Electro-Optic Mirror Artifact Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The placement of a monochromatic light source, such as IR LEDs, behind an electro-optic mirror element in a vehicle monitoring system results in repetitive periodic patterns due to interference, causing ring pattern artifacts in the images captured by the image sensor.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system that includes an electro-optic element with a known cell spacing and an illumination source with a known frequency, where the system performs a transformation on the captured image, applies a mask or filter to remove artifacts based on the anticipated location determined by the cell spacing and light frequency, and then performs an inverse transformation to produce an artifact-free output image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a monochromatic light source is placed behind an electro-optic mirror element, then the image sensor can capture images of the operator, but repetitive periodic patterns and ring pattern artifacts are introduced due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a transformation on the captured image to create a transformed image in a domain other than the spatial domain before applying the mask. This preliminary transformation step prepares the image data for artifact removal by converting it to a domain where artifacts are more easily identifiable and removable through masking based on anticipated locations determined by cell spacing and light frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful periodic interference patterns into beneficial information by using the known cell spacing and light frequency to determine anticipated artifact locations. The interference pattern, while initially harmful, provides predictable spatial information that enables precise mask placement in the transformed domain, allowing systematic removal of artifacts while preserving legitimate image content.
2Loss of information
If image processing is performed to remove artifacts, then image quality improves, but processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the image from the spatial domain to another domain (such as frequency domain) where artifact removal can be performed more efficiently. This dimensional transformation allows artifacts to be identified and removed through masking in a domain where they appear as distinct patterns, rather than attempting to remove them pixel-by-pixel in the spatial domain, thereby reducing computational complexity and processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying uniform processing to the entire image, the system applies localized masking only at anticipated artifact locations determined by cell spacing and light frequency. This local quality approach targets only the problematic areas while leaving the rest of the image data unchanged, significantly reducing the computational burden compared to global processing methods.
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
Effectively removes periodic ring pattern artifacts from the images captured by the image sensor, resulting in clearer and more accurate images of the vehicle operator for monitoring and identification purposes.
Implementation Method 1
an electro-optic element comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a first electrode; a second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, the second substrate disposed in a spaced apart relationship relative to the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces face one another, the third surface having a second electrode; and an electro-optic medium disposed between the first and second substrates
Implementation Method 2
an illumination source configured to emit light through the electro-optic element toward the operator of the vehicle
Implementation Method 3
an image sensor configured to image a scene through the electro-optic element, wherein the scene includes the operator of the vehicle
Implementation Method 4
The placement of a monochromatic light source, such as IR LEDs, behind an electro-optic mirror element in a vehicle monitoring system results in repetitive periodic patterns due to interference, causing ring pattern artifacts in the images captured by the image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides for a system for monitoring an operator of a vehicle, including: an electro-optic element: an illumination source configured to emit light through the electro-optic element toward the operator; an image sensor configured to image the operator; and a controller. The electro-optic element having two spaced apart substrates. The controller is configured to: receive a first image from the image sensor, the first image being represented in a spatial domain and having artifacts present; perform a transformation on the first image to create a transformed image in a domain other than the spatial domain; filter the transformed image to remove artifacts in the transformed image, wherein the filter is applied at an anticipated location of the artifacts based, at least in part, on a cell spacing between the two substrates; and perform an inverse transformation on the filtered transformed image to obtain an output image without artifacts.