Optical Sensor Partial Area Readout for Fast Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical sensors face challenges in detecting fast-moving objects due to the long time required to read out signals from all receiving elements, leading to insufficient camera triggering and the need for additional sensors like light barriers, which are resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The optical sensor is designed with control means to selectively read out signals from specific sub-areas of the camera, allowing for quick evaluation and generation of control commands for operation adjustments, eliminating the need for external sensors by using the camera's internal components to detect and track objects with short response times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If signals from all receiving elements are read out completely, then detection accuracy is improved, but detection speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the camera's receiving elements into multiple regions of interest (ROIs), each assigned to a separate receiving thread. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different spatial zones, enabling the system to maintain high detection accuracy across the entire field while achieving fast response times by processing only relevant regions simultaneously rather than sequentially reading all elements.
2Reliability
If additional sensors like light barriers are used to detect fast-moving objects, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the camera's receiving elements serve dual functions: they act as both image capture sensors and fast object detection sensors. By configuring specific regions as ROIs and processing their signals through dedicated receiving threads, the system achieves light barrier-like detection capability for fast-moving objects without requiring separate additional sensors, thereby maintaining detection reliability while avoiding increased device complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If all receiving elements are used for detection, then coverage area is improved, but response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the camera sensor into multiple regions of interest, each monitored by a dedicated receiving thread. This allows the system to maintain comprehensive spatial coverage by defining multiple ROIs across the entire sensor area, while achieving fast response times by processing each region in parallel rather than sequentially reading all receiving elements, thus eliminating the trade-off between coverage and speed.
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
This approach enables rapid detection of fast-moving objects and adjusts the sensor's operation dynamically, achieving reliable detection without external sensors, thus enhancing the sensor's functionality with minimal design effort.
Implementation Method 1
a camera with an array of receiving elements and an evaluation unit for evaluating received signals from the camera's receiving elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical sensor (1) with a camera (3) having a number of receiving elements (12) and with an evaluation unit (9) configured to evaluate received signals from the receiving elements (12) of the camera (3). Control means are provided by means of which at least a sub-area (13) of the receiving elements (12) can be selected. The camera (3) is configured such that only the received signals from the receiving elements (12) of the selected sub-area (13) are read out and then supplied to the evaluation unit (9). Depending on the received signals from the receiving elements (12) of the selected sub-area (13), a control command for adjusting the operation of the optical sensor (1) can be generated in the evaluation unit (9).