Optical Signal Decoding with Brightness Saturation Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional decoding methods for optical signals using mobile phone cameras face challenges in accurately decoding information due to brightness saturation, which reduces the area of color change detection and hampers precision in determining the color and decoding bit string data.
Innovation Solution
The proposed decoding apparatus and method include an image acquiring unit, a processing unit, and a decoding unit that continuously acquire and process images for brightness saturation, employing focus shifting and gradation filtering to increase the image area and accurately decode information by distinguishing between color and saturation areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional decoding methods are used for optical signals, then the decoding process is simple, but brightness saturation reduces the color change detection area and hampers decoding precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing focus shifting and gradation filtering on the captured image before decoding the optical signal. The focus shifting unit adjusts the focus of the captured image to separate the brightness saturation area from the color change area, and the gradation filtering unit applies gradient filtering to further enhance this separation. This preliminary processing ensures that when the decoding unit subsequently decodes the signal, the color change detection area is maximized and decoding precision is improved.
2Area of stationary object
If brightness saturation occurs in the captured image, then the image capture process is straightforward, but the area available for color detection is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image processing into distinct functional units: a focus shifting unit that separates the brightness saturation region from the color change region, and a gradation filtering unit that further processes the segmented areas. This segmentation allows the system to isolate and process the color change area independently from the saturation area, thereby maximizing the effective detection area and improving color detection precision.
3Measurement precision
If no image processing is applied, then the processing steps are minimal, but the distinction between color and saturation areas is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing focus shifting and gradation filtering as pre-processing steps before the actual decoding operation. The focus shifting unit performs initial separation of saturation and color areas, and the gradation filtering unit refines this separation through gradient-based filtering. These preliminary actions establish clear boundaries between different image regions, significantly improving change area determination precision while keeping the overall system structure organized and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
In the case where a phenomenon called brightness saturation occurs due to high brightness of light output from a transmission apparatus and high lightness in a portion of a transmitter (light source) within a frame obtained by imaging in a reception apparatus, a decoder in a reception apparatus performs first image processing of shifting the focus by moving a lens in an imager or a filtering process (gradation filtering process) of an image for replacing the color of a brightness saturation area with the color surrounding the brightness saturation area, before determination of a change area, determination of the color of the change area, and decoding of bit string data.