Gated Light Camera for Marine Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively detect semi-submerged and floating objects in marine environments, especially under low illumination and bad visibility conditions, as they are obscured by water or not detectable by radar or thermal imagers.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a gated light source and a gated camera, which generates light pulses and synchronizes the camera to be 'ON' only during the time it takes for the pulses to reach and return from objects, combined with a multi-spectral camera that compares pixel spectral characteristics to a database to identify objects protruding from the water, regardless of illumination conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If radar or thermal imagers are used to detect objects in marine environments, then detection range is extended, but small objects and persons are undetected due to their small surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple wavelength bands (visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared) to detect objects. By changing the spectral parameters of illumination and detection, the system overcomes the limitations of single-band systems that cannot detect small objects with sufficient precision across varying environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pulsed illumination sources that emit light in periodic intervals, with the camera shutter synchronized to capture only during the pulse duration. This periodic action enables time-gated imaging that separates target reflection from background interference, improving detection of small objects.
2Illumination intensity
If continuous illumination is used to improve visibility under low illumination conditions, then object detection is enhanced, but glare and interference from water surface reflections increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces continuous illumination with pulsed illumination, where light is emitted in brief intervals. The camera shutter is synchronized to open only during the pulse duration, capturing reflected light from objects while avoiding continuous glare from water surfaces. This temporal separation eliminates harmful reflections while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary synchronization of the camera shutter with the illumination pulse before the pulse occurs. The shutter is pre-positioned to open exactly when the pulse arrives, ensuring that only the intended illuminated light is captured while preventing subsequent glare and interference from entering the sensor.
3Use of energy by moving object
If camera shutter is kept open continuously to capture images in bad visibility conditions, then more light is collected, but interference from water surface reflections and ambient light increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera shutter operates periodically, opening only during the brief interval when illuminated light returns from the pulse. This synchronized periodic operation collects sufficient light from targets while rejecting continuous ambient light and water surface reflections that occur outside the gated window, preserving image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the useful signal component by using the shutter to isolate the time window when target-reflected light is present. This extraction process separates the desired information from harmful interference, collecting sufficient light while discarding ambient light and reflections that would otherwise degrade image quality.
4Measurement precision
If multi-spectral imaging is used to identify objects by comparing spectral characteristics, then object identification accuracy is improved, but system complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a single camera capable of capturing multiple spectral bands (visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared) rather than requiring separate specialized sensors for each band. This multi-functional approach achieves high identification accuracy while minimizing device complexity by consolidating detection capabilities into one instrument.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple spectral detection channels into a unified imaging system with synchronized pulsed illumination. By merging the capture of different wavelength bands through a single camera with coordinated timing, the system achieves comprehensive spectral analysis for accurate object identification while reducing overall system complexity compared to separate multi-sensor arrangements.
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
Enables accurate detection of objects and persons in marine environments under various illumination and visibility conditions by reducing interference and enhancing depth of field, thereby improving safety for marine vessels.
Implementation Method 1
The gated camera receives light reflected from at least one object, within the field of view, protruding from the surface of the body of water
Implementation Method 2
The processor gates the gated camera to be set 'OFF' for at least the duration of time it takes the gated light source to produce a light pulse in its substantial entirety, in addition to the time it takes the end of the light pulse to complete traversing a determined distance from the system and back to the gated camera
Implementation Method 3
The processor determines the spectral characteristics of each pixel in the multi-spectral image and compares the determined spectral characteristics to the spectral characteristics stored in the background multi-spectral characteristics database
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
System for detecting objects protruding from the surface of a body of water in a marine environment under low illumination conditions, the system comprising a gated light source, generating light pulses toward the body of water illuminating substantially an entire field of view, a gated camera, sensitive at least to wavelengths of the light generated by the gated light source, the gated camera receiving light reflected from at least one object, within the field of view, protruding from the surface of the body of water and acquiring a gated image of the reflected light, and a processor coupled with the gated light source and with the gated camera, the processor gating the gated camera to be set 'OFF' for at least the duration of time it takes the gated light source to produce a light pulse in its substantial entirety in addition to the time it takes the end of the light pulse to complete traversing a determined distance from the system and back to the gated camera, the processor further setting, for each pulse, the gated camera to be 'ON' for an 'ON' time duration until the light pulse, reflecting back from the object, is received by the gated camera.