Control module and method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a control module and a method, which control module includes: a first interface to a camera set in a vehicle; a second interface to a serializer, the serializer being used to communicate with an electronic control unit of the vehicle; and a processing unit, which is configured to process input data received via the first interface or via the second interface to obtain output data, and output the output data via the first interface or via the second interface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to control modules and methods. Background Art

[0002] Digital imaging devices (eg, digital cameras, such as remote cameras) are used in automotive applications for various applications, such as for monitoring an occupant of a vehicle (eg, a driver) or the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0003] The camera should be simple and easy to connect. In new designs, remote cameras can include memory components that can be configured more easily and means for preventing copying. However, the camera must be properly configured and tested at startup, which can take several seconds (sometimes even more than 10 seconds). The processing tasks are usually delegated to the ECU (Electronic Control Unit), where the processor is also used to initialize other components before proceeding to camera initialization. At the same time, the user needs to operate the camera almost immediately.

[0004] Furthermore, with the advent of autonomous vehicles, it may be desirable to operate more and more cameras simultaneously, and this may cause the control channel (e.g., I2C) to become a potential bottleneck.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved camera control in vehicles. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure provides a control module, a computer-implemented method, a computer system, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and a vehicle. Implementations are presented in the specification and the drawings.

[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a control module comprising: a first interface to a camera disposed in a vehicle; a second interface to a serializer for communicating with an electronic control unit of the vehicle; and a processing unit configured to process input data received via the first interface or via the second interface to obtain output data, and output the output data via the first interface or via the second interface.

[0008] In other words, the control module can be disposed between the camera and the serializer (where the serializer can communicate with the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle), and can forward signals received from the camera to the serializer and forward signals received from the serializer to the camera, or can intercept signals received from the camera or from the serializer and respond to the signals without forwarding the signals. This can reduce the communication work on the serial connection between the serializer and the ECU, and can reduce the computational work of the ECU.

[0009] Using a control module according to various embodiments, a fast-start ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) rated remote camera can be provided. If a certain error occurs, the ASIL rating may require certain measures to ensure normal operation. For example, in order to be ASIL rated, the camera should provide the ability to check the internal operating conditions so that errors can be detected and their status information can be provided. In some cases, an ASIL rated camera may even be required to ensure correct operation in error conditions.

[0010] According to another aspect, the control module further comprises a memory configured to store information related to the camera. For example, information that may be repeatedly requested by the ECU from the camera (e.g. at each startup) or that may be provided to the camera from the ECU may be stored in the memory, and then the information may be provided directly from the memory of the control module (rather than from the camera or from the ECU). This may allow the camera to be started without involving the ECU (because the control module may provide data or information or control instructions that would normally be provided by the ECU, so that the ECU may simultaneously focus on other tasks during the startup process, and the camera may be available shortly after startup).

[0011] According to another aspect, the input data includes configuration or calibration data for the camera. For example, the configuration data or calibration data can be provided from the camera to the control device and then stored in the control device. The calibration parameters can include operating parameters such as voltage or current requirements, shutter speed, ISO setting, pixel binning options, color calibration data, dark image data (for compensating for "hot pixels"), etc.

[0012] According to another aspect, the output data includes configuration or calibration data of the camera. For example, configuration or calibration data that has been previously received from the camera and stored in the memory can be obtained from the memory and used for further processing and / or forwarded to the ECU without requesting configuration or calibration from the camera again.

[0013] According to another aspect, the output data includes identification data identifying the camera. The identification data may include data indicating the type of camera and / or the requirements of the camera for proper operation (eg, a maximum or minimum allowable operating temperature).

[0014] According to another aspect, the processing unit is configured to perform a runtime check of the camera. During runtime, the effective operation of the camera can be checked continuously or intermittently. When the camera is operating, the priority can be to provide connectivity to the video components (e.g., imager and video processor via the video channel), but at the same time, the operational effectiveness of the camera can also be monitored.

[0015] According to another aspect, the run-time check includes a check of at least one of: the voltage drawn by the camera (in other words: the voltage drop across the camera or the voltage applied to the camera); the current drawn by the camera; the temperature of the camera; or the quality of the link to the camera. By avoiding having to check and report multiple factors (voltage, temperature, etc.) directly and individually to the ECU, heavy loading of the control channel can be avoided. Furthermore, by checking the link quality, it can be ensured that the camera has a good quality link to allow for quick setup and testing at runtime.

