Diffractive Mask Image Capture for Compressive Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional image sensors produce large amounts of data that are cumbersome and often require unnecessary processing, wasting resources as they reduce data sets mathematically.
Innovation Solution
A compressive-sensing image capture device with an array of sensors and passive or dynamic masks that block electromagnetic radiation, allowing only relevant data to be captured, reducing the need for processing and power consumption by performing filtering in the physical world.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional image sensors capture full image data, then complete image information is obtained, but large amounts of data are produced that require cumbersome processing and waste resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing compressive sensing masking before the image data reaches the sensor. The mask array pre-processes the optical signal by selectively blocking light paths according to compressive sensing patterns, so that only the necessary projected measurements are captured by the sensors. This eliminates the need for subsequent mathematical compression of full image data, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and processing efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If full image data is captured and stored, then all image details are preserved, but processing resources and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential image information needed for the specific application by using compressive sensing masks. Instead of capturing and processing all image details, the mask array selectively allows only relevant light paths to reach the sensors, extracting the minimum necessary data to represent the image. This reduces power consumption while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for the application.
3Device complexity
If compressive sensing masks are used to reduce data capture, then data processing is simplified, but the complexity of the optical system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical or computational data processing systems with an optical system. Instead of capturing full image data and then applying mathematical compressive sensing algorithms computationally, the system uses physical mask arrays to perform the compression in the optical domain. This substitution of optical elements for computational processing achieves data reduction while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through hardware-based preprocessing.
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 device captures compressive-sensing image data that reduces the amount of data processed, saving power and processing capacity while maintaining image quality, and enables the use of simpler machine-trained networks for image analysis.
Implementation Method 1
A passive mask of some embodiments is a diffractive passive mask that comprises posts of different heights
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a novel compressive-sensing image capture device and a method of using data captured by the compressive-sensing image capture device. The novel compressive-sensing image capture device includes an array of sensors for detecting electromagnetic radiation. Each sensor in the sensor array has an associated mask that blocks electromagnetic radiation from portions of the sensor. In some embodiments, a diffractive mask is used to direct incoming light from a same object to different sensors in a sensing array. Some embodiments of the invention provide a dynamic mask array. In some embodiments, a novel machine trained network is provided that processes image capture data captured by the compressive-sensing image capture device to predict solutions to problems.