Vision Alignment Fixture for Seamless Tiled Display Corners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for aligning tiled displays are time-consuming and imprecise, relying on operator visual alignment and remote camera systems that require extensive setup and adjustment, often failing to achieve seamless pixel alignment between adjacent displays.
Innovation Solution
An alignment fixture equipped with a vision system comprising four small field-of-view cameras mounted at predefined corner positions, which images and aligns corner pixels of tiled displays using an attachment mechanism such as magnets, electromagnets, suction cups, or mechanical fasteners to ensure precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If operator visual alignment and remote camera systems are used, then alignment can be achieved, but alignment time is excessive and setup complexity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system is segmented into multiple independent cameras positioned at specific corners of the display array, each capturing local alignment information independently. This allows parallel processing of alignment data from multiple displays simultaneously, dramatically reducing total alignment time compared to single remote camera systems that must sequentially capture and process entire arrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera positions and fields of view are pre-configured to capture corner pixels of displays before the actual alignment process begins. This preliminary positioning enables immediate alignment calculations without requiring extensive setup or adjustment during the alignment operation itself, reducing on-site alignment time.
2Measurement precision
If remote camera systems are used, then alignment can be achieved, but camera setup and adjustment complexity is extensive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single remote camera attempting to capture the entire display array, the system employs multiple cameras positioned locally at or near each display corner. Each camera is optimized for its specific local field of view, capturing only the necessary corner pixel information. This localizes the complexity to simple, repeatable camera setups rather than one complex remote system requiring extensive adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than positioning cameras remotely and adjusting them to capture the entire array, the system inverts the approach by placing cameras at the displays themselves (or very near them) with fixed, simple fields of view. This eliminates the need for complex remote camera positioning and adjustment, as each camera's role and position are inherently determined by its location at the display corner.
3Ease of operation
If operator visual alignment is used, then alignment can be achieved, but alignment precision is insufficient for seamless seams
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual operator visual alignment with an automated vision-based measurement system. Cameras capture images of corner pixels, and software automatically calculates alignment deviations and generates correction data. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with optical measurement and computational analysis achieves precision unattainable by human operators while maintaining operational simplicity through automated processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision system creates digital copies (images) of the physical display corner pixels, allowing precise measurement and analysis of alignment without physically touching or disturbing the displays. This optical copying enables sub-pixel precision measurement that far exceeds human visual capabilities, while the digital nature of the copies allows for automated processing and precise correction calculations.
Data Source
AI summary
A fixture for aligning tiled displays is provided. The fixture includes a frame. The fixture further includes a vision system supported by the frame, the vision system configured to image at predefined display corner positions defined by given display dimensions. The fixture further includes an attachment mechanism configured to attach the frame to an array of tiled displays each having the given display dimensions, such that the vision system images positions of the array corresponding to respective corners of a tiled display in the array, and adjacent display corner positions.