Spatially-aware Camera for Mobile Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for capturing three-dimensional data with moving cameras face challenges in accurately determining the camera's location and orientation during image capture, leading to complexities in processing and potential inaccuracies due to latency issues between sensor measurements and image processing.
Innovation Solution
Embedding location data into the image stream ensures that all data processed is time-aligned, allowing for accurate determination of the camera's position and orientation, even when the camera is moving, by combining telemetry data from various sources such as IMU, GPS, and joint angles, and recording this information at the time of exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the camera is temporarily stopped during image capture to ensure known location, then measurement precision of camera position is improved, but productivity of data acquisition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of stopping the camera with a computational approach using an IMU (inertial measurement unit) to continuously track and calculate camera position and orientation during motion. The IMU sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes) provide real-time motion data that is integrated to determine camera pose, eliminating the need for mechanical stopping while maintaining position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an IMU as an intermediary device between the moving camera and the image processing system. The IMU acts as a mediator that continuously measures motion parameters and provides real-time position/orientation data, allowing the system to accurately track camera location without requiring the camera to stop during capture.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensor data sources are combined to determine camera location, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor data sources (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and potentially other IMU sensors) into a single integrated system for determining camera position and orientation. By combining these sensors within the IMU unit and processing their data together through sensor fusion algorithms, the system achieves high measurement precision while managing complexity through integration rather than separate processing of each sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The IMU serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides acceleration data, angular velocity data, and through integration and processing, derives position and orientation information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated sensors for each measurement type, thereby improving precision without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Loss of time
If location data is embedded into the image stream, then processing time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by embedding location and orientation data directly into the image stream at the point of capture. This pre-processing step ensures that position information is already available and synchronized with each image frame before further processing occurs, eliminating the need for separate time-consuming synchronization and alignment operations later in the processing pipeline.
Data Source
AI summary
Mobile apparatus (e.g., robotic systems and mobile vehicles) use one or more cameras fixed to the apparatus so that the cameras move when the mobile apparatus moves. The cameras acquire images of the world space in which the apparatus operates, and the images are processed to develop information about objects sharing the world space with the mobile apparatus. This information permits a control system to direct the apparatus to interact with (or avoid) the objects.