Camera heating control method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to a camera heating control method and device, electronic equipment and a storage medium, wherein the method comprises the following steps: in the case that it is detected that dirt exists on the surface of a camera lens, obtaining the dirt existence duration; in the case that the dirt existence duration is less than a preset duration threshold, judging whether the working state of the camera is abnormal; and in the case that the working state of the camera is normal, heating the camera. The camera heating control method in various embodiments of the application can add the judgment on the working state of the camera before the camera is heated. In the case that the working state of the camera meets the condition, the camera is heated, so that the camera can be heated without damaging the camera, and the service life of the camera can be prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of image acquisition technology, and in particular to a camera heating control method, device, electronic device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] As automobiles become increasingly intelligent, the number of cameras installed on them and their applications are expanding. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional rearview mirrors, such as limited field of view, susceptibility to light, and insufficient brightness at night, electronic rearview mirrors have gradually become a research hotspot. However, in certain harsh conditions, such as snowfall, frost, and rain in cold winters, the cameras of electronic rearview mirrors can be covered by ice, snow, or rain, resulting in blurred images on the display screen and severely affecting driving.

[0003] In existing technologies, the heating function of the camera is usually manually activated by the driver to remove dirt from the lens, or the vehicle control unit automatically activates the heating function based on the ambient temperature. However, neither of these methods takes into account other factors. If the lens contains dirt that cannot be removed by heating alone, such as mud or oil, or if the camera has reached its heating limit, indiscriminate heating will only waste heating resources and reduce the lifespan of the electronic rearview mirror. Moreover, having the driver manually activate the heating function can distract the driver, potentially leading to driving accidents in severe cases.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in related technologies for a camera heating control method that can ensure the service life of electronic rearview mirrors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a camera heating control method, device, electronic device, and storage medium to address the above-mentioned technical problems, which can heat the camera while ensuring its lifespan.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a camera heating control method, the method comprising:

[0007] When dirt is detected on the surface of the camera lens, the duration of the dirt's presence is recorded.

[0008] If the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold, determine whether the camera's working state is abnormal.

[0009] The camera is heated when it is in normal working condition.

[0010] The camera heating control method described in the various embodiments of this application can incorporate a judgment on the camera's operating state before heating the camera. Heating is only performed when the camera's operating state meets the required conditions, thus allowing heating without damaging the camera and extending its lifespan. Furthermore, a judgment on the duration of dirt presence is added before heating the camera, allowing heating to be stopped promptly if dirt cannot be removed by heating, thereby saving heating energy and reducing power consumption.

[0011] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, heating the camera when the camera is in normal working condition includes:

[0012] The camera is heated when both the camera and the heating source are functioning normally.

[0013] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the operating state of the heating source is abnormal includes:

[0014] Obtain the operating parameters of the heating source and the power parameters of the power supply device connected to the heating source;

[0015] If the operating parameters of the heating source are determined to be greater than the normal operating parameter range and / or the power supply parameters of the power supply device are less than the preset power supply threshold, the operating state of the heating source is determined to be abnormal.

[0016] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0017] Obtain the lens temperature and sensor temperature of the camera;

[0018] If the lens temperature exceeds a preset temperature threshold and / or the sensor temperature exceeds the sensor's operating temperature range, the camera's operating state is determined to be abnormal.

[0019] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0020] Acquire image data captured by the camera;

[0021] Determine the number of camera heating cycles corresponding to the image data;

[0022] If the number of times the camera is heated exceeds a preset heating number threshold, the camera's working state is determined to be abnormal.

[0023] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0024] If the temperature of the lens exceeds a preset heating temperature threshold after the camera has been heated multiple times, then the camera is determined to be in an abnormal operating state.

[0025] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, after obtaining the duration of dirt presence upon detecting dirt on the camera lens surface, the process includes:

[0026] If the duration of the dirt exceeds a preset time threshold, an abnormal alert message will be returned.

[0027] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, obtaining the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface includes:

[0028] Record the initial moment when dirt is first detected on the camera lens surface;

[0029] After heating the camera, and upon detecting oil contamination on the camera lens surface again, the target moment was recorded.

