Camera control method, control chip, multi-view camera system and camera shooting equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a camera control method, a control chip, a multi-view camera system and camera equipment. The method is applied to a multi-camera system, and comprises the following steps: outputting a control signal to a camera of the multi-camera system; and indicating a camera to execute an image acquisition action through the edge of the control signal. According to the invention, chip pin resources can be effectively saved, and the hardware complexity and board arrangement difficulty of a multi-view camera system are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of multi-camera system technology, and in particular to a camera control method, control chip, multi-camera system and camera device. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of AI technology in fields such as security, autonomous driving, and smart terminals, multi-view camera systems are widely used because they can provide multi-band and multi-view visual information.

[0003] In traditional multi-view cameras, each camera module typically requires an independent PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) signal for synchronization or exposure control.

[0004] However, the aforementioned traditional multi-camera control scheme requires the main control chip to utilize a large number of pins simultaneously, which not only increases the hardware complexity and board layout difficulty of the multi-camera system, but also increases the production cost of the camera equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a control method, control chip, control system, and camera device for a tri-lens camera that can effectively save chip pin resources, addressing the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a camera control method applied to a multi-view camera system, the method comprising:

[0007] Output control signals to the cameras in the multi-camera system;

[0008] The camera is instructed to perform image acquisition actions by controlling the edge of the signal.

[0009] In one embodiment, the camera is instructed to perform an image acquisition action via the edge of a control signal, including:

[0010] The rising edge of the control signal instructs the first camera to perform an image acquisition action;

[0011] The falling edge of the control signal instructs the second camera to perform an image acquisition action.

[0012] In one embodiment, the control signal includes a PWM signal.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0014] If an AOV mode switching command is received, the camera in the multi-camera system is controlled to enter AOV mode so that the camera enters a sleep state after completing the image acquisition action.

[0015] Secondly, this application provides a control chip, comprising:

[0016] Memory, used to store computer programs;

[0017] A processor for executing a computer program to implement the steps of the camera control method as described in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0018] Thirdly, this application provides a multi-view camera system, including the control chip described in the second aspect embodiment.

[0019] In one embodiment, the system further includes:

[0020] The first and second cameras are connected to the first and second cameras respectively by the first pin of the control chip;

[0021] The first camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the control signal from the control chip; the second camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the falling edge of the control signal from the control chip.

[0022] In one embodiment, the system further includes a switching chip; one end of the switching chip is connected to a first pin of the control chip, and the other end is connected to the first camera and the second camera respectively;

[0023] The switching chip is used to activate the first camera based on a low level of the control signal and to activate the second camera based on a high level of the control signal.

[0024] In one embodiment, the system further includes:

[0025] The third camera is connected to the second pin of the control chip;

[0026] The third camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the edge of the control signal from the control chip.

[0027] Fourthly, this application provides a camera device, including a multi-view camera system as described in any embodiment of the third aspect.

[0028] The aforementioned camera control method, control chip, multi-view camera system, and camera device include a method that outputs a control signal to the camera of the multi-view camera system and then instructs the camera to perform an image acquisition action through the edge of the control signal, thereby significantly reducing the pin occupancy of the main control chip and effectively reducing system power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is an application environment diagram of the camera control method in one embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a camera control method in one embodiment;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of instructing a camera to perform an image acquisition action in one embodiment;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a multi-view camera system in one embodiment;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of a multi-view camera system in one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the third structure of a multi-view camera system in one embodiment;

[0036] Figure 7 The waveform diagram of a PWM signal in one embodiment is shown.

[0037] Figure 8 The waveform diagram of a PWM signal in another embodiment is shown.

[0038] Figure 9 This is a structural block diagram of a camera control device in one embodiment;

[0039] Figure 10 This is an internal structural diagram of a computer device in one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0041] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application can be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the first element from the second element. The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The term "multiple" used in this application refers to two or more. The term "and / or" used in this application refers to one of the embodiments, or any combination of multiple embodiments.

[0042] It should be noted that when one element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or connected to the other element through an intermediary element. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, "connection" should be understood as "electrical connection," "communication connection," etc., if there is transmission of electrical signals or data between the connected objects.

