Optimum method of applying and removing a shaped-function signal for low-light-level image detection

Abstract

This paper presents an optimum method that exploits the principle of diffuse scattering and employs the least squares method (LSM) to apply and remove a shaped-function signal for low-light-level image detection. With the help of a sawtooth-shaped-function light signal applied to an image sensor, the LSM is employed to remove the sawtooth signal from the captured images and restore the weak image signal. The experiment process and result verify that this method can not only maintain the capability of upgrading the image sensor's sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio like the previous method, but it also can improve the imaging speed in the low-light level, decrease the computation cost of the extraction process, and eliminate the influence of the environment light to satisfy the requirement of long-distance detection.