Dynamic Exposure Optical Distance Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical distance measurement systems face challenges in accurately calculating distances of objects at different distances due to over-exposure of close objects and under-exposure of far objects, leading to degraded calculation accuracy and potential inability to detect far objects.
Innovation Solution
The system employs time-multiplexing and adjustable exposure times to capture images of objects at different distances, allowing for the combination of image regions with optimal signal characteristics to improve distance calculation accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single exposure time is used for capturing images of objects at different distances, then the imaging process is simple and fast, but close objects become over-exposed and far objects become under-exposed, degrading distance measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the exposure time adjustable rather than fixed. The system dynamically selects different exposure times based on the distance to the target object, using a shorter exposure time for close objects to prevent over-exposure and a longer exposure time for far objects to avoid under-exposure. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the exposure time parameter according to the distance of the target object. By adjusting this critical parameter based on distance conditions, the system optimizes image quality for both close and far objects, thereby improving distance measurement accuracy without requiring complex additional hardware.
2Measurement precision
If a longer exposure time is used to capture far objects, then far objects are properly exposed, but close objects become over-exposed and lose detail information
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts exposure time based on target distance. When detecting far objects, it uses a longer exposure time to ensure proper exposure, while when detecting close objects, it uses a shorter exposure time to prevent over-exposure. This dynamic control prevents information loss in close objects while maintaining detection capability for far objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary distance estimation or uses preliminary imaging to determine the appropriate exposure time before capturing the final image. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-select the optimal exposure time, preventing both over-exposure of close objects and under-exposure of far objects.
3Measurement precision
If a shorter exposure time is used to capture close objects, then close objects are properly exposed, but far objects become under-exposed and cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the exposure time based on the distance to the target. For close objects, it uses a shorter exposure time to achieve proper exposure and accurate measurement. For far objects, it switches to a longer exposure time to ensure sufficient light capture and maintain detection reliability. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between close object accuracy and far object reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an optical distance measurement system including an image sensor and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to generate an image to be calculated according to at least one image captured by the image sensor, wherein different image regions of the image to be calculated correspond to different exposure times thereby improving the accuracy of the distance calculation.