Imaging Device Intensity Correction for False Color Suppression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging devices with multiple lens units and imaging areas suffer from variability in component precision and assembly, leading to biased light intensity distributions and the production of false colors due to deviations in optical axes, which cannot be corrected effectively.
Innovation Solution
A small, low-profile imaging device with multiple lens units and corresponding imaging areas, equipped with an intensity correction coefficient saving unit and an intensity correcting unit that corrects imaging signals to reduce intensity unevenness, ensuring similar light intensity distributions across colors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple lens units and imaging areas are used to capture images, then image quality and color accuracy are improved, but variability in component precision and assembly causes optical axis deviations leading to biased light intensity distributions and false colors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing intensity correction coefficients for each imaging area before actual image capture. These coefficients are determined in advance to compensate for the known light intensity unevenness caused by optical axis deviations, allowing the system to correct imaging signals without requiring real-time adjustment during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of light intensity distribution by applying correction coefficients that adjust the intensity values of imaging signals. This parameter transformation compensates for the biased light intensity distributions caused by manufacturing and assembly variations, converting inconsistent intensity patterns into uniform ones across different imaging areas.
2Reliability
If optical axes are precisely aligned with aperture centers and imaging area centers, then false colors are suppressed, but assembly precision requirements and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the imaging device to automatically correct its own optical axis deviations and light intensity unevenness through software-based intensity correction. Instead of requiring precise mechanical alignment during assembly, the system self-adjusts by applying pre-calculated correction coefficients to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical alignment system with a software-based correction system. Rather than relying on precise physical alignment of optical axes with aperture and imaging area centers, the system uses intensity correction coefficients applied to imaging signals to achieve the same effect, substituting mechanical precision requirements with computational correction.
3Manufacturing precision
If intensity correction coefficients are calculated and stored for each imaging area, then light intensity unevenness is compensated and false colors are suppressed, but device complexity and data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing intensity correction coefficients during the manufacturing or calibration phase. This allows the correction data to be prepared in advance and stored in memory, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculation systems during actual image capture and reducing the computational complexity during operation.
4Volume of moving object
If a small, low-profile device structure is implemented, then device size is reduced, but optical axis alignment precision and component assembly accuracy become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical alignment system with a software-based correction system. Rather than relying on precise physical alignment of optical axes with aperture and imaging area centers, the system uses intensity correction coefficients applied to imaging signals to achieve the same effect, substituting mechanical precision requirements with computational correction.
Data Source
AI summary
A small, low-profile imaging device that obtains imaging signals having similar light intensity distributions for different colored light, even when there is variability in component precision or assembly. The imaging device (101) includes a plurality of lens units (113) each including at least one lens, a plurality of imaging areas corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of lens units, and each having a light receiving surface (123) substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the corresponding lens unit, an imaging signal input unit (133) that receives as input a plurality of imaging signals each output from a different one of the plurality of imaging areas, and an intensity correcting unit (142) that corrects the intensity of each of the plurality of imaging signals, so that the degree of correction changes depending on the position of the imaging area.