All-Weather Camera Assembly With Sensor Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera assemblies face challenges in maintaining temperature stability, especially in outdoor environments with extreme temperature fluctuations, and require effective illumination management while being resistant to rain and sunlight, with limited positional freedom and security features.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of compact all-weather camera systems with active heating and passive cooling mechanisms, integrated microphones and speakers, waterproofing, impact resistance, and advanced heat dissipation techniques, along with adjustable mounting and illumination systems to maintain image sensor temperature and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If active heating and passive cooling mechanisms are implemented to maintain image sensor temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera assembly is divided into distinct thermal management zones: a first thermal management component for active heating and a second thermal management component for passive cooling. This segmentation allows independent control of heating and cooling functions, enabling precise temperature stability without requiring a monolithic complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management components are positioned to preemptively address temperature issues before they affect image quality. The heating element can pre-warm the sensor in cold conditions, while cooling elements are positioned to immediately dissipate heat when processors generate excess thermal energy, preventing temperature fluctuations rather than merely responding to them.
2Productivity
If high-powered processors are used for on-camera processing, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases affecting sensitive components
Solution Approach 1:
Heat is extracted from the processor and image sensor through dedicated thermal management components. The passive cooling mechanism physically removes thermal energy from the system, separating the heat generation function of the processor from the temperature sensitivity of the image sensor. This allows high-powered processing without compromising sensor temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal management components act as intermediaries between the heat-generating processors and the heat-sensitive image sensor. These components absorb and dissipate heat, mediating the thermal interaction between processor and sensor, thereby enabling both high processing power and sensor temperature stability to coexist.
3Ease of operation
If illuminators and lenses are added for low-light illumination, then ease of operation is improved, but light interference with image sensor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is designed with directionality, concentrating light precisely where needed in the scene rather than allowing omnidirectional illumination. Lenses and diffusers are positioned and angled to direct illuminator light toward the target area while preventing it from entering the image sensor, creating localized illumination quality that avoids self-interference.
4Device complexity
If compact design is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal management components are nested within the compact camera housing, with cooling elements positioned between other components rather than adding external bulk. The passive cooling mechanism utilizes the camera's internal structure and available space, nesting heat dissipation functions within the existing form factor constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat dissipation is achieved by utilizing vertical and lateral dimensions within the compact housing rather than requiring extended horizontal space. Thermal pathways are routed through multiple dimensions of the compact structure, allowing efficient heat transfer without increasing the camera's footprint or overall complexity.
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
Ensures reliable and high-quality video capture and transmission in diverse environmental conditions, providing secure, flexible, and efficient operation with improved image sharpness and reduced heat-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
passive cooling component(s) configured to maintain the image sensor(s) at desirable operating temperatures during operation of the camera(s) by dissipating heat away from the image sensor(s)
Implementation Method 2
passive cooling component(s) configured to maintain the image sensor(s) at desirable operating temperatures during operation of the camera(s) by dissipating heat away from the image sensor(s)
Implementation Method 3
an active heating component configured to maintain the image sensor(s) at desirable operating temperatures during operation of the camera(s) by selectively supplying heat to the image sensor(s)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A camera assembly comprises a housing having a front face and a body that has a front opening and is physically connected to the front face at the front opening. The body has a central axis extending from a center of the front opening to a center of a rear portion of the body, the front opening being perpendicular to the central axis. The front face is at least partially concave and defines a front plane at its periphery, the front face includes an inner section located at a center of the front face and an outer section located proximate to the periphery, and a middle section located between the inner section and the outer section, at least a portion of the inner section is transparent to visible light, at least a portion of the outer section is at least partially transparent to visible light, and at least a portion of the middle section is not transparent to visible light. The housing includes one or more microphone holes and one or more speaker holes. The housing and the front face enclose one or more microphones, at least one of the microphones being arranged through the front face, one or more speakers, the one or more speaker holes being arranged through the body of the housing and facing substantially away from the front plane of the front face at an angle off of the central axis of the body, an image sensor connected behind the inner section of the front face and arranged along the central axis of the housing, one or more infrared, IR, illuminators located behind the front face and at a distance from the central axis of the housing to selectively project IR light outside of the camera assembly via the middle section of the front face, and an illuminator assembly connected behind the front face and including one or more visible light illuminators to generate light that is visible from outside of the camera assembly.