Steerable Laser Beam Filtering for Real-Time Object Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Steerable lasers often reduce the confidence of detector models in identifying target objects due to illumination overlap, leading to inaccurate control and guidance.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for filtering the illumination of steerable lasers from captured images using various techniques, such as reducing intensity, applying notch filters, or capturing images at non-overlapping wavelengths, to enhance the detector model's confidence in identifying target objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the steerable laser illuminates the target object, then the target object becomes visible, but the illumination reduces the confidence of the detector model in identifying the target object

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaser illumination intensityVSAvoiddetector model confidence

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image processing into two distinct paths: one for detecting laser illumination (using brightness thresholding) and another for detecting target objects (using the detector model on filtered images). This segmentation allows the system to handle the conflicting requirements of illumination visibility and detection confidence separately, resolving the contradiction by processing these functions through different computational channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the laser illumination components from the images before processing them through the detector model. By identifying illumination pixels through brightness analysis and excluding these regions from the detection process, the system eliminates the harmful effect of illumination on detector confidence while preserving the illumination's utility for visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Illumination intensity

If the illumination intensity is reduced to remain visible to human eye, then the laser remains visible for detection and control, but the detector model may still have reduced confidence in detecting the target object

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaser illumination intensityVSAvoidtarget object detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary image processing step that acts as a mediator between the illuminated image and the detector model. This intermediary process filters out illumination components through brightness analysis, allowing the detector model to receive cleaned images that preserve target object information while eliminating illumination interference, thus improving detection precision without requiring intensity reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Improves the accuracy of detecting target objects by increasing the confidence of detector models, enabling more precise control and guidance of steerable lasers.

Implementation Method 1

the image sensor captures images at a second wavelength that is non-overlapping with the first wavelength

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWavelength non-overlapping detection:

Implementation Method 2

a notch filter set to an emission band of the steerable laser, the notch filter placed in an optical path from the target object to the image sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNotch filter: Filter (optical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250301230A1Filtering a streerable laser beam during real-time object detection and targeting in physical space

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 NEC CORPOATION OF AMERICA

AI summary

There is provided a system for guiding a steerable laser to a target object, comprising: at least one processor executing a code for: for each image of a plurality of images captured by an image sensor and obtained in a plurality of iterations: filtering an illumination of a steerable laser overlapping a target object or in near proximity to a target object from the image, to create a filtered image, detecting the target object on the filtered image by a detector model, and generating instructions for at least one of: further directing of the steerable laser for illumination of the target object, and maintaining the illumination of the steerable on the target object.