Shared Scanning Mirror Layout for Vignetting-Free Oblique Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerial camera systems face challenges in efficiently capturing vertical and oblique imagery due to spatial inefficiencies and low-quality images, such as blurry images and vignetting, particularly when fitting multiple lenses and mirrors in confined spaces on aerial vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A scanning mirror structure with a first mirror portion and a second portion of low reflective material is used to reflect and block light at specific angles, allowing a camera to capture a set of oblique images along a scan path, while a drive rotates the structure based on scan angles to optimize image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a scanning mirror structure with low reflective material is used to block light at specific angles, then image quality is improved by reducing vignetting, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning mirror structure incorporates a second portion with low reflective material arranged around the periphery of the first mirror portion. This local differentiation allows the mirror to selectively block light at specific angles (reducing vignetting) while maintaining high reflectivity in the central region for proper image capture, thus improving image quality without requiring complete structural redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning mirror is divided into distinct portions: a first mirror portion with high reflectivity for capturing images and a second portion with low reflective material for blocking stray light. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally, resolving the contradiction between image quality and device complexity by assigning specialized functions to different segments
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lenses and mirrors are fitted in confined spaces on aerial vehicles, then vertical and oblique imagery capture capability is improved, but spatial efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning mirror structure serves multiple functions: the first mirror portion captures images at various angles, while the second portion with low reflective material blocks stray light and reduces vignetting. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain vertical and oblique imagery capture capability without requiring separate components, thereby improving spatial efficiency in confined aerial vehicle spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the light-capturing function and the light-blocking function into a single scanning mirror structure. By merging these functions into one component rather than using separate lenses and mirrors, the system achieves versatile imagery capture capability while reducing the space required in the confined aerial vehicle environment
3Reliability
If overlapping aerial photos are captured using serpentine flight pattern, then complete coverage and redundancy are improved, but flight time and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning mirror structure enables continuous capture of overlapping aerial photos along a scan path without requiring the aircraft to slow down or pause for repositioning. The mirror continuously sweeps across the terrain, maintaining continuous useful action during the serpentine flight pattern, thereby improving both coverage completeness and flight efficiency simultaneously
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 solution enables efficient capture of high-quality oblique images, reducing spatial inefficiencies and vignetting, thereby improving the accuracy and completeness of aerial image data.
Implementation Method 1
a scanning mirror structure including at least one surface for receiving light from the object area, the at least one surface having at least one first mirror portion configured to reflect light from the object area over a set of scan angles
Implementation Method 2
at least one second portion comprised of low reflective material arranged around a periphery of the first mirror portion, the low reflective material being less reflective than the first mirror portion, and the at least one second portion is configured to block light
Implementation Method 3
the camera includes a lens to focus an imaging beam reflected from the at least one surface of the scanning mirror structure to an image sensor of the camera
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a camera configured to capture a set of oblique images along a scan path on an object area; a scanning mirror structure including at least one surface for receiving light from the object area, the at least one surface having at least one first mirror portion at least one second portion comprised of low reflective material arranged around a periphery of the first mirror portion, the low reflective material being less reflective than the first mirror portion; and a drive coupled to the scanning mirror structure and configured to rotate the scanning mirror structure about a rotation axis based on a scan angle. The at least one second portion can be configured to block light that would pass around the first mirror portion and be received by the camera at scan angles beyond the set of scan angles.