Multi-domain Image Sensor Cross-Domain Contamination Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-domain image sensors capture images in multiple electromagnetic frequency domains, such as visible light and infrared, but face challenges in reducing cross-domain contamination and reconstructing highlights, leading to visual artifacts and loss of detail in images.

Innovation Solution

An imaging system determines pixel values for different electromagnetic frequency domains, reduces contamination using cross-domain values, and reconstructs overexposed pixels through weighted averages, generating a reconstructed image that improves image quality by correcting visual artifacts and enhancing detail.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multi-domain image sensors capture images in multiple electromagnetic frequency domains, then the quantity of visual information is increased, but cross-domain contamination causes visual artifacts and loss of detail

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of visual informationVSAvoidcross-domain contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image processing into distinct domains (visible light and infrared) and applies domain-specific processing to each. The system separates contamination reduction for visible light pixels from highlight reconstruction, allowing targeted handling of each domain's characteristics while maintaining the benefits of multi-domain capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing step that uses infrared pixel values as a mediator to reduce contamination in visible light pixels. The infrared data serves as a reference to identify and remove contamination artifacts from the visible light channel, enabling cleaner multi-domain image synthesis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If photodetectors are made sensitive to multiple electromagnetic frequency domains, then the versatility of the image sensor is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to cross-domain contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversatility of image sensorVSAvoidpixel value accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by treating different pixel types (visible light vs. infrared) with different processing qualities. Visible light pixels undergo contamination reduction using infrared reference data, while infrared pixels receive different processing. This localized approach maintains high measurement precision for each domain despite the sensor's multi-domain versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes processing parameters based on the electromagnetic domain. Different contamination reduction parameters and processing algorithms are applied to visible light and infrared pixels respectively, allowing the system to maintain high measurement precision for each domain while preserving sensor versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the image sensor captures both visible light and infrared domains simultaneously, then the productivity of image capture is improved, but visual artifacts increase due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage capture efficiencyVSAvoidvisual artifacts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary contamination reduction processing on visible light pixels using infrared reference data before final image synthesis. This preliminary action removes contamination artifacts early in the processing pipeline, preventing them from propagating to the final output and maintaining high image quality despite simultaneous multi-domain capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The system effectively reduces cross-domain contamination and reconstructs highlights, resulting in images with improved accuracy and detail, optimizing the use of visual information from multiple frequency domains.

Implementation Method 1

Photodetectors can be sensitive to light from a given electromagnetic (EM) frequency domain, such as the visible light EM frequency domain, allowing the corresponding image sensor to capture images in the given EM frequency domain

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS11982527B2Systems and methods of imaging with multi-domain image sensor

Publication Date: 2024.05.14 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Imaging systems and techniques are described. An imaging system determines, based on image data of a scene received from an image sensor, a first plurality of pixel values corresponding to a first electromagnetic (EM) frequency domain and a second plurality of pixel values corresponding to a second EM frequency domain. The imaging system reduces the first plurality of pixel values using a plurality of cross-domain contamination values (based on the second plurality of pixel values) to generate a third plurality of pixel values. The imaging system determines a reconstructed pixel value based on a combination of at least an overexposed pixel value of the first plurality of pixel values and a corresponding pixel of the third plurality of pixel values. The imaging system outputs a reconstructed image that includes the reconstructed pixel value and a subset of the third plurality of pixel values.