Image Composition Apparatus for Low Illumination Color Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
CMOS image sensors struggle in low illumination environments due to noise and instability, and existing digital imaging devices often remove infrared components to maintain color signals, limiting the capture of images over wider bands.
Innovation Solution
An image composition apparatus and method that generates a color image by combining a color image signal with a black-and-white image signal including infrared components, using an image acquiring unit, image signal divider, brightness composer, and image restoring unit to equalize dynamic bandwidths and resolutions, and convert color spaces, allowing for the inclusion of infrared information in image composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an infrared blocking filter is used to remove infrared components, then color signals can be easily restored, but the ability to capture images over wider bands is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the imaging system into multiple sensors: a first image sensor for visible light and a second image sensor for infrared light. This segmentation allows each sensor to be optimized for its specific wavelength range, enabling both accurate color restoration and extended bandwidth capture without filtering out infrared components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the outputs of the first visible light image sensor and the second infrared image sensor to create a composite image. This combining approach integrates information from both visible and infrared bands, achieving wider bandwidth capture while maintaining color accuracy through the visible light sensor's data.
2Ease of manufacture
If a CMOS image sensor is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but performance in low illumination environments deteriorates due to noise and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the output of the CMOS image sensor with that of a CCD image sensor. The CCD sensor provides stable, low-noise performance in low illumination environments, while the CMOS sensor contributes to overall system functionality. This merging allows the system to achieve both cost-effectiveness and reliable low-light performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite imaging system that integrates different sensor technologies (CMOS and CCD) with complementary characteristics. This composite approach leverages the cost advantages of CMOS sensors while incorporating the superior low-illumination performance of CCD sensors, achieving a balance between manufacturing cost and reliability.
3Loss of information
If only visible light is captured, then color information is available, but sensitivity in low illumination environments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges visible light image data with infrared image data to create a composite image that maintains color information while enhancing sensitivity. The infrared component provides additional illumination information that complements the visible light data, improving overall measurement precision in low illumination conditions without sacrificing color accuracy.
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 enables the creation of high-sensitivity images in low illumination environments by utilizing both visible and infrared bands, resulting in recognizable image information with improved performance compared to traditional CMOS image sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The image sensor senses the light incident thereon and generates image signals, that is, electrical signals
Implementation Method 2
The lens adjusts a focus of light reflected from an object and transmits the light to the image sensor so that the light forms a proper image on the image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an image composition apparatus for composing color images with black-and-white images including infrared components, and an image composition method thereof. The image composition method includes generating a first image signal with color information and a second image signal including infrared components without color information, dividing the first image signal into a brightness signal and a color signal, composing the brightness signal of the first image signal with a brightness signal of the second image signal to generate a composed brightness signal, and composing the composed brightness signal with the color signal of the first image signal to generate a color image.