Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
  • H04N23/62—Control of parameters via user interfaces
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
  • H04N23/63—Control of cameras or camera modules by using electronic viewfinders
  • H04N23/633—Control of cameras or camera modules by using electronic viewfinders for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
  • H04N23/635—Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
  • H04N23/67—Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/70—Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/18—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Definitions

• the invention relates to a camera system, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has at least one camera for capturing a sequence of images of an environment (environment of the camera) as well as an optical display device for displaying the image sequence.
• the camera system has a control device controllable by a user, by means of which an image region (ROI, region of interest) is selected by the user on the display device, in which a partial region of the environment is depicted.
• the selected image region (ROI) thus corresponds to a partial region of the environment.
• the camera system also includes an electronic image processing device, which adjusts at least one camera parameter depending on the selected image region.
• the invention relates to a motor vehicle with such a camera system as well as to a method for operating a camera system.
• the interest is in particular directed to a camera system of a motor vehicle, wherein the invention is not restricted to such a camera system.
• the interest also concerns a camera system formed separately to the motor vehicle and for example being a component of a cell phone or else a portable digital camera.
• these cell phones can also be switched to a camera mode, in which a camera of the cell phone captures a temporal sequence of images of the camera environment and this image sequence is displayed on the display - usually a touch screen.
• the display of the captured environment is effected independently of whether the user wants to record and store an individual image or else a video.
• the captured environment is continuously presented on the display, and storing an individual image or else a video is only effected if the user performs
• the cell phone corresponding input on the cell phone, namely for example operates a button or else touches a button on the touch screen.
• the user can select an image region on the touch screen, which is subsequently also referred to as ROI.
• the cell phone can then vary very different camera parameters.
• the exposure can be adjusted such that the selected ROI is optimally exposed, while the other image regions are overexposed or else
• the camera systems known from the prior art are only unsatisfactory. If for example a motor vehicle is considered, which has a camera mounted in the rear region of the motor vehicle and capturing the environment behind the motor vehicle, thus, the situation can be problematic in which the driver backs out of a garage with his motor vehicle. In this situation, the camera captures both the exterior
• the exposure is adjusted such that the interior space of the garage is optimally exposed such that the exterior environmental region outside of the garage is overall overexposed.
• the driver gets a suboptimal image on the display device, in which the environmental region outside of the garage is very bright and therefore also only poorly perceptible.
• the exposure can be inversely adjusted, namely such that the exterior environmental region outside of the garage is optimally exposed.
• the interior space within the garage is relatively dark.
• the motor vehicle is moved, thus, it can occur that another, darker environmental region of the environment gets into the selected image region on the display device such that the adjusted exposure is no longer optimal.
• this object is solved by a camera system, by a motor vehicle as well as by a method having the features according to the respective independent claims.
• Advantageous implementations of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims, of the description and of the figures.
• a camera system is preferably intended for a motor vehicle, wherein the invention is not restricted to a motor vehicle.
• the camera system includes a camera for capturing an image sequence of an environment, an optical display device for displaying the image sequence, an control device controllable by a user for selecting an image region on the display device, wherein the selected image region corresponds to a partial region of the environment, as well as an electronic image processing device for adjusting at least one camera parameter depending on the selected image region (ROI).
• ROI selected image region
• the image processing device tracks the partial region upon relative movement of the camera with respect to the partial region of the environment and/or upon zooming and adapts the selected image region on the display device such that the selected image region continuously presents the same partial region of the environment.
• the ROI selected on the display device is continuously moved and/or altered in its size with respect to the display device such that the ROI on the display device always corresponds to the same, originally selected partial region of the environment.
• the once selected partial region of the environment is continuously tracked and the ROI of the image is continuously adapted to the partial region of the environment.
• the ROI one and the same partial region of the environment is always depicted.
• the image processing device can continuously adjust the at least one camera parameter - such as for example the exposure and/or the white balance and/or the focus - depending on the respectively current ROI.
• the image processing device continuously adjusts the at least one camera parameter depending on the respectively current image region (ROI).
• ROI current image region
• the user always gets presented an optimum image on the display device, which is adapted to the current ROI.
• this can be configured such that the exposure is always adjusted with respect to the moving ROI such that for example the varying ROI is always optimally exposed.
• the image processing device is configured such that at least one of the following camera parameters is adjusted depending on the selected image region: an exposure, in particular an exposure time and/or aperture size, and/or a focus and/or at least one parameter of a white balance.
• an exposure in particular an exposure time and/or aperture size
• a focus and/or at least one parameter of a white balance are adjusted depending on the selected image region.
• the focus is adjusted to the selected image region and therefore also moved together with this image region.
• the white balance too can be adjusted in the ROI different than in other image regions.
• the image processing device can examine the depicted partial region of the environment with respect to predetermined characteristic features and detect these predetermined features. Then, the partial region is tracked by tracking the detected features.
• the image processing device subjects the partial region of the environment to pattern recognition and/or edge recognition and/or object recognition and then tracks the recognized patterns and/or edges and/or objects. Thus, it is managed to always determine the exact position of the partial region of the environment relative to the camera without much effort.
