Dashcam Image Processing with Segmented Brightness Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dashcams struggle to maintain overall image quality, particularly at night, as the car in the image appears sharp while the background is blurred and dim due to automatic exposure adjustments for invariable brightness.

Innovation Solution

An image processing method and system that captures environmental parameters, determines scene modes, estimates brightness correction parameters, and performs area-specific brightness corrections, including gamma correction for the background in dark modes, to ensure balanced image brightness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If automatic exposure adjustment is used to maintain invariable brightness, then the car in the image appears sharp, but the background becomes blurred and dim

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharpness of carVSAvoidbrightness of background

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The image is divided into multiple regions (car region and background region) with different brightness correction parameters applied to each. The system segments the image to identify the car area and applies targeted brightness adjustment to the background without affecting the car's sharpness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different brightness correction parameters are applied to different regions of the image. The car region maintains its original brightness characteristics while the background region receives enhanced brightness correction, allowing each region to have optimized quality suitable for its purpose.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If brightness correction is applied to the entire image, then overall brightness improves, but the car's sharpness and detail are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall brightnessVSAvoidsharpness of car

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The image processing system segments the image into car region and background region, applying different brightness correction parameters to each segment. This allows overall brightness improvement in the background while preserving the car's sharpness through selective processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality adjustment by using different brightness correction parameters for different regions. The car region maintains high sharpness while the background region receives brightness enhancement, achieving local optimization rather than uniform processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If conventional automatic exposure is used, then image capture is simple, but image quality varies in different environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of image captureVSAvoidimage quality adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts brightness correction parameters based on environmental conditions and scene modes. Different scene modes (daytime, nighttime, tunnel, etc.) have different default parameters, allowing the system to adapt to various environments while maintaining a relatively simple capture process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes brightness correction parameters according to different scene modes and environmental parameters. By adjusting parameters such as brightness correction values and gamma values based on the detected scene, the system achieves adaptability across different environments without fundamentally changing the capture mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This approach ensures that captured images have improved quality by maintaining consistent brightness across the entire scene, preventing background blurriness and dimness, thus enhancing overall image quality adaptively.

Implementation Method 1

the image-capturing device adjusts shutter speed and ISO sensitivity (ISO value) automatically with an automatic exposure unit such that the image has invariable brightness

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

the brightness correction involves performing gamma correction on background in the image when the scene mode is a dark mode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGamma correction:

Data Source

PatentUS20200314319A1Image processing method and system based on adjustments performed according to environment

Publication Date: 2020.10.01 GETAC TECH CORP

AI summary

An image processing method based on adjustments performed according to environment includes capturing an environmental parameter of an image, determining a scene mode of the image according to the environmental parameter, estimating a brightness correction parameter of the image according to the scene mode, and performing an image area determination to obtain an image area and an area brightness of the image area, followed by performing brightness correction on the image according to the image area, the area brightness and the brightness correction parameter, so as to ensure image quality. An image processing system based on adjustments performed according to environment is further provided.