Camera Lens Adaptive Focus Control for Mixed Visible and IR Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera systems face image quality deterioration due to focus blur when both visible light and IR light are present in the same scene, as they fail to adjust the focal position of the lens accordingly, leading to inadequate focus adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A camera apparatus and method that includes a lens and an IR lighting unit, with a controller to calculate the IR light ratio and adjust the focal position and IR light quantity, allowing for adaptive focus control based on the dominant light source, either visible light or IR light, to maintain stable image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If focus adjustment is performed based on the entire captured image in mixed light conditions, then the focusing process covers all areas, but the focal position becomes inaccurate due to mixed wavelengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the captured image into multiple wavelength regions (first wavelength region and second wavelength region) and performs focus adjustment separately for each region. This allows accurate focal position determination for each wavelength band while maintaining comprehensive coverage of the entire scene, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive focusing and precise focal positioning.
2Device complexity
If only focusing processing for one light type is performed in mixed light scenes, then the processing is simple, but image quality deteriorates due to focus blur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically determines the dominant wavelength region based on the captured image characteristics and adaptively selects the appropriate focus adjustment strategy. When one wavelength region dominates, simple single-region focusing is used; when both regions are present, segmented focus adjustment is applied. This dynamic adaptation maintains processing simplicity while ensuring image quality across varying lighting conditions.
3Reliability
If the IR cut-off filter is always inserted for daytime mode, then visible light capturing is optimized, but IR light capturing capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically controls the IR cut-off filter based on the detected wavelength composition of the scene. When the scene contains primarily visible light, the filter is inserted to optimize visible light capturing. When IR light is detected as dominant or significant, the filter is removed to enable IR light capturing. This dynamic filter control provides adaptability to different lighting conditions while maintaining optimal visible light image quality when needed.
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 solution effectively prevents image quality deterioration by performing adaptive focus control, ensuring clear images even in scenes with mixed visible and IR light, by adjusting the focal position and IR light quantity according to the calculated IR light ratio.
Implementation Method 1
a capturing unit which includes a lens to which light, from a capturing area including IR light and visible light, is incident and that performs capturing based on the light
Implementation Method 2
an IR lighting unit that irradiates the capturing area with IR light
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a camera apparatus including: a capturing unit that includes a lens to which light, from a capturing area including IR light and visible light is incident, and that performs capturing based on the light; an IR lighting unit that irradiates the capturing area with IR light; and a controller that generates an instruction to change a focal position of the lens and an instruction to adjust a quantity of the IR light, in which the controller calculates an IR light ratio which indicates a ratio of the quantity of the IR light to the light included in a captured image of the capturing area, and selects and performs any one of a first focusing processing to change the focal position of the lens corresponding to the IR light, a second focusing processing to change the focal position of the lens corresponding to the visible light, and an IR light quantity adjustment determination processing to determine whether or not to adjust the quantity of the IR light, based on the IR light ratio.