Multi-Camera High-Speed Synchronization With Wireless Trigger Timing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-speed cameras face challenges in synchronizing multiple units due to asynchronous electronic devices causing delays in trigger signal input, leading to complex cable wiring and restricted mobility.
Innovation Solution
A synchronous camera apparatus with a system control unit that includes camera synchronization means, utilizing current time generation, synchronization signal reception, and frame association to align trigger times across multiple high-speed cameras wirelessly, eliminating the need for physical cable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trigger signals are input into multiple high-speed cameras simultaneously, then synchronous shooting is achieved, but cable wiring becomes complex and mobility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable wiring system with a wireless communication system. Each camera is equipped with a wireless communication unit that receives trigger signals via radio waves from a trigger generator, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining synchronization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a trigger generator as an intermediary device that distributes trigger signals to multiple cameras wirelessly. This intermediary coordinates the timing across all cameras without requiring direct physical connections between them, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If asynchronous electronic devices are used for trigger signal transmission, then flexibility is improved, but delays occur leading to synchronization loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where each camera reports its internal timing state back to the trigger generator. The trigger generator uses this feedback to calculate and transmit corrected trigger times that compensate for processing delays in asynchronous devices, ensuring accurate synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary timing adjustments by having cameras report their current frame numbers and timing states before the actual trigger event. The trigger generator then pre-calculates the correct trigger time based on these advance reports, compensating for any delays that will occur during signal transmission.
3Measurement precision
If physical cable connections are used for camera synchronization, then synchronization precision is maintained, but camera mobility and placement flexibility are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical cable connections with wireless communication technology. Each camera contains a wireless communication unit that receives timing information via radio waves, maintaining precise timing synchronization while completely eliminating physical connection requirements, thereby enabling full camera mobility.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Respective image frames of a plurality of conventional high-speed cameras have been difficult to synchronize with one another. A synchronous camera apparatus including a plurality of high-speed cameras according to the present invention includes a plurality of high-speed cameras each including an imager unit that sequentially images a target video image at a set exposure timing, a video recording memory, a video recording unit that video-records a predetermined image imaged by the imager unit as an image frame of digital data in the video recording memory by input of a trigger signal, and a system control unit that has a timer and performs various types of calculations, and synchronization signal setting means for setting a synchronization signal in each of the high-speed cameras and transmitting the set synchronization signal to each of the high-speed cameras. The synchronization signal is a trigger time. The synchronization signal is a sequence number matching time and a trigger sequence number.