Manual Focus Driver Issue on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties implementing a manual focus driver for the Raspberry Pi Camera V3 on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano 8GB (P3767-0005) with the Jetson Orin Nano Dev Kit (P3768-0000) carrier board. The specific issue involves writing a custom "dw9817" focus driver based on the nv_lc898212.c focus driver. While the custom driver compiles without errors, the newly added ioctl commands (V4L2_CID_FOCUS_ABSOLUTE and TEGRA_CAMERA_CID_FOCUS_SYNC_EXTERNAL) are not being reflected in the V4L2 controller, despite successful insmod of the dw9817 driver.

Possible Causes

1. Unsupported Feature: The Jetson platform may not currently support manual focus functionality for the specified camera module.

2. Incomplete Driver Implementation: The custom dw9817 driver may be missing essential components or configurations required for proper integration with the V4L2 subsystem.

3. Device Tree Misconfiguration: Although the Device Tree has been modified to include the dw9817 as an I2C device, there might be errors or omissions in the configuration that prevent proper recognition of the focus driver.

4. Incompatible Camera Module: The Raspberry Pi Camera V3 may not be fully compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano platform, leading to issues with advanced features like manual focus control.

5. Jetson Linux Version Limitations: The specific version of Jetson Linux (R35.4.1) used in this setup might have limitations or known issues related to camera focus control.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify Focus Support:

   • Confirm whether the Jetson platform supports manual focus control for the Raspberry Pi Camera V3. According to the forum discussion, Jetson currently does not support focus functionality.

2. Check Camera Compatibility:

   • Ensure that the Raspberry Pi Camera V3 is fully compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano platform. Consult the official Nvidia documentation for a list of supported camera modules.

3. Review Driver Implementation:

   • Carefully review the custom dw9817 driver code to ensure all necessary components for V4L2 integration are present.
   • Compare your implementation with other successful focus driver implementations for the Jetson platform.

4. Validate Device Tree Configuration:

   • Double-check the Device Tree configuration to ensure all required nodes and properties are correctly defined for the dw9817 driver.
   • Verify that the I2C address and other parameters match the actual hardware configuration.

5. Examine Kernel Logs:

   • After loading the driver, examine kernel logs for any error messages or warnings related to the focus driver or V4L2 subsystem:

     dmesg | grep -i "dw9817\|focus\|v4l2"
     

6. Test with V4L2 Tools:

   • Use v4l2-ctl to query and test the camera controls:

     v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 --all
     v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 --set-ctrl=focus_absolute=100
     

   • Replace /dev/video0 with the appropriate device node for your camera.

7. Consult Nvidia Developer Forums:

   • Post a detailed description of your issue, including code snippets and configuration files, on the Nvidia Developer Forums for expert assistance.

8. Consider Alternative Approaches:

   • If manual focus control is not supported or functional, explore alternative methods for achieving the desired functionality, such as:
     • Using a fixed-focus camera module
     • Implementing software-based focus estimation and adjustment
     • Exploring third-party camera modules with built-in autofocus capabilities that may be more compatible with the Jetson platform

9. Update Jetson Linux:

   • Check for any available updates to Jetson Linux that may address camera focus control issues:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt upgrade
     

10. Investigate Jetson Limitations:

    • Research known limitations of the Jetson platform regarding camera focus control.
    • Consider reaching out to Nvidia support for official clarification on focus support for the Raspberry Pi Camera V3 on the Jetson Orin Nano.