Depth queue by thermal sensing
A method ( 300 ) for characterizing a lighting environment using thermal imaging includes the steps of: providing ( 310 ) a lighting unit ( 10 ) comprising a light source ( 12 ), a thermal imager ( 32 ), and a controller ( 22 ); obtaining ( 330 ), using the thermal imager, one or more thermal images of one or more surfaces ( 52 ) within the lighting environment; extracting ( 340 ), by the controller using the one or more thermal images, a thermal shadow ( 54 ) on one or more surfaces within the lighting environment; determining ( 360 ), from the thermal shadow, a depth queue for an object ( 52 ) associated with the thermal shadow; and characterizing ( 370 ), by the controller using the determined depth queue, the object.
1. A method for determining a depth queue for an object using thermal imaging, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining, using a thermal imager, one or more thermal images of one or more surfaces within an environment;
extracting, by a controller using the one or more thermal images, a thermal signature on one or more surfaces within the environment, wherein the thermal signature results from a thermal shadow created by a heat signal reflecting off an object exposed to a heat source;
determining, from the thermal signature, a depth queue for an object; and
characterizing, by the controller using the determined depth queue, the object,
wherein the step of characterizing the object comprises determining a height of the object, determining an orientation of the object, or localizing the object within the lighting environment.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of extracting a thermal signature comprises comparing a thermal image at a first time point to a thermal image at a second time point.
3. A method for characterizing a lighting environment using thermal imaging, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a lighting unit comprising a light source, a thermal imager, and a controller;
obtaining, using the thermal imager, one or more thermal images of one or more surfaces within the lighting environment;
extracting, by a controller using the one or more thermal images, a thermal signature on one or more surfaces within the lighting environment, wherein the thermal signature results from a thermal shadow created by a heat signal reflecting off an object exposed to a heat source;
determining, from the thermal signature, a depth queue for an object associated with the thermal signature; and
characterizing, by the controller using the determined depth queue, the object,
wherein the step of characterizing the object comprises determining a height of the object, determining an orientation of the object, or localizing the object within the lighting environment.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of extracting a thermal signature comprises comparing a thermal image at a first time point to a thermal image at a second time point.
5. A lighting unit configured to characterize a lighting environment using thermal imaging, the lighting unit comprising:
a light source;
a thermal imager configured to obtain one or more thermal images of one or more surfaces within the lighting environment; and
a controller configured to: (i) extract, using the one or more thermal images, a thermal shadow on one or more surfaces within the lighting environment, wherein the thermal shadow results from a heat signal reflecting off an object exposed to a heat source; (ii) determine, from the thermal shadow, a depth queue for the object; and (iii) characterize the object using the determined depth queue,
wherein characterizing the object comprises determining a height of the object, determining an orientation of the object, or localizing the object within the lighting environment.
6. The lighting unit of claim 5 , further comprising a communications module configured to communicate the extracted thermal shadow or the determined depth queue.
7. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the step of extracting a thermal shadow comprises comparing a thermal image at a first time point to a thermal image at a second time point.
8. A system configured to characterize a lighting environment using thermal imaging, the system comprising:
a plurality of lighting units, each of the plurality of lighting units comprising a light source; a thermal imager configured to obtain one or more thermal images of one or more surfaces within the lighting environment; and a communications module configured to communicate the one or more thermal images; and
a controller configured to: (i) receive, from one or more of the communications modules, the one or more thermal images; (ii) extract, using the one or more thermal images, a thermal shadow on one or more surfaces within the lighting environment, wherein the thermal shadow results from a heat signal reflecting off an object exposed to a heat source; (iii) determine, from the thermal shadow, a depth queue for the object; and (iv) characterize the object using the determined depth queue,
wherein characterizing the object comprises determining a height of the object, determining an orientation of the object, or localizing the object within the lighting environment.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein extracting a thermal shadow comprises comparing, by the controller, a thermal image at a first time point to a thermal image at a second time point.