[0043] The term "instruction" in this application can be either an explicit instruction or an implicit instruction. An explicit instruction can be understood as the sender clearly informing the receiver of the operation to be performed or the result to be requested in the instruction sent by the sender; an implicit instruction can be understood as the receiver making a judgment based on the instruction sent by the sender and determining the operation to be performed or the result to be requested based on the judgment result.

[0044] With the widespread application of AI technology in fields such as security, autonomous driving, and smart terminals, multi-view camera systems are being widely used due to their ability to provide multi-band and multi-view visual information. However, multi-view camera systems still face challenges such as increased power consumption, complex hardware structure, and rising costs.

[0045] ① High pin resource consumption: In traditional multi-camera systems, each camera module typically requires an independent PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) signal for synchronization or exposure control, along with an independent Switch signal for mode selection. This increases the number of pins on the main control chip, which not only increases hardware complexity and board layout difficulty but also raises costs.

[0046] ② Poor power consumption control: In traditional multi-camera systems, if all cameras are simultaneously in a high-power active state, the overall power consumption will remain high. Although some solutions exist to reduce power consumption through sleep mechanisms or resolution and frame rate adjustments, there is still room for improvement in how to finely manage the driving timing of each camera to further optimize power consumption in scenarios where multiple cameras work together.

[0047] ③ Single timing control: Traditional multi-camera system driving methods mostly rely on single pulse level control, which fails to make full use of the triggering opportunities of different edges (rising edge and falling edge) within a PWM cycle, limiting the utilization rate of signal resources and making it difficult for multiple cameras to share the same precision PWM signal.

[0048] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a camera control method, a control chip, a multi-camera system, and a camera device, which can effectively reduce pin occupancy, further reduce system power consumption, and improve PWM signal utilization.

[0049] The camera control method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to, for example, Figure 1 The multi-view camera system 100 shown includes a control chip 102 and an image acquisition module; the image acquisition module includes multiple cameras, and each camera is connected to the control chip 102.

[0050] In some examples, the image acquisition module includes a first camera 106 and a second camera 108. The control chip 102 may integrate a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0051] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, this application provides a camera control method applied to a multi-view camera system 100. The method includes the following steps S202 to S204. Wherein:

[0052] Step S202: Output control signals to the cameras of the multi-camera system 100.

[0053] For example, the control signal can be a signal output by the control chip 102 for controlling the cameras of the multi-camera system 100 to perform corresponding actions. In some examples, the control signal may include one or more edges. Optionally, the control signal may include a PWM signal.

[0054] Specifically, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output control signals to the cameras of the multi-camera system 100.

[0055] Step S204: The camera is instructed to perform an image acquisition action by controlling the edge of the signal.

[0056] For example, the edge of the control signal can be the rising edge or the falling edge of the control signal.

[0057] In some examples, an image acquisition action may include a camera capturing a single frame of an image.

[0058] For example, taking the control signal as a PWM signal, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output a PWM signal to the first camera 106 and / or the second camera 108, and control the first camera 106 and / or the second camera 108 to acquire a frame of image through the edge of the PWM signal.

[0059] In practical applications, if the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 share the same pin, and the first camera 106 is configured to trigger image acquisition based on the rising edge of the control signal, and the second camera 108 is configured to trigger image acquisition based on the falling edge of the control signal, then in practical applications, when the control chip 102 outputs a control signal containing both rising and falling edges through the aforementioned shared pin, the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 can be controlled respectively through the rising and falling edges of the control signal. Through the above method, this application can realize the simultaneous control of multiple cameras to perform image acquisition actions with a single signal in a multi-camera system 100.

[0060] Specifically, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can instruct the cameras of the multi-camera system 100 to perform image acquisition actions through the edge of the control signal.

[0061] The above-described camera control method can output a control signal to the camera of the multi-camera system 100, and then instruct the camera to perform an image acquisition action through the edge of the control signal. In this way, this application can achieve fine utilization of time resources within a control signal cycle, which is equivalent to expanding the control dimension of the control signal of the multi-camera system 100 from the traditional "level control" to "edge control", so that a single control signal can efficiently drive multiple cameras.

[0062] In one embodiment, the camera is instructed to perform an image acquisition action via the edge of a control signal, including the following steps S302 to S304. Wherein:

[0063] In step S302, the rising edge of the control signal instructs the first camera 106 to perform an image acquisition action.

