Vehicle Camera Exposure Control via Predictive Brightness Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle cameras experience temporal blindness due to over- or under-exposure when transitioning between different brightness environments, leading to unreliable image data and safety deficits in driver assistance systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a second vehicle camera to detect changes in brightness and transmit adjusted exposure values to a first vehicle camera, ensuring it can adapt exposure settings in real-time, even when its field of view is not directed towards the changing environment, thereby preventing camera interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the camera adapts exposure time based on current image brightness, then over- or under-exposure is avoided, but time shift occurs causing camera blindness during brightness transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using the second camera to detect brightness changes in advance and calculate required exposure adjustments before the first camera would experience over- or under-exposure. This allows the exposure value to be pre-adjusted, preventing camera blindness during transitions between different brightness environments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the camera adjusts exposure time reactively based on current image evaluation, then exposure optimization is achieved, but functional losses occur during brightness transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the exposure control function into two parts: a first camera for capturing images and a second camera for detecting brightness changes and calculating exposure adjustments. This segmentation allows the exposure adaptation to be based on predictive information from the second camera, maintaining reliability while achieving adaptability during brightness transitions.
3Device complexity
If a single camera is used for both image capture and brightness detection, then device complexity is reduced, but exposure control accuracy deteriorates during transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using the second camera to serve dual purposes: capturing forward-facing images for driver assistance and detecting brightness changes for exposure control prediction. This allows accurate brightness change detection without adding a separate dedicated sensor, maintaining device simplicity while improving exposure control precision.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for predictable exposure control of a vehicle camera (12, 14, 16), comprising the following steps: providing at least one first vehicle camera (12, 14, 16), the visual field (12.1, 14.1, 16.1) of which is substantially directed to the side or to the rear; providing at least one second vehicle camera (18), the visual field (18.1) of which is directed to the front; recording second image data from the outer front surroundings of the vehicle (1) by means of the second vehicle camera (18); detecting a region having altered brightness within the second image data of the second vehicle camera (18); determining a required change of an exposure value, particularly based on the second image data, in order to compensate for a brightening or darkening, which occurs when the vehicle (1) enters the region having the altered brightness; and transmitting the changed exposure value to the at least one first vehicle camera (12, 14, 16), such that, upon entry into the region having altered brightness, the at least one first vehicle camera (12, 14, 16) can record first image data based on the changed exposure values. The invention further relates to a device, which is designed to carry out a method according to the invention, and a vehicle (1).