The invention relates to a camera system (10) for a motor vehicle, wherein the camera system (10) comprises a camera (11), which is adapted to capture images, and a data processing device (12), wherein the camera (11) is adapted to capture first images (20) with a first exposure time (21) and second images (22) with a second exposure time (23) in an alternating manner or interleaved manner. The data processing device (12) is adapted to generate a first image output (13) and second image output (14) different from each other. The first image output (13) comprises the first images (20) with the first exposure time (21), and the data processing device (12) is adapted to combine the first images (20) and the second images (22) to third images (24), and to generate the second image output (14) comprising third images (24). Each of the third images (24) has partially or entirely a third exposure time (25) with respect to the area of said third images, which third exposure time (25) is the sum of the first exposure time (20) and the second exposure time (22). The invention further relates to a corresponding method to operate a corresponding camera system (10).
H04N 23/951 - Computational photography systems, e.g. light-field imaging systems by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
B60R 1/24 - Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles for viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle with a predetermined field of view in front of the vehicle
H04N 23/73 - Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene by influencing the exposure time
H04N 23/745 - Detection of flicker frequency or suppression of flicker wherein the flicker is caused by illumination, e.g. due to fluorescent tube illumination or pulsed LED illumination
H04N 23/76 - Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene by influencing the image signals
2.
Vehicle Processing Systems And Methods For Stimulating Animal Behavior
Various embodiments include methods and vehicle processing systems implementing such methods for protecting vehicles from dangers caused by animals on or near the roadway. In various embodiments, a vehicle processing system may perform a recognition process to identify an animal detected in proximity to the vehicle, perform a plurality of simulations of outcomes for the vehicle and other vehicles resulting from stimulating the identified animal using multiple different stimuli modes of the vehicle signal devices in which each different stimuli mode is predicted to elicit different animal behaviors, select one of the different stimulus modes to be performed by vehicle signal devices to elicit a behavior of the identified animal based on the plurality of simulated outcomes for the vehicle and other vehicles, and control signal devices of the vehicle to perform the selected stimulus.
B60Q 5/00 - Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
B60Q 1/04 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights
Systems and techniques for providing a panamorphic lens system are disclosed. An optical detection process includes receiving light at a lens system comprising a plurality of optical elements aligned relative to an optical axis. The process can include receiving the light at an aspherical optical element configured to adjust a light path to produce an optical distortion characteristic for an image. The process can include receiving the light at first and a second cylindrical optical elements. The first and second cylindrical optical elements are configured to produce the image with a first magnification along a first image axis and a different second magnification along a second image axis orthogonal to the first image axis. The process can include receiving the image at an image sensor. The received image has the first magnification along the first image axis, the second magnification along the second image axis, and the optical distortion characteristic.
G02B 13/18 - Optical objectives specially designed for the purposes specified below with lenses having one or more non-spherical faces, e.g. for reducing geometrical aberration
H04N 23/69 - Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
4.
EGOMOTION LOCATION ENHANCEMENT USING SENSED FEATURES MEASUREMENTS
Systems and methodologies for determining location of a vehicle is provided. The method includes obtaining a first location of the vehicle at a first time. A dead reckoning location of the vehicle is determined at a second time. Additionally, feature information is obtained at the second time. The feature information may be provided by a digital map or database, that includes records for at least some of the vehicle's surrounding objects. These records may include, for example, relative positional attributes in addition to the traditional absolute positions. Location measurements are obtained for one or more features that are identifiable based on the feature information. The dead reckoning location of the vehicle is corrected based on the location measurements.
Techniques are described herein for processing image data. For instance, a process can include obtaining a respective exposure time for each exposure of a set of exposures for an output image, wherein each respective exposure of the set of exposures contribute to the output image; determining a respective beginning time for each exposure of the set of exposures based on each respective exposure time and an end time to an exposure period for the set of exposures; determining an original beginning time based on each respective beginning time for each exposure of the set of exposures; adjusting the original beginning time based on an amount by which each respective exposure of the set of exposures contribute to the output image to obtain an adjusted beginning time; and determining a time stamp for the output image based on the adjusted beginning time and the end time to the exposure period.
