Optical Velocity Measuring Apparatus for Rotational Motion Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing velocity measuring apparatuses face accuracy issues when measuring the velocity of moving objects with rotational motion, especially those without wheels or with slipping wheels, due to errors in imaging range calculations.
Innovation Solution
An optical velocity measuring apparatus that calculates the velocity by analyzing the gradient of pixel shift amounts from a series of images, minimizing the effect of rotational motion by using a camera to image a surface and calculating the shift amounts in a way that is less affected by positional changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If imaging means is used to calculate velocity based on pixel shift amount, then velocity measurement is possible for moving objects without wheels or with slipping wheels, but measurement precision deteriorates due to rotational motion and vibration of the moving object
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the velocity measurement into two independent components: translational velocity (from pixel shift amount gradient) and rotational velocity (from posture sensor). By separating these components, the system can accurately measure translational velocity even when rotational motion is present, as each component is calculated independently without interference from the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using the gradient of pixel shift amounts rather than absolute pixel shift values. This gradient calculation serves as an intermediary that eliminates the influence of rotational motion, allowing accurate translational velocity measurement. The posture sensor data also acts as an intermediary to compensate for any remaining rotational effects.
2Productivity
If sensor is used to constantly acquire posture of imaging means to calculate imaging range, then imaging range can be calculated at any time, but measurement precision deteriorates due to error in sensor measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (pixel shift amount gradient) from the image data, rather than relying on complete posture information from sensors. This extraction approach focuses on the specific parameter needed for velocity measurement while eliminating dependence on error-prone sensor measurements for the imaging range calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based posture measurement system with an optical-based gradient calculation method. Instead of using physical sensors to measure camera orientation, the system uses image processing to calculate the gradient of pixel shift amounts, which inherently eliminates rotational motion effects without requiring additional mechanical sensing components.
3Device complexity
If wheel rotation amount is used to calculate velocity, then velocity measurement is simple, but measurement precision deteriorates due to wheel slipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wheel-based velocity measurement system with an optical image processing system. Instead of relying on mechanical wheel rotation sensors that are susceptible to slipping, the system uses optical imaging and gradient calculation to measure velocity, providing a non-contact measurement method that is not affected by wheel condition.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical velocity measuring apparatus which can restrict the effect of rotational motion of a moving object and estimate a velocity of its own with high accuracy, for a moving object with no wheels or a moving object of which the wheels slip includes an imager, provided in a moving object, for imaging a traveling surface such that a shift amount of each pixel at a time when an imaging target surface has shifted varies depending on a position of the pixel within an image, and the optical velocity measuring apparatus acquires a pixel shift amount gradient, which is a change in the shift amount of each pixel with respect to a predetermined axis, from a plurality of images captured by an image capturing device in a time series and a velocity of the moving object from the pixel shift amount gradient is acquired.