System and method for vehicle image collection

Abstract

The present document describes a vehicle-side image capturing system and method that is capable of improving qualities of images captured at vehicle-side. The system includes: a controller, a plurality of cameras, a light sensor and an encoder each connected to the controller. The controller is configured to: receive an illumination intensity of a current environment from the light sensor, select one of the plurality of cameras that is adapted to the illumination intensity as a target camera, activate when the target camera is different from a currently operating camera, deactivate the currently operating camera then configure the target camera as an operating camera for image capturing, and receive images captured by the operating camera and transmit the received images to the encoder. The encoder is configured to encode the received images and transmit the encoded images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle side image capturing system, comprising:
 a controller located on a vehicle, a plurality of cameras located on the vehicle, and a light sensor located on the vehicle,   wherein the plurality of cameras and the light sensor are communicatively connected to the controller, and   wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive an illumination intensity from the light sensor; 
 select one of the plurality of cameras that is adapted to the illumination intensity as a target camera; 
 determine to switch from a currently operating camera to the target camera upon determining that the target camera is different from the currently operating camera; 
 activate the target camera to establish a video link between the controller and the target camera in response to determining to switch from the currently operating camera to the target camera; 
 continue capturing images using the currently operating camera until the video link between the controller and the target camera has been established successfully; and 
 deactivate the currently operating camera and capture images using the target camera upon successful establishment of the video link between the controller and the target camera. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the images captured by the currently operating camera. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an encoder located on the vehicle, wherein the encoder is communicatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the images captured by the currently operating camera to the encoder, and wherein the encoder is configured to encode the image captured by the operating camera. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the images to the encoder via a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) or a Digital Video Port (DVP). 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to select, as the target camera, a first camera from the plurality of cameras, wherein the first camera is adapted to an illumination intensity higher than or equal to a predetermined illumination intensity threshold in response to determining that the illumination intensity is higher than or equal to the predetermined illumination intensity threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to select, as the target camera, a second camera from the plurality of cameras, wherein the second camera is adapted to an illumination intensity lower than a predetermined illumination intensity threshold in response to determining that the illumination intensity is lower than the predetermined illumination intensity threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the light sensor is configured to measure, in real time, an illumination intensity related to an environment in which the vehicle is located. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a decoder connected to an encoder via a coaxial cable and configured to decode an encoded image received from the encoder and transmit the decoded image to a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle side image capturing method, comprising:
 receiving, by a controller located on a vehicle, an illumination intensity from a light sensor located on the vehicle;   selecting, by the controller, a camera from a plurality of cameras located on the vehicle that is adapted to the illumination intensity as a target camera;   determining to switch from a currently operating camera to the target camera upon determining that the target camera is different from the currently operating camera;   activating the target camera to establish a video link between the controller and the target camera in response to determining to switch from the currently operating camera to the target camera;   continuing capturing images using the currently operating camera until the video link between the controller and the target camera has been established successful; and   deactivate the currently operating camera and capture images using the target camera upon successful establishment of the video link between the controller and the target camera.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving, by the controller, the images captured by the currently operating camera. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising encoding an image captured by the operating camera. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising transmitting an encoded image to a decoder. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising decoding an encoded image. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the images captured by the currently operating camera to an encoder. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining whether the illumination intensity is higher than or equal to a predetermined illumination intensity threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selecting a first camera from the plurality of cameras, wherein the first camera is adapted to an illumination intensity higher than or equal to a predetermined illumination intensity threshold as the target camera in response to determining that the illumination intensity is higher than or equal to the predetermined illumination intensity threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selecting a second camera from the plurality of cameras, wherein the second camera is adapted to an illumination intensity lower than a predetermined illumination intensity threshold as the target camera in response to determining that the illumination intensity is lower than the predetermined illumination intensity threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising activating an infrared lamp before activating the second camera. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transient computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an illumination intensity from a light sensor located on a vehicle;   selecting a camera from a plurality of cameras located on the vehicle that is adapted to the illumination intensity as a target camera;   determining to switch from a currently operating camera to the target camera upon determining that the target camera is different from the currently operating camera;   activating the target camera to establish a video link between a controller and the target camera in response to determining to switch from the currently operating camera to the target camera;   continuing capturing images using the currently operating camera until the video link between the controller and the target camera has been established successful; and   deactivate the currently operating camera and capture images using the target camera upon successful establishment of the video link between the controller and the target camera.