[0030] The duration of dirt presence is determined based on the initial time and the target time.

[0031] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a camera heating control device, the device comprising:

[0032] The dirt duration determination module is used to determine the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface.

[0033] The camera working status judgment module is used to determine whether the working status of the camera is abnormal when the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold.

[0034] A camera heating module is used to heat the camera when the camera is in normal working condition.

[0035] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0036] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the methods described in the above embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the camera heating control method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a method for determining the working state of a camera lens provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a camera heating control method provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the module structure of a camera heating control device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the module structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0044] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0045] Furthermore, to better illustrate this application, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well-known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this application.

[0046] In this application embodiment, " / " can indicate that the related objects are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" can be used to describe three relationships between related objects. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. A and B can be singular or plural. To facilitate the description of the technical solutions in this application embodiment, the terms "first" and "second" can be used to distinguish technical features with the same or similar functions. These terms do not limit the quantity or execution order, and they are not necessarily different. In this application embodiment, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being better or more advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. The use of "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a specific manner for ease of understanding.

[0047] In the embodiments of this application, for a given technical feature, the technical features within that technical feature are distinguished by the designations "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," and "D," and there is no sequential or hierarchical order among the technical features described by "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," and "D." Furthermore, to better illustrate this application, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented even without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well-known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this application.

[0048] Cameras are required to collect image or video data in many scenarios, such as vehicle driving, traffic violation detection, livestock farm environmental anomaly detection, and home monitoring. Since cameras are mostly located outdoors, in cold winters, snowfall, frost, or rain, the camera lens can become covered by ice or rainwater, leading to a decrease in image or video quality and affecting normal use. Current technology uses a heat source to heat the camera to remove frost or rainwater from the lens. However, this heating process often doesn't consider the lens's heating limits, and excessive heating can severely accelerate lens aging.

[0049] Based on technical requirements similar to those described above, this application incorporates a judgment on the camera's operating status before heating the camera. Heating is only applied when the camera's operating status meets certain conditions, thus allowing heating without damaging the camera and extending its lifespan. Furthermore, a judgment on the duration of dirt presence is added before heating, allowing heating to be stopped promptly if dirt cannot be removed by heating, thereby saving heating energy and reducing power consumption.

[0050] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the structure of the camera heating control system upon which the embodiments of this application are based is described below. Please refer to... Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a camera heating system provided in an embodiment of this application. The system includes a camera 101, a heating source 103, and a camera heating control device 105. The camera 101, heating source 103, and camera heating control device 105 can communicate via a network. The camera 101 can send acquired image data to the camera heating control device 105. The camera heating control device 105 can determine the duration of dirt on the camera lens based on the image data, and, when the camera is operating normally, activates the heating source 103 to heat the camera 101. The camera 101 may include a camera lens, an image sensor, etc. The image sensor can be a device that uses the photoelectric conversion function of an optoelectronic device to convert the light image on the photosensitive surface into an electrical signal proportional to the light image. For example, the image sensor can be a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), etc. The camera 101 can be of different types in different application scenarios. For example, in the application scenario of traffic violation detection, the camera 101 can be a roadside unit installed at an intersection. The roadside unit can monitor multiple moving objects within its coverage area and collect behavioral data of each moving object to determine whether a violation has occurred. The roadside unit can consist of a high-gain directional beam-controlled read / write antenna and an RF controller. The high-gain directional beam-controlled read / write antenna is a microwave transceiver module responsible for signal and data transmission / reception, modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, and encryption / decryption; the RF controller is a module that controls the transmission and reception of data and processes information sent and received to the host computer. In the application scenario of vehicle driving, the camera 101 can be an electronic rearview mirror (Camera Monitor system), which mainly consists of a camera, a controller, and a screen. The external camera captures images, which are then transmitted to the controller via a serializer and deserializer. The controller processes the data and sends the processed data to the screen on the cabin door panel for image display. The heating source 103 can include a heating material disposed on the camera 101, such as a heating coating. Of course, the heating source 103 can also be a heating resistor connected to the camera, such as a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistor. The camera heating control device 105 can be an electronic device with data processing and data transmission and reception capabilities. The electronic device can be a physical device or a cluster of physical devices, such as a server or a server cluster.Of course, the electronic device can also be a virtualized cloud device, such as at least one cloud computing device in a cloud computing cluster.

