INFRARED CAMERA AND INFRARED LAMP BRIGHTNESS ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20160381272A1
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: WANG, Yuming
• Granted Patent: US 10,187,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/76 by influencing the image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Disclosed are an infrared camera and an infrared lamp brightness adjustment method therefore. The method comprises: when an infrared lamp of an infrared camera is turned on, conducting following processing at a pre-set time period: determining whether there is at least one sub-region with abnormal brightness in N sub-regions of the same size, which constitute a monitoring picture, where N is a positive integer which is greater than 1; and if so, according to a pre-determined parameter of the acquired at least one sub-region with abnormal brightness and a pre-determined parameter of the monitoring picture, determining an infrared lamp adjustment manner, and according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment manner, conducting infrared lamp brightness adjustment so that the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness is recovered to be normal. By means of the solution of the present invention, the picture of the monitoring picture can be improved.

Claims

1. An infrared lamp brightness adjusting method for an infrared camera, comprising:

after an infrared lamp of the infrared camera is opened, performing processing as follows in each preset time period;

determining whether there is at least one sub-region with abnormal brightness in N sub-regions in a surveillance image, the N sub-regions having a same size with each other, N being a positive integer more than 1;

if yes, determining an infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a preset parameter of a respective one of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness and a preset parameter of the surveillance image, and adjusting a brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness returns to normal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before determining whether there is the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness,

determining whether a gain value of the surveillance image is in a gain interval, if yes, determining whether there is the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness;

if no, determining a second infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the preset parameter of the surveillance image, adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined second infrared lamp adjustment mode until the gain value is adjusted into the gain interval, determining whether there is the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein determining the second infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the preset parameter of the surveillance image, adjusting the infrared lamp brightness according to the determined second infrared lamp adjustment mode until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval comprises:

calculating a viewing angle α

according to a magnification Z of the surveillance image,

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined second infrared lamp adjustment mode until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval comprises:

if α

≦

β

3, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval;

if α

≦

β

2, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the far lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the middle lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval;

if α

≦

β

1, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the far lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the middle lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the near lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there is the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness comprises:

for each sub-region, obtaining a theoretical brightness value and an actual brightness value of the sub-region, calculating an absolute value of a difference between the theoretical brightness value and the actual brightness value, determining the sub-region is a sub-region with the abnormal brightness if the absolute value is more than a preset threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining the theoretical brightness value of the sub-region comprises:

determining an included angle between a central location of the sub-region and an optic axis, determining the theoretical brightness value according to the included angle and a preset light intensity module,

wherein the actual brightness value is an average brightness value for pixels in the sub-region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the included angle between the central location of the sub-region and the optic axis is

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein determining the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the preset parameter of the respective one of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness and a preset parameter of the surveillance image, and adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness returns to normal comprises:

A;

obtaining a preset parameter of each sub-region with the abnormal brightness γ and

the preset parameter Z of the surveillance image, calculating the viewing angle α

according to Z;

B;

determining whether the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness satisfies a condition as follows;

the number of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness is equal to 1;

or the number of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness is more than 1 and values of γ

of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness are same with each other, if yes, performing procedures in step C, otherwise, performing procedures in step D.

C;

assigning the value of γ

to γ

′

;

respectively comparing α and

γ

′

with β

3, β

2 and β

1, determining the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a comparison result, adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until a sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal, finishing the processing;

wherein, β

3 is an illumination angle of a far lamp, β

2 represents an illumination angle of a middle lamp, and β

1 is an illumination angle of a near lamp, and the infrared lamp includes the far lamp, the middle lamp and the near lamp;

D;

selecting a minimum value of γ

from values of γ

of the at least one sub-region, assigning the selected value of γ

to γ

′

, performing procedures in step E;

E;

respectively comparing α and

γ

′

with β

3, β

2 and β

1, determining the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a comparison result, adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until a sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

determining whether there is at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness in the adjusted N sub-regions, if no, finishing the processing, if yes, selecting a minimum value of γ

more than the value of γ

′

from values of γ

corresponding to the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness in the adjusted N sub-regions, re-assigning the value of the selected γ

to γ

′

, repeatedly performing the procedures in step E.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein respectively comparing α

and γ

′

with β

3, β

2 and β

1, determining the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the comparison result, adjusting the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal comprises;

if α

≦

β

3 and γ

′

≦

β

3, adjusting the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

ifα

≦

β

2 and β

3<

γ

′

≦

β

2, adjusting the brightness of the middle light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

2 and γ

′

≦

β

3, adjusting the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

ifα

≦

β

1 and β

2<

γ

′

≦

β

1, adjusting the brightness of the near light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the near lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the middle lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain range after adjusting the brightness of the middle lamp to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

1 and β

3<

γ

′

≦

β

2, adjusting the brightness of the middle light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain range after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjusting the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

1 and γ

′

≦

β

3, adjusting the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal.

