Multi-Camera Vision Synchronization for AWB and AE Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle vision systems using multiple cameras face challenges in synchronizing Auto White Balance (AWB) and Auto Exposure (AE) performance across cameras, leading to latency issues and potential false alarms due to differences in image quality, especially when transitioning between varying lighting conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a microcontroller and staging memory in each camera to pre-load AWB and AE control data, allowing for simultaneous synchronization through a trigger pulse, reducing latency and ensuring all cameras receive new settings at the same time, thereby maintaining consistent image quality across multiple cameras.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional camera synchronization methods are used, then cameras can capture images, but AWB and AE performance cannot be synchronized simultaneously across all cameras, leading to latency and image quality inconsistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading AWB and AE control data into staging memory of each camera before a trigger pulse is received. This allows the cameras to have the control data ready in advance, so when the trigger pulse arrives, all cameras can update their image sensors simultaneously without latency, achieving sub-microsecond synchronization precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cameras update AWB and AE settings independently, then each camera can adapt to lighting conditions, but image quality consistency across multiple cameras deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the AWB and AE control data into a single synchronized update mechanism. All cameras receive the same trigger pulse simultaneously and load the same control data from their respective staging memory at the same time, ensuring that image quality consistency is maintained across all cameras while still allowing adaptation to lighting conditions through the updated AWB and AE settings.
3Productivity
If sequential updates are used for camera settings, then data can be transmitted to each camera, but false alarms occur due to timing differences in image quality changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action through the trigger pulse mechanism that simultaneously initiates AWB and AE updates across all cameras. This periodic synchronized update prevents false alarms by ensuring all cameras transition through lighting condition changes at the same time, maintaining reliability for vehicle control algorithms while preserving data transmission efficiency through the staged memory loading approach.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular vision system includes a rearward-viewing camera and a forward-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle. Image data captured by the cameras is provided to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit sends respective control data to the cameras, and the respective sent control data is stored in respective memory of the cameras. With the respective sent control data stored in the respective memory of the cameras, the electronic control unit sends a trigger signal to the cameras. Responsive to the sent trigger signal, the cameras load operational parameters of the respective stored control data into respective image sensors of the cameras so that the operational parameters of the respective image sensors of the cameras are synchronized. With the operational parameters of the respective image sensors of the cameras synchronized, image data is captured by the respective image sensors and is sent to the electronic control unit.