[0051] The camera heating control method described in this application will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the camera heating control method provided in this application. While this application provides method operation steps as shown in the following embodiments or figures, more or fewer operation steps may be included in the method based on conventional or non-inventive effort. For steps where there is no logically necessary causal relationship, the execution order of these steps is not limited to the execution order provided in the embodiments of this application. In actual camera heating control processes, the method can be executed in the order shown in the embodiments or figures, or in parallel (e.g., in a parallel processor or multi-threaded processing environment).

[0052] One specific embodiment of the camera heating control method provided in this application is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the method may include:

[0053] S201; If dirt is detected on the surface of the camera lens, obtain the duration of the dirt's presence.

[0054] In this embodiment, image data acquired by the camera can be input into a dirt recognition model, which then outputs a recognition result to determine whether dirt exists on the camera lens surface. The dirt recognition model can be trained using multiple image samples. This model may include models trained using machine learning methods. These machine learning methods may include deep learning, reinforcement learning, etc., and the generated models may include Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), LeNet, ResNet, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bi-LSTM, etc., which are not limited herein. In other embodiments, edge detection can be performed on the image data to determine the number of edge pixels in the image data; subsequently, the dirt status of the camera corresponding to the image data can be determined based on the number of edge pixels. In one embodiment, the dirt on the lens surface can be of various types, such as frost, oil, mud, etc. In practical applications, if the heating temperature is too high or the heating time is too long, it may cause some damage to the camera. Therefore, in one embodiment of this application, the camera can be heated multiple times to remove dirt from the lens surface without damaging the camera. In one embodiment of this application, when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface for the first time, the duration of dirt presence can be zero, and this moment is recorded as the initial moment. In other embodiments of this application, when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface for subsequent times, the duration of dirt presence can be determined based on the moment when dirt is detected and the initial moment. For example, in one example, the duration of dirt presence can be 4 minutes, 6 minutes, 8 minutes, etc. Specifically, obtaining the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface includes:

[0055] S301: Record the initial moment when dirt is first detected on the camera lens surface;

[0056] S303: Record the target time when oil stains are detected again on the camera lens surface after the camera has been heated;

[0057] S305: Determine the duration of dirt presence based on the initial time and the target time.

[0058] In this embodiment, to manage the camera's lifespan and optimize the removal of dirt from the camera lens surface, the camera can be heated multiple times, for example, for a preset duration each time. The preset duration can be set by the user based on heating needs and the camera's operating limits, for example, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, or 6 minutes. In one embodiment, after heating the camera for the preset duration, to determine the heating effect and decide whether to continue heating, the presence of dirt on the camera lens surface can be detected again. If dirt is detected on the lens surface, the moment of detection can be taken as the target moment. Then, the duration of dirt presence can be determined based on the time interval between the target moment and the initial moment.

[0059] S203: If the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold, determine whether the working state of the camera is abnormal.

[0060] In this embodiment, the preset duration threshold can be set by the user according to actual heating needs and the camera's operating characteristics, for example, it can be set to 10 minutes, 8 minutes, 4 minutes, etc. In practical applications, the number of times a camera can be heated is limited, and each key component of the camera has a temperature limit. If heating is performed directly without considering the camera's operating state, it may damage the camera's lifespan and affect its normal use. Based on this, in one embodiment of this application, it can be determined whether the camera's operating state is suitable for heating before heating the camera. Specifically, if the duration of dirt presence is less than the preset duration threshold, it can be determined whether the camera's operating state is abnormal. For example, it can be determined whether the number of times the camera can be heated has reached the upper limit, or whether the temperature of the key components of the camera exceeds the set temperature range. Specifically, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0061] S401: Obtain the lens temperature and image sensor temperature of the camera;

[0062] S403: If the lens temperature is greater than a preset temperature threshold and / or the sensor temperature is greater than the sensor operating temperature range, determine that the camera's operating state is abnormal.

