Scan Line Timestamping for Multi-Sensor Temporal Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in accurately associating specific portions of image frames with corresponding data from other sensors due to temporal differences, limiting processes like camera calibration, 3D reconstruction, and object detection in autonomous vehicles.
Innovation Solution
Adding time data to individual scan lines of an image frame during rolling shutter image capture and synchronizing data capture between image sensors and LIDAR sensors, allowing for precise alignment and fusion of data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single timestamp is associated with the entire image frame, then the system is simple to implement, but the temporal accuracy of associating image portions with other sensor data deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image frame into multiple scan lines, each with its own timestamp. This segmentation allows precise temporal tracking of individual scan lines while maintaining system feasibility through structured implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the scan line data by incorporating timestamps for each scan line. This transforms the data structure from spatial-only (image coordinates) to spatio-temporal (image coordinates + time), enabling precise temporal alignment with other sensors.
2Measurement precision
If individual timestamps are added to each scan line, then temporal alignment accuracy with other sensors improves, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds timestamps directly into the scan line data during the image capture process itself, rather than adding them later during processing. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent processing by having temporal information already integrated with spatial information.
Solution Approach 2:
The timestamp acts as an intermediary that bridges image data and other sensor data. By including timestamps in the image pipeline, the patent creates a common temporal reference frame that facilitates accurate association with LIDAR and other sensor data without complex post-processing.
3Reliability
If scan line timestamps are implemented, then object detection accuracy improves through precise temporal alignment, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the image processing system to self-align with other sensor data using the embedded timestamps. This eliminates the need for complex external synchronization mechanisms and reduces processing overhead by allowing systems to autonomously correlate data based on shared temporal information.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for adding time data to scan lines of an image frame. In some examples, an image sensor may perform a rolling shutter image capture to produce the scan lines. Data captured by another sensor may be associated with at least a portion of a scan line based at least in part on the time data added to the scan line in some examples. Furthermore, techniques are disclosed for synchronizing data capture by multiple sensors. For example, a rolling shutter image capture performed by an image sensor may be synchronized with a data capture performed by another sensor.