[0016] According to another aspect, the output data includes at least one of a summary of the run-time check results or a detailed report of the run-time check results. For example, the summary of the results can be an indication of whether the run-time check shows any faults. For example, the summary of the results can be obtained at a higher frequency than the detailed report. For example, the detailed report can be provided upon request (e.g., if the ECU determines that a fault has occurred (e.g., based on the summary of the results), the ECU can request a detailed report in order to accurately locate the fault).

[0017] According to another aspect, the input data and / or the output data include synchronization data. Multiple sensors operating simultaneously provide a requirement for them to be synchronized so that the fusion of the data is easier. At the same time, in a real real-time system, it may be desirable that the operation of the sensor matches the current situation. For example, the camera can be set to a "shutter speed" (shooter speed / shutter speed) related to the light availability and the current mode of operation. At the same time, the front camera and the side camera can use different lenses and sensors, which may result in a suboptimal setting when used for two devices. Based on the synchronization data, all cameras can be synchronized with a central time source (e.g., set in the vehicle and / or set in the ECU), and the exposure time is clearly related to this time. In addition, vehicle ECU synchronization can be used to synchronize external and internal cameras for calibration.

[0018] According to another aspect, the processing unit is configured to determine the type of camera and process the input data based on the determined camera type. Information indicating the type can be stored in a memory of the control module (or in a memory associated with or connected to the control module). More than one camera can be connected to the control module at the same time, and cameras of various types can be connected at the same time. According to various embodiments, multiple types of imagers or cameras can be docked. Differences between different types of imagers or cameras can be compensated by the control module. In addition, various embodiments can be used to ensure the security of the design (when it comes to potential counterfeiting and sabotage or misoperation) by controlling different types of cameras (which may include checks on whether the camera is safe to operate and whether the camera is a counterfeit camera).

[0019] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle comprising a control module as described above, a camera; a serializer; and an electronic control unit.

[0020] According to another aspect, the control module is configured to configure the camera during startup of the vehicle and / or during startup of an electronic control unit (ECU). Since the control module may be responsible only for the camera (or multiple cameras if more than one camera is provided), the control module may start processing directly at startup while the ECU handles other tasks.

[0021] According to various implementations, boot times of at least a few hundred milliseconds to tens of seconds can be obtained, changing the boot time perceived by the user. At the same time, gains can be achieved in all areas of network security (initialization and configuration updates), safety (diagnostic builds independent of the ECU) and time synchronization (clock synchronization).

[0022] On the other hand, the present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method (e.g., a control method) for processing data received via a first interface to a camera provided in a vehicle or via a second interface to a serializer for communicating with an electronic control unit of the vehicle, the method comprising the following steps performed (in other words: implemented) by a computer hardware component: determining output data based on the received data; and outputting the output data via the first interface or via the second interface.

[0023] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a computer system comprising a plurality of computer hardware components configured to perform some or all of the steps of the computer-implemented methods described herein.

[0024] The computer system may include a plurality of computer hardware components (e.g., a processing unit, at least one memory unit, and at least one non-transitory data storage). It should be understood that additional computer hardware components may be provided and used to perform the steps of the computer-implemented method in the computer system. The non-transitory data storage and / or the memory unit may include a computer program for instructing a computer, for example, using the processing unit and at least one memory unit to perform some or all steps or aspects of the computer-implemented method described herein.

[0025] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for performing some or all steps or aspects of the computer-implemented methods described herein. The computer-readable medium can be configured as: an optical medium, such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital versatile disc (DVD); a magnetic medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD); a solid-state drive (SSD); a read-only memory (ROM), such as a flash memory; and the like. In addition, the computer-readable medium can also be configured as a data storage device accessible via a data connection such as an Internet connection. The computer-readable medium can be, for example, an online data repository or cloud storage.

[0026] The present disclosure also relates to a computer program for instructing a computer to perform several or all steps or aspects of the computer-implemented method described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Exemplary embodiments and functions of the present disclosure are described herein in conjunction with the following schematically illustrated drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 is a diagram of a system including a control module 104 according to various embodiments; and

[0029] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to various embodiments.

[0030] Reference numerals list

[0031] 100 is a diagram of a system including a control module 104 according to various embodiments.