[0064] In step S304, the falling edge of the control signal instructs the second camera 108 to perform an image acquisition action.

[0065] For example, the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 can be connected to the same pin of the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 at the same time, or they can be connected to two different pins of the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 respectively.

[0066] Specifically, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output control signals, instructing the first camera 106 to perform image acquisition actions via the rising edge of the control signal, and instructing the second camera 108 to perform image acquisition actions via the falling edge of the control signal. It is understood that if the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 share the same pin, the rising and falling edges of the same control signal can be used to control the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 to perform image acquisition actions at different times, thus realizing the function of controlling two cameras through a single pin of the control chip 102, thereby saving valuable chip pin resources.

[0067] In one embodiment, the control signal includes a PWM signal.

[0068] For example, the first camera 106 can be configured to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the PWM signal; the second camera 108 can be configured to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the PWM signal.

[0069] For example, if the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 share the same pin of the control chip 102, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output a PWM signal through the aforementioned shared pin, and instruct the first camera 106 to perform an image acquisition action through the rising edge of the PWM signal, and instruct the second camera 108 to perform an image acquisition action through the falling edge of the PWM signal.

[0070] It is understood that this application effectively solves the problem of mutual interference when two cameras in a multi-camera system 100 share the same PWM signal source through the above-described method, and can ensure precise synchronization of image frame acquisition. That is, in the embodiment of this application, when two cameras share the same PWM signal, their operating timings are completely staggered, preventing mutual interference. This achieves refined utilization of time resources within a PWM cycle, equivalent to extending the control dimension of the PWM signal from "level" to "edge," enabling a single PWM signal to efficiently drive two cameras.

[0071] In one embodiment, the method further includes the following steps:

[0072] If an AOV mode switching command is received, the camera of the multi-camera system 100 is controlled to enter AOV mode so that the camera enters a sleep state after completing the image acquisition action.

[0073] For example, the cameras of the multi-view camera system 100 may include a normal recording mode (also known as normal stream mode) and an AOV mode.

[0074] In some examples, normal recording mode refers to the camera's normal recording mode. For instance, when a camera is in normal recording mode and its frame rate is configured to be 30 frames per second, it will generate 30 frames of video data per second. AOV (Always On Video) mode, on the other hand, refers to the camera's low-power operating mode. For example, when a camera is in AOV mode, it only captures one frame per second or every few seconds, and enters a sleep state during other periods when no frames are captured, thereby reducing the camera's power consumption.

[0075] It is understood that this application can control two cameras to perform image acquisition actions simultaneously by controlling the edge of the control signal. On this basis, the embodiments of this application, by combining the AOV mode of the camera, can save valuable pin resources and further reduce the operating power consumption of the multi-camera system 100.

[0076] In one exemplary embodiment, this application provides a control chip 102, comprising:

[0077] Memory, used to store computer programs;

[0078] A processor for executing a computer program to implement the steps of the camera control method as described in any of the above method embodiments.

[0079] It is understood that the solution to the problem provided in this application is similar to the solution from the perspective of camera control method described above. Therefore, the specific limitations of this application can be found in the limitations of the camera control method embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0080] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, this application provides a multi-view camera system 100, including the control chip 102 described in the above embodiments.

[0081] It is understood that the solution to the problem provided in this application is similar to the solution from the perspective of camera control method described above. Therefore, the specific limitations of this application and the one or more multi-camera system 100 embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations of the camera control method embodiments above, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the system also includes:

[0083] The first camera 106 and the second camera 108 are respectively connected to the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 via the first pin 110 of the control chip 102.

[0084] The first camera 106 is used to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the control signal of the control chip 102; the second camera 108 is used to perform image acquisition based on the falling edge of the control signal of the control chip 102.

[0085] For example, the control signal may include a PWM signal.

[0086] Specifically, taking a PWM signal as the control signal as an example, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output a PWM signal through the first pin 110, and instruct the first camera 106 to perform an image acquisition action through the rising edge of the PWM signal, and instruct the second camera 108 to perform an image acquisition action through the falling edge of the PWM signal. This embodiment effectively solves the problem of mutual interference when two cameras in the multi-camera system 100 share the same PWM signal source, and ensures accurate synchronization of image frame acquisition, saving valuable pin resources.

