Configuring Sensor Settings¶

The Tegra camera framework creates a Video4Linux device (e.g. /dev/video0) for each camera, which allows raw image acquisiton and configuration of camera settings.

Controls Shared by All Sensor Types¶

Please note that not every control is available for every camera model. For example, some image sensor’s do not support trigger mode. Other controls might not be available because the camera does not have I/O connectors.

For menu-type controls, not every menu entry is necessarily supported by every camera model.

Control	Identifier	Type	Unit	Values
Exposure	TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_EXPOSURE	integer64	µs
Gain	TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_GAIN	integer64	dB/10
Black Level	TIS_SENSOR_CID_BLACK_LEVEL	integer
Trigger Mode	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_MODE	menu		On, Off
Strobe Mode	TIS_SENSOR_CID_STROBE_MODE	menu		Exposure
Trigger Software	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_SOFTWARE	button
Trigger Source	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_SOURCE	menu		FPD-Link, PicoBlade, GPIO
Trigger In Polarity	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_IN_POLARITY	menu		Default, Inverted
GPOut Mode	TIS_SENSOR_CID_GPOUT_MODE	menu		Open Drain, TTL
GPOut Function	TIS_SENSOR_CID_GPOUT_FUNCTION	menu		Constant Low, Constant High, Strobe, Sync Out
Offset X	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_X	integer	Pixels
Offset Y	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_Y	integer	Pixels
Offset Auto Center	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_AUTO_CENTER	boolean
Sensor Temperature	TIS_SENSOR_CID_SENSOR_TEMPERATURE	integer	m°C
Device Serial Number	TIS_SENSOR_CID_DEVICE_SERIAL_NUMBER	string
Device Model Name	TIS_SENSOR_CID_DEVICE_MODEL_NAME	string
Device Vendor Name	TIS_SENSOR_CID_DEVICE_VENDOR_NAME	string
device_valid	TIS_SENSOR_CID_DEVICE_VALID	boolean

Note

TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_-constants and related structures are defined in tegra-v4l2-camera.h, which is installed in /usr/src on JetPack images. TIS_SENSOR_CID_-constants are defined in tis_sensor_ctrl_ids.h, which is installed in /opt/theimagingsource/include after driver installation.

Standard Camera controls¶

Exposure Time¶

The Exposure control configures the exposure time of the sensor.

Control	Exposure Time
Name	Exposure
Identifier	TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_EXPOSURE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER64
Unit	µs
Minimum	Sensor-specific
Maximum	Sensor-specific

Gain¶

The Gain control configured both analog and digital image signal amplification done by the sensor.

Control	Gain
Name	Gain
Identifier	TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_GAIN
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER64
Unit	dB / 10
Minimum	Sensor-specific
Maximum	Sensor-specific

Custom Camera controls¶

Black Level¶

The Black Level control defines the lowest possible intensity value read from the image sensor.

Control	Gain
Name	Black Level
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_BLACK_LEVEL
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Minimum	Sensor-specific
Maximum	Sensor-specific

Trigger Mode¶

The Trigger Mode control can be used to put the camera in trigger mode. In trigger mode, the camera waits for an external signal before delivering an image.

Control	Trigger Mode
Name	Trigger Mode
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_MODE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_BOOLEAN
On	Deliver images on demand
Off	Deliver images continuously

Warning

When enabling trigger mode, LibArgus/nvarguscamerasrc will run into a timeout after no images have been received for very short time. To remedy this, follow the steps described in the Infinite Timeout Support section in the NVIDIA® documentation.

Warning

Because of Jetson Nano platform limitations, the receiving software will run into a timeout very quickly when no images are delivered. Using Trigger Mode is not recommended on Jetson Nano.

Strobe Mode¶

The Strobe Mode control configures an electric signal that indicates sensor activities to the outside world.

Control	Strobe Mode
Name	Strobe Mode
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_STROBE_MODE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Exposure	Generate a signal that indicates the sensor’s light-sensitive period

Software Trigger¶

The Trigger Software control issues a trigger command if the the camera in trigger mode.

Control	Software Trigger
Name	Trigger Software
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_SOFTWARE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_BUTTON

Trigger Source¶

The Trigger Source control can be used to configure which input signal the sensor should listen to in trigger mode.

Control	Trigger Source
Name	Trigger Source
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_SOURCE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
FPD-Link	Accept trigger signal via FPD-Link
PicoBlade	Accept trigger signal from the TRIG_IN pins of the camera’s PicoBlade connector
GPIO	Accept trigger signal from the GPIO pin of the camera’s 22-Pin connector

Trigger In Polarity¶

The Trigger In Polarity control optionally inverts the signal read from the TRIG_IN pins on the camera’s PicoBlade connector.

Control	Trigger In Polarity
Name	Trigger In Polarity
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_TRIGGER_IN_POLARITY
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Default	Captures the signal as it is
Inverted	Inverts the signal before passing it to the sensor

GPOut Mode¶

The GPOut Mode control configures the electrical characteristics of the GP_OUT pins of the camera’s PicoBlade connector.

Control	GPOut Mode
Name	GPOut Mode
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_GPOUT_MODE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Open Drain	The GP_OUT pins on the camera’s PicoBlade connector work in open drain mode
TTL	The GP_OUT pins on the camera’s PicoBlade connector work in TTL mode

GPOut Function¶

The GPOut Function control can be used to select which signal is output on the GP_OUT pins of the camera’s PicoBlade connector.

Control	GPOut Function
Name	GPOut Function
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_GPOUT_FUNCTION
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Constant Low	Output a constant low signal
Constant High	Output a constant high signal
Strobe	Output the sensor status signal configured by the strobe_mode control
Sync Out	Output the sensor sync signal

Offset X¶

The Offset X control configures the horizontal start position of the readout in partial scan mode.

