Fuel Cell Water Discharge Control via Camera Object Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water discharge control systems for vehicles equipped with fuel cells lack the ability to accurately assess various situations around the vehicle, leading to inadequate control over water discharge, which can result in adverse effects such as splashing on pedestrians or environmental contamination.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and water discharge control system that utilize multiple cameras with wide-angle lenses and image processing algorithms to recognize objects and determine whether to limit water discharge based on positional relationships with recognized subjects, such as pedestrians, manholes, or travel paths, thereby controlling the outlet valve to prevent unwanted water discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If clearance sonar or millimeter-wave radar is used to detect objects around the vehicle, then the detection range is extended, but the object recognition accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces clearance sonar and millimeter-wave radar with cameras for object detection. Cameras provide superior object recognition accuracy by capturing visual information that can be processed to identify specific objects (pedestrians, vehicles, buildings) rather than just detecting their presence. This substitution maintains adequate detection range while dramatically improving the ability to recognize and discriminate objects around the vehicle.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If water discharge control is limited based on temperature conditions, then the risk of water freezing is reduced, but the control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based water discharge control system that uses camera-detected object information to dynamically adjust discharge decisions. The system continuously monitors the environment, identifies objects near discharge points, and adjusts water discharge accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables accurate control by considering real-time spatial relationships between the vehicle, discharge outlets, and surrounding objects, going beyond simple temperature-based thresholds.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If water discharge is controlled based on distance to objects detected by clearance sonar, then the risk of splashing on pedestrians is reduced, but the control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces clearance sonar-based distance detection with camera-based object recognition and positioning. By using image processing to identify and locate specific objects (pedestrians, vehicles, buildings) relative to water discharge points, the system achieves superior accuracy in determining whether discharge might affect surrounding objects. This visual-based approach provides both the spatial information needed to prevent splashing and the object identification capability to improve control accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to provide an image processing apparatus configured to determine whether or not to limit discharge of water depending on various situations around a vehicle, an image capturing apparatus, a water discharge control system and a vehicle, the image processing apparatus 15 includes an input/output unit 23 configured to obtain a captured image of an area around a vehicle 10 equipped with a fuel cell 12 and a controller 25 configured to perform object recognition processing by using a captured image and to determine whether or not to limit discharge of water produced from electric power generation by the fuel cell 12 out of the vehicle 10.