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KR-20260067092-A - DERWATER CAMERA WITH FUNCTION OF MIRINE BIOFOULING REMOVAL AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

KR20260067092AKR 20260067092 AKR20260067092 AKR 20260067092AKR-20260067092-A

Abstract

The present invention provides an underwater camera equipped with a function to prevent the attachment of underwater organisms and a method for controlling the same. One embodiment of an underwater camera equipped with a function to prevent the attachment of underwater organisms according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing having a receiving space defined therein that communicates with the outside through a viewing opening, and a protective member installed on the viewing opening; a shooting module disposed in the receiving space and photographing an underwater subject through the viewing opening; an ultrasonic generating module that generates ultrasonic waves irradiated toward the protective member; and a control module that determines whether underwater organisms are attached to the surface of the protective member, and if it is determined that underwater organisms are attached to the surface of the protective member, controls the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generating module to be irradiated toward the protective member in order to remove the underwater organisms attached to the surface of the protective member before they become attached.

Inventors

  • 김상인

Assignees

  • 김상인

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241105

Claims (11)

  1. A housing (100) comprising a receiving space (110) that communicates with the outside through a viewing opening (120), and a protective member (130) installed on the viewing opening (120); A shooting module (200) positioned in the above receiving space (110) and capturing an underwater subject through the above viewing opening (120); An ultrasonic generating module (300) that generates ultrasonic waves directed toward the protective member (130); and An underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function, comprising: a control module (500) that determines whether an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130), and if it is determined that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130), controls the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generation module (300) to be directed toward the protective member (130) in order to remove the underwater organism attached to the surface of the protective member (130) before it becomes attached.
  2. In Article 1, The above control module (500) is an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function that determines whether an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) by comparing the object (O) displayed in the first and second images captured by the above shooting module (200) at preset time intervals.
  3. In Article 2, The control module (500) is an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function, which determines that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) only when an object (O) with the same shape and size is displayed in both the first and second images, or when an object (O) with a difference in shape, size, and position within a preset standard range is displayed in both the first and second images.
  4. In Article 2, The control module (500) is an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function, which determines that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) only when the shape of the object (O) displayed in both the first and second images is a preset shape and its size is larger than a preset reference size.
  5. In Article 2, The control module (500) is an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function that calculates the area of underwater organisms attached to the surface of the protective member (130) from the sum of the areas of the object (O) displayed in both the first and second images.
  6. In Article 5, The above control module (500) is an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function that adjusts at least one of the amplitude and intensity of the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound generation module (300) in proportion to the area on which the underwater organism is attached to the surface of the calculated protective member (130).
  7. A control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater biological attachment prevention function according to claim 1: The above method is, The above-mentioned shooting module (200) generates first and second images by shooting at preset time intervals in an image generation step (S100); The above control module (500) determines whether an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) by comparing the object (O) displayed in the first and second images in an attachment determination step (S200); and A control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function, comprising: a control module (500) that, when it is determined that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130), controls the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generation module (300) to be directed toward the protective member (130) in order to remove the underwater organism attached to the surface of the protective member (130) before it becomes attached; and an attachment organism removal step (S400).
  8. In Article 7, In the above attachment determination step (S200), The above control module (500) determines that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) only when the object (O) with the same shape and size is displayed in both the first and second images, or when the object (O) with a difference in shape, size, and position within a preset standard range is displayed in both the first and second images. This is a control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function.
  9. In Article 7, In the above attachment determination step (S200), The above control module (500) determines that an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) only when the shape of the object (O) displayed in both the first and second images is a preset shape and its size is larger than a preset reference size, thereby providing a control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function.
  10. In Article 7, A control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function, wherein the above control module (500) further includes an attachment area calculation step (S300) for calculating the area on which an underwater organism is attached to the surface of the protective member (130) from the sum of the areas of the object (O) displayed in both the first and second images.
  11. In Article 10, In the above attached organism removal step (S400), The above control module (500) controls at least one of the amplitude and intensity of the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound generation module (300) in proportion to the area on which the underwater organism is attached to the surface of the calculated protective member (130), thereby providing a control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function.

Description

Underwater camera equipped with a function to prevent underwater biofouling and a control method thereof The present invention relates to an underwater camera, and more specifically, to an underwater camera equipped with a function to prevent underwater organisms from attaching, and a method for controlling the same. Underwater cameras are installed underwater to capture video or still images of the underwater environment and are used for various purposes such as observing the marine environment, checking the condition of fish farms, checking the condition of seabed structures, and underwater surveillance. In particular, when such underwater cameras are installed in seawater, various marine organisms, especially underwater attached organisms such as barnacles, adhere to the lens or the protective glass in front of the lens, thereby interfering with the underwater camera's recording. In particular, aquatic sessile organisms such as barnacles attach to lenses or other surfaces in their larval stage and eventually become attached as they secrete adhesive substances over time. Therefore, various technologies are being proposed to remove these organisms before they become attached or to prevent such attachment. Notably, technologies and products utilizing ultrasound to prevent the attachment of aquatic sessile organisms, such as barnacles, to underwater cameras have already been released. However, the technology for preventing the attachment of underwater organisms using ultrasound according to such conventional technology prevents the attachment of underwater organisms by simply generating ultrasound at predetermined time intervals or at all times, regardless of the area or quantity of underwater organisms attached. Consequently, energy is consumed uneconomically to prevent the attachment of underwater organisms; therefore, particularly in the case of underwater cameras using batteries, a disadvantage arises in that the lifespan of the underwater camera, which uses limited battery power, is substantially reduced by consuming a large amount of power to prevent the attachment of underwater organisms. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an underwater camera equipped with an underwater biological attachment prevention function according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control method for an underwater camera equipped with an underwater biological attachment prevention function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, an underwater camera equipped with an underwater biological attachment prevention function according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an underwater camera equipped with an underwater biological attachment prevention function according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the underwater camera (1) (hereinafter referred to as the "underwater camera") equipped with an underwater organism attachment prevention function according to the present embodiment is intended for photographing an underwater environment and can be operated via wired or wireless means. Hereinafter, the state in which an underwater organism is initially attached with a weak adhesive force is defined as "attachment," and the state in which it is firmly attached with a stronger adhesive force by a bio-adhesive substance secreted from the underwater organism over time is defined as "fixation." In addition, in the present embodiment, a function is provided to remove the underwater organism attached to the underwater camera (1) before it becomes fixed. The underwater camera (1) according to the present embodiment includes a housing (100), a shooting module (200), an ultrasonic generating module (300), a lighting module (400), and a control module (500). More specifically, the housing (100) defines the exterior of the underwater camera (1) and defines a receiving space (110) in which various components constituting the underwater camera (1) are installed. For example, the housing (100) may be formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder or a polyhedron, and the receiving space (110) is connected to the outside through a viewing opening (120) defined by cutting a part of the housing (100). Additionally, the housing (100) includes a protective member (130). The protective member (130) is installed on the viewing opening (120) to shield the viewing opening (120) and simultaneously allow the shooting module (200) to photograph an underwater subject through it. The protective member (130) may be made of reinfo