Imaging Device Infrared Wavelength Segmentation Color Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices struggle to capture fine color images when both visible light and infrared light are present during night-vision imaging, as they are designed to operate under conditions with no visible light, leading to suboptimal object identification.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device with a color filter having filter elements of red, green, and blue arranged in a predetermined array captures multiple frames of infrared light at different wavelengths and uses pixel data from these frames to generate a synthesized image signal, which is then demosaiced to produce frames of the three primary colors, allowing for interpolation of missing pixel data and improved color image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If infrared light is projected for night-vision imaging when visible light is present, then night-vision capability is improved, but color image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging process is segmented into multiple sequential frames, each capturing a specific infrared wavelength band (first, second, and third wavelength bands). By dividing the infrared imaging task into separate wavelength segments and processing them individually through the color filter array, the system maintains color image quality while enabling night-vision capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The color filter array acts as an intermediary that processes infrared light of different wavelengths separately. The demosaicing unit serves as another intermediary that reconstructs full-color information from the segmented infrared frames, enabling color image generation without direct interference between visible and infrared light paths.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple frames at different infrared wavelengths are captured and synthesized, then color image quality is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by capturing multiple frames at different infrared wavelengths in sequence rather than simultaneously. This temporal separation allows the use of a single color filter array to process different wavelength bands at different time intervals, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining color image quality through sequential measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the imaging process by capturing frames at different time points corresponding to different infrared wavelengths. This transforms a spatial problem (how to capture multiple wavelengths simultaneously) into a temporal problem (how to capture wavelengths sequentially), enabling color image generation without requiring complex multi-wavelength optical systems.
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 the capture of fine color images even when both visible and infrared light are present, enhancing object identification capabilities by producing high-quality color images in low-light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a color filter in which filter elements of three primary colors of red, green and blue are arranged with a predetermined array
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging unit includes a color filter in which filter elements of R, G and B are arranged in a plane thereof. The imaging unit captures an object in a state where infrared light with three frequencies assigned to R, G and B are projected so as to generate first to third frames. A synthesizing unit in a pre-signal processing unit arranges pixel data for the three primary colors including pixel data for R in the first frame, pixel data for G in the second frame and pixel data for B in the third frame in such a manner as to have the same array as the filter elements in the color filter, so as to generate synthesized image signals synthesized in one frame. A demosaicing unit subjects the frame of the synthesized image signals to demosaicing so as to generate frames of the three primary colors.