[PATCH v6 02/12] Documentation: design: ae: Document the design for AE controls
Paul Elder
paul.elder at ideasonboard.com
Fri Jan 10 22:28:24 CET 2025
On Thu, Jan 09, 2025 at 11:41:59PM +0200, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
> Hi Paul,
>
> Thank you for the patch.
>
> On Wed, Jan 08, 2025 at 06:09:32PM -0600, Paul Elder wrote:
> > Document the design and rationale for the AE-related controls.
> > Also add documentation for the controls.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Paul Elder <paul.elder at ideasonboard.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Jacopo Mondi <jacopo at jmondi.org>
> > Reviewed-by: Stefan Klug <stefan.klug at ideasonboard.com>
> > Reviewed-by: Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart at ideasonboard.com>
> >
> > ---
> > No change in v6
> >
> > Changes in v5:
> > - improve wording
> >
> > Changes in v4:
> > - fix wording
> > - fix compilation
> > - remove locked state in explanation
> >
> > Changes in v3:
> > - merge the control documentation into the same document (including the
> > patch)
> > - this is because it was a bit unwieldy to put it in
> > control_ids.cpp.in, now that it's used generically to generate
> > control ids of all namespaces
> > ---
> > Documentation/design/ae.rst | 320 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> > Documentation/index.rst | 4 +-
> > Documentation/meson.build | 1 +
> > 3 files changed, 324 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> > create mode 100644 Documentation/design/ae.rst
> >
> > diff --git a/Documentation/design/ae.rst b/Documentation/design/ae.rst
> > new file mode 100644
> > index 000000000..f8b2c887c
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/Documentation/design/ae.rst
> > @@ -0,0 +1,320 @@
> > +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0
> > +
> > +Design of Exposure and Gain controls
> > +====================================
> > +
> > +This document explains the design and rationale of the controls related to
> > +exposure and gain. This includes the all-encompassing auto-exposure (AE), the
> > +manual exposure control, and the manual gain control.
> > +
> > +Description of the problem
> > +--------------------------
> > +
> > +Sub controls
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +There are more than one control that make up total exposure: exposure time,
> > +gain, and aperture (though for now we will not consider aperture). We already
> > +had individual controls for setting the values of manual exposure and manual
> > +gain, but for switching between auto mode and manual mode we only had a
> > +high-level boolean AeEnable control that would set *both* exposure and gain to
> > +auto mode or manual mode; we had no way to set one to auto and the other to
> > +manual.
> > +
> > +So, we need to introduce two new controls to act as "levers" to indicate
> > +individually for exposure and gain if the value would come from AEGC or if it
> > +would come from the manual control value.
> > +
> > +Aperture priority
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +We eventually may need to support aperture, and so whatever our solution is for
> > +having only some controls on auto and the others on manual needs to be
> > +extensible.
> > +
> > +Flickering when going from auto to manual
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +When a manual exposure or gain value is requested by the application, it costs
> > +a few frames worth of time for them to take effect. This means that during a
> > +transition from auto to manual, there would be flickering in the control values
> > +and the transition won't be smooth.
> > +
> > +Take for instance the following flow, where we start on auto exposure (which
> > +for the purposes of the example increments by 1 each frame) and we want to
> > +switch seamlessly to manual exposure, which involves copying the exposure value
> > +computed by the auto exposure algorithm:
> > +
> > +::
> > +
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > + | N | | N+1 | | N+2 | | N+3 | | N+4 | | N+5 | | N+6 |
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > +
> > + Mode requested: Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual Manual Manual
> > + Exp requested: N/A N/A N/A 2 2 2 2
> > + Set in Frame: N+2 N+3 N+4 N+5 N+6 N+7 N+8
> > +
> > + Mode used: Auto Auto Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual
> > + Exp used: 0 1 2 3 4 2 2
> > +
> > +As we can see, after frame N+2 completes, we copy the exposure value that was
> > +used for frame N+2 (which was computed by AE algorithm), and queue that value
> > +into request N+3 with manual mode on. However, as it takes two frames for the
> > +exposure to be set, the exposure still changes since it is set by AE, and we
> > +get a flicker in the exposure during the switch from auto to manual.
