Space Mapping Illumination for Panoramic Cameras

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Solution Overview

Problem

Panoramic cameras face challenges in capturing high-quality images in low light conditions due to varying distances of objects within the scene, leading to uneven illumination and poor image quality, as objects close to the camera may be over-illuminated while those further away are under-illuminated.

Innovation Solution

An image system that generates a compensation matrix based on a distance matrix and an illumination intensity matrix to adjust the illumination intensity of the camera's illumination devices and pixel values, ensuring optimal illumination across the scene by balancing light distribution according to object distances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If uniform illumination intensity is used across the scene, then the illumination devices are simple to control, but objects at different distances receive uneven illumination resulting in poor image quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination control simplicityVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by dividing the scene into multiple zones and assigning different illumination intensity levels to each zone based on its distance from the camera. Close zones receive lower illumination intensity while far zones receive higher intensity, creating a non-uniform illumination pattern that compensates for distance variations and ensures consistent image quality across the entire scene.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the illumination intensity adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically modifies illumination parameters based on scene characteristics, allowing the illumination devices to adapt their output to different spatial zones and lighting conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple control and image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If high illumination intensity is used to ensure all objects are visible, then image quality improves, but objects close to the camera become over-illuminated with reflections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidreflections and over-illumination

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing spatially varying illumination intensity where close zones receive lower illumination intensity and far zones receive higher intensity. This localized adjustment prevents over-illumination and reflections in near zones while ensuring adequate illumination in distant zones, thereby eliminating harmful effects while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If low illumination intensity is used to avoid reflections, then harmful effects are reduced, but objects further away become under-illuminated resulting in poor image quality

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereflectionsVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing spatially varying illumination intensity where close zones receive lower illumination intensity to avoid reflections, while far zones receive higher illumination intensity to ensure adequate lighting. This localized differentiation simultaneously reduces harmful reflections and maintains image quality across all zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Manufacturing precision

If high illumination intensity is used to illuminate distant objects, then image quality of far zones improves, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage quality of distant objectsVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by directing higher illumination intensity only to far zones that require it for adequate visibility, while close zones receive lower illumination intensity. This localized approach ensures image quality in distant areas without unnecessarily consuming power in near zones, thereby optimizing the balance between image quality and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements parameter changes by adjusting illumination intensity levels based on spatial zone characteristics. The system varies the illumination parameter according to distance, applying higher intensity only where necessary for distant objects and lower intensity for close objects, thus optimizing power consumption while maintaining required image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11683575B2Space mapping illumination in image system

Publication Date: 2023.06.20 AXIS

AI summary

An image system (100) comprising a camera (110), a control unit (120), a processing unit (130), one or more illumination devices (140). The image system (100) is configured to obtain a distance matrix for a scene. Each cell of the distance matrix corresponds to a zone of the scene and a value in each cell represents the distance from an object in the zone to the camera. The image system is further configured to obtain an illumination intensity matrix for the scene. Each cell of the illumination intensity matrix corresponds to a zone of the scene and a value in each cell represents illumination intensity of one or more illumination devices in each zone of the scene. The image system is further configured to generate a compensation matrix based on the illumination intensity matrix and the distance matrix and generate an image of the scene based on the compensation matrix.