• the image processing device tracks the partial region of the environment based on sensor data of at least one sensor.
• an acceleration sensor and/or a gyroscope and/or a steering angle sensor of a motor vehicle and/or a velocity sensor can be employed as the sensor.
• the camera system is installed in a cell phone, thus, preferably, sensor data of an acceleration sensor and/or or of a gyroscope and/or of a compass of the cell phone are used for tracking the partial region.
• the camera system is an internal system of a motor vehicle, thus, it is preferred if sensor data of a sensor installed in the motor vehicle, thus of a vehicle's own sensor, such as in particular of a steering angle sensor and/or a velocity sensor, is used for tracking the partial region. Based on sensor data, a particularly precise tracking of the partial region can also be performed, wherein the computational effort is reduced.
• the two above mentioned embodiments can also be combined with each other.
• the result of tracking based on detected features can be made plausible with the result of tracking based on sensor data.
• an extremely accurate tracking of the partial region can be achieved.
• control device as well as the display device is formed as a common touch screen.
• the camera system is particularly user-friendly and the selection of the ROI on the display device can also be intuitively effected.
• the image region has a preset size on the display device and is selected by simple and one-time touch of a point of the touch screen.
• the ROI with the predefined size can be determined symmetrically around the touch point of the touch screen. Thus, it is managed to select the ROI particularly fast and quickly by simply touching the touch screen.
• the ROI can also be selected by a sliding movement of at least one finger and in particular by a sliding movement of two fingers on the touch screen.
• the sliding movement on the touch screen thus sweeping the touch screen, is effected along a diagonal of the ROI.
• the user is given the possibility of defining the size of the ROI by himself.
• the tracking of the partial region by the image processing device can also be stopped. In order to stop this functionality, at least one of the following criteria can be satisfied:
• the tracking is stopped if the user performs a corresponding input on the control device, thus, if the user operates a button specially provided to this or else touches a special button on the touch screen;
• the tracking is stopped if a preset portion of the partial region of the environment exits a capturing region of the camera - here, the tracking is for example stopped if the entire partial region exits the capturing region of the camera;
• the tracking can be stopped if the size of the image region (ROI) on the display device falls below a preset value, thus, if the camera is as far away from the original partial region of the environment as the ROI is very small; and/or
• the tracking can be stopped if the size of the image region on the display device exceeds a preset value, in particular if the size of the ROI reaches the size of the display device.
• the camera system can have a portable apparatus, in particular a portable communication apparatus (preferably a cell phone) or a portable digital camera or the like or else be constituted by such a portable apparatus. Then, it can be provided that at least one of the components of camera and/or display device and/or control device is a component of this portable apparatus.
• a portable communication apparatus preferably a cell phone
• a portable digital camera or the like or else be constituted by such a portable apparatus.
• At least one of the components of camera and/or display device and/or control device is a vehicle component installed in the motor vehicle.
• the camera system can also be completely a system internal to vehicle, thus fixedly installed in the motor vehicle.
• the camera can capture an environment of the motor vehicle, and the display device can be disposed in the field of view of the driver, for instance on an instrument panel or else a center console.
• the camera can be a camera fixedly installed in the motor vehicle, while the display device as well as the control device can be a touch screen of a cell phone.
• the images captured by the vehicle camera can then be communicated to the cell phone via an in particular wireless communication connection.
• the image processing device can be disposed either in the cell phone or else also in the motor vehicle.
• a motor vehicle according to the invention has a camera system according to the invention.
• the invention also relates to a method for operating a camera system, in particular of a motor vehicle. A sequence of images of an environment is captured by means of a camera, and the images are displayed on a display device.
• An image region is selected on the display device by means of a control device, wherein a partial region of the environment is depicted in this image region. At least one camera parameter is adjusted by means of an electronic image processing device depending on the selected image region. Upon a relative movement of the camera with respect to the partial region and/or upon zooming, the partial region is tracked by means of the image processing device and the selected image region on the display device is adapted such that the selected image region continuously presents the same partial region of the environment.
• FIG. 1 in schematic illustration a block diagram of a camera system according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 in schematic illustration a display device in a first position of a camera with respect to the environment
• Fig. 3 the display device in a second position of the camera with respect to the environment; and Fig. 4 in schematic illustration the display device, wherein another zoom factor of the camera is adjusted.
• a camera system 1 in schematic and highly abstract illustration, a camera system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated.
• the camera system 1 includes an electronic image processing device 2, which is for example a signal processor.
• An optical camera 3 is electrically coupled to the image processing device 2, which is formed for capturing an image sequence of an environment.
• the camera 3 is an optical capturing device, which is able to detect light in the spectral range perceptible by the human and thus to capture images.
• the captured images are then displayed on a display device 4.
• the display device 4 as well as the control device 5 is integrated in a common touch screen 6.
• the camera system 1 can for example be a system fixedly installed in a motor vehicle, wherein the camera 3 is here disposed on the motor vehicle such that it captures an environment of the motor vehicle.