[0063] In this embodiment, a temperature sensor can be used to collect the lens temperature and image sensor temperature of the camera. The temperature sensor may include a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a thermocouple, etc. In practical applications, when heating the camera, the user wants the lens temperature to remain within a desired temperature range each time, for example, a temperature greater than 40°C and less than 60°C. For example, during a single heating process, the lens temperature can be gradually increased to 60°C. After a single heating cycle, it is necessary to re-check whether there is dirt on the camera lens surface and determine whether the duration of dirt presence is less than a preset time threshold. Then, it is necessary to determine whether the camera's operating status is abnormal. During this series of determinations, the camera lens temperature will gradually cool down. Based on this, in one embodiment of this application, the value of the preset temperature threshold can be matched to the number of heating cycles. For example, when heating the camera for the first time, the preset temperature threshold can be set to a larger value, such as 70°C, while during the second, third, and nth heating cycles, the preset temperature threshold can be set to a smaller value, such as 55°C. Based on this, in one embodiment of this application, before determining whether the lens temperature is greater than a preset temperature threshold, the number of times the camera is heated can be determined first, and a corresponding preset temperature threshold can be selected based on the number of heating cycles. If the lens temperature is greater than the preset temperature threshold, it can be determined that the camera's operating state is abnormal. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, if the sensor temperature is greater than the sensor's operating temperature range, it can also be determined that the camera's operating state is abnormal. Here, the sensor's operating temperature range refers to the temperature at which the sensor operates normally, for example, it can be (a, b). It should be noted that if either the lens temperature or the sensor temperature does not meet the requirements, the camera's operating state can be determined to be abnormal; only when both temperatures meet the requirements can the camera's operating state be determined to be normal.

[0064] The above embodiments allow for the temperature monitoring of key camera components, such as the lens and sensor, ensuring that the camera is heated without damage. This extends the lifespan of the lens and sensor and prevents issues like insufficient image clarity and distortion caused by excessive heat.

[0065] In practical applications, if the lens temperature after cooling is not yet lower than the set heating temperature during the camera's cyclic heating process, in order to save heating energy and minimize damage to the camera lens, the camera can be temporarily de-heated until the lens temperature cools down to below the set heating temperature. Based on this, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0066] S501: If the temperature of the lens is greater than a preset heating temperature threshold after the camera has been heated multiple times, then the camera's working state is determined to be abnormal.

[0067] In this embodiment, the preset heating temperature threshold can be used to characterize the ideal minimum temperature of the camera lens during the heating process, for example, it can be set by the user to 40°C. If the lens temperature is greater than the preset heating temperature threshold, it can be determined that the camera lens temperature has not been completely cooled, and the camera heating process should be terminated, thereby saving heating resources and protecting the camera lens.

[0068] In practical applications, camera lenses cannot be heated indefinitely; heating them a certain number of times will damage the lens and affect its normal operation. Therefore, before heating the camera, it is necessary to determine whether the camera lens can withstand further heating to ensure its normal use. Based on this, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0069] S601: Acquire the image data captured by the camera;

[0070] S603: Determine the number of camera heating cycles corresponding to the image data;

[0071] S605: If the number of times the camera is heated exceeds a preset heating number threshold, the camera's working state is determined to be abnormal.