[0087] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the system also includes a switching chip 112; one end of the switching chip 112 is connected to the first pin 110 of the control chip 102, and the other end is connected to the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 respectively.

[0088] The switching chip 112 is used to activate the first camera 106 based on a low level of the control signal and to activate the second camera 108 based on a high level of the control signal.

[0089] For example, the switching chip 112 can be used to switch MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface). In some examples, the switching chip 112 includes a SWITCH chip.

[0090] For example, one MIPI of the switching chip 112 is connected to the sensor of the first camera 106 and the sensor of the first camera 106 respectively. The switching chip 112 determines which sensor should be switched to for frame output based on the level of the control signal.

[0091] Specifically, taking a PWM signal as the control signal as an example, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 can output a PWM signal through the first pin 110. The switching chip 112 activates the first camera 106 according to the low level of the PWM signal, and the first camera 106 performs image acquisition based on the rising edge of the PWM signal. The switching chip 112 activates the second camera 108 according to the high level of the PWM signal, and the second camera 108 performs image acquisition based on the falling edge of the PWM signal.

[0092] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the system also includes:

[0093] The third camera 116 is connected to the second pin 114 of the control chip 102;

[0094] The third camera 116 is used to perform image acquisition based on the edge of the control signal from the control chip 102.

[0095] For example, the third camera 116 can be configured to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the control signal of the control chip 102, or the third camera 116 can be configured to perform image acquisition based on the falling edge of the control signal of the control chip 102.

[0096] It should be noted that the control signal may include a first control signal output from the first pin 110 and a second control signal output from the second pin 114. The first camera 106 and the second camera 108, which share the first pin 110, can perform image acquisition actions in a time-division manner based on the edge of the first control signal, while the third camera 116, which uses the second pin 114 independently, can perform image acquisition actions independently based on the edge of the second control signal.

[0097] In practical applications, during hardware connection, the PWM signal input lines and Switch signal input lines of the first camera 106 and the second camera 108 can be directly connected in parallel, and then connected together to the same IO pin of the control chip 102 (e.g., the chip's GPIO_PWM_SW_AB pin). The third camera 116 can then be connected to another independent IO pin of the control chip 102 using a traditional connection method. Furthermore, during software and driver configuration, the aforementioned pins can be configured as PWM output mode in the program of the control chip 102, thereby generating square waves with specific frequencies and duty cycles. Simultaneously, in the PWM interrupt service routine or the corresponding hardware timer, driver logic can be written for the first camera 106 and the second camera 108: when a rising edge event of the PWM is detected, the software generates a virtual "enable" signal to activate only the first camera 106 for image acquisition; when a falling edge event of the PWM is detected, the software generates another virtual "enable" signal to activate only the second camera 108 for image acquisition. It is understood that the embodiments of this application realize a tri-lens camera system using only two control pins through the above method, effectively saving valuable pin resources.

[0098] To further illustrate the solution of this application, the camera control method of this application is applied to... Figure 6Taking the multi-view camera system 100 shown as an example, this application provides an exemplary frame-capturing process for the multi-view camera system 100, the specific process of which is as follows: steps A1 to A15:

[0099] Step A1: Power on the multi-camera system 100 and begin normal recording mode. Proceed to step A2.

[0100] Step A2: Write the sequence of sensors for the three cameras of the multi-camera system 100 so that sensor 0 of the first camera 106 outputs a frame on the rising edge of the PWM signal, sensor 1 of the second camera 108 outputs a frame on the falling edge of the PWM signal, and sensor 2 of the third camera 116 outputs a frame on the rising edge of the PWM signal. Execute step A3.

[0101] Step A3: The control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 outputs a first PWM signal (PWM0 / PWM1) through the first pin 110 and a second PWM signal (PWM2) through the second pin 114. The signal waveform is shown below. Figure 7 As shown. Proceed to step A4.

[0102] Step A4: When the switching chip 112 receives a low level of the first PWM signal, it starts the acquisition of the first camera 106's SENSOR0. Then, when the first camera 106's SENSOR0 receives the rising edge of the first PWM signal, the first camera 106's SENSOR0 acquires one frame of image. Proceed to step A5.

