Vehicle Camera Exposure Control Using Segmented Brightness Regions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle-mounted camera exposure control systems struggle to maintain stable exposure under varying brightness conditions, such as transitions between sunlight and shade, and sudden changes in the field of view, leading to unreliable object detection.
Innovation Solution
An exposure control apparatus that measures and adjusts camera exposure based on both the brightness of a target object and the road surface, using a combination of target object-use and road surface-use regions within the image, with predetermined shapes and positions to stabilize exposure control without increasing processing load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If exposure control is based only on target object brightness, then object detection reliability is improved, but exposure stability deteriorates under varying brightness conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple regions including a target object region and a road surface region. The exposure control system separately measures brightness in each region and combines these measurements to determine final exposure parameters, rather than relying on a single region's brightness value.
Solution Approach 2:
The brightness information from the target object region and the road surface region are merged to determine the final exposure control parameters. This combination allows the system to leverage the stability of road surface brightness while maintaining sensitivity to target object visibility requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If exposure control uses only road surface brightness, then exposure stability is improved, but object detection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into functionally distinct regions: a road surface region for stability reference and a target object region for detection accuracy. This spatial segmentation allows each region to contribute its specific strength to the overall exposure control decision.
Solution Approach 2:
The road surface region serves a dual function: it provides a stable brightness reference for exposure control while also being part of the overall scene context. The system universally uses both regions for exposure determination rather than relying on a single-purpose measurement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple regions are used for brightness measurement, then exposure stability is improved, but processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the image are assigned different functions with appropriate measurement strategies. The road surface region uses simple average brightness calculation for stability, while the target object region focuses on relevant detection areas. This local differentiation optimizes processing efficiency while maintaining overall system performance.
Data Source
AI summary
In an exposure control apparatus for exposure control of a vehicle-mounted camera which captures successive images of a scene ahead of the vehicle, two different regions (sets of picture elements) in each image are selected for use in measuring the brightness of an object such as a preceding vehicle and the brightness of the road surface, respectively. The camera exposure is controlled based upon both of these brightness measurement results.