Rotating Thermal Camera Image Sorting for Low Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing panoramic camera systems, including thermal imaging systems, face limitations in detail and practicality due to high power consumption and complexity, especially when capturing wide fields of view like 360 degrees, and are often impractical for low-light conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a rotating thermal imaging camera capturing images at constant frame rates and discarding non-corresponding frames, with on-site sorting and analysis by virtual camera devices, reducing power consumption to less than 10 watts, allowing for operation with minimal complexity and low power requirements, and optional off-site stitching for panoramic images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If cryogenically cooled thermal sensors are used to capture thermal panoramic images, then image capture speed is improved (nanosecond capture), but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The panoramic image capture is divided into multiple discrete angular positions. Instead of continuously capturing at high speed, the system captures images at specific segmented positions (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, etc.), reducing the overall power consumption while maintaining the ability to reconstruct panoramic views.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal sensor operates in periodic intervals rather than continuously. The sensor captures images at predetermined angular positions during rotation, then remains inactive during non-capture periods, significantly reducing power consumption while still providing sufficient thermal imaging data for panoramic reconstruction.
2Productivity
If high-speed cameras are used for panoramic capture, then real-time video production is improved, but lighting requirements increase making them impractical for low-light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses thermal radiation copies of the visual scene rather than direct optical copies. Thermal sensors detect infrared radiation emitted by objects, creating thermal images that function as energy copies of the thermal state of the environment, enabling operation in complete darkness where optical cameras fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces optical-mechanical camera systems with thermal sensing systems. Instead of using visible light and mechanical shutters, the system uses thermal radiation detection, substituting the mechanical/optical approach with a thermal field-based approach that operates independently of visible lighting conditions.
3Area of moving object
If panoramic images are created by stretching sensors over wide fields of view, then field of view is improved (up to 360 degrees), but image detail deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The panoramic field of view is segmented into multiple discrete angular positions, each captured with adequate resolution. By dividing the 360-degree view into separate captured positions and reconstructing panoramically, the system maintains detail in each segment while achieving wide overall coverage, avoiding the distortion and detail loss of sensor stretching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional sensor plane to a three-dimensional spatial reconstruction. By capturing images at multiple angular positions and reconstructing the panorama through computational methods, the system adds the temporal/rotational dimension to the imaging process, preserving detail while achieving wide field of view.
4Area of moving object
If existing panoramic camera systems are used, then wide field of view capture is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single thermal sensor performs multiple functions by rotating to different angular positions. Instead of requiring multiple fixed cameras or complex panoramic lens systems, one sensor captures the entire panoramic view by sequentially observing different angles, reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining wide field of view capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Thermal imaging camera images are obtained from a thermal imaging camera that rotates through a plurality of stop positions. The camera captures images at a constant frame rate and at least some of the images correspond to stop positions. Thermal imaging camera images that correspond to a stop position are retained, while images that do not correspond to a stop position are discarded. Retained images are sent in a video stream to a video processor. The video stream is separated into individual thermal imaging camera images and stored for corresponding virtual camera devices that correspond to specific stop positions. In addition, the position of the camera and individual pixels of images are both correlated to geographical location data, and depth values for the pixels are determined based on the geographical data.