Vehicle Vision System Background Light Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vision systems for vehicles face challenges with background radiation interfering with light sensing devices, leading to reduced signal-to-noise ratios and increased downtime due to varying illumination conditions, such as night or daytime driving and entering tunnels.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light intensity measurement section to perform radiometric measurements of background light, allowing the data processing device to control the light deflection and sensing devices, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio and handling of background light by separating and managing the light beam and background light effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the light sensing device senses all incident light including background light, then the light sensing device can detect reflected light from the scanned surface, but the signal-to-noise ratio decreases due to background light interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical path by using a light deflection device to separate reflected light from background light into different spatial paths. The reflected light is directed to the light sensing device while background light is directed to an absorber, enabling selective detection and improving signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful background light component from the total incident light by using the light deflection device to redirect background light away from the light sensing device toward an absorber, leaving only the useful reflected light to be sensed
2Productivity
If the light sensing device operates continuously under varying illumination conditions, then the system can maintain measurement capability, but the light sensing device may become saturated or overloaded leading to increased downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a radiometric measurement section that performs preliminary measurement of background light intensity before the main light sensing operation. This allows the system to predict and prepare for varying illumination conditions, adjusting operational parameters in advance to prevent saturation and maintain continuous measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control where the radiometric measurement of background light intensity is used to dynamically adjust the operation of the light sensing device and light deflection device, optimizing measurement frequency and preventing saturation under varying illumination conditions
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an absorber is added to reduce light scattering, then light scattering disturbance is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the absorber function with the existing optical path structure by integrating it into the light deflection system. The absorber is positioned to receive background light that has been redirected by the light deflection device, combining scatter reduction functionality with the existing optical components rather than adding separate independent elements
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 enhances the signal-to-noise ratio, reduces downtime, and optimizes the vision system's performance across different lighting conditions, ensuring reliable data acquisition and improved vehicle safety.
Implementation Method 1
a light source arranged on an emitting side adapted to emit a light beam to a scanned surface in the environment of the vehicle, at least one light deflection device arranged on a receiving side comprising an array of light deflection elements, wherein each light deflection element is adapted to redirect light which is incident on said light deflection element from the scanned surface
Implementation Method 2
each light deflection element is adapted to redirect light which is incident on said light deflection element from the scanned surface, and to change the direction of the redirected light between at least a first deflection direction and a second deflection direction
Implementation Method 3
The time-of-flight of the light beam is indicative of the distance between the system and a point on the surface, which spatial location is derivable from information on the light deflection device and by the time-of-flight
Implementation Method 4
a light intensity measurement section arranged to perform radiometric measurement of background light entering the optical unit, yielding an overall background light intensity value
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A vision system 1 for a vehicle 100 comprises an optical unit 22 and a data processing device 19, said optical unit 22 comprising a light source 2 arranged on an emitting side 33, adapted to emit a light beam 3 to a scanned surface 4 in the environment 5 of the vehicle 100, at least one light deflection device 6 arranged on a receiving side 34 comprising an array of light deflection elements 7, wherein each light deflection element 7 is adapted to redirect light which is incident on said light deflection element 7 from the scanned surface 4, and to change the direction of the redirected light between at least a first deflection direction and a second deflection direction, a light sensing device 8 arranged on the receiving side 34 to sense light redirected from the light deflection device 6 in said first deflection direction, said data processing device 19 being adapted to process the data provided by said light sensing device 8. The vision system 1 further comprises a light intensity measurement section 23 arranged to perform radiometric measurement of background light entering the optical unit 22, yielding an overall background light intensity value, and the data processing device 19 is adapted to control the light deflection device 6 and/or the light sensing device 8 based on the radiometric measurement from the light intensity measurement section 23.