Synchronized Pulsed Lighting for Image Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image acquisition systems for objects on conveyor belts face challenges with overlapping lighting planes and view planes, leading to over-lighting and reflections that compromise image quality, requiring longer reading stations and inefficient use of space.
Innovation Solution
The system employs synchronized light pulses for each camera's lighting device, ensuring that light interference is minimized, allowing cameras to acquire images only when their respective lighting is active, and optimizing the positioning of reading stations by preventing overlapping light and view planes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cameras and lighting devices are installed to acquire images from different angles, then the coverage and detection capability are improved, but the lighting planes and view planes overlap causing over-lighting and reflections that compromise image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed lighting instead of continuous lighting. Each lighting device emits light pulses synchronized with specific camera acquisitions, ensuring that only the intended camera receives light at any given moment. This temporal separation eliminates overlapping light paths and reflections that would occur with continuous lighting, thereby maintaining image quality while preserving multi-angle coverage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a control unit that coordinates the timing of light pulses with camera acquisitions. The control unit receives feedback about which camera is actively acquiring an image and accordingly activates only the corresponding lighting device. This feedback mechanism prevents simultaneous operation of multiple lighting devices that would cause overlapping light planes and compromised image quality.
2Length of moving object
If reading stations are placed closer together to reduce system length, then space utilization is improved, but overlapping lighting and view planes cause over-lighting and reflections
Solution Approach 1:
By using pulsed lighting synchronized with camera acquisitions, the system eliminates the need for large spacing between reading stations. The temporal separation of light pulses prevents overlapping light paths even when stations are closely positioned, allowing compact system configuration without compromising image quality through over-lighting or reflections.
3Illumination intensity
If continuous lighting is used to ensure adequate illumination for image acquisition, then lighting coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces continuous lighting with periodic pulsed lighting that activates only during camera acquisitions. The control unit timing the light pulses to coincide with specific camera acquisitions ensures adequate illumination coverage when needed, while eliminating energy consumption during intervals when no acquisition is occurring. This significantly reduces overall energy consumption compared to continuous lighting.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit uses feedback about camera acquisition timing to activate lighting devices only when and where needed. This feedback-based control ensures illumination is provided precisely during acquisition events, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during non-acquisition periods while maintaining adequate lighting coverage when required.
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 significantly reduces the system's length requirement, enabling closer placement of reading stations and improving image quality by eliminating light interference, while also reducing energy consumption through pulsed lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a linear camera suitable for acquiring images from at least one object travelling on a transporting plane
Implementation Method 2
at least one lighting device associated with each of said at least two cameras and suitable for lighting said object in regions of said object from which said images are to be acquired
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for image acquisition for acquiring images comprising at least two optical devices for acquiring images, each optical device comprising a respective linear camera (101a-101e) suitable for acquiring images from at least, one object passing on a transporting plane (102), at least one lighting device (104a-104e) associated with each of said at least two cameras (101a-101e) and suitable for lighting said object in regions of said object from which said images may be acquired, said lighting devices (104a-104e) light said object with light pulses, said light pulses being synchronised so that light generated by said at least one lighting device (104a-104e) associated with a camera (101a- 101e) does not interfere with the acquisition of another of said at least two' cameras (101a-101e), said cameras acquiring said images only when the respective at least one lighting device (104a-104e) is active.