Vehicle Camera Exposure Control for Tunnel Transitions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current image recording devices in motor vehicles experience a blind phase due to over- or under-exposure when suddenly transitioning between different brightness environments, such as entering or exiting a tunnel, leading to unavailable image data for driver assistance systems.
Innovation Solution
An image recording device that adjusts its exposure time based on a predictable trajectory and predefinable prediction time, using statistical methods to optimize exposure for the entire detection area, ensuring continuous availability of usable image data by adapting to changing brightness conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the exposure time is adapted to the brightness conditions of the environment, then the image quality is improved and over- or under-exposure is avoided, but during sudden brightness changes the camera becomes blind for a period of time due to delayed adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by recording images with multiple exposure times before the brightness change fully occurs. By capturing images at different exposure times in advance, the system ensures that at least one image will be properly exposed when brightness conditions change suddenly, preventing the blind phase and maintaining continuous availability of usable image data.
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
The solution prevents the image recording device from becoming blind during sudden brightness changes, ensuring that image data is always available and usable for driver assistance systems, even under fluctuating environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an optoelectronic image converter (32), which is designed to record first image data with a first exposure time
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating an image acquisition device (12) in a motor vehicle (10) by acquiring first image data (22) with a first exposure time (t1) depending on a first environmental image detectable within a detection range (14) of the image acquisition device, setting the first exposure time depending on the first image data (22), and acquiring second image data (24) with a second exposure time (t2) depending on a second environmental image detectable within the detection range (14) of the image acquisition device. The method includes determining a sub-area (26) of the first and/or second image data (22, 24) which represents a predictive sub-area of the respective detectable environmental image, wherein the sub-area of the image data is determined depending on a predictable trajectory of the motor vehicle and a predefinable prediction time.The method further comprises adjusting the second exposure time depending on the image data sub-area. The invention further relates to an image acquisition device (12) for carrying out such a method and to a motor vehicle (10) with such an image acquisition device (12).