[0072] In this embodiment, after acquiring the image data, the image quality of the image data can be determined. Then, the number of times the camera is heated can be determined based on a preset correlation between the image quality and the number of heating cycles. This preset correlation can be determined theoretically or experimentally. For example, in one embodiment, a heating aging experiment can be performed on the lens, and the image quality corresponding to different heating cycles can be recorded to determine the preset correlation between the image quality and the number of heating cycles. The preset correlation can take various forms, such as a preset correlation model, a preset correlation function, a preset correlation table, etc. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the number of times the camera is heated can also be determined based on the distortion parameters of the image data and the correlation between the distortion parameters and the number of heating cycles. In one embodiment, if the number of camera heating cycles exceeds a preset heating cycle threshold, the camera's operating state is deemed abnormal. This preset heating cycle threshold can be the lens's maximum heating cycle, such as 50,000 or 60,000 cycles. Of course, in one embodiment of this application, to more accurately determine the degree of abnormality in the camera's operating state and to reasonably manage the lifespan of the camera lens, multiple heating cycle thresholds can be set, allowing for the determination of different states of the camera lens at different heating cycles. For example, the preset heating number threshold can be divided into a first preset heating number threshold and a second preset heating number threshold. The second preset heating number threshold can be greater than the first preset heating number threshold; for example, the first preset heating number threshold is P, the second preset heating number threshold is Q, and P < Q. Specifically, in one example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, if the number of heating cycles N is less than the first preset heating cycle threshold P, the camera lens can be determined to be in a healthy state and can be heated again. If the number of heating cycles N is greater than the first preset heating cycle threshold P but less than the second preset heating cycle threshold Q, the camera lens can be determined to be in a sub-healthy state, and the user (driver) should be reminded to replace the camera. If the number of heating cycles N is greater than the second preset heating cycle threshold Q, the camera lens can be determined to be in an unhealthy state, the camera cannot be heated, and an abnormality alert message should be returned.

[0073] S205: When the camera is in normal working condition, heat the camera.

[0074] In this embodiment, if the camera's operating state is determined to be normal using the methods described in the above embodiments for determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal, the camera can be heated. For example, the camera can be heated for a preset duration to bring its temperature to the required level.

[0075] The camera heating control method described in the various embodiments of this application can incorporate camera operating status detection before heating the camera. Heating is only performed when the camera's operating status meets certain conditions, thus allowing heating without damaging the camera and extending its lifespan. Furthermore, a determination of the duration of dirt presence is added before heating, allowing heating to be stopped promptly if dirt cannot be removed by heating, thereby saving heating energy and reducing power consumption.

[0076] It is understandable that, since there are various types of dirt, some dirt such as oil stains and mud cannot be removed by simple heating. Therefore, if dirt remains on the lens surface after multiple heatings of the camera, the dirt on the lens surface cannot be removed by heating. In this case, it is unnecessary to heat the camera again to save heating energy and reduce power consumption. Furthermore, it is necessary to promptly remind users to manually clean the dirt on the camera lens surface to ensure the accuracy of the image or video data acquired by the camera, thereby avoiding impacting the user experience. Specifically, in one embodiment of this application, after obtaining the duration of dirt presence when it is detected on the camera lens surface, the method may further include: if the duration of dirt presence exceeds a preset duration threshold, returning an abnormal alert message.

[0077] In this embodiment, the method of returning the abnormality reminder information can be varied. For example, it can be done through sound prompts or by flashing indicator lights. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, text messages can also be displayed on the client's screen to remind the user.

[0078] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, heating the camera when the camera is in normal working condition includes:

[0079] S701: When the camera and the heating source are both in normal working condition, the camera is heated.

[0080] In this application embodiment, to clearly and thoroughly illustrate the camera heating control method described in various embodiments of this application, the following description uses the method applied to a vehicle driving scenario as an example. It should be noted that, in the case of vehicle driving, the camera can be an electronic rearview mirror, the heating source can be an NTC resistor and the vehicle's power system, and the camera heating control device can be a vehicle's microcontroller unit (MCU) or vehicle control unit (VCU). Based on this, the operating state of the heating source can include the operating state of the NTC resistor and the power state of the power system. For example, if the vehicle is an electric vehicle, the power system can be a battery system, and the power state can be the remaining capacity (State of Charge, SOC) of the battery system. The electric vehicle can be a vehicle primarily powered by a power battery or supercapacitor, and driven entirely or partially by an electric motor. If the vehicle is a gasoline vehicle, the power state of the power system is the fuel capacity. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the operating state of the heating source also includes the battery capacity. The battery is used to provide electrical energy to the vehicle and store electrical energy. For example, when the engine is starting or running at low speed, if the vehicle's power system does not generate electricity or the voltage is very low, all the power in the vehicle is provided by the battery. When the engine is running normally, the generator supplies power to electrical devices and simultaneously charges the battery. In one embodiment of this application, the abnormality of the heating source's operating state can be determined based on various operating parameters of the heating source. Specifically, determining whether the heating source's operating state is abnormal may include:

