Structured Light Illumination for Depth Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current depth determination methods, such as LIDAR and stereoscopic techniques, face limitations in resolution and usability due to the need for laser light, high latency, and issues with uniform surfaces, which can lead to inaccurate depth predictions and distractions in human environments.
Innovation Solution
An illumination system that projects a consistent illumination pattern followed by a concealing pattern, using a digital light projector to create a composite image that averages to uniform illumination, allowing for high-resolution depth determination without visible patterns, enabling both patterned and non-patterned image capture for various applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If LIDAR is used for depth determination, then measurement precision is improved, but object-affected harmful factors worsen due to laser light being distracting or damaging to human eyes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses infrared light instead of visible laser light for depth determination. The illumination device projects infrared light patterns that are invisible to humans, eliminating the harmful effects of visible laser light while maintaining measurement precision. The system captures infrared images and processes them to generate depth maps, achieving accurate depth measurement without distracting or damaging human eyes.
2Measurement precision
If LIDAR is used for depth determination, then measurement precision is improved, but quantity of substance worsens due to sparse depth measurement points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the illumination into multiple discrete light sources arranged in a grid pattern. Each light source illuminates a specific region, and the system captures images from multiple angles to obtain depth information for each segment. This segmentation approach increases the number of depth measurement points while maintaining measurement precision, transforming the sparse LIDAR data into a dense depth map.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to depth determination by using a grid arrangement of light sources and capturing images from multiple positions. Instead of single-point LIDAR measurements, the system creates a two-dimensional array of measurement points by positioning light sources and cameras in grid patterns, significantly increasing the quantity of depth data while maintaining accuracy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If radar is used for depth determination, then object-affected harmful factors are reduced, but measurement precision worsens due to low resolution depth information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses infrared light (electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum) instead of radio waves used in radar. This change in electromagnetic spectrum region allows the system to achieve higher resolution depth measurements while remaining invisible to humans. The infrared illumination device projects structured light patterns that can be captured by infrared-sensitive cameras, providing both safety and high precision.
4Ease of operation
If uniform illumination is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision worsens due to inability to determine depth on uniform surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic modulation of the infrared light sources to encode depth information. The light sources are modulated at different frequencies or phases, and the camera captures the modulated light patterns. By analyzing the phase shifts or frequency responses of the modulated light, the system can determine depth information even on uniform surfaces, maintaining both simple operation and high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs structured light patterns in the infrared spectrum projected onto the scene. These patterns create artificial texture and contrast that enable depth determination on uniform surfaces. The system projects known geometric patterns (such as grids or random dot patterns) and captures their deformation caused by scene geometry, allowing precise depth measurement while the infrared illumination remains imperceptible to humans.
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
The system provides high-resolution depth maps while minimizing distractions and improving accuracy by ensuring uniform illumination, supporting both depth determination and object recognition tasks without the need for visible patterns, thus enhancing the usability in human environments.
Implementation Method 1
An illumination system that projects a consistent illumination pattern followed by a concealing pattern, using a digital light projector to create a composite image that averages to uniform illumination
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for illuminating scene areas to facilitate depth determination are described. A sequence of frames is displayed, e.g., projected, onto a scene area to illuminate the area for image capture. The sequence of frames includes a patterned frame followed by a concealing frame. The patterned frame and concealing frame are each displayed for no more than 1/60 of a second. The concealing frame maybe and sometimes does display a complementary pattern to the preceding patterned frame. When viewed sequentially by a human viewer the human sees a non-distracting uniformly illuminated scene area as a result of the effect of the concealing frame. One or more cameras are used to capture images of the illuminated area during a time in which the pattern is displayed and the scene area is effectively painted with a pattern that can facilitate depth determination based on one or more captured images.