Shared-Mirror Hyper Camera With Dynamic Aperture for Oblique Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerial camera systems face inefficiencies in capturing oblique images due to difficulties in fitting long focal length lenses and matched aperture mirrors, leading to issues like vignetting and low image quality, especially in constrained spaces like aerial vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a scanning mirror structure with a drive mechanism to rotate the mirror about a scan axis, adjusting the scan angle based on the vehicle's yaw angle, and dynamically tunes the camera aperture to minimize vignetting by sampling the imaging beam at optimal values, ensuring effective illumination and image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If long focal length lenses and matched aperture mirrors are used to capture oblique images, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system is divided into multiple cameras (first camera, second camera, third camera) with different optical axes, each capturing images from different angles. This segmentation allows the system to capture oblique, vertical, and other angle images simultaneously without requiring a single complex lens system, thereby improving image quality while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the camera arrangement by positioning cameras at different orientations (oblique, vertical, and other angles) around the scanning mirror structure. This multi-dimensional arrangement enables comprehensive image capture without requiring extremely long focal lengths, thus improving image quality while controlling space requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If long focal length lenses are used to capture oblique images, then image sharpness is improved, but the space required in the aerial vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a scanning mirror structure that dynamically rotates to redirect light beams from different angles to the camera sensors. This dynamic scanning mechanism replaces the need for fixed, long focal length lenses, achieving sharp oblique images while significantly reducing the space required in the aerial vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical lens system (long focal length lenses) with an optical scanning system using mirrors and beam redirection. This substitution achieves the same image sharpness function through optical reflection and scanning rather than through long focal length optics, thereby reducing the volume required.
3Device complexity
If the camera aperture is fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but vignetting occurs and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable camera aperture that changes size based on the scan angle. As the scanning mirror rotates to capture oblique images, the aperture opens wider to maintain proper illumination and prevent vignetting. This dynamic adjustment maintains high image quality without significantly increasing device complexity, as it leverages the existing scan angle information.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple cameras with different optical axes are used to capture oblique and vertical images, then image coverage and quality are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-camera system where each camera serves multiple functions: the first camera captures oblique images, the second camera captures vertical images, and the third camera captures images at other angles. This universal arrangement allows a single imaging system to perform comprehensive aerial surveying functions without requiring separate specialized systems, thereby improving image coverage while managing device complexity through integrated design.
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
This approach enhances the quality of oblique images by reducing vignetting and improving image sharpness, allowing for more efficient and accurate orthomosaic and 3D model creation from aerial photos.
Implementation Method 1
reflecting a first imaging beam from an object area using a scanning mirror structure having at least one mirror surface to a first image sensor
Implementation Method 2
the first camera comprising a first lens to focus the first imaging beam to the first image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system can include a first and second camera configured to capture first and second sets of oblique images along first and second scan paths, respectively, on an object area. A drive is coupled to a scanning mirror structure, having at least one mirror surface, and configured to rotate the structure about a scan axis based on a scan angle. The first and second cameras each have an optical axis set at an oblique angle to the scan axis and include a respective lens to focus first and second imaging beams reflected from the mirror surface to an image sensor located in each of the cameras. The first and second imaging beams captured by their respective cameras can vary according to the scan angle. Each of the image sensors captures respective sets of oblique images by sampling the imaging beams at first and second values of the scan angle.