Illumination-Invariant Vehicle Imaging Using Pulsed Tail Lights
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-light conditions undermine image quality and color consistency in vehicle imaging systems, affecting both human perception and computer vision algorithms, leading to unreliable vehicle operations and feature detection failures.
Innovation Solution
Enhanced illumination-invariant imaging is achieved by augmenting exterior vehicle illumination with vehicle lights, allowing for improved color correction and stable image generation through rapid pulsing of tail lights, which helps estimate ambient illumination and material colors, and converting image data into an illumination-invariant format for accurate object detection and vehicle actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If images are captured in low-light conditions, then the ability to capture images in dark environments is improved, but image quality and color consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's tail lights are pulsed at a frequency above the flicker fusion threshold (e.g., >60 Hz) to create the perception of continuous illumination while actually providing periodic light bursts. This periodic action allows the imaging system to capture multiple frames under controlled illumination conditions, improving color consistency and image quality in low-light environments without causing visible flicker to human observers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an illumination mediation system that includes: (1) pulsing the tail lights as an intermediate light source, (2) detecting ambient illumination characteristics as an intermediate measurement, and (3) applying color correction as an intermediate processing step. This intermediary approach allows the system to bridge the gap between low-light capture and high-quality output by adding controlled illumination and post-processing correction.
2Reliability
If vehicle lights are used to augment illumination, then image quality in low-light conditions is improved, but the complexity of the imaging system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the tail lights serve multiple functions: (1) their primary function as vehicle signaling/illumination, and (2) their secondary function as controlled illumination source for the imaging system. By utilizing an existing component for dual purposes, the system avoids adding dedicated illumination hardware, thereby reducing overall system complexity while still achieving improved image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system utilizes the vehicle's own tail lights as the illumination source, making the vehicle self-sufficient for low-light imaging without requiring external or additional lighting equipment. The tail lights are controlled by the existing vehicle lighting system, and the imaging system automatically captures images during the illumination phases, allowing the vehicle to service its own imaging needs.
3Measurement precision
If rapid pulsing of tail lights is used to estimate ambient illumination, then color correction accuracy is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring illumination characteristics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary capture of raw image data during the tail light illumination phases before any color correction is applied. This preliminary action preserves the unprocessed relationship between the tail light illumination and the captured image, making it easier to later separate and characterize the ambient illumination component through comparison with reference frames or through algorithmic analysis of the illumination pattern.
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 solution stabilizes image representation across varying lighting conditions, enhancing the accuracy of vehicle operations and computer vision models, enabling reliable detection of objects like trailer hitches even in low-light scenarios with shadows, and improving overall image quality for both human viewing and machine analysis.
Implementation Method 1
exterior vehicle illumination may be augmented with vehicle lights
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for generating illumination-invariant images are disclosed. A method may include activating, by a device, a camera to capture first image data; while the camera is capturing the first image data, activating of a first, light source; receiving the first image data, the first image data having pixels having first color values; identifying first light generated by the first light source while the camera is capturing the first image data; identifying, based on the first image data, second light generated by a second light source; generating, based on the first light and the second light, second image data that are illumination-invariant; and presenting the second image data.