• the camera 3 is here disposed on the motor vehicle such that it captures an environment of the motor vehicle.
• further cameras can also be employed.
• At least one of the components 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of the camera system 1 is a component of a portable communication apparatus, such as for example a cell phone.
• a portable communication apparatus such as for example a cell phone.
• the camera system 1 is completely integrated in a cell phone.
• the images captured by means of the camera 3 are displayed on the display device 4 in real time and thus in dynamic manner. This implies that the entire current capturing region of the camera 3 is also depicted on the display device 4 at the same time. If the camera system 1 is integrated in a portable apparatus, thus, the presentation on the display device 4 corresponds to the case in which the camera system 1 is turned on and the user gets a preview on the display device 4, but the images are not stored in a storage. Only by controlling the control device 5, an image or even a video can then be stored.
• an exemplary environment 7 is illustrated as it can be presented on the display device 4.
• the environment 7 corresponds to the entire capturing region of the camera 3.
• Very different objects are depicted on the display device 4, which are in the environment 7, namely a first person 8, a second person 9, two trees 10, 1 1 as well as a third person 12.
• the user can define a desired image region 13 on the touch screen 6, which is referred to as ROI (region of interest) below and in which a partial region 14 of the entire environment 7 is depicted.
• a border 15 of the ROI 13 can also be presented on the display device 4 or else the presentation of the border 15 can be omitted.
• the determination of the ROI 13 can for example be configured such that the user only touches a point on the touch screen 6 and the ROI 13 is defined with a preset size around this point.
• the user is also given the possibility of determining the ROI 13 on the touch screen 6 by a sliding movement of two fingers along a diagonal of the ROI 13 and thus also of adjusting the size of the ROI 13 in user-defined manner.
• the image processing device 2 After determining the ROI 13, the image processing device 2 adjusts at least one camera parameter depending on the ROI 13. In particular, therein, an exposure is adjusted such that an optimum exposure exists in the ROI 13. A white balance can also be adjusted in the ROI 13 in specific manner and independently of the remaining image region. It is also possible to orient the focus to the ROI 13.
• the image processing device 2 examines the ROI 13 with respect to predetermined features such as in particular with respect to predetermined patterns and/or objects and/or edges. After detection of the features, the image processing device 2 tracks the partial region 14 depicted in the original ROI 13. If the camera 3 is now moved relative to the partial region 14 or else zoomed in or out, thus, the image processing device 2 tracks the detected features and thus the entire partial region 14.
• At least one sensor can also be employed for tracking the partial region 14 and the tracking can be effected based on sensor data of this sensor.
• an acceleration sensor and/or a gyroscope and/or a steering angle sensor of the motor vehicle and/or a velocity sensor of the motor vehicle are used as the sensor.
• the camera 3 is moved relatively to the partial region 14 because the motor vehicle or solely the user is for example moved.
• the environment 7 depicted on the display device 4 also alters as it is schematically illustrated in Fig. 3.
• a tree 16 is also depicted besides the first person 8, while the third person 12 is only partially depicted.
• the image processing device 2 now recognizes that the partial region 14 of the environment 7 has been shifted with respect to the camera 3 and thus also with respect to the display device 4, and the image processing device 2 tracks this partial region 14.
• the ROI 13 is also adapted such that always the same partial region 14 is depicted within the ROI 13.
• the ROI 13 is shifted with respect to the display device 4 in the example according to Fig. 3 such that it continues to surround the same partial region 14.
• the above mentioned at least one camera parameter is also adapted to the new position of the ROI 13.
• the adaptation of the ROI 13 is also effected if it is zoomed into (or zoomed out of) the environment 7. Such a situation is illustrated in Fig. 4.
• the partial region 14 is illustrated enlarged on the display device 4.
• the image processing device 2 recognizes it and correspondingly also enlarges the ROI 13 such that the entire partial region 14 of the environment 7 is depicted in the ROI 13.
• the ROI 13 therefore continuously surrounds the same partial region 14.
• the at least one camera parameter is also adapted to the new ROI 13.
• the adaptation of the ROI 13 is effected in real time, thus in dynamic manner, while the camera 3 is shifted relatively to the environment 7 or else zoomed in.
• the adaptation of the camera parameter is also effected in real time.
• the user can for example perform a corresponding input with the aid of the control device 5.
• the tracking can also be aborted if a preset portion of the partial region 14, for example the entire partial region 14, exits the capturing region of the camera 3.
• the tracking can also be stopped if the size of the ROI 13 falls below a preset value and/or exceeds a preset value, in particular reaches the size of the display device 4.
• Fig. 4 a situation is illustrated, in which it is zoomed into the environment 7, namely optically and/or electronically.
• a corresponding adaptation of the ROI 13 is also effected if the camera 3 moves towards the partial region 14 of the environment 7 or else moves away from this partial region 14.

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• Studio Devices (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-05-04 DE DE102012008986.4A patent/DE102012008986B4/de active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-04-12 WO PCT/EP2013/057740 patent/WO2013164180A1/en active Application Filing

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