[0081] S801: Obtain the operating parameters of the heating source and the power parameters of the power supply device connected to the heating source;

[0082] S803: If it is determined that the working parameters of the heating source are not within the normal working parameter range and / or the power supply parameters of the power supply device are less than the preset power supply threshold, the working state of the heating source is abnormal.

[0083] In this embodiment, the operating parameters of the heating source may include the temperature parameters of the NTC resistor. The temperature parameters may include multiple temperature values ​​detected within a preset time period, and the trend of these multiple temperature values ​​changing over time. In one embodiment, if the multiple temperature values ​​are within a preset temperature range and the trend is upward or downward, the heating source is considered to be operating normally. The preset temperature range can be set by the user according to the characteristics and type of the NTC resistor, for example, it can be set to (-50°C, 100°C). Of course, in other embodiments, if the multiple temperature values ​​detected within the preset time period do not change and / or the multiple temperature values ​​are not within the preset temperature range (e.g., greater than 100°C or less than -50°C), the heating source is considered to be operating abnormally. In one embodiment, if the vehicle is not started and its power source is a battery, then the heating source is powered by the battery; if the vehicle is started and its power source is a power system such as a battery system or fuel, then the heating source is powered by the power system. Therefore, in one embodiment of this application, the power parameters of the power supply device may include the battery capacity, the battery system SOC, and fuel capacity, etc. In practical applications, when the vehicle is not running, the battery capacity is very likely insufficient. If the camera is directly heated, starting the engine will further reduce the battery voltage, and the power consumption of other accessories will further exacerbate the battery depletion, causing the vehicle to break down and inconveniencing the driver. Therefore, in one embodiment of this application, before heating the camera, it is necessary to determine whether the power parameters of the power supply device are greater than a preset power threshold. Specifically, in one embodiment of this application, the preset power threshold is set differently depending on the power parameters. For example, when the power parameter is the battery capacity, the preset battery threshold can be a preset battery capacity threshold, such as 20%, 25%, 30% of the battery capacity, etc., which can be set by the user according to the actual application. In one embodiment of this application, if the battery capacity is less than the preset battery capacity threshold, it can be determined that the heating source is in an abnormal operating state.

[0084] Through the above embodiments, it is possible to determine whether the working status of the heating source is abnormal from two aspects: the working status of the heating source itself and the power of the power supply device. This provides double protection and prevents the normal use of other functions from being affected by heating the camera.

[0085] The following example illustrates the specific process of the camera heating control method, such as... Figure 4As shown, after the electronic rearview mirror is activated, the camera's heating state will enter the default state, i.e., the camera is not heated. If the vehicle is configured for automatic heating, it will automatically proceed to the next step; otherwise, the camera heating function needs to be manually activated to proceed to the next step. Taking automatic heating as an example, the following process will be explained: The camera will enter the stain detection module. In this module, it can detect whether the camera surface is dirty. If it is dirty, the next step will proceed; otherwise, it will return to the camera not heated state. If the camera surface is determined to be dirty, the moment will be recorded, and the stain presence time will be accumulated. If the presence time is less than a certain threshold, an NTC resistance anomaly detection will be performed; otherwise, the driver will be reminded to "clean the camera and pull over" in an acoustic or optical manner, and the camera will return to the camera not heated state. At this point, it is considered that the stain cannot be removed by heating. NTC resistor abnormality detection mainly identifies whether the NTC resistor can work normally. For example, it can determine: (1) whether the temperature of the NTC resistor changes within a certain period of time (e.g., 24h); (2) whether the converted temperature of the NTC resistor is within the operating temperature range, such as [-50℃, 100℃].

