US 8,786,767 B2 · Rapid synchronized lighting and shuttering

Abstract

This document describes various apparatuses and techniques for rapid synchronized lighting and shuttering. These apparatuses and techniques are capable of capturing two images, where one of the images integrates multiple exposures during which an image area is illuminated by a light source and another of the images integrates multiple exposures during which the image is not illuminated by the light source. The image area can be illuminated by rapidly flashing the image area with the light source and synchronizing a shutter to permit one image sensor to capture an image when the image area is illuminated and another image sensor to capture the image area when the image area is not illuminated. These two images can be captured concurrently or nearly concurrently, thereby reducing or eliminating motion artifacts. Further, these apparatuses and techniques may do so with slow and relatively low-cost cameras and relatively low computational costs.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

rapidly flashing at a flash rate at least twice as fast as an image capture rate of a first image sensor, or a second image sensor an object with a first light source, the object illuminated by a second light source in addition to the first light source;
synchronizing shuttering of image sensors to the rapid flashing, the synchronized shuttering exposing the first image sensor during the flashes and the second image sensor not during the flashes;
capturing, at the first image sensor, a first image of the object, the first image integrating multiple exposures during which the object is illuminated by the first light source during multiple, respective flashes and during which the object is also illuminated by the second light source;
capturing, at the second image sensor, a second image of the object, the second image integrating multiple exposures during which the object is not illuminated by the first light source but is illuminated by the second light source;
and
comparing the first image and the second image effective to create a net image, the net image showing the object illuminated by the first light source but not illuminated by the second light source.

3 more elements

One or more computer-readable storage memory having computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, perform acts comprising:

rapidly flashing, at least four times faster than an image-sensor frame rate, an object with a first light source, the object illuminated by ambient light in addition to the first light source;
synchronizing shuttering of image sensors to the rapid flashing, the synchronized shuttering exposing a first image sensor during the flashes and a second image sensor not during the flashes;
capturing, at the first image sensor and at the image-sensor frame rate, a first image of the object, the first image integrating two or more exposures during which the object is illuminated by the first light source during multiple, respective flashes and during which the object is also illuminated by the ambient light;
capturing, at the second image sensor and at the image-sensor frame rate, a second image of the object, the second image integrating two or more exposures during which the object is not illuminated by the first light source but is illuminated by the ambient light;
and
providing the first image and the second image effective to enable creation of a net image, the net image showing the object illuminated by the first light source but not illuminated by the ambient light.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rapid synchronized lighting and shuttering

Life of this patent

Rapid synchronized lighting and shuttering

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20