Vehicle Camera Module with Dual View Angles and Homogeneous Sensors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Camera modules used in vehicles for advanced driving assistance or autonomous driving face challenges in capturing a wide range of the outside environment with high accuracy, as cameras with wide view angles often have low resolution, making it difficult to recognize distant objects effectively.

Innovation Solution

A camera module configuration that includes a first camera with a wide view angle and a second camera with a narrower view angle, both using imaging elements with the same pixel specifications, allowing for a wide range of outside photography and improved recognition accuracy of distant objects, while simplifying image processing logic and facilitating processing speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a camera with a wide view angle is used to photograph a wide range of the outside environment, then the coverage area is improved, but the resolution and recognition accuracy of distant objects deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidrecognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The camera module is divided into multiple cameras with different view angles (wide-angle camera and narrow-angle camera). Each camera is responsible for capturing images in its specific view angle range, allowing the system to achieve both wide coverage and high resolution for distant objects simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If a camera with a narrow view angle is used to improve resolution and recognition accuracy of distant objects, then the measurement precision is improved, but the coverage area deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecognition accuracyVSAvoidcoverage area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cameras with different view angles are combined into a single camera module. The wide-angle camera provides broad coverage while the narrow-angle camera provides high-resolution imaging of distant objects. The images from both cameras are integrated through image synthesis processing to achieve comprehensive environmental perception with both wide coverage and high accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple cameras with different pixel specifications are used to achieve different view angles, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity and image processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveview angle coverageVSAvoidimage processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cameras within the same camera module use imaging elements with the same pixel specifications. This homogenization simplifies the image processing logic and facilitates processing speed, while still achieving different view angles through optical design differences in the lens units rather than through different sensor specifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentUS11140337B2Camera module

Publication Date: 2021.10.05 DENSO CORP

AI summary

A camera is module mounted on an inside of a windshield in a vehicle and is configured to photograph an outside of the vehicle. The camera module includes: a first camera for photographing the outside with a first imaging element through a first lens unit; and a second camera having a view angle narrower than the first camera and photographing the outside with a second imaging element through a second lens unit. The first imaging element and the second imaging element have a same pixel specification.