Enhanced illumination-invariant imaging

A system, comprising:

• a camera;
• a first light source;
• and
• memory coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:
• activating the camera to capture first image data exterior to the system;
• while the camera is capturing the first image data, based on the activation of the camera, activating the first light source at a first controlled intensity, a first controlled frequency, and a first controlled direction;
• while the camera is capturing the first image data, based on the activation of the camera, activating the first light source at a second controlled intensity, a second controlled frequency, and a second controlled direction;
• receive the first image data, the first image data comprising pixels having first color values;
• identify first light generated by the first light source at the first controlled intensity, the first controlled frequency, and the first controlled direction while the camera is capturing the first image data;
• identify second light generated by the first light source at the second controlled intensity, the second controlled frequency, and the second controlled direction while the camera is capturing the first image data;
• identifying, based on the first image data, third light generated by a second light source different than the first light source;
• determine a first response of the camera based on a first product of the first controlled intensity and a first power spectral density of the first light source divided by a first area between the first light source and a first pixel of the first image data, added to a first estimate of an illumination of the first light and the third light;
• determine a second response of the camera based on a second product of the second controlled intensity and a second power spectral density of the first light source divided by a second area between the first light source and a second pixel of the first image data, added to a second estimate of the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• determine, based on the first response of the camera and the second response of the camera, the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• determine a third response of the camera based on the second product of the second controlled intensity and the second power spectral density of the first light source divided by the second area between the first light source and the second pixel of the first image data, added to the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• convert, by applying a spectral transform matrix to the third response of the camera, the first image data to second image data in an illumination-invariant color space;
• identify an object represented by the second image data in the illumination-invariant color space;
• and
• cause actuation of a vehicle based on the object.

A device comprising memory coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:

• activate a camera to capture first image data exterior to the device;
• while the camera is capturing the first image data, based on the activation of the camera, activating a first light source at a first controlled intensity, a first controlled frequency, and a first controlled direction;
• while the camera is capturing the first image data, based on the activation of the camera, activate the first light source at a second controlled intensity, a second controlled frequency, and a second controlled direction;
• receive the first image data, the first image data comprising pixels having first color values;
• identify first light generated by the first light source at the first controlled intensity, the first controlled frequency, and the first controlled direction while the camera is capturing the first image data;
• identify second light generated by the first light source at the second controlled intensity, the second controlled frequency, and the second controlled direction while the camera is capturing the first image data;
• identify, based on the first image data, third light generated by a second light source different than the first light source;
• determine a first response of the camera based on a first product of the first controlled intensity and a first power spectral density of the first light source divided by a first area between the first light source and a first pixel of the first image data, added to a first estimate of an illumination of the first light and the third light;
• determine a second response of the camera based on a second product of the second controlled intensity and a second power spectral density of the first light source divided by a second area between the first light source and a second pixel of the first image data, added to a second estimate of the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• determine, based on the first response of the camera and the second response of the camera, the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• determine, a third response of the camera based on the second product of the second controlled intensity and the second power spectral density of the first light source divided by the second area between the first light source and the second pixel of the first image data, added to the illumination of the second light and the third light;
• convert, by applying a spectral transform matrix to the third response of the camera, the first image data to second image data in an illumination-invariant color space;
• identify an object represented by the second image data in the illumination-invariant color space;
• and
• cause actuation of a vehicle based on the object.