolution reconstruction without degrading image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary element in the form of a coded exposure pattern that mediates between the motion blur and the final image quality. This encoding pattern acts as a bridge, allowing the system to transform the motion-blurred image into a form that can be reconstructed at higher resolution while maintaining or improving image quality through the inversion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If multiple low-resolution images are combined for super-resolution, then the resolution increases, but motion blur significantly degrades the quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the exposure time parameter dynamically according to a coded pattern during image acquisition. By varying the exposure duration in a predetermined coded sequence, the system captures different temporal information that can be reconstructed into higher resolution images. This parameter modulation allows resolution enhancement while maintaining image quality despite motion blur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If higher resolution cameras are used, then the image detail improves, but the cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidcamera cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a high-resolution copy of the scene through computational reconstruction rather than using a high-resolution camera directly. By capturing a motion-blurred image with a standard camera and applying coded exposure patterns followed by inversion algorithms, the system generates a super-resolution image that replicates the detail quality of expensive high-resolution cameras without the associated cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical complexity of high-resolution camera sensors with a computational approach. Instead of relying on expensive high-resolution hardware, the system uses coded exposure patterns and mathematical inversion to achieve super-resolution, substituting computational processing for expensive optical hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Use of energy by moving object

If the exposure time is extended to capture moving objects, then more light is captured, but motion blur increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight captureVSAvoidimage sharpness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by using a coded exposure pattern that modulates the shutter opening and closing in a predetermined periodic sequence during the exposure period. This periodic modulation allows the system to capture light over an extended period while encoding temporal information that can be reconstructed to reduce motion blur effects, achieving both adequate light capture and improved image sharpness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7639289B2Increasing object resolutions from a motion-blurred image

Publication Date: 2009.12.29 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES INC

AI summary

A method increases a resolution of a moving object in an image acquired of a scene by a camera. The image scene is temporally modulated according to a temporally encoding pattern, while integrating the image in a camera sensor to produce a blurred input image. The blurred input image is resolved according to the temporally encoding pattern to produce an enhanced and deblurred output image in which the object has an increased resolution.