Thermally-directed optical imager bandwidth reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical imaging technologies generate large amounts of data, requiring time-consuming processing and high bandwidth for transmission, which creates burdensome overhead in various applications.
Innovation Solution
A thermally-directed imager that uses a thermal image sensor and an optical image sensor, along with a processor, to confine and compress optical image processing within an optical processing region derived from thermal data, reducing the need for extensive bandwidth by focusing on regions of interest like centers of heat-mass or using edge detection algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If optical imaging captures the entire field of view, then complete scene information is obtained, but data volume and transmission bandwidth requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical image into multiple processing regions based on thermal data segmentation. Each region is processed independently with different levels of detail, allowing complete scene coverage while reducing overall data volume by focusing high-resolution processing only on thermally significant areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different regions of the image based on thermal significance. Regions with thermal activity receive high-resolution processing while other areas use lower resolution, maintaining information completeness for critical areas while reducing total data volume through localized quality adjustment.
2Measurement precision
If full optical image processing is performed, then all visual details are captured, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary thermal analysis before optical image processing to identify regions of interest. This preliminary action guides subsequent optical processing to focus only on thermally significant areas, reducing processing time while maintaining visual detail detection precision where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial processing action by processing only the portions of the optical image that correspond to thermal activity. This selective processing reduces computational load and time while maintaining sufficient visual detail for detecting and analyzing thermal events.
3Productivity
If high bandwidth is allocated for optical data transmission, then data transmission capacity increases, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the thermally significant portions of the optical image for transmission, separating this subset from the complete optical data stream. This extraction reduces transmission data volume and bandwidth requirements while maintaining system simplicity, avoiding the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure.
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 bandwidth required for transmitting optical image data by processing only relevant regions, allowing for efficient and real-time feedback in applications like surveillance and monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal sensor receives the infrared radiation and accordingly generates a thermal image signal
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor receives optical radiation and converts the optical radiation into an optical image signal
Implementation Method 3
lenses for focusing infrared and optical radiation onto image sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A thermally-directed optical imager and a method of thermally-directing optical processing are described. The thermally-directed imager includes a thermal image sensor, an optical image sensor, and a processor. The thermal and optical sensors respectively generate thermal image and optical image signals. The processor uses the thermal image signal to determine an optical processing region, which the processor uses to derive a compressed-image signal. The optical processing region may be determined by detecting a center of heat-mass associated with the thermal image signal or by performing an edge detection algorithm. In addition, the thermally-directed imager may be focused, zoomed, or centered via the thermal image signal.