[0032] 102 Imager (camera)

[0033] 104 Control module (supervisor, normalizer)

[0034] 106 Serializer (Serializer / Deserializer)

[0035] 108 video channels

[0036] 110 Control interface line

[0037] 112 Sync Line

[0038] 114 Shooting Line

[0039] 116 Diagnostic Line

[0040] 118 Control interface line

[0041] 120 Sync Line

[0042] 122 Diagnostic Line

[0043] 124 DC / DC Converter

[0044] 126 Power cord

[0045] 128 monitoring lines

[0046] 130 Power cord

[0047] 132 Power cord

[0048] 134 PoC Line

[0049] 136 High-speed serial and PoC lines

[0050] 200 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to various embodiments.

[0051] 202 Step of determining output data based on received data

[0052] 204 Step of outputting the output data via the first interface or via the second interface DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Figure 1 A diagram 100 of a system including a control module 104 is shown according to various embodiments. The control module 104 may also be referred to as a "supervisor" or a "normalizer". The imager 102 (in other words: an image sensor, such as an image sensor of a camera (e.g., a remote camera)) does not have a direct control channel from the serializer / deserializer 106 (which may be connected to the ECU; electronic control unit) via a high-speed serial and PoC (power over coaxial cable) connection 136. The serializer / deserializer 106 (which may be referred to as a serializer for simplicity) may be used as a communication device to provide high-speed signals over a relatively large distance between the ECU on one side and the imager 102 and the control module 104 on the other side. According to various embodiments, additional components of the control module 104 may be used instead of using direct communication between the imager 102, the serializer 106 and the ECU.

[0054] A remote camera may be a camera that is not directly integrated with the ECU but is connected to the ECU via a (usually long) connection. For example, rear cameras and side cameras are typically remote cameras. The front camera may be a remote camera or may be integrated with the ECU.

[0055] The control module 104 may be disposed between the imager 102 and the serializer 106 and may forward or modify data transmitted on the control interface lines 110 , 118 , the synchronization lines 112 , 120 , and the diagnostic lines 116 , 122 .

[0056] The control interface lines 110 , 118 may provide an interface for controlling the integrated circuit, for example according to I 2 C or SPI.

[0057] According to various embodiments, the control module 104 may be disposed between the imager 102 and the serializer 106. This enables operation of the imager 102 to be accomplished through control of the control module 104, and independent of any interaction with the ECU. As a result, the ECU may interrogate the state of the camera 102 while the control module 104 is interacting with the imager 102. At the same time, some control functions (such as the measurement of the voltage level seen by the imager 102) may be delegated from the ECU to the camera control module 104.

[0058] The synchronization lines 112, 120 can be used to implement time synchronization between the remote camera 102 and the ECU, for example using a serializer GPIO (general purpose input / output) line. This time synchronization can be part of the time synchronization described herein, or can be used independently to indicate an expected (e.g., ECU expected) image capture time.

[0059] A synchronization line 112 between the control module 104 and the imager 102 may be used to synchronize the operation of the imager 102. For example, a high-speed clock may be used, the frequency of which may be adjusted using the control module 104 to achieve an appropriate frame rate. In another example, a shutter release may be used to control the moment when image capture occurs.

[0060] The capture line 114 may indicate when the imager 102 is physically capturing. The capture line 114 may provide a feedback signal from the imager 102 indicating that the shutter is open. In embodiments where the capture line 114 is not provided, the indication of whether the shutter is open may be determined by the control module 104 using different means, such as imager register polling (in other words: cyclic reading of registers of the imager 102). The control module 104 may periodically (and independently of the ECU) check the shutter state (e.g., "shutter open" or "shutter closed") by reading a predetermined register of the imager. Instead of checking the state by register polling, a registration in a read queue may be used.

[0061] The imager diagnostic line 116 may provide information about potential faults. In embodiments where the imager diagnostic line 116 is not present, other means may be used, such as polling of imager registers or interaction with the imager 102 by the control module 104. Information about potential faults may allow for ASIL-relevant monitoring of the state of the camera 102 along with other means such as power monitoring (indicated via line 128), temperature monitoring, or control module internal diagnostics.

[0062] The camera diagnostic line 122 can alert the ECU to a potential fault or abnormal state of the camera 102. According to various embodiments, the camera diagnostic line 122 can be combined with or replaced by other means, such as register polling via the control line 118 or as an injected error state in the video channel signal 108 provided to the ECU via the camera connection 136.

