Imaging Lens Sun Visor for Blown Highlights and Crushed Shadows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging systems struggle with blown highlights and crushed shadows due to the limited dynamic range of cameras, particularly when exposed to direct sunlight or headlights, as existing windshield wipers do not provide intentional light obscuration.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with a sun visor device that includes sun visors disposed in front of the lens to partially block incoming light, controlled by a motor and gearbox system, allowing for precise light obscuration to prevent blown highlights and crushed shadows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blade is used to wipe the windshield surface, then the windshield is cleaned, but the blade cannot provide intentional light obscuration to suppress blown highlights or crushed shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single device by combining the wiper blade with a sun visor structure. The wiper assembly now performs both windshield cleaning and light obscuration functions, allowing it to suppress blown highlights and crushed shadows while maintaining its original cleaning capability. This multi-functional design resolves the contradiction by making the same structure adaptable to both tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the wiper blade and sun visor into a unified assembly where the sun visor is positioned above the wiper blade. This combined structure allows the system to function as both a cleaning device and a light-blocking device, eliminating the need for separate components and resolving the limitation of the conventional single-function wiper.
2Measurement precision
If the camera captures light from the exterior, then imaging data is obtained, but blown highlights or crushed shadows occur under direct sunlight or headlights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sun visor as an intermediary element positioned between the external light source and the camera lens. This intermediate structure selectively blocks harmful direct sunlight or headlights while allowing other necessary light to pass through, thereby protecting the imaging system from overexposure without completely isolating it from light.
Solution Approach 2:
The sun visor performs preliminary light blocking before the light reaches the camera lens, preventing blown highlights and crushed shadows from occurring in the first place. By anticipating and counteracting the harmful effect of direct light exposure beforehand, the system maintains imaging accuracy under challenging lighting conditions.
3Reliability
If a sun visor device is added to block light, then imaging accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces overall device complexity by merging the sun visor with the existing wiper assembly. Rather than adding a completely separate sun visor mechanism, the design integrates the light-blocking function into the wiper structure, sharing common components such as the motor, linkage, and mounting points, thereby minimizing the increase in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: windshield cleaning and light obscuration. By making the existing structure multi-functional, the patent avoids the need for entirely separate systems for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving the desired imaging accuracy improvement.
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
The sun visor device effectively suppresses external light, enabling accurate imaging data capture by physically blocking unwanted light, thereby improving image quality in challenging lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a sun visor disposed in front of one of surfaces of the lens to partially block light from entering the lens
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes a receptacle, a lens that is received in the receptacle and is configured to capture light from an exterior of the receptacle, an imager that is disposed within the receptacle and inward from the lens and is configured to capture images of the exterior of the receptacle based on light captured by the lens, an imager substrate that is disposed within the receptacle and inward from the lens and is configured to control the imager, and a sun visor device that includes at least one sun visor disposed in front of one of surfaces of the lens to partially block light from entering the lens.