Vehicle Imaging Difference Images for Ambient Light Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging systems face challenges in accurately identifying vehicle surroundings due to issues like white-clipping or black-clipping caused by inappropriate illumination, which results in incomplete information about changes in the vehicle's environment between light-on and light-off images, and are influenced by ambient light.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system that includes a light emitter capable of emitting light at varying intensities and wavelengths, an imager, and a difference image generator that produces multiple difference images by capturing images with the light emitter on and dimmed, allowing for the suppression of ambient light influence and improved image recognition accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If only one difference image is generated from two captured images (light-on and light-off), then the processing is simple, but information about changes in the situation occurring between the light-off image and the next light-on image is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the time period between light-on and light-off images by capturing multiple intermediate images at different time points. This divides the single difference image approach into multiple partial difference images, each capturing situation changes during specific time intervals, thereby reducing information loss while maintaining manageable processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary capture of multiple images at predetermined time points between light-on and light-off states. By pre-capturing these intermediate states before generating difference images, the system preserves information about situation changes that would otherwise be lost, allowing comprehensive analysis without requiring complex real-time processing
2Illumination intensity
If illumination light is too bright when light-on image is captured, then the region is well illuminated, but the target may experience white-clipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the illumination intensity based on the capture timing and ambient conditions. By varying the light emitter's output across different capture moments rather than using fixed brightness, the system optimizes illumination for each specific capture scenario, preventing both white-clipping from excessive brightness and black-clipping from insufficient lighting
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic illumination cycles with multiple capture points within each cycle. Instead of a single static illumination state, the system uses repeated on-off cycles with intermediate captures, allowing the illumination to be periodically adjusted to appropriate levels for each capture moment, thereby avoiding clipping issues while maintaining overall scene visibility
3Loss of energy
If ambient light is too dark when illumination light is off, then energy is saved, but the target may experience black-clipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary capture of images during the illumination-off period at carefully controlled time points. By pre-capturing these dark-condition images before they become completely unusable, the system preserves valuable information about the scene in low-light conditions without requiring continuous illumination, thus saving energy while avoiding black-clipping
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by capturing images at multiple time points throughout the illumination cycle, including during the off-period. This continuous monitoring approach ensures that no critical scene information is lost due to darkness, while still allowing the illumination to be turned off for energy savings, as captures occur strategically throughout the cycle
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
This configuration enables more accurate identification of vehicle surroundings by generating a larger number of difference images without significantly increasing frame rate, reducing the impact of ambient light, and ensuring targets are captured with identifiable brightness, even in varying lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitter 102 that emits light toward the surroundings of a vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system includes a light emitter that emits light toward the surroundings of a vehicle, an imager that captures an image of a range including a region that is illuminated with light emitted by the light emitter, and a difference image generator that generates (n−1) difference images from n captured images captured by the imager (n is an integer no smaller than 3). The difference image generator generates a difference image based on an image included in the n captured images and captured while the light emitter is on and an image included in the n captured images and captured while the light emitter is dimmed.