In-Vehicle Image Processing for Nighttime Halation Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing systems experience halation (flare or ghost) when a light source is present in the camera's field of view, particularly at night, which affects the quality of images captured by in-vehicle cameras and hinders effective driving assistance and automatic driving systems.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that corrects the brightness of specific areas in an image captured by an in-vehicle camera, using a filter function to determine a correction amount based on a predetermined area affected by halation, thereby reducing brightness fluctuations and generating corrected images for improved object detection and display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is present in the camera's field of view at night, then the image captures the light source, but halation (flare or ghost) occurs causing brightness fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple regions: a first region containing the light source where halation occurs, and a second region below the first region in the vertical direction. Different brightness correction strategies are applied to each region, with the second region's brightness being corrected based on the first region's brightness to reduce halation effects.
Solution Approach 2:
Different brightness correction methods are applied to different regions of the image. The second region's brightness is specifically corrected based on the first region's brightness, while other regions may use different correction strategies, allowing localized optimization of image quality in halation-affected areas.
2Reliability
If brightness correction is applied to reduce halation, then image quality improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The correction process is segmented into distinct steps: obtaining the first image, generating the second image with corrected brightness in specific regions, and outputting the corrected image. This segmentation allows for optimized processing of only the affected regions rather than the entire image, reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The brightness correction is performed as a preliminary step before final image output and display. By pre-correcting the brightness in the second region based on the first region's brightness, the system prepares the image in advance, allowing for faster subsequent processing and display without halation artifacts.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device includes a memory and a processor configured to execute: obtaining a first image captured by an imaging device installed on a mobile object; generating a second image in which brightness of a second area located below a first area of the first image in a vertical direction with respect to a traveling surface of the mobile object, is corrected based on brightness of the first area; and outputting the second image.