Line Scan Camera Synchronization via Texture Frequency Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for synchronizing line scan cameras with moving objects are complex, unreliable, and require external electro-mechanical equipment like shaft encoders, which are costly and prone to precision issues.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a camera control algorithm to automatically synchronize the line scan camera's speed with a moving object by identifying the major frequency of a repeated texture on the object's surface and adjusting the line rate accordingly, eliminating the need for external encoders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardware such as a shaft encoder is used to adjust the line rate of the line scan camera to match the speed of the moving object, then the line rate can be synchronized with the object speed, but the system complexity increases and installation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the external shaft encoder hardware from the synchronization system. Instead of using separate encoding and decoding hardware, the system performs frequency analysis directly on the image data stream from the line scan camera, removing the need for external electro-mechanical equipment while maintaining synchronization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical shaft encoder system with a software-based algorithmic approach. The camera control algorithm analyzes the frequency content of successive image lines to detect the repeating pattern frequency, substituting mechanical measurement with computational analysis of visual data
2Reliability
If a shaft encoder is used for synchronization, then the line rate can be adjusted to match object speed, but the cost of the system increases due to external electro-mechanical equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive software algorithms instead of expensive hardware encoders. The synchronization function is implemented through computational methods that analyze image data frequency content, eliminating the need for costly electro-mechanical encoding devices while achieving the same synchronization objective
Solution Approach 2:
The line scan camera system performs multiple functions: it captures image data for inspection purposes and simultaneously uses that same data stream for speed synchronization detection. The frequency analysis algorithm extracts synchronization information from the regular repeating patterns in successive image lines, making the inspection system itself serve the dual purpose of measurement and control
3Reliability
If conventional hardware solutions are used for synchronization, then the line rate can be matched to object speed, but the installation and configuration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-synchronization by automatically analyzing the frequency content of image lines to detect the repeating pattern corresponding to the object's motion. The camera control algorithm autonomously adjusts the line rate based on the detected frequency, eliminating the need for manual configuration or external synchronization hardware that would require complex installation and setup procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A method of synchronizing a line scan camera. The method comprises: obtaining line scan data of a region of interest (ROI) of a travelling surface from the line scan camera, the line scan camera being oriented perpendicular to a direction of travel of the travelling surface, the line scan data comprising a plurality of lines; identifying occurrences of a major frequency of a repeated texture on the travelling surface using characterized line scan data for each line in the plurality of lines of the line scan data; determining a period of the major frequency; and changing a line rate of the line scan camera when the determined period is different than a reference period.