Panoramic Measuring System with Continuous Rotation Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measuring systems face challenges in capturing panoramic images with parallax shift, ghosting, motion artefacts, and mechanical wear due to acceleration, and have separate camera and target search systems that increase complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A measuring system with a base unit, support and directing units, actuators, and encoders, controlled by a computer to rotate and sample frames for overlapping panoramic image generation, using a single camera for both panoramic and overview images, and incorporating features like flicker detection and flash units for improved image quality and target identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If stop-and-go approach is used for panoramic image acquisition, then exposure time is not limited and synchronization is trivial, but parallax shift occurs causing ghosting and stitching uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static stop-and-go imaging to dynamic continuous rotation imaging. The camera rotates continuously during image capture, and the system dynamically adjusts exposure timing to capture multiple overlapping images at different rotation positions. This dynamic approach eliminates parallax shift by ensuring the camera entrance pupil remains stationary relative to the rotation axis, while the continuous motion enables automated synchronization through rotation angle encoding.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous rotation of the camera during image acquisition, eliminating the stop-and-go interruptions. Multiple images are captured continuously at overlapping rotation positions, creating a seamless sequence that maintains consistent spatial reference. This continuous action eliminates gaps and parallax effects while enabling robust stitching through consistent geometric transformation across all frames.
2Stability of the object's composition
If stop-and-go approach is used for panoramic image acquisition, then no motion during acquisition, but acceleration forces cause vibrations and require settling time
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates repeated acceleration and deceleration cycles by maintaining continuous rotation during image acquisition. The camera rotates at constant speed through the field of view, capturing multiple overlapping images without interruption. This continuous motion eliminates the vibrations and settling time associated with repeated stopping and starting, while the consistent rotation speed provides stable geometric transformation for image stitching.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate camera and target search systems are used, then functional specialization is achieved, but constructional expense and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the camera and target search functions into a single integrated unit. The same camera system that captures panoramic images also performs target detection and identification, eliminating the need for separate target search systems. This integration reduces constructional complexity and cost while maintaining full functional capability through software-based target search algorithms that process the panoramic images.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing panoramic images, detecting targets, and providing spatial information. The single camera unit serves as both the imaging device and the target search system, with the ability to identify targets of interest and provide their locations in the panoramic image. This multi-functional design eliminates redundant hardware while maintaining adaptability to various measurement tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
A measuring system for acquiring three-dimensional measuring points, comprising a base unit, a support unit mounted on the base unit and rotatable relative to the base unit around an azimuth axis, an emitting unit, a receiving unit, a directing unit mounted in the support unit, and configured for directing a transmission beam from the emitting unit towards a scene, directing a reception beam from the scene to the receiving unit, a first actuator configured for rotating the support unit relative to the base unit around the azimuth axis, a second actuator configured for rotating the directing unit relative to the support unit around the elevation axis, a first angle encoder configured for measuring a rotatory position of the support unit, a second angle encoder configured for measuring a rotatory position of the directing unit, a camera comprising an image sensor.