Hybrid Vision Sensor Switching for Low-Power Event Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of multiple sensors with different scenes in image processing systems leads to wasteful power consumption and increased power consumption due to unnecessary activation of unused sensors, and the mismatched optical axes of these sensors complicate processing and suppress processing speed improvements.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid sensor incorporating both an image sensor and an Event Vision Sensor (EVS) on a single chip, allowing for selective activation of photoelectric conversion units to generate either luminance or event signals, with a processor switching to luminance processing when EVS fails, and a unified signal processing unit to manage both types of signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensors (image sensor and EVS) are always turned on to ensure coverage of different scenes, then the reliability and coverage of the system are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic sensor activation where the system switches between EVS and image sensor based on real-time processing needs. The processor determines whether to use event signals from EVS or luminance signals from the image sensor, activating only the necessary sensor at any given moment. This dynamic switching mechanism maintains system reliability while minimizing power consumption by avoiding continuous operation of all sensors.
2Loss of information
If both EVS and image sensor are used simultaneously for comprehensive data collection, then the quantity and quality of data are improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal processing framework where a single processor handles both EVS event signals and image sensor luminance signals through a unified flow. The processor can selectively process either data type based on current requirements, and the output generation unit can produce various types of output data from either input source. This multi-functional approach ensures data completeness while reducing complexity by avoiding separate dedicated processing paths for each sensor type.
3Measurement precision
If separate processing paths are maintained for EVS and image sensor to preserve their individual characteristics, then the measurement precision is improved, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the processing paths of EVS and image sensor into a single integrated flow. Both sensor types feed into the same processor, which selectively processes event signals or luminance signals based on current needs. The output generation unit also operates as a single unified component that can generate various output types from either sensor source. This merging maintains measurement precision by preserving the unique characteristics of each sensor type while improving processing speed through streamlined, unified processing logic.
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 reduces power consumption and improves processing speed by optimizing sensor usage and coordinating sensor data without the need for complex coordinate system matching.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to photoelectrically convert incident light
Data Source
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AI summary
An increase in power consumption is suppressed. An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a hybrid sensor (100, 611, and 612) including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units (PD) configured to photoelectrically convert incident light, and a signal processing unit configured to acquire, based on outputs of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a luminance signal based on a light intensity of the incident light or an event signal based on a luminance change; a processor (614) configured to perform predetermined processing based on the luminance signal or the event signal acquired by the signal processing unit; and an instruction generation unit (615) configured to request the signal processing unit to read the luminance signal, in which the instruction generation unit requests the signal processing unit to read the luminance signal when the processor fails in the predetermined processing based on the event signal, and the processor executes the predetermined processing based on the luminance signal input from the signal processing unit in response to the request.