Vehicular image pickup device and image capturing method

Abstract

A vehicular image pickup device includes an image capturing unit, a fill light unit and a processing unit. The image capturing unit captures driving images. The fill light unit provides a fill light. The processing unit obtains a grayscale quantity distribution of pixels of the driving images on a plurality of grayscale levels. The processing unit numbers the pixels sequentially in the direction from the highest grayscale level to the lowest grayscale level according to the grayscale quantity distribution until the numbering reaches a predetermined number. The processing unit adjusts a fill light intensity of the fill light unit or a gain of the image capturing unit according to the grayscale level of the pixel whose number is the predetermined number.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention[0001]The present disclosure relates to image capturing technology and, more particularly, to a vehicular image pickup device and an image capturing method.Description of the Prior Art[0002]Image pickup devices are capable of recording images and thus have wide application, including ones installed at entrances and exits of buildings which require surveillance, to assist with tasks, such as conducting an investigation, preserving and collecting evidence.[0003]Normally, conventional image pickup devices are each installed at a specific point to capture images within its image capturing radius according to an invariable operation model. However, if a conventional image pickup device is mounted on a moving object, for example, a vehicle, image quality of images captured by the image pickup device deteriorates, depending on the speed of the moving object. Furthermore, accuracy of ensuing recognition of the captured images is affected.SUMM...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present disclosure is about improving the quality of driving images captured by a vehicular image pickup device and an image capturing method. The device and method adjust the fill light intensity or gain based on the grayscale quantity distribution of the driving images to make them look appropriate. They also fine-tune the shutter speed, fill light intensity, or gain based on the frequency spectrum or brightness distribution of the driving images or the object image to enhance the detailed performance of the driving images. The device and method do not need feedback from a back-end system, so they can confirm the image quality of the driving images and perform fine-tuning instantly, resulting in the quick acquisition of high-quality driving images.

Problems solved by technology

However, if a conventional image pickup device is mounted on a moving object, for example, a vehicle, image quality of images captured by the image pickup device deteriorates, depending on the speed of the moving object.

Furthermore, accuracy of ensuing recognition of the captured images is affected.

Images