Imaging Device Optical Subtraction for Signal Processing Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Signal processing in imaging devices becomes increasingly loaded and processing speed decreases as image size and resolution increase, particularly in applications requiring high-speed and high-resolution processing, such as vegetation index calculation and pupil detection, due to the need for four arithmetic operations on images of different wavelengths.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device with a phase adjustment unit, polarizing plate, wavelength adjustment unit, and phase difference adjustment unit that matches the phases and wavelengths of incident light beams of different wavelengths, allowing for optical addition and subtraction processing, thereby reducing the load on signal processing by canceling light beams with a π phase difference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If four arithmetic operations are performed on pixel values of images to achieve spectral imaging processing, then information regarding object characteristics is acquired, but the load on signal processing increases and processing speed decreases as image size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces computational arithmetic operations with optical interference operations. By using coherent light sources and interference patterns, the system performs addition and subtraction of light intensities optically rather than computationally, thereby reducing signal processing load while maintaining information extraction capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs wavelength adjustment and phase difference adjustment in advance before the imaging process. By pre-adjusting the optical parameters of multiple wavelengths to match and create π phase differences, the system prepares the light beams for direct optical interference, eliminating the need for post-processing arithmetic operations on large image datasets
2Loss of information
If four arithmetic operations are performed on pixel values of images to achieve spectral imaging processing, then vegetation indices and other characteristics are calculated, but the processing load increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes complex computational algorithms with simple optical interference mechanisms. The interference pattern directly encodes the difference between wavelengths, providing vegetation index information through optical physics rather than computational mathematics, thereby reducing signal processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system performs the calculation automatically through physical interference of light waves. The system uses the natural wave properties of light to self-compute the arithmetic operations needed for vegetation indices, eliminating the need for external computational processing
3Measurement precision
If high-resolution imaging is performed on large image sizes to maintain detail quality, then measurement precision is improved, but processing speed decreases due to increased arithmetic operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces computational processing with optical processing that operates in real-time during image capture. The interference pattern is formed optically at the detector plane, allowing high-resolution imaging without requiring subsequent arithmetic operations on each pixel, thereby maintaining both resolution and speed
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 the processing load and maintains high resolution and speed, enabling efficient calculation of vegetation indices and pupil detection without significant delays, even with larger image sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a polarizing plate that polarizes the incident light beams of the first wavelength and the second wavelength into the same polarization direction
Implementation Method 2
a phase difference adjustment unit that adjusts a phase difference to be π, the phase difference being between the incident light beam of the first wavelength and the incident light beam of the second wavelength
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an imaging device capable of reducing a processing load of signal processing using two images of different wavelengths, and a method of operating the imaging device. The phases of two types of incident light beams having different wavelengths are matched, the two types of incident light beams are polarized into the same polarization direction, a wavelength of one incident light beam of the two types of polarized incident light beams is matched with a wavelength of the other incident light beam, a phase difference is adjusted such that the phase difference between the one incident light beam and the other incident light beam is π, the two types of incident light beams being matched with the wavelength of the one incident light beam, and an imaging element simultaneously receives the two types of incident light beams adjusted such that the phase difference is π, thereby, optically acquiring the subtraction results of two types of power.