Imaging Device HDR Rendering Synchronous Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging systems in vehicles struggle to capture images with sufficient dynamic range for driving assist functions, leading to overlapping exposure times and delayed image synthesis when using high dynamic range (HDR) rendering.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device with an imaging unit, control unit, and synthesis unit performs multiple image captures with different exposure times, using HDR rendering to generate synthesis images with expanded dynamic range, ensuring non-overlapping exposure times and optimal image quality by adjusting exposure based on synchronous timings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple HDR renderings are performed to provide multiple synthesis images with different image qualities, then image quality is improved, but exposure periods overlap and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores exposure time information for multiple synthesis images before actual image capture. By determining the required exposure times in advance based on the number of synthesis images needed, the system can coordinate multiple imaging operations to avoid exposure overlap, thereby maintaining high image quality while reducing processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging control unit dynamically adjusts exposure timing based on real-time conditions. It flexibly controls the start and end times of multiple imaging operations, allowing the system to adaptively optimize the timing of each capture to prevent exposure period overlap while still producing multiple high-quality synthesis images
2Reliability
If exposure time is extended to capture sufficient dynamic range, then dynamic range is improved, but exposure periods overlap when multiple HDR renderings are performed
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines and stores the required exposure times for multiple synthesis images before capture operations begin. This preliminary calculation allows long exposure times needed for sufficient dynamic range to be coordinated in advance, preventing overlap with other imaging operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the timing parameters of multiple imaging operations based on pre-calculated exposure requirements. By adjusting start and end times of different captures according to their specific exposure needs, the system maintains adaptability while ensuring each image achieves its required dynamic range
3Duration of action of moving object
If multiple image captures are performed in sequence, then sufficient exposure time is secured, but intervals between captures increase processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs multiple image captures in a coordinated periodic manner around synchronous timing points. By distributing captures before and after synchronous timings with optimized intervals, the system achieves sufficient total exposure time while minimizing gaps between operations, thereby improving capture efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system minimizes idle time between captures by continuously coordinating exposure periods. Multiple imaging operations are arranged to follow each other with minimal interruption, ensuring that the imaging unit remains actively productive throughout the capture sequence while still securing adequate exposure time for each image
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device performs imaging using an imaging element. The imaging device is provided with an imaging unit, a control unit and a synthesis unit. The imaging unit performs exposure with a predetermined exposure time, thereby performing image capture. The control unit successively performs an imaging process N-times. In each imaging process, a plurality of images are captured with different exposure times. The synthesis unit generates, using HDR rendering, a plurality of images acquired by the plurality of image captures. The control unit performs one of the plurality of image captures such that the exposure is completed at a corresponding synchronous timing, and performs a subsequent other image capture such that exposure is started at the synchronous timing.