Vehicle Surround Scanning With Time-Shifted Camera Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The scanning of a vehicle's surroundings using multiple cameras attached offset to each other results in parallax errors due to different perspectives, making it difficult for the driver to obtain a uniform and accurate overview of the surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves scanning a first image by a first camera and a second image by a second camera, with the second image being scanned with a time delay relative to the first image, to minimize the offset of the image recording locations and reduce parallax errors when combining the images into an overall image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple cameras are attached offset on the vehicle to scan surroundings, then the scanning coverage is improved, but parallax error increases making uniform perception difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images at different time points before combining them. The first camera captures an image at time t1, and the second camera captures an image at time t2, where the time offset is calculated based on vehicle speed and camera offset distance. This preliminary time-synchronized capture ensures that both images correspond to the same effective scanning location, eliminating parallax error while maintaining expanded scanning coverage through multiple camera positions.
2Productivity
If images are captured simultaneously by offset cameras, then scanning efficiency is improved, but parallax error between images increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the time offset between camera captures adaptive rather than fixed. The time offset is dynamically calculated based on real-time vehicle speed and the known offset distance between cameras. This dynamic adjustment ensures that regardless of vehicle speed, the images captured by offset cameras will correspond to the same effective scanning location, maintaining alignment accuracy while preserving scanning efficiency through simultaneous or near-simultaneous capture.
3Measurement precision
If a time delay is introduced for the second camera, then parallax error is reduced, but information delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by adjusting the time offset between camera captures based on vehicle speed and camera offset distance. Rather than using a fixed time delay, the system calculates the optimal time offset to ensure images correspond to the same effective scanning location. This parameter-based approach minimizes information delay while achieving precise alignment, as the time offset is only what's necessary to compensate for the spatial offset between cameras during vehicle motion.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle moves in relation to the surroundings along a movement direction. The vehicle includes a first and a second camera. The first camera is arranged in front of the second camera along the movement direction. A method for scanning the surroundings from the vehicle includes scanning a first image by the first camera; scanning a second image by the second camera; and combining the first and the second image to form an overall image. The second image is scanned with a time delay in relation to the first image, so that an offset of locations at which the images are scanned is less than an offset of the cameras on board the vehicle.