Improved method on image detection at low light level using a sinusoidal-shaped-function signal

Abstract

This study proposes an improved method which employs the shaped-function technology and Discrete Fourier Series Transform (DFST)-based algorithm to improve the subjective impression at low light level. A sinusoidal wave light signal which is generated in the low frequency range plays the role of a shaped-function signal. The basic procedure of the proposed method is that an LED with a time-varying (sinusoidal) beam is used to illuminate the image sensor evenly. Then, a DFST-based algorithm is employed to remove the sinusoidal wave signal from the captured images for restoring the low-light-level image signal with a low gray resolution. The main purpose of this method was to improve gray-level resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of the acquired image and process the image data in real time by sliding the window. The derivation processes and experiments verify that the improved method not only can reveal a better result than the algorithms we have proposed before, but also have a better performance on the imaging speed.