Autonomous Vehicle Camera Glare Mitigation Using SAS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges with vision system impairment due to sun glare, which can lead to safety issues such as inability to recognize lane lines and obstacles, potentially causing accidents.
Innovation Solution
A Sun Glare Avoidance System (SAS) that uses existing vehicle hardware, including cameras and computing devices, to detect sun glare and implement counter measures like changing camera position, shading lenses, using polarizing filters, and software solutions, enhanced by machine learning, to maintain vision system functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing sensors are replaced or overhauled to address sun glare, then vision system reliability improves, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that sits between the existing camera sensor and the vision processing pipeline. This intermediary analyzes incoming image data to detect sun glare conditions and applies corrective processing techniques (such as region-of-interest masking, exposure adjustment, or alternative sensor fusion) to mitigate glare effects without requiring hardware changes to the core sensing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes processing parameters based on detected sun glare conditions. When glare is detected, the system adjusts parameters such as exposure time, gain, region of interest boundaries, or processing algorithms to compensate for the degraded visual input, thereby maintaining reliable operation despite adverse lighting conditions.
2Reliability
If camera position is changed to avoid sun glare, then vision system functionality is maintained, but system complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic camera positioning where the camera's orientation or field of view is adjusted in real-time based on detected sun glare conditions. The system monitors for glare and automatically repositions the camera or adjusts its viewing angle to avoid direct sunlight while maintaining coverage of critical road areas, creating a dynamic adaptation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control where the vision processor continuously monitors image quality indicators and detects sun glare conditions, then feeds this information back to the camera positioning mechanism. This closed-loop control enables automatic adjustment of camera position or angle in response to detected glare, maintaining optimal viewing conditions without manual intervention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively mitigates sun glare impacts, ensuring the vision system remains functional, enhancing safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles by integrating with existing sensors and sharing glare information with other vehicles in a connected driving context.
Implementation Method 1
a polarizing filter is used
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices that can be used to augment and address various deficiencies such as vision system impairment in autonomous robotic systems are described herein. A system may include at least one sensing device that is used to monitor data and trigger corrective operations in response to detected low visibility or obstructed conditions such as a sun glare condition.