US 12,439,167 B1
IR illumination control for cameras with multi-region array
Ruian Xu, San Jose, CA (US); and Peichun Peng, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to Ambarella International LP, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Ambarella International LP, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/087,916.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/74 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/61 (2023.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 25/20 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/74 (2023.01) [H04N 23/56 (2023.01); H04N 23/61 (2023.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 25/20 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
an infrared (IR) illuminator comprising an array of emitters divided into a plurality of segments each configured to generate an amount of an IR light;
an interface configured to receive pixel data comprising said IR light from an RGB-IR sensor; and
a processor configured to (i) process said pixel data arranged as video frames, (ii) measure a level of IR reflection for each of a plurality of zones of said video frames, (iii) associate said plurality of zones of said video frames with said IR light generated by each of said plurality of segments of said IR illuminator in response to a calibration process, (iv) perform a comparison of said level of IR reflection in each of said zones to an exposure threshold, and (v) generate a control signal in response to said comparison, wherein
(a) a shape of each of said zones in said video frames corresponds to a subsection of said video frames that is associated with a shape of said array of emitters of a respective one of said segments,
(b) said control signal is configured to independently adjust said amount of said IR light generated by each of said segments of said array of emitters for each of said plurality of zones,
(c) said amount of said IR light is adjusted from a current amount in each of said zones in response to said comparison determining that said level of IR reflection is outside of said exposure threshold, and
(d) said calibration process comprises (I) sequentially activating said plurality of segments, (II) analyzing said level of IR reflection detected in said video frames for each individual one of said segments, (III) determining boundaries for one of said zones affected by one of said segments, (IV) detecting an amount of light bleed outside said boundaries for one of said zones from said level of IR reflection and (V) adjusting said boundaries for said zones in response to said amount of light bleed outside said boundaries.