> > +
> > +A solution is to *not submit* any exposure value when manual mode is enabled,
> > +and wait until the manual mode as been "applied" before copying the exposure
> > +value:
> > +
> > +::
> > +
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > + | N | | N+1 | | N+2 | | N+3 | | N+4 | | N+5 | | N+6 |
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > +
> > + Mode requested: Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual Manual Manual
> > + Exp requested: N/A N/A N/A None None None 5
> > + Set in Frame: N+2 N+3 N+4 N+5 N+6 N+7 N+8
> > +
> > + Mode used: Auto Auto Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual
> > + Exp used: 0 1 2 3 4 5 5
> > +
> > +In practice, this works. However, libcamera has a policy where once a control
> > +is submitted, its value is saved and does not need to be resubmitted. If the
> > +manual exposure value was set while auto mode was on, in theory the value would
> > +be saved, so when manual mode is enabled, the exposure value that was
> > +previously set would immediately be used. Clearly this solution isn't correct,
> > +but it can serve as the basis for a proper solution, with some more rigorous
> > +rules.
> > +
> > +Existing solutions
> > +------------------
> > +
> > +Raspberry Pi
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +The Raspberry Pi IPA gets around the lack of individual AeEnable controls for
> > +exposure and gain by using magic values. When AeEnable is false, if one of the
> > +manual control values was set to 0 then the value computed by AEGC would be
> > +used for just that control. This solution isn't desirable, as it prevents
> > +that magic value from being used as a valid value.
> > +
> > +To get around the flickering issue, when AeEnable is false, the Raspberry Pi
> > +AEGC simply stops updating the values to be set, without restoring the
> > +previously set manual exposure time and gain. This works, but is not a proper
> > +solution.
> > +
> > +Android
> > +^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +The Android HAL specification requires that exposure and gain (sensitivity)
> > +must both be manual or both be auto. It cannot be that one is manual while the
> > +other is auto, so they simply don't support sub controls.
> > +
> > +For the flickering issue, the Android HAL has an AeLock control. To transition
> > +from auto to manual, the application would keep AE on auto, and turn on the
> > +lock. Once the lock has propagated through, then the value can be copied from
> > +the result into the request and the lock disabled and the mode set to manual.
> > +
> > +The problem with this solution is, besides the extra complexity, that it is
> > +ambiguous what happens if there is a state transition from manual to locked
> > +(even though it's a state transition that doesn't make sense). If locked is
> > +defined to "use the last automatically computed values" then it could use the
> > +values from the last time it AE was set to auto, or it would be undefined if AE
> > +was never auto (eg. it started out as manual), or if AE is implemented to run
> > +in the background it could just use the current values that are computed. If
> > +locked is defined to "use the last value that was set" there would be less
> > +ambiguity. Still, it's better if we can make it impossible to execute this
> > +nonsensical state transition, and if we can reduce the complexity of having
> > +this extra control or extra setting on a lever.