[0086] Once the above two points are met, proceed to the next step: lens lifespan management. Lens lifespan management includes two states: healthy and unhealthy. For the healthy state, the main indicators considered are MTF value and distortion. Prolonged lens heating leads to a decrease in MTF value and an increase in distortion. Specific MTF and distortion values ​​can be obtained based on image quality during module heating aging experiments, and the number of heating cycles is recorded. If heating is less than this number, the lens is considered healthy; if it exceeds this number but is less than the limit value (provided by the manufacturer), it is considered unhealthy; if the heating limit is exceeded, further heating is not permitted. After completing the above steps, start-up protection monitoring is performed. In this step, it first determines whether the engine is running. If the engine is running, the camera heating control logic is entered; otherwise, it checks whether the IBS battery's SOC and voltage meet certain threshold requirements. If they do, the camera heating control logic is entered; otherwise, an alarm is triggered indicating "low battery power," and the camera returns to a non-heating state. Once the start-up protection conditions are met, the camera heating control phase begins. In the camera heating control process, the lens temperature is first read, and then it is determined whether this is the first heating cycle. If it is the first heating cycle, a higher heating temperature threshold can be reached. The current lens temperature is compared with the high target heating threshold n1. If it is higher than this threshold, an alarm is triggered indicating a LENS temperature fault, and the camera returns to the non-heating state. Otherwise, it further determines whether the sensor is operating within the temperature range. Conversely, if it is not the first heating cycle and the LENS temperature is lower than the set low target heating temperature n2, it determines whether the sensor is operating within the temperature range. If it is not the first heating cycle and the lens temperature is greater than or equal to the set low target heating temperature, the camera returns to the non-heating state. For determining the normal operating temperature of the sensor, it is only necessary to ensure that the sensor's operating temperature range is met. Finally, the heating action is initiated. If the heating time exceeds 2 minutes, the camera returns to the non-heating state. If the camera heating time is less than 2 minutes, the blemish detection logic entry is entered at a certain interval (e.g., 50ms), and the subsequent steps are executed sequentially.

[0087] This application also provides a camera heating control device, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the device includes:

[0088] The dirt duration determination module 1051 is used to obtain the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the surface of the camera lens.

[0089] The camera working status judgment module 1053 is used to determine whether the working status of the camera is abnormal when the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold.

[0090] The camera heating module 1055 is used to heat the camera when the camera is in normal working condition.

[0091] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, heating the camera when the camera is in normal working condition includes:

[0092] The camera is heated when both the camera and the heating source are functioning normally.

[0093] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the operating state of the heating source is abnormal includes:

[0094] Obtain the operating parameters of the heating source and the power parameters of the power supply device connected to the heating source;

[0095] If the operating parameters of the heating source are determined to be greater than the normal operating parameter range and / or the power supply parameters of the power supply device are less than the preset power supply threshold, the operating state of the heating source is determined to be abnormal.

[0096] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0097] Obtain the lens temperature and sensor temperature of the camera;

[0098] If the lens temperature exceeds a preset temperature threshold and / or the sensor temperature exceeds the sensor's operating temperature range, the camera's operating state is determined to be abnormal.

[0099] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0100] Acquire image data captured by the camera;

[0101] Determine the number of camera heating cycles corresponding to the image data;

[0102] If the number of times the camera is heated exceeds a preset heating number threshold, the camera's working state is determined to be abnormal.

[0103] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, determining whether the camera's operating state is abnormal includes:

[0104] If the temperature of the lens is lower than a preset heating temperature threshold after the camera has been heated multiple times, then the camera is determined to be in an abnormal operating state.

[0105] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, after obtaining the duration of dirt presence upon detecting dirt on the camera lens surface, the process includes:

[0106] If the duration of the dirt exceeds a preset time threshold, an abnormal alert message will be returned.

[0107] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, obtaining the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface includes:

[0108] Record the initial moment when dirt is first detected on the camera lens surface;

[0109] After heating the camera, and upon detecting oil contamination on the camera lens surface again, the target moment was recorded.

[0110] The duration of dirt presence is determined based on the initial time and the target time.