[0063] It should be understood that each of the lines may comprise one or more physical lines.

[0064] The imager 102 may still be in direct contact with the serializer 106 via the video channel 108 ; in other words: the image data or video data provided by the imager 102 may not be routed through the control module 104 .

[0065] The DC / DC (direct current / direct current) converter 124 can provide power to various components, such as to the imager 102 via power line 126, to the control module 104 via power line 130, and to the serializer 106 via power line 132. The DC / DC converter 124 can receive power via a PoC (power over coaxial cable) line 134 (from the high-speed serial and PoC lines 136). The power lines 126, 130, 132 can be monitored to detect faults. In commonly used designs, the power lines are monitored via the ECU by measuring or comparing with a fixed level, which may cause a load on the interface and may cause problems when multiple cameras are used. According to various embodiments, the power lines 126, 130, 132 can be monitored via the control module 104 using fault signaling provided to the ECU, so that the connection (e.g., connection 136) is less loaded on the diagnostic component. At the same time, the control module 104 can perform more detailed diagnostic measurements.

[0066] Hereinafter, activation of the camera or imager 102 according to various embodiments will be described.

[0067] The control module 104 may start up immediately after power is supplied to the imager 102. The start-up time of the control module 104 may be shorter than that of the ECU because the control module 104 may have a simple design and may provide functionality suitable for the needs of working with the imager 102, compared to the complex design and general requirements of the ECU. Before the ECU's startup procedure enters the stage of using the imager 102, the control module 104 may configure and test the imager 102, effectively taking over a communication channel (e.g., an I2C channel or an SPI channel) and releasing it before the ECU uses the communication line.

[0068] In the case where the ECU writes anything to the imager 102 and the control module 104 will not complete its task, then clock stretching techniques can be used to delay the ECU transaction. In this case, when the control module 104 operates the imager 102 and the ECU begins to request access to the imager 102, the control module 104 can delay the operation of the ECU by using "clock stretching" as defined in the I2C standard. One of those rare but possible situations where this may occur is when the imager 102 is a remote camera and when the remote camera is temporarily disconnected from the ECU or the camera 102 is restarted.

[0069] Hereinafter, identification of the camera or imager 102 according to various embodiments will be described.

[0070] After releasing the control interface line communication path (i.e., after switching to a mode that forwards any communications between the imager 102 and the serializer 106 via the control interface lines 110 and 118), the control module 104 can "self-identify" the imager 102 to the ECU. It may be desirable to securely identify whether the camera 102 is "valid" (e.g., a genuine and not counterfeit product) and has an appropriate identifier (ID). In commonly used designs, identification can be performed using reading a write-once area in the imager or in an extended form as a cryptographic signature of the area; however, such identification may be spoofed or take a long time. According to various embodiments, internal storage verification can be delegated to the camera control module 104, while providing strong verification of short confirmation messages. At the same time, any communication between the camera 102 and the ECU can be protected even when the imager 102 does not support secure data transmission.

[0071] According to various embodiments, the ECU may provide an "invocation" (e.g., write some random sequence to an emulated I2C register). The control module 104 may encrypt the invocation using its private key, and may return the encrypted result to the ECU as a "response" in other registers. Finally, the ECU may encrypt the response using the camera's public key, and provide the encrypted response to the control module 104. The entire sequence may mean less than 30 bytes of transmission, and may take less than 1 ms.

[0072] An encryption call using two different keys may be used to identify the imager 102. For example, the ECU may send a random long number, e.g., comprising several hundred bits. The camera control generation module 104 may encrypt a block consisting of an internally processed random code received from the ECU together with (e.g., after or before) the identification and calibration data stored in the camera 102. The encryption may be done using an asymmetric key that is part of the structure of the camera control module 104 and protected within the camera control module 104, such as, for example, a secure element. The result may be an encrypted block, and the encrypted block may be provided to the ECU, where the encrypted block is decrypted by the ECU in an internal cryptographic module that protects its key to provide data to the camera.

[0073] Hereinafter, provision of calibration values ​​according to various embodiments will be described.

[0074] After successful completion of the identification, the control module 104 may allow reading of certain portions of a memory (e.g., disposed in or attached to the control module 104) storing the camera characteristics. The camera characteristics may be provided using emulation of an EEPROM (of the imager 102) under the control of the control module 104. Data related to the camera characteristics may be stored as part of the structure of the control module 104.

