Lighting Fixture Calibration via Optical Tracking and Kalman Filtering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Calibrating equipment, such as lighting devices, is difficult and time-consuming, often resulting in undesirable and unexpected responses due to inaccurate positioning and operation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a tracking system with a beacon and computing device to determine and adjust the kinematic parameters of the equipment, employing forward and inverse kinematic models and a Kalman filter to accurately position the light fixture, allowing for automatic calibration and verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual calibration is used, then the calibration process can be completed, but it is difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical calibration operations with an automated optical tracking system. A beacon attached to the fixture is tracked by a camera system, and a computing device automatically calculates kinematic parameters and updates the control model, eliminating the need for manual measurement and calculation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-calibration by having the fixture itself participate in the measurement process through the attached beacon. The tracking system captures the fixture's own position and orientation data, and the computing device automatically processes this information to update the kinematic model without external intervention.
2Reliability
If equipment is not calibrated, then operation is simple, but the response is undesirable and unexpected
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system serves multiple functions: it tracks the fixture's position and orientation, provides data for kinematic parameter calculation, and enables verification of calibration accuracy. The same infrastructure supports both calibration and operational monitoring functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon acts as an intermediary element attached to the fixture, serving as the connection point between the physical fixture and the optical tracking system. The computing device serves as an intermediary that processes raw tracking data and translates it into updated kinematic parameters for the control model.
3Measurement precision
If manual calibration is used, then no complex equipment is needed, but positioning precision is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual measurement tools with an optical tracking system that uses cameras to capture the beacon's position in three-dimensional space. This optical system provides sub-millimeter precision measurements without the limitations of manual measurement devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional manual measurement to three-dimensional optical tracking. The camera system captures spatial coordinates in x, y, and z dimensions simultaneously, enabling precise determination of the fixture's position and orientation in three-dimensional space.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for calibrating equipment, such as a lighting fixture. A kinematic model of the lighting fixture is obtained. Test points, which include a pair of a corresponding control signal and an output are collected. These can be collected using a tracking system. The test points are then used to update the kinematic model of the lighting fixture. The process of updating the kinematic model can include the use of a Kalman filter. The calibration is then verified and may be re-calibrated. These methods can also be used to calibrate other equipment, for example, lasers, light projectors showing media content, audio speaker, microphones, cameras, and projectile equipment.