Stereo Camera Image Correction for Windshield Heating Wire Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing systems face challenges in reducing the influence of electric heating wires on image processing results, particularly in vehicles equipped with stereo cameras, as these wires can distort images by blocking light and affecting luminance values.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus is developed that includes a sub-image generation unit, a luminance ratio map generation unit, and an electric heating wire pattern estimation unit. This apparatus divides captured images into sub-images, generates luminance ratio maps, and estimates the wiring pattern of electric heating wires, allowing for correction of image luminance values to mitigate the wire's influence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric heating wires are installed on the windshield to prevent fogging, then the windshield anti-fogging function is improved, but the image processing accuracy deteriorates due to light blocking and luminance distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the captured image into multiple sub-images along the lateral direction. The luminance ratio map generation unit then processes each sub-image separately to generate corresponding luminance ratio maps, which are used to estimate the electric heating wire pattern. This segmentation allows the system to handle the heating wire interference in localized regions while preserving overall image processing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces luminance ratio maps as an intermediary data structure between the captured image and the electric heating wire pattern estimation. By calculating the ratio of luminance values between the captured image and a reference image, the system creates an intermediate representation that highlights the heating wire pattern without directly using the distorted original image for pattern recognition.
2Device complexity
If the entire image is processed as a single unit, then the processing simplicity is maintained, but the heating wire interference cannot be locally corrected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image into multiple sub-images along the lateral direction, allowing the luminance ratio map generation unit to process each region independently. This enables precise estimation of the electric heating wire pattern in each sub-region while maintaining a systematic processing framework that does not significantly increase overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes a sub-image generation unit, a luminance ratio map generation unit, and an electric heating wire pattern estimation unit. The sub-image generation unit generates sub-images by dividing a first image in a lateral direction. The first image is one of a left image and a right image that are captured by a stereo camera through a windshield provided with an electric heating wire. The luminance ratio map generation unit sequentially selects one of the sub-images and generates map data based on the selected sub-image and a second image. The map data indicates a ratio between luminance values. The second image is another of the left image and the right image. The electric heating wire pattern estimation unit performs an estimation of a wiring pattern of the electric heating wire based on the map data regarding each of the sub-images.