Multi-Sensor Illumination Timing Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-sensor imaging systems, synchronizing illumination timing across multiple sensors is challenging, leading to issues like illumination interference and difficulty in adjusting sensor timings for optimal illumination overlap or non-overlap, which affects image quality and power efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize an illumination control block communicatively linked to CPUs, generating synchronized illumination pulses with the same pulse period and active pulse width for each sensor, ensuring that the time to capture a frame plus the interval between subsequent captures is consistent across all sensors, and adjusting the timing to align the negative edge of the frame synchronous signal with the illumination pulse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each image sensor has its own illumination source with independent timing control, then illumination can be adjusted for each sensor, but illumination interference occurs between sensors and timing synchronization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the illumination control for multiple sensors into a single centralized illumination source and control system. Instead of each sensor having independent illumination control, one illumination source serves multiple sensors with unified timing control, eliminating illumination interference while maintaining adaptability through centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination control block is designed to serve multiple sensors universally with a single illumination source. The system achieves multi-functionality by enabling the same illumination source to illuminate different sensor fields of view at different time intervals, providing both unified timing control and sensor-specific adaptability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If illumination timing is adjusted for each sensor to avoid interference, then illumination conflict is reduced, but timing synchronization becomes complex and difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor timing controls into a single unified illumination timing system. The illumination control block generates timing signals for all sensors centrally, simplifying the system by reducing multiple independent timing adjustments to one coordinated timing mechanism that serves all sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic illumination pulses with fixed time intervals between pulses to illuminate different sensors in sequence. This periodic action simplifies timing control by establishing a regular pattern that automatically prevents illumination conflict while maintaining synchronization across all sensors.
3Productivity
If sensors operate with different frame capture timings, then each sensor can optimize its exposure, but synchronization with illumination pulses becomes difficult and causes flickering
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination control block serves as a universal timing reference for all sensors, generating illumination pulses that are synchronized with the frame capture timing of multiple sensors. This universal timing mechanism ensures that all sensors operate in coordination with the illumination pulses, eliminating flickering while maintaining capture efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the frame synchronous signals of multiple sensors to adjust and synchronize illumination pulse timing. The illumination control block monitors the timing signals from sensors and adjusts its pulse generation accordingly, ensuring stable illumination synchronization without causing flickering.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples embodiments of a method and system for synchronizing active illumination pulses in a multi-sensor imager is provided. Example embodiments of the method disclosed herein include the provision of an illumination pulse for each of N sensors, each of N illumination pulses are set to have the same pulse period and active pulse width. Moreover, example embodiments include setting the active width pulse for each of the N illumination pulses to have maximum exposure time for each of N image sensors, and in further examples, ensuring that the time to capture a frame plus the time interval between subsequent image captures is the same for each sensor. In yet further examples, an offset period between subsequent frame synchronous signals is determined. In yet further example embodiments, an interval between frame captures is adjusted and a negative edge of the frame synchronous signal and an illumination pulse is aligned.