Infrared Emitter Array Segmentation for Depth Map Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video surveillance systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing infrared emitters to provide accurate depth information and reduce false security alerts, as existing methods often rely on all illuminators being turned on or off simultaneously, leading to incomplete data and unnecessary alerts.
Innovation Solution
The system controls infrared emitters individually or in small groups to create depth maps by simulating virtual surfaces at different depths, constructing lookup tables based on expected light intensities, and using these tables to estimate spatial depth and identify objects like windows, floors, and ceilings, thereby improving data accuracy and alert filtering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all infrared illuminators are turned on or off simultaneously, then the system operation is simple, but the depth information accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the infrared illuminators into multiple independent groups that can be controlled separately. Each group can be activated individually or in combination with others, allowing the system to capture multiple images with different illumination patterns. This segmentation enables extraction of depth information through comparison of intensity variations while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.
2Measurement precision
If multiple illuminator groups are activated sequentially, then the depth estimation accuracy improves, but the time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic activation of different illuminator groups in a systematic sequence. Each group is activated for a brief period to capture an image, then deactivated while the next group is activated. This periodic action pattern allows efficient data collection from multiple illuminator configurations without requiring continuous operation of all illuminators, thereby reducing overall time consumption while maintaining depth estimation accuracy.
3Illumination intensity
If infrared illuminators are used for scene illumination, then the scene visibility improves, but false security alerts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes feedback from depth map analysis to adjust motion detection parameters and identify false alerts. By comparing scene information from multiple illuminator groups and analyzing depth variations, the system can distinguish between actual security threats and false positives caused by illumination changes. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain high scene visibility while reducing false security alerts through intelligent discrimination.
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 enhances the accuracy of depth estimation and reduces false alerts by providing detailed scene information and allowing for more precise monitoring, enabling better utilization of surveillance data and user satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
surveillance cameras include infrared emitters in order to illuminate a scene when light from other sources is limited or absent
Implementation Method 2
The camera system has a 2-dimensional array of image sensors (e.g., photodiodes) and a plurality of IR illuminators
Data Source
AI summary
A method generates depth maps at a camera having illuminators, a lens assembly, an image sensing element, a processor, and memory. The illuminators operate in a first mode to provide illumination, the lens assembly focuses incident light on the image sensing element, the memory stores programs for execution by the processor, and the processor executes the programs to control operation of the camera. The method reconfigures the illuminators to operate in a second mode, where each of a plurality of subsets of the illuminators provides illumination of a scene separately. For each subset, the process activates the illuminators in the subset without activating illuminators not in the subset and receives reflected illumination from the scene incident on the lens assembly and focused onto the image sensing element. The measured light intensity values of the received reflected illumination at the image sensing element are transmitted to a remote server for processing.