Vehicle Sensor Illumination Duty Cycle for Low-Light Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicles equipped with cameras face challenges in determining characteristics like biometric authentication and gaze direction in insufficiently illuminated environments, leading to frame loss when switching between illuminated and unilluminated conditions.

Innovation Solution

A system with an adjustable illumination source duty cycle, where the camera and computer switch between baseline and high duty cycles based on the presence of a preset object type, minimizing frame loss and ensuring sufficient illumination for image data analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the illumination source is switched between illuminated and unilluminated conditions to enable ambient illumination detection, then biometric authentication and gaze direction detection can be performed, but frame loss occurs during switching transitions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiometric authentication accuracyVSAvoidframe loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination source operates at an adjustable duty cycle that dynamically changes based on detection needs. The system switches between a baseline duty cycle and a high duty cycle (near 100%) to provide sufficient illumination frames when object detection requires it, thereby minimizing frame loss while maintaining authentication accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The duty cycle parameter of the illumination source is adjusted between different states (baseline vs. high duty cycle) depending on whether object detection is required. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between power consumption and frame availability for accurate biometric authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the illumination source operates at a high duty cycle to provide sufficient illumination frames, then accurate object detection is achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject detection accuracyVSAvoidillumination source power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination source operates at an adjustable duty cycle that dynamically changes based on detection needs. The system switches between a baseline duty cycle and a high duty cycle (near 100%) to provide sufficient illumination frames when object detection requires it, thereby minimizing frame loss while maintaining authentication accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The duty cycle parameter of the illumination source is adjusted between different states (baseline vs. high duty cycle) depending on whether object detection is required. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between power consumption and frame availability for accurate biometric authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If the illumination source operates at a baseline duty cycle to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but frame loss increases during illumination switching

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination source power consumptionVSAvoidframe loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination source operates at an adjustable duty cycle that dynamically changes based on detection needs. The system switches between a baseline duty cycle and a high duty cycle (near 100%) to provide sufficient illumination frames when object detection requires it, thereby minimizing frame loss while maintaining authentication accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The duty cycle parameter of the illumination source is adjusted between different states (baseline vs. high duty cycle) depending on whether object detection is required. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between power consumption and frame availability for accurate biometric authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This approach reduces frame loss and provides sufficient illuminated frames for accurate determinations, such as biometric authentication and gaze direction detection, by dynamically adjusting the illumination source's operation based on the presence of a preset object type.

Implementation Method 1

The illumination sources are arranged to illuminate areas in the fields of view of the cameras. The cameras thereby receive illumination from the illumination sources reflected from features of the environment.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS12126913B2Illumination control for vehicle sensors

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A system includes an illumination source operable at an adjustable duty cycle, a camera arranged to detect illumination from the illumination source, and a computer communicatively coupled to the illumination source and the camera. The duty cycle indicates a proportion of time that the illumination source is illuminated in a repeating pattern. The computer is programmed to operate the illumination source with the duty cycle at a baseline duty cycle in response to failing to detect an object having a preset type in image data from the camera, and operate the illumination source with the duty cycle at a high duty cycle in response to detecting the object having the preset type in the image data from the camera. The high duty cycle has the illumination source illuminated for a greater proportion of time than the baseline duty cycle.