> > +
> > +Summary of goals
> > +----------------
> > +
> > +- We need a lock of some sort, to instruct the AEGC to not update output
> > + results
> > +
> > +- We need manual modes, to override the values computed by the AEGC
> > +
> > +- We need to support seamless transitions from auto to manual, and do so
> > + without flickering
> > +
> > +- We need custom minimum values for the manual controls; that is, no magic
> > + values for enabling/disabling auto
> > +
> > +- All of these need to be done with AE sub-controls (exposure time, analogue
> > + gain) and be extensible to aperture in the future
> > +
> > +Our solution
> > +------------
> > +
> > +A diagram of our solution:
> > +
> > +::
> > +
> > + +----------------------------+-------------+------------------+-----------------+
> > + | INPUT | ALGORITHM | RESULT | OUTPUT |
> > + +----------------------------+-------------+------------------+-----------------+
> > +
> > + ExposureTimeMode ExposureTimeMode
> > + ---------------------+----------------------------------------+----------------->
> > + 0: Auto | |
> > + 1: Manual | V
> > + | |\
> > + | | \
> > + | /----------------------------------> | 1| ExposureTime
> > + | | +-------------+ exposure time | | -------------->
> > + \--)--> | | --------------> | 0|
> > + ExposureTime | | | | /
> > + ------------------------+--> | | |/
> > + | | AeState
> > + | AEGC | ----------------------------------->
> > + AnalogueGain | |
> > + ------------------------+--> | | |\
> > + | | | | \
> > + /--)--> | | --------------> | 0| AnalogueGain
> > + | | +-------------+ analogue gain | | -------------->
> > + | \----------------------------------> | 1|
> > + | | /
> > + | |/
> > + | ^
> > + AnalogueGainMode | | AnalogueGainMode
> > + ---------------------+----------------------------------------+----------------->
> > + 0: Auto
> > + 1: Manual
> > +
> > +
> > +The diagram is divided in four sections horizontally:
> > +
> > +- Input: The values received from the request controls
> > +
> > +- Algorithm: The algorithm itself
> > +
> > +- Result: The values calculated by the algorithm
> > +
> > +- Output: The values reported in result metadata and applied to the device
> > +
> > +The four input controls are divided between manual values (ExposureTime and
> > +AnalogueGain), and operation modes (ExposureTimeMode and AnalogueGainMode). The
> > +former are the manual values, the latter control how they're applied. The two
> > +modes are independent from each other, and each can take one of two values:
> > +
> > + - Auto (0): The AGC computes the value normally. The AGC result is applied
> > + to the output. The manual value is ignored *and is not retained*.
> > +
> > + - Manual (1): The AGC uses the manual value internally. The corresponding
> > + manual control from the request is applied to the output. The AGC result
> > + is ignored.
>
> Too much indentation here, move the '-' marker to the leftmost column.
>
Is... that all?
Paul
> > +
> > +The AeState control reports the state of the unified AEGC block. If both
> > +ExposureTimeMode and AnalogueGainMode are set to manual then it will report
> > +Idle. If at least one of the two is set to auto, then AeState will report
> > +if the AEGC has Converged or not (Searching). This control replaces the old
> > +AeLocked control, as it was insufficient for reporting the AE state.
> > +
> > +There is a caveat to manual mode: the manual control value is not retained if
> > +it is set during auto mode. This means that if manual mode is entered without
> > +also setting the manual value, then it will enter a state similar to "locked",
> > +where the last automatically computed value while the mode was auto will be
> > +used. Once the manual value is set, then that will be used and retained as
> > +usual.
> > +
> > +This simulates an auto -> locked -> manual or auto -> manual state transition,
> > +and makes it impossible to do the nonsensical manual -> locked state
> > +transition.
> > +
> > +We specifically do not have a "master AE control" like the old AeEnable. This
> > +is because we have the individual mode controls, and if we had a master AE
> > +control it would be a "control that sets other controls", which could easily
> > +get out of control.
> > +
> > +With this solution, the earlier example would become:
> > +
> > +::
> > +
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > + | N+2 | | N+3 | | N+4 | | N+5 | | N+6 | | N+7 | | N+8 | | N+9 | | N+10|
> > + +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
> > + Mode requested: Auto Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual
> > + Exp requested: N/A None None None None 10 None 10 10
> > + Set in Frame: N+4 N+5 N+6 N+7 N+8 N+9 N+10 N+11 N+12
> > +
> > + Mode used: Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual
> > + Exp used: 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 10 10
> > +
> > +This example is extended by a few frames to exhibit the simulated "locked"
> > +state. At frame N+5 the application has confirmed that the manual mode has been
> > +entered, but does not provide a manual value until request N+7. Thus, the value
> > +that is used in requests N+5 and N+6 (where the mode is disabled), comes from
> > +the last value that was used when the mode was auto, which comes from frame
> > +N+4.