[0103] Step A5: When the switching chip 112 receives a low level of the first PWM signal, it starts the acquisition of the second camera 108's SENSOR1. Then, when the second camera 108's SENSOR1 receives the falling edge of the first PWM signal, the second camera 108's SENSOR1 acquires one frame of image. Proceed to step A6.

[0104] Step A6: Control chip 102 directly starts the acquisition of SNESOR2. At this time, since the second PWM signal is independent, after the third camera 116's SENSOR2 receives the rising edge of the second PWM signal and outputs it, the third camera 116's SENSOR2 acquires one frame of image. Proceed to step A7.

[0105] Step A7: Based on the preset operating logic or user operation instructions in the control chip 102, determine whether it is necessary to enter the low-power AOV mode: If it is not necessary to enter the AOV mode, then execute step A2 (because the SENSOR sequence in the normal flow mode and the AOV mode are different, and the sequence needs to be rewritten); if it is necessary to enter the AOV mode, then execute step A8.

[0106] Step A8: Configure SENSOR0 for acquisition, and simultaneously reconfigure the AOV mode sequence of the three SENSORs so that SENSOR0 of the first camera 106 outputs a frame on the rising edge of the PWM signal, SENSOR1 of the second camera 108 outputs a frame on the falling edge of the PWM signal, and SENSOR2 of the third camera 116 outputs a frame on the rising edge of the PWM signal. Execute Step A9.

[0107] Step A9: The control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 outputs a first PWM signal through the first pin 110. Since the first PWM signal arrives with a rising edge first, the image of SENSOR0 of the first camera 106 is acquired first. Then proceed to step A10.

[0108] Step A10: After acquiring the image of SENSOR0, the first PWM signal just reaches its falling edge, and the image of SENSOR1 is acquired. Proceed to step A11.

[0109] Step A11: After acquiring the image from SENSOR1, the control chip 102 of the multi-camera system 100 outputs a second PWM signal through pin 114. The second PWM signal is independent; the third camera 116 outputs a frame when it receives the rising edge of the second PWM signal, thus acquiring the image from SENSOR2. Proceed to step A12.

[0110] Step A12: After the sensors of the three cameras have captured images, the cameras enter sleep mode. After the sleep time has elapsed, they will be woken up again. Proceed to step A13.

[0111] Step A13: Determine whether to enter normal streaming mode: If it is necessary to enter normal streaming mode, proceed to step A2; if it is not necessary to enter normal streaming mode, proceed to step A14.

[0112] Step A14: Determine whether the frame fetching process has ended: if not, proceed to step A8; if yes, proceed to step A15.

[0113] Step A15: Complete the frame capture function.

[0114] It should be noted that the frequency of each PWM signal in this application can be flexibly adjusted according to the image frame rate requirements of the actual application scenario. For example, if each camera is required to output 15 frames per second, the frequency of the PWM signal can be set to 30Hz.

[0115] Furthermore, the multi-view camera system 100 of this application can fine-tune the time interval between rising edge triggering and falling edge triggering by adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM to avoid potential signal conflicts.

[0116] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, in AOV mode, after one PWM signal control cycle ends, a preset time interval is elapsed before the next PWM signal control cycle begins. Optionally, the preset time interval can be set to 1 second. This method can further significantly reduce the machine's power consumption.

[0117] In one exemplary embodiment, this application provides a camera device including a multi-view camera system as described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0118] It is understood that the solution to the problem provided in this application is similar to the solution from the perspective of a multi-camera system described above. Therefore, the specific limitations of this application can be found in the limitations of the various multi-camera system embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0119] It should be noted that, compared with traditional solutions, this application has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0120] ① This application enables pin multiplexing of PWM and Switch signals. In practical applications, this application can connect the PWM signal input terminals and Switch signal input terminals of two cameras (eyes) in a multi-camera system to the same IO pin of the main control chip. This IO pin is configured to output a composite control signal, which simultaneously carries the timing function of PWM and the switching logic of Switch. Through the above design, this application directly saves two valuable chip pin resources, simplifies the peripheral circuit design, and reduces hardware costs and PCB layout complexity.