10. An infrared camera, comprising:

a timing module, to after an infrared lamp of the infrared camera is opened, notify a fine adjustment module to perform processing of the fine adjustment module in each preset time period;

the fine adjustment module, to determine whether there is at least one sub-region with abnormal brightness in N sub-regions in a surveillance image, the N sub-regions having a same size with each other, N being a positive integer more than 1;

if yes, determine an infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a preset parameter of a respective one of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness and a preset parameter of the surveillance image, and adjust a brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness returns to normal.

11. The infrared camera of claim 10, further comprising:

a rough adjustment module, to before the fine adjustment module performs the processing of the fine adjustment module, determine whether a gain value of the surveillance image is in a gain interval, if yes, notify the fine adjustment module to perform the processing of the fine adjustment module;

if no, determine a second infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the preset parameter of the surveillance image, adjust the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined second infrared lamp adjustment mode until the gain value is adjusted into the gain interval, notify the fine adjustment module to perform the processing of the fine adjustment module.

12. The infrared camera of claim 11, wherein the rough adjustment module comprises:

a first processing unit, to determine whether the gain value of the surveillance image is in the gain interval, if yes, notify the fine adjustment module to perform the processing;

if no, notify a second processing unit to perform processing of the second processing unit;

the second processing unit, to calculate a viewing angle α

according to a magnification of the surveillance image Z,

13. The infrared camera of claim 12, wherein

if α

≦

β

3, the second processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval;

if α

≦

β

2, the second processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the far lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the middle lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval;

if α

≦

β

1, the second processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the far lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the middle lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the near lamp until the gain value of the surveillance image is adjusted into the gain interval.

14. The infrared camera of claim 10, wherein the fine adjustment module comprises:

a third processing unit, to for each sub-region, obtain a theoretical brightness value and an actual brightness value of the sub-region, calculate an absolute value of a difference between the theoretical brightness value and the actual brightness value, determine the sub-region is a sub-region with the abnormal brightness if the absolute value is more than a preset threshold, if there is the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness, notify a fourth processing unit to perform processing of the fourth processing unit;

the fourth processing unit, to determine the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to the preset parameter of the respective one of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness and the preset parameter of the surveillance image, and adjust the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness returns to normal.

15. The infrared camera of claim 14, wherein

the third processing unit is to for each sub-region, determine an included angle between a central location of the sub-region and an optic axis, determine the theoretical brightness value according to the included angle and a preset light intensity module,

wherein the actual brightness value is an average brightness value for pixels in the sub-region.

16. The infrared camera of claim 15, wherein

the included angle between the central location of the sub-region and the optic axis is

17. The infrared camera of claim 16,

wherein the fourth processing unit is to obtain a preset parameter of each sub-region with the abnormal brightness γ

and the preset parameter Z of the surveillance image, calculate the viewing angle α

according to Z;

determine whether the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness satisfies a condition as follows;

the number of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness is equal to 1;

or the number of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness is more than 1 and values of γ

of the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness are same with each other;

if yes, assign the value of γ

to γ

′

, respectively compare α and

γ

′

with β

3, β

2 and β

1, determine the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a comparison result, adjust the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until a sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal, finish the processing, wherein, β

3 is an illumination angle of a far lamp, β

2 represents an illumination angle of a middle lamp, and β

1 is an illumination angle of a near lamp, and the infrared lamp includes the far lamp, the middle lamp and the near lamp;

if no, select a minimum value of γ

from values of γ

of the at least one sub-region, assign the selected value of γ

to γ

′

, perform preset processing as follows;

respectively compare α and

γ

′

with β

3, β

2 and β

1, determine the infrared lamp adjustment mode according to a comparison result, adjust the brightness of the infrared lamp according to the determined infrared lamp adjustment mode until a sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

determine whether there is at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness in the adjusted N sub-regions, if no, finish the processing, if yes, select a minimum value of γ

more than the value of γ

′

from values of γ

corresponding to the at least one sub-region with the abnormal brightness in the adjusted N sub-regions, re-assign the value of the selected γ

to γ

′

, repeatedly perform the preset processing.

18. The infrared camera of claim 17, wherein

if α

≦

β

3 and γ

′

≦

β

3, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

2 and β

3<

γ

′

≦

β

2, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the middle light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

2 and γ

′

≦

β

3, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness and corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

1 and β

2<

γ

′

≦

β

1, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the near light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain interval after the brightness of the near lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the middle lamp, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain range after adjusting the brightness of the middle lamp to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

1 and β

3<

γ

′

≦

β

2, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the middle light, if the gain value of the surveillance image is still not adjusted into the gain range after the brightness of the middle lamp is adjusted to an extreme value allowed to be adjusted, adjust the brightness of the far lamp until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal;

if α

≦

β

1 and γ

′

≦

β

3, the fourth processing unit is to adjust the brightness of the far light until the sub-region with the abnormal brightness corresponding to γ

′

returns to normal.

19. The infrared camera of claim 10, further comprising:

a control module, to when it is determined that the surveillance image flashes, lock other modules, unlock the locked modules when a preset unlocking time period is reached.