Vehicle Camera System Image Separation for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and weight of vehicle configurations increase with the implementation of driving assistance systems and event recording technologies, as multiple devices are required for vehicle control and data recording, leading to a cumbersome and heavy setup.
Innovation Solution
A camera system mounted on a vehicle that captures multiple frame images and separates them into recognition and storage targets, using an image processor to output these images separately for recognition and storage, while integrating with a vehicle controller and sensor system for event recording and communication with external equipment to associate frame images with pre- and post-event data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple devices are mounted on the vehicle for driving assistance and event recording, then the recognition and recording functions are improved, but the device complexity and vehicle weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the camera system for event recording with the imaging unit for driving assistance into a single integrated system. The camera system shares the imaging unit with the driving assistance system, allowing both event recording and real-time recognition functions to be performed by the same hardware component, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining both functions
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging unit serves multiple purposes: it captures images for both the driving assistance system's real-time obstacle recognition and the camera system's event recording. This multi-functional use of a single device eliminates the need for separate dedicated cameras, reducing the number of components and simplifying the vehicle configuration
2Reliability
If multiple devices are mounted on the vehicle for driving assistance and event recording, then the recognition and recording functions are improved, but the vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the camera system with the driving assistance system's imaging unit, so that a single camera device performs both event recording and real-time recognition. This consolidation eliminates the need for additional dedicated recording cameras, thereby reducing the total weight of mounted devices on the vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging unit is designed to serve dual functions: providing real-time images for driving assistance recognition and simultaneously capturing events for recording. This multi-functionality reduces the number of required devices and their cumulative weight
3Productivity
If frame images are separated into recognition and storage targets, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the captured frame images into two distinct categories: recognition target images and storage target images. This segmentation allows the system to process different types of images through different pathways - recognition images are processed in real-time for immediate analysis while storage images are processed for later recording, improving overall processing efficiency by handling different data streams separately
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control unit as an intermediary that manages the separation and routing of frame images to different processing paths. The control unit determines which images should be used for recognition and which for storage, coordinating the flow of data between the imaging unit, recognition system, and recording system without requiring complex direct integration between all components
Data Source
AI summary
To reduce complication of a configuration of a vehicle while suppressing an increase in weight of the vehicle, a camera system mounted on a vehicle includes an imaging unit to capture multiple frame images of an outside of the vehicle per cycle and an image processor to obtain the multiple frame images from the imaging unit and separate the multiple frame images into a first given number of frame images as a recognition target and a second given number of frame images as a storage target to be stored in an image recorder. The image processor separately outputs the first and second given numbers of frame images to be recognized and stored, respectively.