Rotating Vehicle Camera for Redundant 360° Vision With Lower Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles, especially those operating at Level 4 and Level 5, face challenges in maintaining vehicular and passenger safety without human oversight, particularly in adverse weather conditions and complex environments, where existing camera systems are power-intensive and lack flexible or redundant vision capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a rotating camera system that provides a 360° view, consumes less power than fixed camera systems, and offers redundant functionality, enabling environmental monitoring, security monitoring, and flexible vision, while being integrated with sensors and a processor to trigger and orient the camera based on specific conditions or sensor activations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed cameras are used to provide comprehensive vision coverage, then the field of view and redundancy are improved, but the power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing multiple static fixed cameras with a single rotating camera that can dynamically change its orientation. The rotating camera mechanism allows one camera to cover the same field of view as multiple fixed cameras by rotating to different positions, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining comprehensive vision coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating camera serves multiple functions by rotating to different positions to capture images from various directions. A single camera unit performs the work of multiple fixed cameras, providing universal coverage for environmental monitoring, security monitoring, and redundant sensing across different orientations and positions.
2Reliability
If multiple fixed cameras are deployed for redundant sensing, then the reliability and coverage are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a single rotating camera that dynamically positions itself to provide redundant sensing coverage. Instead of having multiple fixed cameras simultaneously operating, one camera rotates to different positions to provide the same redundant coverage, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sensing function into temporal segments rather than spatial segments. The single camera rotates through different positions at different times to provide comprehensive coverage, dividing the monitoring task across time segments rather than requiring simultaneous operation of multiple cameras.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a single rotating camera is used instead of multiple fixed cameras, then the power consumption is reduced, but the system complexity and response time may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating camera operates on a periodic action principle, rotating through predetermined positions at optimized intervals. The rotation speed and positioning are calibrated to ensure that the camera reaches required positions within acceptable response times while consuming less power than continuously operating multiple fixed cameras.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-positioning the rotating camera based on predicted needs. The processor determines trigger conditions and orienting directions in advance, allowing the rotating camera to be positioned optimally before events occur, reducing actual response time despite the mechanical rotation requirement.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for using a rotating camera for vehicular operation. One example of a method for improving driving includes determining, by a processor in the vehicle, that a trigger has activated, orienting, based on the determining, a single rotating camera towards a direction of interest, and activating a recording functionality of the single rotating camera, where the vehicle comprises the single rotating camera and one or more fixed cameras, and where the single rotating camera provides a redundant functionality for, and consumes less power than, the one or more fixed cameras.