Camera FOV Analysis for Battery Conservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a public-safety environment, battery-operated cameras used by police officers have limited battery life, restricting the amount of video that can be recorded on a single charge, necessitating a method to extend battery life.
Innovation Solution
A camera operation method that determines its field of view (FOV) and switches to a lower-power state when it overlaps with undesirable directions or areas, such as those covered by other cameras or unnecessary objects, thereby conserving battery power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the camera operates continuously in a high-power state to capture all possible scenes, then the video recording coverage is maximized, but the battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera operates in periodic cycles, switching between high-power recording mode and low-power standby mode based on the detected field of view. The system periodically evaluates whether the current FOV contains desirable content and transitions between operational states accordingly, maximizing battery life while maintaining recording coverage for important scenes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational power parameter dynamically based on the field of view analysis. When the FOV is determined to be undesirable (e.g., showing only sky, water, or redundant scenes), the camera switches to low-power mode. When desirable content is detected, it transitions to high-power recording mode, thus optimizing the trade-off between battery life and recording coverage.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the camera operates in a low-power state to conserve battery life, then the battery life is extended, but the video recording capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system autonomously evaluates its own field of view and determines when to activate or deactivate recording based on the detected content. The processor analyzes the FOV and self-regulates the sensor operation, eliminating the need for external control and optimizing energy consumption based on actual recording needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the power consumption parameter by switching between operational states. The processor monitors the field of view and changes the sensor's power state accordingly, reducing energy consumption during undesirable FOV periods while maintaining recording capability when necessary.
3Reliability
If the camera records all field of view without selective filtering, then the completeness of recorded information is maximized, but the battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and records only the essential information by filtering out undesirable field of view content. The processor identifies when the FOV contains redundant or unimportant scenes (such as natural elements or empty spaces) and excludes these from recording, thereby extending battery life while maintaining the completeness of meaningful recorded information.
Solution Approach 2:
The recording parameter is changed dynamically based on the field of view analysis. The system switches between recording and non-recording states depending on whether the current FOV contains desirable content, optimizing the balance between recording completeness and battery life by only recording when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for operating a camera are provided herein. During operation of the camera, a first field of view (FOV) for the camera will be determined along with “undesirable” camera directions. A determination is made whether or not to obtain images from the camera based on whether or not the first FOV is aligned with an undesirable camera direction.