[0111] It should also be noted that the embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, in the accompanying drawings of the device embodiments provided in this application, the connection relationship between modules indicates that they have a communication connection, which can be implemented as one or more communication buses or signal lines.

[0112] like Figure 6 As shown, embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device 800, which includes a processor and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to implement the above-described method when executing the instructions. The electronic device 800 includes a memory 801, a processor 803, a bus 805, and a communication interface 807. The memory 801, processor 803, and communication interface 807 communicate via the bus 805. The bus 805 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 6The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus. Communication interface 807 is used for external communication. Processor 803 can be a central processing unit (CPU). Memory 801 can include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM). Memory 801 can also include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, HDD, or SSD. Executable code is stored in memory 801, and processor 803 executes this executable code to perform the methods described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0113] Embodiments of this application provide a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the above-described method.

[0114] Although the invention has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims in carrying out the claimed invention. A single processor or other unit may implement several of the functions listed in the claims. While certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0115] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0116] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A camera heating control method, characterized in that, The method includes: When dirt is detected on the surface of the camera lens, the duration of the dirt's presence is recorded. If the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold, determine whether the camera's working state is abnormal. The camera is heated while it is in normal working condition. The step of determining whether the camera's working status is abnormal includes: The system determines whether the number of times the camera has been heated has reached its upper limit, and whether the temperature of the camera's key components, including the lens and the sensor, exceeds a preset temperature threshold. The number of heating cycles is matched with the preset temperature threshold. The preset temperature threshold corresponding to the first heating cycle is higher than the preset temperature threshold corresponding to any heating cycle other than the first heating cycle. The number of heating cycles is determined based on a preset correlation and the image quality acquired by the camera. The preset correlation includes the correspondence between the number of heating cycles and the image quality.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Heating the camera when it is in normal working condition includes: The camera is heated when both the camera and the heating source are functioning normally.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Determine if the heating source is operating abnormally, including: Obtain the operating parameters of the heating source and the power parameters of the power supply device connected to the heating source; If the operating parameters of the heating source are determined to be greater than the normal operating parameter range and / or the power supply parameters of the power supply device are less than the preset power supply threshold, the operating state of the heating source is determined to be abnormal.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the camera's working status is abnormal includes: Obtain the lens temperature and sensor temperature of the camera; If the lens temperature exceeds a preset temperature threshold and / or the sensor temperature exceeds the sensor's operating temperature range, the camera's operating state is determined to be abnormal.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the camera's working status is abnormal includes: Acquire image data captured by the camera; Determine the number of camera heating cycles corresponding to the image data; If the number of times the camera is heated exceeds a preset heating number threshold, the camera's working state is determined to be abnormal.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the camera's working status is abnormal includes: If the temperature of the lens exceeds a preset heating temperature threshold after the camera has been heated multiple times, then the camera is determined to be in an abnormal operating state.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining the duration of dirt presence upon detecting dirt on the camera lens surface, the process includes: If the duration of the dirt exceeds a preset time threshold, an abnormal alert message will be returned.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of determining the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface includes: Record the initial moment when dirt is first detected on the camera lens surface; After heating the camera, and upon re-detecting dirt on the camera lens surface, the target moment was recorded. The duration of dirt presence is determined based on the initial time and the target time.

9. A camera heating control device, characterized in that, The device includes: The dirt duration determination module is used to determine the duration of dirt presence when dirt is detected on the camera lens surface. The camera working status judgment module is used to determine whether the working status of the camera is abnormal when the duration of the dirt is less than a preset duration threshold. A camera heating module is used to heat the camera when the camera is in normal working condition; The camera operating status judgment module is also used to determine whether the number of times the camera has been heated has reached the upper limit, and whether the temperature of the key components of the camera exceeds a preset temperature threshold, the key components including the lens and the sensor; the number of heating times is matched with the preset temperature threshold; the preset temperature threshold corresponding to the first heating is higher than the preset temperature threshold corresponding to any heating time other than the first heating; the number of heating times is determined based on a preset correlation relationship and the image quality acquired by the camera; the preset correlation relationship includes the correspondence between the number of heating times and the image quality.

10. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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