3D Depth Map Color Noise Reduction via Temporal Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems generating 3D depth maps using laser range finders face noise issues, particularly when laser power is reduced for energy conservation, affecting the accuracy and quality of the maps.
Innovation Solution
Implementing color noise reduction techniques and a synchronized system with a 'heartbeat' clock to manage transmission schedules, allowing devices to augment and refine 3D depth maps with color while reducing noise, enabling operation at lower laser power levels and optimizing capture rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If laser power is reduced to conserve energy, then energy consumption decreases, but noise in the 3D depth map increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple depth maps at reduced laser power before noise becomes problematic. By taking multiple measurements in advance and processing them together through temporal filtering and averaging, the system achieves acceptable noise levels while maintaining low power consumption throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous capture of depth maps even at reduced power levels, processing each frame through noise reduction algorithms. This continuous operation at lower power, combined with real-time temporal filtering, allows the system to accumulate useful data while managing noise through sustained processing rather than intermittent high-power bursts.
2Productivity
If capture rate is increased, then productivity improves, but noise in the depth map increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for high-rate capture by pre-configuring temporal filtering parameters and buffer memory to handle increased frame rates. By having the noise reduction pipeline ready in advance with appropriate temporal window settings, the system can process high-capture-rate data without allowing noise to accumulate beyond acceptable thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise reduction parameters are made dynamic and adaptive to the capture rate. When capture rate increases, the temporal filtering window and averaging parameters are automatically adjusted to maintain optimal noise suppression. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to handle variable capture rates while consistently managing noise levels through real-time parameter optimization.
3Measurement precision
If noise reduction processing is applied, then depth map quality improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies noise reduction processing periodically rather than continuously to every single frame. By using temporal filtering that processes depth maps at intervals and combines them with predicted or interpolated values for intermediate frames, the system achieves significant noise reduction while maintaining high effective capture rates and minimizing processing time overhead.
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
The solution effectively reduces noise in 3D depth maps, allowing systems to operate efficiently with lower laser power while maintaining map quality, thereby improving the compromise between capture rate and noise levels.
Implementation Method 1
When multiple computerized devices interact with each other at close range, they may employ sensors such as cameras and laser range finders to map their environment
Implementation Method 2
a camera providing signals to the processor representative of reflections of the laser range-finding beams
Data Source
AI summary
A camera based depth mapping system. Depth information is coded with colors to make a laser-generated 3D depth map easier to interpret. In the event that the laser illumination is not sufficient, the depth information can have a low signal to noise ratio, i.e., the depth map can be noisy. Color noise reduction techniques are used to alleviate this problem.