CN-122002112-A - Image forming apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. The control method is used for controlling the first frame time sequence of a first imaging sensor of the imaging device. The method includes the steps of obtaining an estimated value of operation delay time and obtaining a candidate target time sequence, determining additional delay time based on the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the candidate target time sequence, executing additional delay operation with the length of time being the additional delay time, and triggering first frame acquisition operation of a first imaging sensor. The operation delay time refers to a total time period from the start of the first frame acquisition operation triggering the first imaging sensor to the exposure phase at which the first imaging sensor starts the first frame acquisition operation. The additional delay time is configured to allow a timing of a preset alignment event of a first frame of the first imaging sensor to align with a candidate target timing.

Inventors

• ZHU QICHENG
• LIU YANSHAO
• HUANG YUZHANG
• WEI KAI
• LI SHENGJIE

Assignees

• 联发科技股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251103

Priority Date

20251031

Claims (20)

1. 1. A first frame timing control method for a first imaging sensor of an imaging apparatus, comprising: Acquiring an estimated value of the operation delay time and acquiring a candidate target time sequence; Determining an additional delay time based on the current timing, the estimated value of the operational delay time, and the candidate target timing; performing an additional delay operation having a duration of the additional delay time, and Triggering a first frame acquisition operation of the first imaging sensor; The operation delay time is the total duration from the beginning of the first frame acquisition operation triggering the first imaging sensor to the exposure stage of the first imaging sensor beginning the first frame acquisition operation; The additional delay time is configured to allow a timing of a preset alignment event of a first frame of the first imaging sensor to align the candidate target timing.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the position of the substrate comprises, The determining an additional delay time based on the current timing, the estimated value of the operational delay time, and the candidate target timing includes: Subtracting the sum of the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the first time interval of the first imaging sensor from the candidate target time sequence, and obtaining a result which is the additional delay time; Wherein the first time interval is a duration of the first imaging sensor in the first frame from a start of the exposure phase to the preset alignment event.
3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the position of the substrate comprises, Before the obtaining the estimated value of the operation delay time and the obtaining the candidate target timing, the method further includes: in response to an instruction to activate the first imaging sensor, performing a preparation operation of activation of the first imaging sensor; the triggering of the first frame acquisition operation of the first imaging sensor comprises the following steps: The first imaging sensor is activated.
4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of, The imaging device further comprises a processor electrically connected with the first imaging sensor; The preparation operation to perform the start-up of the first imaging sensor includes at least one of: Determining, by the processor, a configuration parameter of the first imaging sensor; executing a power-up procedure of the first imaging sensor, and/or Switching the first imaging sensor from standby mode to active mode, and/or Said activating said first imaging sensor comprises: writing a data stream initiation instruction to the first imaging sensor by the processor, and The first imaging sensor performs internal processing before the exposure stage; Wherein the operation delay time is an operation time for starting the first imaging sensor.
5. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of, The processor is an image signal processor or an application processor, and/or The writing, by the processor, a data stream initiation instruction to the first imaging sensor includes: The processor writes a data stream initiation instruction to the first imaging sensor based on an I2C protocol.
6. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of, The obtaining the estimated value of the operation delay time includes: obtaining an estimated value of the operation delay time through an integrator; wherein the integrators are configured to collect actual values of the operation delay time of a plurality of first frames of the first imaging sensor and statistically process the actual values to generate the estimated values, each of the integrators corresponding to only one operation mode of one of the first imaging sensors.
7. 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of, The imaging device further includes a second imaging sensor; The acquiring the candidate target time sequence comprises the following steps: acquiring an estimated value of a time sequence of a preset alignment event of a future frame of the second imaging sensor; Wherein the preset alignment event of one frame is the start of the exposure data reading of the one frame in case the future frame of the second imaging sensor and the first frame of the first imaging sensor are both in the single exposure operation mode, and/or the preset alignment event of one frame is the start of the exposure data reading of the last exposure of the one frame in case the future frame of the second imaging sensor and the first frame of the first imaging sensor are both in the multiple exposure operation mode.
8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, The acquiring the estimated value of the time sequence of the preset alignment event of the future frame of the second imaging sensor comprises: Acquiring a plurality of estimated time sequences corresponding to preset alignment events of a plurality of continuous future frames of the second imaging sensor; Subtracting the sum of the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the first time interval of the first imaging sensor from the candidate target time sequence, wherein the obtained result is the additional delay time and comprises: And selecting one from the plurality of estimated time sequences from small to large, subtracting the sum of the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the first time interval of the first imaging sensor, wherein the positive number obtained for the first time is the additional delay time.
9. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, In a case where the started preparation operation of the second imaging sensor is performed in the process of performing the started preparation operation of the first imaging sensor, after the started preparation operation of the first imaging sensor is performed in response to the instruction to start the first imaging sensor, the method further includes: Waiting for completion of a preparation operation for activation of the second imaging sensor.
10. 10. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of, The imaging device further includes a second imaging sensor; in the case of a preliminary shutdown or shutdown of the data stream of the second imaging sensor during a priming operation of the first imaging sensor, the candidate target timing is a timing at which the processor successfully releases associated resources allocated for the second imaging sensor after the second imaging sensor shuts down the data stream.
11. 11. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the position of the substrate comprises, The triggering of the first frame acquisition operation of the first imaging sensor comprises the following steps: A fast mode switching operation of the first imaging sensor from a current mode to a target mode is performed.
12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, Before the performing the additional delay operation with the length of time being the additional delay time, the method further includes: And responding to an instruction for carrying out quick mode switching on the first imaging sensor, prolonging the exposure time length of the current frame of the first imaging sensor on the basis of the exposure time length of the original configuration, and carrying out the exposure data reading process of the current frame.
13. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, The imaging device further comprises a processor electrically connected with the first imaging sensor; The performing a fast mode switching operation of the first imaging sensor from a current mode to a target mode includes: Writing a fast switch mode instruction to switch to the target mode to the first imaging sensor by the processor, and The first imaging sensor performs internal processing before an exposure phase of a first frame in the target mode state.
14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, The processor is an image signal processor or an application processor, and/or Writing, by the processor, a fast mode switching instruction to switch to the target mode to the first imaging sensor includes: The processor writes a fast switch mode instruction to switch to the target mode to the first imaging sensor via an I2C protocol.
15. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, The obtaining the estimated value of the operation delay time includes: obtaining an estimated value of the operation delay time through an integrator; Wherein the integrator is configured to collect actual values of operation delay times of the first imaging sensors for switching from the current mode to the target mode in the case of performing the additional delay operation, and to statistically process the actual values to generate the estimated values, each of the integrators corresponding to only one operation mode switching scenario of one of the first imaging sensors.
16. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe is performed, The imaging device further includes a second imaging sensor; The acquiring the candidate target time sequence comprises the following steps: acquiring an estimated value of a time sequence of a preset alignment event of a future frame of the second imaging sensor; Wherein the preset alignment event of one frame is the start of the exposure data reading of the one frame in the case that the future frame of the second imaging sensor and the first imaging sensor are both in the single exposure operation mode, and/or the preset alignment event of one frame is the start of the exposure data reading of the last exposure of the one frame in the case that the future frame of the second imaging sensor and the first imaging sensor are both in the multiple exposure operation mode.
17. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the position of the substrate comprises, The first imaging sensor is aligned with the candidate target time sequence through the first frame signal output by the mobile industry processor interface and/or The length distribution of the additional delay time of the plurality of first frames of the first imaging sensor is not uniform.
18. 18. An imaging device comprising a first imaging sensor and a processor electrically connected to each other, characterized in that, The processor is configured to execute a first frame timing control method for the first imaging sensor, the control method comprising: Acquiring an estimated value of the operation delay time and acquiring a candidate target time sequence; Determining an additional delay time based on the current timing, the estimated value of the operational delay time, and the candidate target timing; performing an additional delay operation having a duration of the additional delay time, and Triggering a first frame acquisition operation of the first imaging sensor; The operation delay time is the total duration from the beginning of the first frame acquisition operation triggering the first imaging sensor to the exposure stage of the first imaging sensor beginning the first frame acquisition operation; The additional delay time is configured to allow a timing of a preset alignment event of a first frame of the first imaging sensor to align the candidate target timing.
19. 19. The imaging apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a controller, The determining an additional delay time based on the current timing, the estimated value of the operational delay time, and the candidate target timing includes: Subtracting the sum of the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the first time interval of the first imaging sensor from the candidate target time sequence, and obtaining a result which is the additional delay time; Wherein the first time interval is a duration of the first imaging sensor in the first frame from a start of the exposure phase to the preset alignment event.
20. 20. The imaging apparatus of claim 19, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a controller, The triggering of the first frame acquisition operation of the first imaging sensor comprises the following steps: Activating the first imaging sensor, or A fast mode switching operation of the first imaging sensor from a current mode to a target mode is performed.

