Pixel Beam Data Representation for Light-Field Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for acquiring and representing 4D light-field data are inefficient due to heterogeneous camera types, proprietary file formats, and high storage requirements, lacking a standard for multi-dimensional information processing.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and device for generating data representative of a pixel beam in a 4D light-field optical acquisition system, using a hyperboloid of one sheet to represent a pencil of rays, with parameters defining the conjugate of a pixel and the entrance pupil, and encoding differences in these parameters to provide efficient data representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If 4D light-field data is acquired using plenoptic camera or camera array, then more post-processing features and interactivity are enabled, but storage space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential beam information (direction and intensity) from complete light-field data, representing each pixel beam by a pencil of rays characterized by minimal parameters. This extraction approach maintains the core functionality for refocusing and viewpoint changes while significantly reducing the data volume that needs to be stored and processed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the representation of light-field data by changing the parameters used to describe pixel beams. Instead of storing complete multi-dimensional light-field information, the system uses parameterized beam information including direction vectors and intensity values, which can be efficiently stored and reconstructed when needed, thus reducing storage requirements while preserving adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If heterogeneous camera types with proprietary formats are used, then different acquisition capabilities are achieved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal data representation framework that can handle multiple camera types (plenoptic cameras, camera arrays, and conventional cameras with focal plane sweeping). The beam information structure with direction and intensity parameters serves as a common language that unifies data from heterogeneous sources, enabling consistent processing across different acquisition systems without requiring format-specific handling.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complete 4D light-field data is stored, then all post-processing operations are possible, but processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical beam parameters (direction and intensity) needed for post-processing operations from complete light-field data. By storing only this essential information rather than the full 4D light-field dataset, the system maintains the ability to perform refocusing, viewpoint changes, and depth extraction while dramatically improving processing efficiency through reduced data volumes.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
There are several types of plenoptic devices and camera arrays available on the market, and all these light field acquisition devices have their proprietary file format. However, there is no standard supporting the acquisition and transmission of multi- dimensional information. It is interesting to obtain information related to a correspondence between pixels of a sensor of said optical acquisition system and an object space of said 10 optical acquisition system. Indeed, knowing which portion of the object space of an optical acquisition system a pixel belonging to the sensor of said optical acquisition system is sensing enables the improvement of signal processing operations. The notion of pixel beam, which represents a volume occupied by a set of rays of light in an object space of an optical system of a camera along with a compact format for storing such information is thus introduce. 15