Structured-Light Depth Head With Coaxial Sub-Sensors for Faster Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing depth cameras struggle with achieving both measurement accuracy and imaging speed while optimizing costs, due to low frame rates and long acquisition times for depth data, which hinder dynamic imaging capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a depth data measuring solution with multiple coaxial sub-image sensors that sequentially image different patterns and synthesize depth data, using a coaxial monocular or binocular photosensitive unit to reduce imaging time and increase frame rate without relying on high-cost, high-frame-rate imaging devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple frames are merged to obtain depth data, then measurement accuracy is improved, but imaging time increases and frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple sub-image sensors (first sub-image sensor and second sub-image sensor) that share part of the optical path. Each sub-image sensor captures different patterns sequentially, allowing the system to obtain multiple frames faster by parallel processing different pattern captures simultaneously rather than sequentially merging frames from a single sensor.
2Productivity
If high-frame-rate imaging devices are used to increase frame rate, then imaging speed is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sub-image sensors share part of the optical path, merging the optical system resources. This allows the system to achieve high frame rate depth imaging by having multiple sensors capture different patterns simultaneously, effectively doubling the frame rate without requiring each individual sensor to operate at ultra-high speeds, thus avoiding the need for expensive high-performance components.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared optical path serves multiple sub-image sensors, making the optical system multi-functional. This universal optical path design allows a single optical system to support multiple sensors capturing different patterns, reducing overall system cost while achieving high frame rate performance.
3Productivity
If multiple sub-image sensors are used to reduce imaging time, then frame rate is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sub-image sensors share part of the optical path, merging optical resources to reduce overall system complexity. By having sensors share the optical path rather than each having dedicated optics, the system achieves multi-sensor functionality while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 approach doubles the frame rate and reduces imaging time for depth data, enabling dynamic imaging while maintaining accuracy and avoiding the need for costly high-performance components.
Implementation Method 1
a projection device for scanning and projecting a set of sturctured light having different patterns to a shooting area
Implementation Method 2
an image sensor for capturing the shooting area to obtain a set of image frames illuminated by the set of structured light
Data Source
Figure 1A~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7B
AI summary
A depth data measurement head, a depth data computing device, and a corresponding method. The measurement head (200) comprises: a projection device (210) for scanning and projecting a group of structured light having different patterns to a photographing area; and an image sensor (220) for photographing the photographing area to obtain a group of image frames under illumination of a group of structured light for single calculation of depth data in the photographing area, wherein the image sensor (220) comprises at least two sub-image sensors (223, 224) sharing at least part of an optical path, and the at least two sub-image sensors (223, 224) are respectively used for imaging the structured light having different patterns successively projected by the projection device (210). Continuous imaging is carried out by using the coaxial monocular or multiple binocular structures, so that the problems of incapability of dynamic imaging and too low depth data frame rate caused by too long multi-frame acquisition time in a scenario where the depth data is calculated by merging multiple frames can be solved.