Tunable Spectral Illuminator Camera with Dynamic Optical Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital cameras face challenges in capturing ambient-invariant, depth, and hyper-spectral images due to limitations in spectral light filtration and sensor array configurations, which affect the accuracy and range of spectral data acquisition.
Innovation Solution
A camera design incorporating a tunable optical filter positioned between spectral illuminators and the scene, allowing dynamic adjustment of spectral light sub-bands, combined with a sensor array capable of differential measurements to capture spectral data across a broad spectrum, including ultraviolet, visible, and IR light, without the need for additional optical filters between the sensor array and the scene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tunable optical filter is positioned between spectral illuminators and the scene, then spectral light sub-bands can be dynamically adjusted to enhance field of view and reduce system noise, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filtering function is segmented into multiple fixed-wavelength filters arranged in a wheel or stack configuration, allowing selective positioning of different spectral sub-bands in the optical path. This segmentation enables dynamic spectral adjustment without requiring a single complex tunable filter, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining spectral data accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical filter system is made dynamic through mechanical rotation or translation mechanisms that allow real-time switching between different fixed-wavelength filters. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the camera to adjust spectral sub-bands on-the-fly, enhancing field of view and reducing system noise while avoiding the complexity of continuously tunable filters.
2Measurement precision
If additional optical filters are added between spectral illuminators and scene to improve spectral resolution, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and loss of light increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic switching between a limited set of fixed-wavelength optical filters rather than continuous spectral tuning. By cycling through predetermined spectral sub-bands, the system achieves high measurement precision for each band while minimizing the total number of filters required, thus reducing device complexity and light loss compared to having all filters simultaneously in the optical path.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding multiple filters with fixed wavelengths, the system changes the spectral parameters by selectively positioning different filters in the optical path based on the desired measurement band. This parameter-based approach allows precise spectral resolution when needed while maintaining a compact filter set, reducing both device complexity and light attenuation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the camera uses broad-spectrum illumination to capture all spectral data, then adaptability improves, but system noise and light loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the specific spectral sub-bands needed for a given measurement task by selectively positioning appropriate optical filters in the illumination path. This extraction approach prevents unnecessary broad-spectrum light from being emitted or transmitted, reducing energy loss while maintaining adaptability to capture required spectral information across ultraviolet, visible, and IR ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination spectrum parameter is dynamically changed by switching between different optical filters, allowing the system to adapt to various spectral requirements without continuously emitting broad-spectrum light. This parameter-based control reduces energy loss by activating only the necessary spectral portions while maintaining versatility for different imaging applications.
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 configuration enhances the camera's field of view, reduces system noise, and enables efficient acquisition of high spectral resolution images by selectively transmitting specific sub-bands of spectral light, improving the accuracy and robustness of spectral and depth data.
Implementation Method 1
a tunable optical filter optically intermediate the one or more spectral illuminators and a scene, and dynamically adjustable to change a selected sub-band of the active spectral light that illuminates the scene
Implementation Method 2
a sensor array including a plurality of sensors each configured to measure spectral light reflected from the scene in the selected sub-band
Data Source
AI summary
A camera includes one or more spectral illuminators, a tunable optical filter optically intermediate the one or more spectral illuminators and a scene, and a sensor array. The one or more spectral illuminators are configured to emit active spectral light. The tunable optical filter is dynamically adjustable to change a selected sub-band of the active spectral light that illuminates the scene. The sensor array includes a plurality of sensors each configured to measure spectral light reflected from the scene in the selected sub-band.