When setting a value that is larger than possible given the width of the current resolution, the camera will internallyy apply the largest valid value.

Control	Offset X
Name	Offset X
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_X
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Minimum	0
Maximum	Sensor-specific
Step Size	Sensor-specific

Offset Y¶

The Offset Y control configures the vertical start position of the readout in partial scan mode.

When setting a value that is larger than possible given the height of the current resolution, the camera will internally apply the largest valid value.

Control	Offset Y
Name	Offset Y
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_Y
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Minimum	0
Maximum	Sensor-specific
Step Size	Sensor-specific

Offset Auto Center¶

The Offset Auto Center control can be used to always read out the center region of the image sensor.

When Offset Auto Center is true, the values of Offset X and Offset Y are ignored.

Control	Offset Auto Center
Name	Offset Auto Center
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_OFFSET_AUTO_CENTER
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_BOOLEAN
true	Always read out the center region of the image sensor
false	Read out the region starting at offset_x, offset_y

Sensor Temperature¶

The Sensor Temperature reports the current temperature of the image sensor chip in millidegree Celsius.

The control value may be invalid when the camera is not streaming.

Control	Sensor Temperature
Name	Sensor Temperature
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_SENSOR_TEMPERATURE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Unit	m°C
Minimum	Sensor-specific
Maximum	Sensor-specific

Serial Number¶

The Device Serial Number control allows reading out the camera’s serial number from the sensor board’s EEPROM.

Control	Serial Number
Name	Device Serial Number
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_SERIAL_NUMBER
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_STRING
Remarks	Read-Only

Model Name¶

The Device Model Name control allows reading out the camera’s model name from the sensor board’s EEPROM.

Control	Model Name
Name	Device Model Name
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_MODEL_NAME
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_STRING
Remarks	Read-Only

Manufacturer Name¶

The Device Vendor Name control allows reading out the camera’s model name from the sensor board’s EEPROM.

Control	Manufacturer Name
Name	Device Vendor Name
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_MANUFACTURER_NAME
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_STRING
Remarks	Read-Only

Device Valid¶

The device_valid control indicates whether a camera is present for the given video device node.

Video device nodes are created for every device declared in the device tree, regardless whether they are actually connected.

Control	Device Valid
Name	device_valid
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_DEVICE_VALID
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_BOOLEAN
true	A camera is connected as described by the device tree
false	The camera identified by this device node is not found

Sensor-Specific Controls: IMX390¶

Control	Identifier	Type	Unit	Values
Sensor Output Select	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_SENSOR_OUTPUT_SELECT	menu		HDR, SP1_HCG, SP1_LCG, SP2
Exposure Ratio	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_EXPOSURE_RATIO	integer	Percent
Gain Offset	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_GAIN_OFFSET	integer	dB/10
subtract_smpg_height	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_SUBTRACT_SMPG_HEIGHT	boolean

Output Selector¶

The Sensor Output Select controls selects which of the images the IMX390 sensor internally generates is sent.

Control	Output Selector
Name	Sensor Output Select
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_OUTPUT_SEL
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
HDR	Merged HDR image
SP1_HCG	Image with SP1 (long) exposure time, HCG (high) gain
SP1_LCG	Image with SP1 (long) exposure time, LCG (low) gain
SP2	Image widht SP2 (short) exposure time, LCG

Exposure Ratio¶

The Exposure Ratio control specifies the relation between the long (SP1) exposure time and the short (SP2) exposure time. The long exposure time is controlled by Exposure.

Control	Exposure Ratio
Name	Exposure Ratio
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_EXPOSURE_RATIO
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Unit	Percent
Minimum	1
Maximum	100

Gain Offset¶

The Gain Offset control specifies the relation between the high (HCG) gain and the low (LCG) gain. The high gain is controlled by gain.

Control	Gain Offset
Name	Gain Offset
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_GAIN_OFFSET
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_INTEGER
Unit	dB/10
Minimum	-270
Maximum	0

Subtract SMPG Height¶

The subtract_smpg_height control has to be enabled when streaming raw image data via V4l2, otherwise disabled.

When this control is not configured correctly when streaming with LibArgus/nvarguscamerasrc, the bottom lines will contain invalid data.

When it is not configured correctly when streaming raw data via V4L2, there will be no images delivered.

Please note that when streaming through V4L2, the image will contain invalid data in the bottom lines. It is recommended to remove them by reducing the declared image height when passing the data on.

Control	Subtract SMPG Height
Name	subtract_smpg_height
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_IMX390_SUBTRACT_SMPG_HEIGHT
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_BOOLEAN
True	Streaming raw data via V4L2
False	Streaming via LibArgus

Sensor-Specific Controls: IMX290, IMX462¶

Gain Mode¶

The Gain Mode control configures the sensor’s internal analog gain behavior.

Control	Gain Mode
Name	Gain Mode
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_GAIN_MODE
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Low Conversion Gain	Default behavior
High Conversion Gain	Increase sensitivity

Sensor-Specific Controls: IMX415¶

External Synchronization¶

The External Synchronization control allows the sensor to act as master or slave in synchronization setups.

The available menu entries depend on the actual camera and system configuration; for example a FPD-Link camera has to be designated as possible master in the device tree.

Control	External Synchronization
Name	External Synchronization
Identifier	TIS_SENSOR_CID_EXT_SYNC
Type	V4L2_CTRL_TYPE_MENU
Off	Free-running
Master	Free-running with sync signal output
Slave	Running synchronized to sync signal input