Subframe-Level Synchronization in Multi-Camera System Using Time-Calibrated Video
Xiaoshi Zhou,
Yanran Dai,
Haidong Qin,
Shunran Qiu,
Xueyang Liu,
Yujie Dai,
Jing Li,
Tao Yang
Affiliations
Xiaoshi Zhou
National Engineering Laboratory for Integrated Aero-Space-Ground-Ocean Big Data Application Technology, SAIIP, The School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China
Yanran Dai
The School of Telecommunications Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Haidong Qin
National Engineering Laboratory for Integrated Aero-Space-Ground-Ocean Big Data Application Technology, SAIIP, The School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China
Shunran Qiu
National Engineering Laboratory for Integrated Aero-Space-Ground-Ocean Big Data Application Technology, SAIIP, The School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China
Xueyang Liu
The School of Telecommunications Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Yujie Dai
The School of Telecommunications Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Jing Li
The School of Telecommunications Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Tao Yang
National Engineering Laboratory for Integrated Aero-Space-Ground-Ocean Big Data Application Technology, SAIIP, The School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China
Achieving precise synchronization is critical for multi-camera systems in various applications. Traditional methods rely on hardware-triggered synchronization, necessitating significant manual effort to connect and adjust synchronization cables, especially with multiple cameras involved. This not only increases labor costs but also restricts scene layout and incurs high setup expenses. To address these challenges, we propose a novel subframe synchronization technique for multi-camera systems that operates without the need for additional hardware triggers. Our approach leverages a time-calibrated video featuring specific markers and a uniformly moving ball to accurately extract the temporal relationship between local and global time systems across cameras. This allows for the calculation of new timestamps and precise frame-level alignment. By employing interpolation algorithms, we further refine synchronization to the subframe level. Experimental results validate the robustness and high temporal precision of our method, demonstrating its adaptability and potential for use in demanding multi-camera setups.
