Vehicle Camera Lens Contamination Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle-mounted camera systems struggle to differentiate between contamination levels suitable for multiple applications, leading to inefficient image recognition performance due to the lack of consideration for varying contamination resistance among applications.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted environment recognition device that includes an imaging unit, image self-diagnosis unit, and fail determination unit, which assesses lens contamination and adjusts application operations based on contamination levels, implementing suppression modes, contamination removal, or fail determinations on an application-by-application basis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single image recognition application determines lens contamination state is used conventionally, then the lens state can be determined for multiple applications, but it is difficult to take into consideration the difference in contamination resisting performance among multiple applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image recognition system into multiple independent application modules (lane recognition, vehicle detection, pedestrian detection, sign detection), each with its own contamination resistance threshold and evaluation criteria. This allows each application to be assessed independently based on its specific requirements rather than using a single unified threshold for all applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different contamination resistance levels and evaluation standards to different application areas. Each application (lane recognition, vehicle detection, etc.) has its own tailored contamination threshold and response strategy, allowing the system to optimize for each specific function's needs rather than applying a uniform standard.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the camera is used for multiple applications simultaneously, then the system versatility is improved, but it becomes necessary to detect contamination and determine whether the current state is utilizable for image recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal contamination detection mechanism that serves all multiple applications simultaneously. The image self-diagnosis unit and fail determination unit function as shared resources that evaluate lens contamination once and provide results to all application modules, avoiding the need for separate detection systems for each application while maintaining multi-application support.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service through automatic image-based self-diagnosis that continuously monitors lens contamination without external intervention. The fail determination unit automatically compares contamination levels against application-specific thresholds and triggers appropriate responses (suppression mode, contamination removal control, or fail determination) without requiring manual assessment, thereby simplifying the overall system operation.
3Reliability
If contamination removal control or fail determination is implemented for each application, then the image recognition performance is optimized, but the operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control by allowing the system to adaptively switch between different operational modes (normal mode, suppression mode, contamination removal control, fail determination) based on real-time contamination levels and application-specific thresholds. This dynamic response strategy optimizes image recognition performance by applying the appropriate level of intervention for each application's current state rather than using a static control approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying operational parameters (such as recognition thresholds, processing sensitivity, and activation status) based on contamination levels. Each application can have its parameters dynamically adjusted according to the current lens condition, allowing the system to maintain optimal performance across different contamination scenarios without requiring completely different control mechanisms for each application.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle-mounted environment recognition device according to the present invention is provided with: an imaging unit that acquires an image taken by an imaging device; an image self-diagnosis unit that diagnoses contamination of a lens of the imaging device with respect to the image acquired by the imaging unit; an application execution unit that executes an application selected from a predetermined application group; and a fail determination unit that determines, on the basis of a diagnosis result from the image self-diagnosis unit, determines whether the lens contamination state is in an endurance range of the application and, if within the endurance range, sets the operation of the application executed by the application execution unit to a suppression mode. If outside the endurance range, contamination removal control is implemented, or a fail determination is made for the application. Contamination removal and fail determination can be implemented utilizing parameter adjustment and hardware, or an image-based self-diagnosis can be conducted at the optimum timing for each application.