> > +
> > +Then, in N+7, a manual value of 10 is supplied. It takes until frame N+9 for
> > +the exposure to be applied. N+8 does not supply a manual value, but the last
> > +supplied value is retained, so a manual value of 10 is still used and set in
> > +frame N+10.
> > +
> > +Although this behavior is the same as what we had with waiting for the manual
> > +mode to propagate (in the section "Description of the problem"), this time it
> > +is correct as we have defined specifically that if a manual value was specified
> > +while the mode was auto, it will not be retained.
> > +
> > +Description of the controls
> > +---------------------------
> > +
> > +As described above, libcamera offers the following controls related to exposure
> > +and gain:
> > +
> > +- AnalogueGain
> > +
> > +- AnalogueGainMode
> > +
> > +- ExposureTime
> > +
> > +- ExposureTimeMode
> > +
> > +- AeState
> > +
> > +Auto-exposure and auto-gain can be enabled and disabled separately using the
> > +ExposureTimeMode and AnalogueGainMode controls respectively. There is no
> > +overarching AeEnable control.
> > +
> > +When the respective mode is set to auto, the respective value that is computed
> > +by the AEGC algorithm is applied to the image sensor. Any value that is
> > +supplied in the manual ExposureTime/AnalogueGain control is ignored and not
> > +retained. Another way to understand this is that when the mode transitions from
> > +auto to manual, the internally stored control value is overwritten with the
> > +last value computed by the auto algorithm.
> > +
> > +This means that when we transition from auto to manual without supplying a
> > +manual control value, the last value that was set by the AEGC algorithm will
> > +keep be used. This can be used to do a flickerless transition from auto to
> > +manual as described earlier. If the camera started out in manual mode and no
> > +corresponding value has been supplied yet, then a best-effort default value
> > +shall be set.
> > +
> > +The manual control value can be set in the same request as setting the mode to
> > +auto if the desired manual control value is already known.
> > +
> > +Transitioning from manual to auto shall be implicitly flickerless, as the AEGC
> > +algorithms are expected to start running from the last manual value.
> > +
> > +The AeState metadata reports the state of the AE algorithm. As AE cannot
> > +compute exposure and gain separately, the state of the AE component is
> > +unified. There are three states: Idle, Searching, and Converged.
> > +
> > +The state shall be Idle if both ExposureTimeMode and AnalogueGainMode
> > +are set to Manual. If the camera only supports one of the two controls,
> > +then the state shall be Idle if that one control is set to Manual. If
> > +the camera does not support Manual for at least one of the two controls,
> > +then the state will never be Idle, as AE will always be running.
> > +
> > +The state shall be Searching if at least one of exposure or gain calculated
> > +by the AE algorithm is used (that is, at least one of the two modes is Auto),
> > +*and* the value(s) have not converged yet.
> > +
> > +The state shall be Converged if at least one of exposure or gain calculated
> > +by the AE algorithm is used (that is, at least one of the two modes is Auto),
> > +*and* the value(s) have converged.
> > diff --git a/Documentation/index.rst b/Documentation/index.rst
> > index bea406608..251112fbd 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/index.rst
> > +++ b/Documentation/index.rst
> > @@ -23,7 +23,9 @@
> > SoftwareISP Benchmarking <software-isp-benchmarking>
> > Tracing guide <guides/tracing>
> >
> > + Design document: AE <design/ae>
> > +
> > .. toctree::
> > :hidden:
> >
> > - introduction
> > \ No newline at end of file
> > + introduction
> > diff --git a/Documentation/meson.build b/Documentation/meson.build
> > index 36ffae239..6158320e1 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/meson.build
> > +++ b/Documentation/meson.build
> > @@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ if sphinx.found()
> > 'coding-style.rst',
> > 'conf.py',
> > 'contributing.rst',
> > + 'design/ae.rst',
> > 'documentation-contents.rst',
> > 'environment_variables.rst',
> > 'feature_requirements.rst',
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