Color Estimation Device for Small Marker Regions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
When the distance between a marker and a camera is great, the image of the marker's light is captured at a small size on the imaging element, causing the emission color to be significantly affected by the color filters, making it difficult to correctly recognize the emission color.
Innovation Solution
A color estimation device and method that uses a plurality of light receiving elements to identify the color of received light, and includes estimation means to determine the color based on brightness when the light receiving position is not clearly identifiable, utilizing a Bayer array of color filters and HSV color space for accurate color estimation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the distance between the marker and camera is increased, then the field of view is expanded, but the image size becomes too small for accurate color identification
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary color calibration by capturing images of a calibration board with known color patterns at the same distance and angle as the actual measurement. This preliminary action establishes a reference mapping between the distorted color values in small images and the actual colors, enabling accurate color identification even when the marker image is very small
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of color representation from direct RGB values captured by the camera to corrected color values derived through calibration. By transforming the color data through a calibration-based correction process, the system compensates for the effects of small image size and color filter dominance
2Device complexity
If the image size on the light receiving surface is reduced, then the device complexity is reduced, but the color recognition accuracy deteriorates due to dominant color filter effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital copy of the calibration board's color information and uses this reference data to correct the marker's color values. Instead of using complex hardware solutions, the system copies and processes color information through software algorithms that reference the calibration data, maintaining simplicity while improving accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration board serves as an intermediary element that mediates between the camera system and the marker. By capturing the calibration board first and using its known color patterns as a reference, the system creates an intermediate reference frame that enables accurate color correction of the marker without requiring complex direct measurement
3Ease of operation
If color filters are used to identify light color, then the color identification process is simplified, but the accuracy deteriorates when image size is small due to filter dominance
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by using the calibration board to establish a correction mapping, then applying this correction to the marker's color values. The calibration process creates a feedback loop where the known colors of the calibration board inform the correction of the unknown marker colors, compensating for the color filter dominance effect
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables correct color estimation of marker images that are difficult to identify due to small size, by considering the Bayer array and correcting brightness values, thus accurately determining the color of marker regions.
Implementation Method 1
light receiving means with a plurality of arranged light receiving elements for which a color to which received light belongs is identified from a light receiving position
Data Source
AI summary
When estimating color for a marker candidate region that is smaller in size than a DeBayer filter, a sever estimates the color of the marker candidate region using HSV average values that are the average values of the hue H, the saturation S, and the brightness V of the marker candidate region, in consideration of the Bayer array of color filters. Furthermore, the server appropriately corrects the HSV average values and converts the pixel format to convert the HSV average values to RGB (RGB average value values), and sets the RGB average values in all pixels of a marker region.