Drone Camera Dynamic Capture Area Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone video cameras experience image stabilization issues, particularly at high roll angles, leading to artefacts like grey corners or edges due to the fisheye lens's hemispherical field of view, which are problematic for capturing and rendering sequences without significant degradation in video flow fluidity or pixel loss.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically selects different camera sensor configurations based on the drone's roll angle, switching from a base configuration to a degraded mode with increased capture area and appropriate processing to maintain image quality and prevent pixel loss, while maintaining a constant framerate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a fisheye lens with hemispherical field of view is used for image capture, then the field of view coverage is improved, but image artefacts appear at high roll angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by dynamically selecting between a base configuration and a degraded mode configuration based on the drone's roll angle. The system transitions from using a base capture area to using an extended capture area when high roll angles are detected, allowing the image stabilization to function effectively across a wider range of motion without producing artefacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the capture area parameter from a base configuration to an extended configuration when the roll angle exceeds a threshold. This parameter change allows the system to maintain image quality by capturing from a larger area that can compensate for the geometric distortions occurring at high roll angles.
2Stability of the object's composition
If image stabilization is applied to compensate for drone movements, then image stability is improved, but pixel loss occurs at high roll angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining an extended capture area that is larger than the base capture area. When high roll angles are anticipated or detected, the system switches to using this extended capture area, ensuring that sufficient pixels are available to perform stabilization compensation without resulting in pixel loss or artefacts in the final image.
3Manufacturing precision
If the capture area is extended to prevent pixel loss at high roll angles, then image quality is maintained, but video flow fluidity may degrade
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains video flow fluidity by dynamically switching between configurations only when necessary. The system uses the base configuration for normal operation to ensure smooth video flow, and only transitions to the extended capture area configuration when the roll angle exceeds a threshold, thereby maintaining image quality only when needed without degrading overall video flow fluidity.
Data Source
AI summary
The drone comprises a camera, an inertial unit measuring the drone angles, and an extractor module delivering data of an image area (ZI) of reduced size defined inside a capture area (ZC) of the sensor. A feedback-control module dynamically modifies the position and the orientation of the image area inside the capture area, in a direction opposite to that of the angle variations measured by the inertial unit. The sensor may operate according to a plurality of different configurations able to be dynamically selected, with a base configuration using a base capture area (ZCB) for low values of roll angle (θ), and at least one degraded mode configuration using an extended capture area (ZCE) of greater size than the base capture area (ZCB), for high values of roll angle (θ).