Camera Fault Detection Reliability via Environmental Criteria

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera self-test methods often produce unreliable results due to external environmental conditions, leading to unnecessary maintenance efforts as staff may be sent to repair cameras in vain.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that assess environmental conditions such as weather, motion, and lighting before performing a fault detection test, ensuring that the test is conducted under criteria that guarantee a reliable result, thereby avoiding false positives and reducing unnecessary maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If camera self-tests are performed continuously to monitor camera health, then fault detection capability is improved, but reliability of fault detection deteriorates due to environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of fault detectionVSAvoidfault detection test frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of environmental conditions before executing the fault detection test. It checks whether current environmental conditions (lighting, weather, motion) meet predefined criteria for reliable testing. Only when conditions are favorable does the system proceed to perform the fault detection test, thereby ensuring high reliability while maintaining appropriate test frequency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If fault detection tests are performed under all environmental conditions, then test coverage is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to external factors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of fault detectionVSAvoidenvironmental condition adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the fault detection test based on environmental parameter changes. It monitors environmental conditions (lighting, weather, motion) and modifies test execution accordingly - skipping tests when conditions are unsuitable and executing tests when conditions are favorable. This ensures high measurement precision by only performing tests under appropriate environmental parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If maintenance staff are notified of all detected faults, then response time is improved, but loss of time increases due to unnecessary maintenance visits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for maintenance visitsVSAvoidaccuracy of fault detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback about the reliability of detected faults to maintenance staff. When a fault is detected, the system also communicates whether the detection is reliable based on environmental conditions. This enables maintenance staff to prioritize genuine faults over false positives, reducing unnecessary maintenance visits while maintaining effective response time for actual problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2804382B1Reliability determination of camera fault detection tests

Publication Date: 2015.04.29 AXIS

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AI summary

There is provided a method for determining the reliability of a fault detection of a camera in a camera system. According to the method data relating to environmental conditions are received (204) and compared to accessed (202) criteria relating to environmental conditions external to the camera and affecting the reliability of the fault detection test. If the received data complies with the criteria it is determined (206) that the fault detection test gives a reliable result. This is advantageous in that false fault detection tests may be identified.