Vehicle Camera Lens Obstruction Detection and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle camera lenses often become obstructed by dirt or debris, which can negatively impact systems that rely on accurate camera images, such as automated vehicle control features.
Innovation Solution
A method for detecting camera lens obstructions involves obtaining images from a vehicle camera, generating dirt maps based on pixel texture richness and color spectrum levels, and combining these maps to initiate automated lens cleaning or obstruction signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated lens cleaning is implemented, then camera lens cleanliness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the camera's own imaging capability to detect lens obstruction and triggers cleaning only when needed. The control module monitors image quality metrics (sharpness, contrast, histogram distribution) and autonomously activates the cleaning mechanism, enabling the system to serve itself without external intervention while maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects lens obstruction by monitoring changes in image parameters such as sharpness, contrast, and histogram distribution. When these parameters fall below threshold values, the system infers obstruction and triggers cleaning. This parameter-based detection approach avoids complex mechanical sensors while maintaining effective monitoring.
2Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of camera images is performed, then detection precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system performs periodic image quality assessment at predetermined intervals. The control module evaluates image parameters (sharpness, contrast, histogram) at these intervals and triggers cleaning only when obstruction is detected, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where image quality metrics are continuously evaluated and compared against threshold values. When parameters indicate obstruction (below threshold), the system triggers cleaning and resets the monitoring cycle. This feedback mechanism ensures precise detection while avoiding unnecessary continuous processing that would increase energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for processing vehicle camera lens obstructions including obtaining an image from a vehicle camera, generating a first camera lens dirt map according to pixel texture richness and color spectrum levels extracted from the image, obtaining a sequential feed of multiple frames from the vehicle camera, generating a second camera lens dirt map according to at least one salient region extracted from the multiple frames, combining the first camera lens dirt map and the second camera lens dirt map to generate a combined camera lens dirt map, and initiating at least one of automated lens cleaning or a camera lens obstruction signal, according to the combined camera lens dirt map.