[0121] ② This application's alternating rising and falling edge frame-driving method solves the mutual interference problem when two cameras share the same PWM signal source, and ensures precise synchronization of image frame acquisition. The innovative pulse edge triggering mechanism used in this application ensures that although the two cameras share the same PWM signal, their operating timings are completely staggered, preventing mutual interference. Through these methods, this application achieves refined utilization of time resources within a PWM cycle, essentially extending the control dimension of the PWM signal from "level" to "edge," enabling a single PWM signal to efficiently drive two cameras.

[0122] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages in other steps. It is understood that the steps in different embodiments can be freely combined as needed, and all non-contradictory solutions formed by such combinations are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0123] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a camera control device for implementing the camera control method described above. The solution provided by this device is similar to the solution described in the above method; therefore, the specific limitations in one or more camera control device embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations of the camera control method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0124] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 9 As shown, a camera control device 900 is provided for use in a multi-camera system, comprising:

[0125] The control signal output unit 902 is used to output control signals to the cameras of the multi-camera system.

[0126] The execution unit 904 is used to instruct the camera to perform image acquisition actions by means of the edge of the control signal.

[0127] In one embodiment, the execution unit 904 is further configured to instruct the first camera to perform an image acquisition action via the rising edge of a control signal;

[0128] The falling edge of the control signal instructs the second camera to perform an image acquisition action.

[0129] In one embodiment, the control signal includes a PWM signal.

[0130] In one embodiment, the device 900 further includes:

[0131] The mode switching unit is used to control the cameras of the multi-camera system to enter AOV mode if an AOV mode switching command is received, so that the cameras can enter a sleep state after completing the image acquisition action.

[0132] Each module in the aforementioned camera control device can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in the processor of a computer device in hardware form or independent of it, or stored in the memory of a computer device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the operations corresponding to each module.

[0133] In one exemplary embodiment, an electronic device is provided, which may be a server, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 10 As shown, this electronic device includes a processor, memory, input / output (I / O) interfaces, and a communication interface. The processor, memory, and I / O interfaces are connected via a system bus, and the communication interface is also connected to the system bus via the I / O interfaces. The processor provides computational and control capabilities. The memory includes non-volatile storage media and internal memory. The non-volatile storage media stores the operating system, computer programs, and a database. The internal memory provides the environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs stored in the non-volatile storage media. The database stores camera image data. The I / O interfaces are used for exchanging information between the processor and external devices. The communication interface is used for communicating with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a camera control method.

[0134] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 10 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device to which the present application is applied. The specific electronic device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0135] In one embodiment, an electronic device is also provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps in the above-described method embodiments.

[0136] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0137] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0138] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile memory and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, artificial intelligence (AI) processors, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0139] 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 application.

[0140] 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 control method, characterized in that, Applied to a multi-view camera system, the method includes: Output control signals to the cameras of the multi-camera system; The edge of the control signal instructs the camera to perform an image acquisition action.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of instructing the camera to perform an image acquisition action via the edge of the control signal includes: The rising edge of the control signal instructs the first camera to perform an image acquisition action; The falling edge of the control signal instructs the second camera to perform an image acquisition action.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control signal includes a PWM signal.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: If an AOV mode switching command is received, the camera of the multi-camera system is controlled to enter AOV mode so that the camera enters a sleep state after completing the image acquisition action.

5. A control chip, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store computer programs; A processor, configured to implement the steps of the camera control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 when executing the computer program.

6. A multi-view camera system, characterized in that, Includes the control chip as described in claim 5.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system also includes: The first camera and the second camera are respectively connected to the first camera and the second camera by the control chip; The first camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the rising edge of the control signal of the control chip; the second camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the falling edge of the control signal of the control chip.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The system also includes a switching chip; one end of the switching chip is connected to the first pin of the control chip, and the other end is connected to the first camera and the second camera respectively; The switching chip is used to activate the first camera based on a low level of the control signal, and to activate the second camera based on a high level of the control signal.

9. The system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The system also includes: A third camera, wherein the third camera is connected to the second pin of the control chip; The third camera is used to perform image acquisition based on the edge of the control signal from the control chip.

10. A camera device, characterized in that, Including the multi-view camera system as described in any one of claims 6 to 9.

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