Upper Hood Limits Incident Angle for 360-Degree Image Capturing Device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image capturing devices face challenges in reducing image quality due to overhead light, leading to artifacts like flare or ghosting, which affect the smoothness of image boundaries and the stitching process for panoramic images.
Innovation Solution
The use of an upper hood on the image capturing device that shields light incidence from directly above, limiting the incident angle of light to between 30 degrees and 67 degrees, thereby reducing the impact of overhead light on image quality and stitching accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the image capturing device captures images with a wide angle of view (approximately 360 degrees) to enable panoramic stitching, then the coverage area is improved, but image quality deteriorates due to overhead light causing flare and ghosting artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an upper hood as an intermediary component between the overhead light source and the imaging elements. The hood physically blocks direct light paths from above, preventing flare and ghosting artifacts while maintaining the wide 360-degree horizontal field of view. This mediator structure allows the system to achieve both comprehensive coverage and high image quality by selectively filtering harmful light angles.
2Illumination intensity
If overhead light is allowed to incident on the lenses to maintain brightness, then illumination intensity is improved, but harmful artifacts (flare and ghosting) increase
Solution Approach 1:
The upper hood applies local quality control by selectively blocking light from specific directions (from above) while allowing light from other directions to reach the imaging elements. This creates a directional filtering effect where the hood's geometry is optimized to prevent overhead light incidence angles that cause artifacts, while preserving beneficial illumination from lateral directions, thus maintaining brightness without flare.
3Manufacturing precision
If the upper hood limits the incident angle of light to reduce artifacts, then image quality is improved, but the amount of light reaching the imaging elements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The upper hood modifies the angular parameter of incident light by blocking specific angle ranges (from above) while permitting other angles. The hood's geometric parameters are optimized to restrict only the harmful overhead angles that cause artifacts, while maintaining sufficient light intake from lateral directions. This selective angular filtering improves image quality by removing artifact-causing light paths without significantly reducing overall illumination.
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 solution effectively minimizes the adverse effects of overhead light on image quality and stitching, resulting in smoother image boundaries and improved real-time image processing capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an upper hood to shield incidence of light on the plurality of lenses from directly above. The upper hood limits an incident angle of light to an angle greater than or equal to approximately 30 degrees and less than or equal to approximately 67 degrees
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing device for capturing an image at an angle of view of approximately 360 degrees in a horizontal direction, includes: a plurality of lenses having an optical axis in the horizontal direction; and an upper hood to shield incidence of light on the plurality of lenses from directly above. The upper hood limits an incident angle of light to an angle greater than or equal to approximately 30 degrees and less than or equal to approximately 67 degrees, the incident angle being defined by a direction in which light from above is incident on each of the plurality of lenses at a maximum angle and the optical axis of the plurality of lenses.