LED-Encircled Image Sensor for Low-Light Recognition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current image recognition technologies face challenges in accurately recognizing illuminating objects at night and under severe weather conditions, such as rain or fog, due to difficulties in distinguishing self-illuminating and light-reflecting objects, leading to potential misjudgments.

Innovation Solution

A preprocessing method involving an image sensor surrounded by light-emitting diodes emitting white light with a color temperature of 3200K, which are alternately turned on and off to create a low illuminance condition between 0.0004 lux and 1 lux, allowing the image sensor to capture preprocessing frames while maintaining color temperature balance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional image recognition is used during nighttime, then the system can operate without additional lighting, but image recognition accuracy deteriorates due to low light conditions and severe weather

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage recognition accuracyVSAvoidlighting condition
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-warming the image sensor with infrared light sources before capturing images in low-light conditions. This preliminary heating prevents the sensor from being overly sensitive to ambient temperature changes and improves image quality during nighttime operation, thereby resolving the contradiction between operating without additional lighting and maintaining recognition accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces infrared light sources as an intermediary between the image sensor and the ambient environment. These infrared sources provide supplemental illumination that is invisible to the human eye but enhances the sensor's ability to capture images in low-light conditions, thus improving recognition accuracy without affecting nighttime operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the image sensor is exposed to ambient light during capture, then natural scene colors are preserved, but color temperature fluctuation causes recognition errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor temperature stabilityVSAvoidillumination condition adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by actively controlling and adjusting the color temperature of the infrared light sources used for sensor warming. By maintaining a stable color temperature parameter during the warming phase and separating it from the ambient light conditions, the system achieves color temperature stability while still adapting to different illumination environments during actual image capture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method enhances image recognition during nighttime and severe weather conditions by improving the recognition rate and reducing misjudgments through balanced illumination and low-light exposure adjustments.

Implementation Method 1

at least one light-emitting diode, in which the image sensor has an image capture region; turning on the at least one light-emitting diode, such that the at least one light-emitting diode emits at least one white light source having a color temperature of 3200K

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

turning off the at least one light-emitting diode for a time interval, such that the image sensor captures images to generate a preprocessing frame under a low illuminance condition between 0.0004 lux and 1 lux

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3971769B1Preprocessing method for improving image recognition
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 UNIVERSAL GLOBAL SCI IND
  • EP3971769B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3971769B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3971769B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A preprocessing method for improving image recognition is provided. The preprocessing method includes the following steps: disposing light-emitting diodes (2) to surround an image sensor (1), in which the image sensor (1) corresponds to an image capture region (A); turning on the light-emitting diodes (2) for emitting a white light source having a color temperature of 3200K, in which the white light source has a fixed illumination area range (3), and the illumination area range (3) covers the image capture region (A), such that a color temperature of the image capture region (A) is approximately or equal to 3200K; and turning off the light-emitting diodes (2) for a time interval, such that the image sensor (1) captures images to generate preprocessing frames (M) under a low illuminance condition that is between 0.0004 lux and 1 lux.