Lens-Free Imaging via Pixel Region Induction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging devices face challenges in reducing cost and size while maintaining performance, particularly due to the need for optical components like lenses, which increase development costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An image processing method that divides adjacent pixels into regions with shared and unique pixel values, allowing for inductive determination of pixel values without the need for lenses, thereby simplifying the imaging device structure and enabling lens-free imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical members such as lenses are used in combination for taking a clear image, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the lens component from the imaging system, achieving lens-free imaging. The imaging device directly captures images using the image sensor without requiring optical members, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining acceptable image quality through computational processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical optical system (lens) with a computational processing system. Instead of using optical components to focus and clarify images, the patent employs image processing algorithms including pixel value determination, inductive reasoning, and sharpening filters to achieve clear imaging without mechanical optical elements.
2Measurement precision
If optical members such as lenses are used in combination for taking a clear image, then image quality is improved, but development costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the lens component from the imaging system, achieving lens-free imaging. The imaging device directly captures images using the image sensor without requiring optical members, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining acceptable image quality through computational processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical optical system (lens) with a computational processing system. Instead of using optical components to focus and clarify images, the patent employs image processing algorithms including pixel value determination, inductive reasoning, and sharpening filters to achieve clear imaging without mechanical optical elements.
3Device complexity
If lens-free imaging is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but image sharpness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary image processing actions to the captured image data to enhance sharpness. Before final image output, the system performs pixel value determination through inductive reasoning from adjacent pixels, applies sharpening filters, and conducts various image processing operations to compensate for the lack of optical focusing, thereby achieving acceptable image sharpness without lenses.
Data Source
AI summary
The structure of an imaging device is simplified. An imaging device capable of imaging without a lens or an image processing method is provided. Image data which is out of focus is sharpened. An image processing method of image data in which a plurality of pixels are arranged is provided. Adjacent two pixels are each divided into a first region showing the same pixel value between the adjacent two pixels and a second region other than the first region, an initial value is supplied to the second region of an endmost pixel of the image data, and the pixel values of the first regions and the second regions of the plurality of arranged pixels are determined inductively and sequentially on the basis of the initial value.