Distance Measuring Device Using Image Sensor Trajectory Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distance measuring devices require significant processing power for accurate distance measurement, which can be inefficient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A distance measuring device comprising a light-emitting element and a two-dimensionally disposed image sensor with pixel sections, where the device determines if the received light exceeds a threshold value to output the position and determine if it's on a reflection trajectory, allowing for reduced processing by only deriving distance when the position is on the trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If distance measurement is performed using all pixel sections in the image sensor, then measurement precision is improved, but the amount of processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple pixel sections, and the patent processes only those pixel sections that receive reflected light above a threshold value. This segmentation allows the system to maintain measurement precision by focusing on relevant pixels while reducing overall processing load by excluding pixels that do not contribute to the measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing quality levels to different regions of the image sensor. Pixel sections that receive reflected light above the threshold are processed with high precision to ensure accurate distance measurement, while other pixel sections are excluded from processing. This local quality approach optimizes the balance between measurement precision and processing efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If distance measurement is performed using all pixel sections, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs distance measurement processing only on the subset of pixel sections that receive reflected light above a threshold value, rather than processing all pixel sections. This partial action approach maintains measurement accuracy for the relevant pixels while significantly reducing processing time by excluding pixels that do not contain useful measurement information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a preliminary check to determine whether each pixel section receives reflected light above the threshold value before proceeding with distance measurement processing. This preliminary action filters out irrelevant pixels in advance, ensuring that subsequent processing is performed only on pixels that contribute to accurate distance measurement, thereby reducing overall processing time.
3Loss of information
If the system processes all received light data from the image sensor, then complete information is obtained, but the complexity of processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the relevant information from the image sensor data - specifically, pixel sections that receive reflected light above a threshold value. By taking out only the necessary data elements for distance measurement and excluding redundant information, the system maintains information completeness for the measurement purpose while reducing processing complexity.
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
This approach reduces the amount of processing needed for distance measurement by focusing processing only on pixels where the light exceeds the threshold and is on the reflection trajectory, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light-emitting element
Implementation Method 2
a reflected beam, reflected by a physical object, of an irradiation beam from the at least one light-emitting element
Implementation Method 3
an image sensor including a plurality of pixel sections each of which includes a light-receiving element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A detecting device (30) includes: a light-emitting element (31); and an image sensor (33). The image sensor (33) includes a position output section configured to, in a case where an amount of light received of a light-receiving element (33Aa) is greater than a threshold value, output a position in the image sensor (33). The detecting device (30) further includes: a position determining section (34B) configured to determine whether the position is located on a reflection trajectory, the reflection trajectory being a line connecting, on the image sensor (33), points at which a reflected beam reflected by a physical object forms an image on the image sensor (33) and which are obtained as a distance from the physical object is changed; and a distance deriving section (34C) configured to derive, with use of the relationship between the position and the distance from the physical object, a distance to a physical object.