Description

Image forming apparatus and control method thereof Related references The present application is a continuation of U.S. provisional patent application No. US 63/716,276, filed on 5/11/2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to the field of imaging technologies, and in particular, to an imaging apparatus and a control method thereof. Background Imaging sensors often need to align image frames with specific events (e.g., image frames of other imaging sensors, external event time windows, etc.) after initiating a data stream or switching modes of operation. The first frame after the imaging sensor initiates a data stream or switches modes of operation is called the first frame. However, before the imaging sensor starts exposure data transmission, the imaging sensor needs to be subjected to multiple links such as software configuration, hardware communication, sensor internal processing, exposure and the like, the related software and hardware factors are complex and a unified time sequence management and control mechanism is lacking, so that the existing frame synchronization scheme can realize frame synchronization only by waiting for a plurality of frames after the first frame. In addition, imaging sensors with different manufacturers and different configurations need to independently develop timing synchronization programs, which further causes the problems of poor universality and high development cost of the existing scheme. Disclosure of Invention According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a first frame timing control method for a first imaging sensor of an imaging apparatus. The method includes the steps of obtaining an estimated value of operation delay time and obtaining a candidate target time sequence, determining additional delay time based on the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the candidate target time sequence, executing additional delay operation with the length of time being the additional delay time, and triggering first frame acquisition operation of a first imaging sensor. The operation delay time refers to a total time period from the start of the first frame acquisition operation triggering the first imaging sensor to the exposure phase at which the first imaging sensor starts the first frame acquisition operation. The additional delay time is configured to allow a timing of a preset alignment event of a first frame of the first imaging sensor to align with a candidate target timing. According to a second aspect of the present application, there is provided an image forming apparatus. The imaging device includes a first imaging sensor and a processor electrically connected to each other. The processor is configured to execute a first frame timing control method for the first imaging sensor. The control method comprises the steps of obtaining an estimated value of operation delay time and a candidate target time sequence, determining additional delay time based on the current time sequence, the estimated value of the operation delay time and the candidate target time sequence, executing additional delay operation with the length of time being the additional delay time, and triggering first frame acquisition operation of a first imaging sensor. The operation delay time refers to a total time period from the start of the first frame acquisition operation triggering the first imaging sensor to the exposure phase at which the first imaging sensor starts the first frame acquisition operation. The additional delay time is configured to allow a timing of a preset alignment event of a first frame of the first imaging sensor to align with a candidate target timing. Drawings In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the drawings required in the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below. It is apparent that the drawings in the following description are only a partial embodiment of the disclosure. It is within the scope of the present disclosure for one of ordinary skill to obtain additional figures from these figures without undue effort. In the accompanying drawings: fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of an image forming apparatus according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart of an imaging sensor from power up to data flow on. FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of the opening of the imaging sensor data stream in the related art. Fig. 4 is a flow chart of fast mode switching of an imaging sensor according to some embodiments of the application. Fig. 5 is a flow chart of a first frame timing control method for a first imaging sensor of an imaging device according to some embodiments of the application. Fig. 6 is a flow chart of a first frame timing control method for a first imaging sensor of an imaging apparatus according to other embodiments of the pre