Indirect Lighting Device for Animal Nose Pattern Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for acquiring animal nose pattern images often result in obstructive reflections due to moisture on the nose surface, particularly when using direct lighting, which can lead to distorted or low-quality images.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with an indirect illumination unit and a suction unit is attached to the camera lens, providing diffused lighting through a dual-layer casing and powered by the camera device, minimizing reflections and ensuring high-quality image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If direct lighting is used to illuminate the animal nose for image acquisition, then the lighting intensity is sufficient, but obstructive reflections occur from moisture on the nose surface causing distorted or low-quality images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary lighting structure consisting of a light source, a reflective surface, and a diffuse surface. The light first hits the reflective surface, then the diffuse surface, before reaching the animal nose. This multi-step intermediary path transforms direct light into indirect diffuse light, eliminating obstructive reflections while maintaining sufficient illumination intensity for quality image acquisition.
2Measurement precision
If contact nose printing methods are used, then nose pattern images can be acquired, but excessive ink application causes distortion and loss of detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based ink printing method with an optical imaging system. Instead of applying physical ink to the nose surface, the system uses controlled indirect lighting to illuminate the nose and a camera to capture the nose pattern image. This substitution eliminates the harmful effect of excessive ink application while maintaining the ability to acquire precise nose pattern images for identification.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a lighting device is attached to the camera lens using a suction unit, then the lighting position is fixed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a suction unit that utilizes negative pressure (vacuum) to firmly attach the lighting device to the camera lens. This pneumatic attachment mechanism provides stable positioning without requiring complex mechanical fastening systems. The suction unit creates a vacuum seal that holds the lighting device in place, achieving position stability while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
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
The solution effectively reduces obstructive reflections from moisture, enabling the acquisition of clear and usable nose pattern images for animal identification and verification by using indirect illumination rather than direct lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a suction unit configured to affix the indirect illumination unit in front of the camera lens
Implementation Method 2
a light source, such as an LED, as well as a circuit board that includes a power supply circuit and microprocessor for power control signals positioned at the base of the indirect illumination unit
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a lighting device attached to the front of a camera device, such as a smartphone, and connected to the camera device to produce an appropriate lighting environment for the acquisition of good quality animal nose pattern images by taking into consideration such factors and ambient lighting as well as the color of the nose.