Pixel Shift Image Acquisition Subject Displacement Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image acquisition technologies face challenges in generating high-resolution images by combining multiple images, as they often rely solely on camera movements, which may not provide sufficient subject position displacement, especially when camera shake is minimal, leading to suboptimal image resolution enhancement.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition apparatus that includes an optical system, an image acquisition device, a shifting mechanism, and a processor to calculate and adjust the relative shift amounts of the image acquisition device and optical system based on subject movement, ensuring increased shift amounts with decreasing subject movement, thereby enhancing image resolution by displacing the subject position between image acquisitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image acquisition device is moved for shake correction during exposure, then shake correction is achieved, but the subject position displacement is insufficient for effective image resolution enhancement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs pixel shift movement after exposure is completed, rather than during exposure. The image acquisition device is moved by one pixel position after the exposure ends, allowing the sensor to capture the same scene from a slightly different position. This preliminary action of completing exposure first, then performing the shift, ensures that shake correction during exposure is not compromised while still achieving sufficient subject position displacement for image resolution enhancement through multiple captured images.
2Manufacturing precision
If the image acquisition device is moved by one pixel for image resolution enhancement, then image resolution is improved, but the subject position displacement becomes insufficient when camera shake is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the movement amount of the image acquisition device based on the actual camera shake magnitude. Instead of using a fixed one-pixel shift, the system calculates the actual subject position displacement from multiple pre-images captured before the main exposure, and then determines an appropriate shift amount that increases when camera shake is minimal. This dynamic adjustment ensures sufficient subject position displacement for effective image resolution enhancement regardless of the initial camera shake magnitude.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple images are combined for high-resolution output, then image resolution is enhanced, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures multiple pre-images before the main exposure to calculate the subject position displacement in advance. By performing the movement amount calculation before the actual high-resolution image acquisition, the system prepares the necessary data for subsequent image combining. This preliminary calculation of subject position from pre-images simplifies the overall process by having the displacement information ready beforehand, reducing the complexity of real-time processing during the main exposure and image combination phase.
Data Source
AI summary
An image acquisition apparatus includes an optical system including a lens and forming a subject image; an image acquisition device having an image acquisition surface on which the subject image is formed and acquiring a plurality of images; a shifting mechanism causing the device and system to relatively shift in a direction parallel to the surface; and a processor configured to: calculate a movement amount of the subject image on the surface; calculate a relative shift amount of the device and system on the basis of the calculated movement amount; and cause the device and system to relatively shift, between acquisitions of the plurality of images, by the calculated shift amount. The device acquires a plurality of pre-images before acquiring the plurality of images, and the processor is configured to calculate the movement amount of the subject image from a movement amount of the subject between the plurality of pre-images.