Motor Vehicle Front Camera Headlight Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing front camera systems for motor vehicles struggle to reliably distinguish external light sources, such as headlights from other vehicles, from reflections of the vehicle's own headlight on road signs and objects, leading to incorrect switching between high and dimmed beam modes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a front camera with a controllable shutter synchronized with the pulsed operation of the vehicle's headlight, capturing images in both illuminated and unilluminated conditions to prevent light reflections, allowing for precise detection of external light sources and accurate control of the headlight beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the headlight is operated continuously in high beam mode, then the illumination intensity is high, but external light sources cannot be reliably detected due to confusion with reflected headlight light
Solution Approach 1:
The headlight is operated in pulsed manner, alternately switched between active and inactive states with a frequency greater than 100 Hz, allowing the camera to capture images during inactive periods when only external light sources are visible
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter is moved to the open position in advance during the inactive state of the headlight to ensure the image sensor is ready to capture external light sources immediately when the headlight turns off
2Illumination intensity
If the shutter is kept continuously open, then the image sensor captures ambient light, but the image brightness increases due to headlight reflection
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is moved periodically between closed and open positions synchronized with the pulsed headlight operation, being open during inactive states to capture external light sources and closed during active states to block reflected light
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter is moved to the open position in advance during the inactive state of the headlight to ensure the image sensor is ready to capture external light sources immediately when the headlight turns off
3Measurement precision
If the shutter is moved synchronously with pulsed headlight operation, then external light sources can be detected reliably, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit integrates both the pulsed headlight control and the shutter movement control into a single coordinated system, synchronizing both operations to achieve reliable external light source detection without requiring separate independent control systems
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 enhances the reliability and precision of external light source detection, preventing unnecessary switching between high and dimmed beam modes and improving overall headlight control, while allowing the use of standard image sensors rather than expensive fast sensors.
Implementation Method 1
the shutter covers the image sensor against the environmental region in the closed position
Implementation Method 2
at least one first image is captured by means of the image sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4~5c
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a front camera (5) of a motor vehicle (1), by means of which images (B1, B2) of an environmental region (3) in direction of travel in front of the motor vehicle (1) arse captured, wherein in at least one light source (9) of a frontal headlight (2) of the motor vehicle (1) is operated in pulsed manner and herein it is alternately switched between an active state ("1"), in which the at least one light source (9) is turned on, and a further state ("0"), in which the at least one light source (9) has lower light intensity than in the active stave ("1"). A shutter (12) disposed in front of an image sensor (10) of the front camera (5) is moved between a closed position (S1), in which the shutter (12) covers the image sensor (10) against the environmental region (3), and an open position (S0), in which the image sensor (10) is exposed to light of the environmental region (3). For at least a preset first time interval (T1), the movement of the shutter (12) is controlled synchronously to the pulsed operation of the at least one light source (9), such that the closed position (S1) of the shutter (12) coincides with the active state ("1") of the light source (9) and the open position (S0) of the shutter (12) coincides with the further state ("0") of the light source (9), wherein at least one first image (B1) is captured by means of the image sensor (10) within the first time interval (T1).