Stereo Camera Sensitivity Matching for Stable Parallax Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In stereo cameras, the mismatch in sensitivity characteristics between multiple cameras due to the deviation of composite-point output values during sensitivity correction degrades parallax performance.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with cameras having unit pixels comprising high and low sensitivity sub-pixels, where the output is switched and amplified to match sensitivity characteristics across cameras, using a predetermined exposure value and amplification to ensure uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If sensitivity correction is performed on multiple cameras using sub-pixels with different sensitivities, then the dynamic range is expanded, but the composite-point output value deviates between cameras causing mismatch in sensitivity characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of composite-point output value to be identical across multiple cameras by adjusting the switching threshold. Instead of using fixed different sensitivity sub-pixels with different composite points, the system adjusts the composite-point output value parameter to ensure all cameras switch at the same output level, thereby maintaining sensitivity characteristic consistency while preserving HDR capability.
2Illumination intensity
If sub-pixels with different sensitivities are used for HDR composition, then the dynamic range is expanded, but parallax performance degrades due to composite point mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the composite-point output value parameter to be identical across multiple cameras. This ensures that when HDR composition is performed, all cameras switch between high and low sensitivity sub-pixels at the same output threshold, preventing parallax errors while maintaining expanded dynamic range capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If sensitivity correction is applied to match cameras, then uniformity is improved, but composite-point output value deviation occurs between cameras
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adjusting sensitivity to match composite points, the patent inverts the approach by adjusting the composite-point output value to match across cameras. The system maintains individual camera sensitivity characteristics while unifying the switching threshold parameter, thereby achieving composite-point matching without compromising sensitivity uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus has a plurality of cameras, each including: an imaging device in which unit pixels are periodically arranged, the unit pixels including high sensitivity sub-pixels that output a first output value for a certain exposure amount and low sensitivity sub-pixels that output a second output value lower than the first output value for a certain exposure amount; a composition section that selects and outputs an output of the high sensitivity sub-pixels and an output of the low sensitivity sub-pixels when the exposure amount is smaller or larger than the predetermined exposure value, respectively; and an amplification section that amplifies and outputs an output of the composition section, and so that image signals of the high and low sensitivity sub-pixels in the same predetermined exposure values become the same between the plurality of cameras, corrects the image signals of the high and low sensitivity sub-pixels.