[0075] In the following, programming of calibration values ​​(into the control module 104 ) according to various embodiments will be described.

[0076] A special operating mode may be activated (eg, using a similar mechanism as described above for identifying the camera) in order to be able to program the calibration values ​​into the control module 104. Access to this operating mode may be protected by the use of a public / private key pair.

[0077] Hereinafter, runtime camera validity checking according to various embodiments will be described.

[0078] The camera operation (e.g., the operation of the imager 102) can be constantly verified to notify (e.g., notify the ECU) of any potential failure. According to various embodiments, the control module 104 can perform the following measurements: voltage check, temperature check, health check (e.g., health check of the imager 102 or the link to the imager 102), or link quality. The control module 104 can access the serializer 106 and ultimately the ECU via the control interface line 118. Thus, the control module 104 can monitor the connection status with the ECU. The measurement can be performed periodically and can be used as a summary (e.g., as an I2C accessible register with a 100ms counter value, and at the same time as a line to copy the time synchronization signal and / or as a detailed report (indicating voltage, temperature, etc.)). Self-tests can be performed periodically, and as such, a timing mechanism can be established to control the measurement and check whether it works on the required schedule. In addition, instead of using a static error line, a line providing different codes or PWM ratios can be used to signal the error.

[0079] Hereinafter, synchronization of cameras (or imagers) according to various embodiments will be described.

[0080] The time in the vehicle is provided by a single source. All units (especially all ECUs) receive this time and should work relative to this time. According to various embodiments, the time regarding the operation of the camera arranged in the vehicle can also be provided.

[0081] When the vehicle is started, the ECU can provide the estimated current time to the control module 104. During operation, the ECU can provide a square wave (or rectangular) time synchronization signal as a side channel on the serial connection to the camera. The frequency of the signal can depend on the required stability of the camera clock (for example, the frequency can be 1Hz). At each edge of the signal, the ECU can provide the current accurate time in the ECU (which can be synchronized with the vehicle's time base). When the edge of the signal is seen, the control module 104 can capture the current internal time and compare it with the time provided by the ECU, and can modify the internal N / M divisor to stabilize the internal clock and synchronize it with the car time (i.e., ECU time). At the same time, the control module 104 can provide a copy of the received signal to the ECU so that the ECU can determine the transmission time and jitter, which can be provided to the control module 104 as a way to make the time more accurate.

[0082] According to various embodiments, the shutter may not be directly controlled or allowed to operate autonomously. According to various embodiments, the control of the shutter may be moved to synchronize the time between the camera 102 and the ECU, where the ECU is a loosely connected time source. This connection may reduce the load on the ECU and may provide that synchronization is a low priority process.

[0083] According to various embodiments, while the camera 102 may operate with or without an internal generator, at one point this signal may be established. Thereafter, an internal signal may be generated, resulting in the process of capturing an image using the imager 102. This may be performed using one of the specific methods of M / N given frequency signal generation. However, it should be understood that the process may be replicated using software or programmable logic instead of a divisor. As a result, a signal of a given frequency may be received, and due to the adjustment, a phase calibration may also be received. Thus, the M / N coefficient may be adjusted so that exposure may be performed at the expected time. Furthermore, this may reduce the workload on the ECU and on the fusion components in a multi-camera system.

[0084] It should be understood that N and M refer to two coefficients used for frequency generation in the PLL loop (which may be referred to as N / M frequency generation). According to various embodiments, the base clock may be multiplied by N and divided by M, and the output signal may be divided by one coefficient and compared to the base clock divided by another coefficient. However, it should be understood that any other method may be used instead.

[0085] Using this internal time, the control module 104 can generate a stable clock time to the imager 102 to make the frame cycle accurate. At the same time, the control module 104 can use the "frame synchronization" input or the "flash" output to synchronize the moment when the exposure is to be made.

[0086] In the case of a "frame sync" input, the control module 104 may generate signals according to a calculated internal schedule, thereby also allowing configurations with multiple frame formats to be used.

[0087] In the case of using a "blink" output, the control module 104 can capture the time when the signal is provided and then make it available to the ECU. When the accuracy of the exposure time is not sufficient, then the control module 104 can change the configuration of the imager 102 to capture the next image at the appropriate time.

