Patterned Polarizer for Simultaneous Color and Polarization Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing techniques cannot simultaneously obtain a full-color image and polarized image representing the direction and degree of polarization, leading to imperfect partial polarization information and color differences in interpolated images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus with a patterned polarizer having three types of polarizer units with different polarization transmission planes arranged in a checkerboard or hexagonal pattern, combined with a color mosaic filter, allows for accurate interpolation of color and polarization information using triangular pixel units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a polarization filter is arranged for some G pixels in a Bayer color mosaic to give polarization property to part of the image capture element, then a color image and polarization information can be obtained at the same time, but information about the degree of partial polarization of the object cannot be obtained perfectly
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is segmented into multiple groups, each group containing pixels with polarizers at different main axes directions (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°). This segmentation across the entire color mosaic ensures that sufficient polarization measurements are available at each spatial location to accurately calculate the degree of partial polarization, rather than relying on limited measurements from a single polarization angle
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures light intensity at multiple polarization angles (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°) and uses these measurements to calculate polarization parameters including the degree of partial polarization. By changing the polarization angle parameter across different pixel groups and combining these measurements, the system accurately determines polarization state parameters that would be impossible to obtain with a single polarization filter configuration
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
Enables the simultaneous acquisition and processing of color intensity and polarization information, providing more accurate and localized polarization data with improved color reproducibility in images.
Implementation Method 1
a patterned polarizer with multiple different polarization main axes is spatially arranged in an image capture element in order to obtain light intensity images and images representing the degrees of partial polarization of the object
Data Source
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AI summary
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a single-chip color image capture element that has a color mosaic filter 201 and a patterned polarizer 202 in which a number of polarizer units, having polarization transmission planes defining at least three different angles, are provided for multiple pixels of the same color (G) in the color mosaic filter 201. This apparatus includes not only a color and polarization obtaining section 101 including such a single-chip color image capture element but also a polarization information processing section 103 for approximating, as a sinusoidal function, a relation between the intensities of light rays that have been transmitted through the polarizer units for the G pixels and the angles of the polarization transmission planes of the polarizer units and a color mosaic interpolation section 102 for generating a color intensity image by performing a color intensity interpolation and getting a color intensity that cannot be obtained at a pixel of interest.