How to change Exposure Settings based on Illumination

Camera Software Actions
, ,
1

Introduction

Due to differences in the ambient light, there maybe be problems with the image either during the day or night. It maybe necessary to deploy separate exposure setting for night and day to counter this problem. We can configure MOBOTIX IoT cameras to automatically change their exposure settings based on the illumination level.

Procedure

  1. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/exposure and configure the camera so that the images are perfect during the day.

  2. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/control?list&section=exposure and copy and paste the whole page on a text file

  3. Wait till it gets dark…

  4. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/exposure and configure the camera so that the images are perfect during the night.

  5. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/control?list&section=exposure and copy and paste the whole page on a text file

  6. Compare the two files and check out which parameters are changing. We will use them to configure the IP Notify profiles

  7. Go to http://<ip_cam>/admin/ipprofiles and create 3 IP Notify profiles as follows:

IP Notify Profile Name: DayConfig
Predefined Configuration: Custom Configuration
Destination Address: 127.0.0.1:80
Send Order: Parallel send to all
Transfer Protocol: HTTP/1.0 Request
CGI-Path: /control/control
HTTP Authentication: admin:meinsm
Notification Data: Plain text
Message: set&section=exposure&=<value_right>+<value_left>&=<value_right>+<value_left>&…

IP Notify Profile Name: NightConfig
Predefined Configuration: Custom Configuration
Destination Address: 127.0.0.1:80
Send Order: Parallel send to all
Transfer Protocol: HTTP/1.0 Request
CGI-Path: /control/control
HTTP Authentication: admin:meinsm
Notification Data: Plain text
Message: set&section=exposure&=<value_right>+<value_left>&=<value_right>+<value_left>&…

IP Notify Profile Name: StoreConfig
Predefined Configuration: Custom Configuration
Destination Address: 127.0.0.1:80
Send Order: Parallel send to all
Transfer Protocol: HTTP/1.0 Request
CGI-Path: /admin/rcontrol
HTTP Authentication: admin:meinsm
Notification Data: Plain text
Message: action=storeconfig

  1. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/settings and enable the arming

  2. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/event_env and create two ILL events:

Name: Night
Type: Illumination
Trigger level: 100 lux
Comparison: Lower than
Action Type: First

Name: Day
Type: Illumination
Trigger level: 150 lux
Comparison: Higher than
Action Type: First

  1. Go to http://<ip_cam>/control/actions and create 2 Action Groups:

Name: Night
Arming: Enabled
Time Table: (No time table)
Event Selection: ILL:Night
Action Deadtime: 1
Action Chaining: Consecutively
Action 1: IP Notify: NightConfig
Action 2: IP Notify: StoreConfig

Name: Day
Arming: Enabled
Time Table: (No time table)
Event Selection: ILL:Day
Action Deadtime: 1
Action Chaining: Consecutively
Action 1: IP Notify: DayConfig
Action 2: IP Notify: StoreConfig

1 Like
2

Sometimes the light situation can be very different in the same image. I have two D16 cams with night optic and am experiencing significant problems of defining good exposure settings during night time.

Part of the image is very strongly lit by street lights, most of the other parts of the image is almost completely dark. Is there a clever way of dividing the image into separate “views” and to define separate exposure settings for such views? If so, could you please advise how to do so?

Assuming that it would be possible to define separate views with more or less homogeneous lighting conditions, then I would try to apply the technique you have kindly described in your post to each of these views, obviously creating different exposure profiles for day and night.

3

Thank you for your description, which clearly shows how to deal with 2 light settings (day and night)!

In my case, I have a Q26 day optics cam and experience 3 times of lighting: (1) normal daylight (most of the day), (2) intense light (the sun is flooding the area with strong light) and (3) night.

Could you explain how to extend your method to define 3 instead of 2 settings?

  • in case the light intensity is below 100 lux, then “night”
  • in case the 100 lux < light intensity < 1000 lux then “normal daylight”
  • in case 1000 lux < light intensity then “strong sunlight”