[0088] The use of a "blink" output may be based on the design of an imager that sometimes provides such an output when an image is taken, which may provide a source for a control loop that regulates the moment at which an image should be taken according to a schedule based on a time source. In other words: a time source may be provided to the camera 102 and it may be expected that the camera 102 will schedule the moment at which an image should be taken. According to various embodiments, the ECU may provide a time source (using a low priority process) and the camera 102 may recover the time from the time source and then based on the time source the frequency of the internal signal may be downregulated in order to achieve an image taken at the scheduled time. In order to achieve a good synchronization, a frame synchronization signal may be provided or a blink signal may be received to achieve an appropriate control loop. With this approach, the ECU may be offloaded and it may be ensured that an image is taken at a well-defined moment. At the same time, the regulation process may be relatively simple and may be performed in dedicated hardware or programmable logic or a conventional central processing unit (CPU).

[0089] Hereinafter, a camera hardware abstraction layer (HAL) according to various embodiments will be described.

[0090] More and more cameras are being built using a variety of imagers. According to various embodiments, a compilation of the required capabilities of the imager may be defined, and a HAL may be defined that exposes the idealized model to the software. The control module 104 may implement the HAL in such a way that it may receive settings from the ECU, which it may then convert into data to be provided to the imager 102 (in the correct format or with the correct content for that particular imager). At the same time, the control module 104 may allow access to the imager from the ECU. Clock extension techniques as described above may be implemented to eliminate any risk of simultaneous access from multiple sources.

[0091] Figure 2 A flow chart 200 illustrating a control method according to various embodiments is shown. The control method may process data received via a first interface to a camera disposed in a vehicle or via a second interface to a serializer for communicating with an electronic control unit of the vehicle. At 202, output data may be determined based on the received data. At 204, the output data may be output via the first interface or via the second interface.

[0092] Each of step 202 , step 204 and the further processing described above may be performed by computer hardware components.

Claims

1. A control module (104), the control module comprising: A first interface (110, 112, 114, 116) to a camera (102) disposed in a vehicle; a second interface (118, 120, 122) to a serializer (106), the serializer being connected to an electronic control unit of the vehicle; as well as a processing unit configured to process input data received via the first interface (110, 112, 114, 116) or via the second interface (118, 120, 122) to obtain output data, and output the output data via the first interface (110, 112, 114, 116) or via the second interface (118, 120, 122), The control module is configured to forward a signal received from the camera to the serializer and forward a signal received from the serializer to the camera, or to intercept a signal received from the camera or from the serializer and respond to the signal without forwarding the signal, and the control module is configured to configure the camera (102) during the startup of the vehicle and / or during the startup of the electronic control unit.

2. The control module (104) according to claim 1, further comprising: A memory is configured to store information related to the camera (102).

3. The control module (104) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The input data includes configuration or calibration data of the camera (102).

4. The control module (104) according to claim 1, in, The output data includes configuration or calibration data of the camera (102).

5. The control module (104) according to claim 1, in, The output data includes identification data identifying the camera (102).

6. The control module (104) according to claim 1, in, The processing unit is configured to perform a runtime check of the camera (102).

7. The control module (104) according to claim 6, in, The runtime check includes a check of at least one of: a voltage drawn by the camera (102); a current drawn by the camera (102); a temperature of the camera (102); or a quality of a link to the camera (102).

8. The control module (104) according to claim 6 or 7, in, The output data includes at least one of a summary of the results of the run-time check or a detailed report of the results of the run-time check.

9. The control module (104) according to claim 1, in, At least one of the input data or the output data includes synchronization data.

10. The control module (104) according to claim 1, in, The processing unit is configured to determine a type of the camera (102) and to process the input data based on the determined type of the camera (102).

11. A vehicle, comprising: A control module (104) according to any one of claims 1 to 10; The camera (102); the serializer (106); and The electronic control unit.

12. A computer-implemented control method for processing, using a control module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, data received via a first interface (110, 112, 114, 116) to a camera (102) provided in a vehicle or via a second interface (118, 120, 122) to a serializer (106) for communicating with an electronic control unit of the vehicle, The method comprises the following steps performed by computer hardware components: determining output data based on the received data; and The output data is output via the first interface (110, 112, 114, 116) or via the second interface (118, 120, 122).

13. A computer system comprising a plurality of computer hardware components configured to perform the steps of the computer-implemented control method according to claim 12.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for executing the computer-implemented control method according to claim 12.

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