Gating Camera Slice Imaging for Higher Frame Rate and Lower Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gating cameras face limitations in generating slice images due to serial interface bottlenecks, resulting in low frame rates, and struggle with background noise during daytime operations and reduced light intensity in poor visual conditions such as fog or rain.
Innovation Solution
A gating camera system that divides the field of view into multiple ranges, using an illumination device to radiate probe light, an image sensor to generate compressed images, and an image processing device to control light emission and exposure timing, select valid images, detect noise levels, and correct pixel values, while adapting imaging parameters based on visual field quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a serial interface is used to connect the image sensor and image processing device, then the device complexity is reduced, but the transmission speed becomes a bottleneck and the frame rate is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image sensor output into multiple independent data streams corresponding to different depth ranges. Each data stream can be processed independently and in parallel, allowing the system to overcome the serial interface bottleneck by distributing data transmission across multiple channels or processing queues, thereby increasing overall throughput and frame rate without reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary processing of image data at the sensor level by organizing data into range-separated data groups before transmission. This pre-organization of data reduces the processing burden on the image processing device and enables more efficient data transmission and handling, improving frame rate while maintaining acceptable device complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If longer wavelengths of infrared light are used to reduce sunlight influence during daytime imaging, then the harmful effect of sunlight is reduced, but the wavelength band still includes sunlight spectrum causing background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the imaging process into multiple depth ranges using temporal gating. By capturing light reflections from different depth ranges at different time intervals, the system can isolate objects of interest from background sunlight noise. The image processing device then reconstructs the final image by combining data from appropriate depth ranges, effectively filtering out background noise while maintaining daytime imaging capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the depth range information obtained through temporal gating as feedback to selectively process and combine image data. The image processing device analyzes the timing and intensity of returned light to determine which depth ranges contain valid object information versus background noise, dynamically adjusting the processing to maximize signal-to-noise ratio during daytime operations.
3Illumination intensity
If the exposure time is extended to capture sufficient light in poor visual conditions, then the light intensity is improved, but the time required to generate slice images increases and frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the total imaging time into multiple shorter exposure intervals, each targeting a specific depth range. Instead of using one long exposure to capture all ranges, the system performs multiple brief exposures at different time gates, accumulating sufficient light for each range separately. This approach maintains high frame rates while ensuring adequate light capture for each depth segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic temporal gating to capture light from different depth ranges at different time periods within each frame cycle. By rhythmically switching between different exposure windows targeting different ranges, the system efficiently collects sufficient light information for all depth ranges without extending the overall frame time, thus maintaining high frame rates while improving light intensity capture.
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 significantly reduces slice image generation time, minimizes background noise, and enhances operation in varying visual conditions, improving image quality and frame rates.
Implementation Method 1
Light incident on an image sensor of a gating camera is light in which probe light emitted from the gating camera and reaching an object is reflected or scattered by the object and returned
Implementation Method 2
The time of flight (TOF) camera projects infrared light by a light emitting device, measures a flight time until reflected light returns to an image sensor
Implementation Method 3
an image sensor configured to generate a raw image by an exposure
Data Source
AI summary
A gating camera 20 divides a field of view into a plurality of ranges in a depth direction and generates a plurality of slice images corresponding to the plurality of ranges. An illumination device 22 radiates probe light L1. An image sensor 24 outputs a compressed image IMG_COMP obtained by compressing image information related to, among a plurality of lines constituting a raw image IMG_RAW obtained as a result of an exposure, an invalid line that does not contain a target. A camera controller 26 controls a light emission timing of the illumination device 22 and an exposure timing of the image sensor 24. An image processing device 28 receives the compressed image IMG_COMP from the image sensor 24, and decompresses a slice image IMG.