G06T 7/80 - Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration
H04N 23/73 - Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene by influencing the exposure time
H04N 23/741 - Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
An on-board system of a vehicle scans for target entities in at least one lane to a side of the vehicle and determines position and state of motion of detected target entities. From a state of the vehicle, an intention is inferred of a driver to move the vehicle into one of the at least one lane. If the on-board system detects a risk of collision between a target entity and the vehicle, then the motion of the vehicle is impeded by the system applying brakes of the vehicle and/or reducing a driving torque of the vehicle. A speed of the vehicle is monitored and a motion of the vehicle is not impeded if the speed of the vehicle is above a threshold speed.
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and devices for vehicle driving assistance systems that support image processing. In a first aspect, a method of image processing includes receiving a first image frame and determining a portion of the image frame that contains a candidate blinking light source. A model may be used to determine a first encoding based on the portion of the first image frame. A second model may use a a sequence of encodings to determine a lighting determination for the first candidate blinking light source. The sequence of encodings may include the first encoding. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
G06V 10/70 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning
G06V 10/77 - Processing image or video features in feature spacesArrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using data integration or data reduction, e.g. principal component analysis [PCA] or independent component analysis [ICA] or self-organising maps [SOM]Blind source separation
A first user equipment (UE) may obtain a command comprising an indication of a driver-specified direction (DSD) from a driver of a vehicle. The first UE may adjust a priority of objects detected within a sensor area of a set of sensors based on the indication of the DSD. To adjust the direction of the set of sensor, the first UE may transmit, to a second UE, a signal including at least one of the indication of the DSD or a second indication of the sensor area. The first UE may transmit the signal using a V2X communication link with the second UE. The first UE may receive, from the second UE, a set of sensor results associated with the sensor area. The first UE may output a sensor report based on the received set of sensor results.
The present disclosure relates to a camera device light-trap arrangement (2) that comprises a lens opening (3), adapted to receive a camera lens assembly (4), and a rim border (5) that is adapted to abut a vehicle windshield (21) and has a width (w) that extends between an outside edge (6) and an inside edge (7). The rim border (5) circumvents an area (A) inside the inside edge (7) and comprises a first plurality of channels (8, 8′) that fluidly connect the outside edge (6) and the inside edge (7) when the rim border (5) is mounted to abut a vehicle windshield (21). Each channel (8, 8′) comprises inner walls (13, 14, 15) and an open side (16) that is adapted to face a windshield (21). A second plurality of channels (8, 8′), comprised in the first plurality of channels, extend in at least two different extension directions (D1, D2; D1, D3) from the outside edge (6) to the inside edge (7).
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and devices for vehicle driving assistance systems that support image processing for vehicular monitoring operations. In a first aspect, a method of image processing includes receiving image data from an image sensor comprising a red-clear-clear-green (RCCG) color filter, wherein the image data comprises a first channel corresponding to red, a second channel corresponding to clear, and a third channel corresponding to green, wherein the image data is in a logarithmic domain; and processing the image data by performing operations including linearization, tone mapping, demosaicing, and color mapping. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.
H04N 25/133 - Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]Filter mosaics characterised by the spectral characteristics of the filter elements including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
H04N 9/64 - Circuits for processing colour signals
H04N 23/84 - Camera processing pipelinesComponents thereof for processing colour signals
H04N 25/11 - Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]Filter mosaics
H04N 25/13 - Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]Filter mosaics characterised by the spectral characteristics of the filter elements
12.
MANAGING AN INTEGRAL PART OF A CONTROLLER OF AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE
Disclosed are systems and techniques for controlling one or more operations of a vehicle. For example, according to some aspects, a process or method may include determining a manual interaction with the vehicle and determining, during the manual interaction with the vehicle, an error between a setpoint value of a parameter and a current value of the parameter. The process or method can include determining, based on the determined error, whether to accumulate values associated with the error for controlling at least one function of the vehicle.
A vision system for a motor vehicle comprises an imaging apparatus (11) adapted to capture images (30) from a surrounding of the motor vehicle, and a data processing unit (14) adapted to perform image processing on images (30) captured by said imaging apparatus (11). The data processing unit (14) comprises a traffic sign detector (31) adapted to detect traffic signs in images (30) captured by said imaging apparatus (11) through image processing, a decision section (35) and a traffic sign estimator (36) that is adapted to estimate validity information (37) of one or more traffic signs in an image (30) captured by said imaging apparatus (11).
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
G06V 10/764 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using classification, e.g. of video objects
G06V 10/82 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using neural networks
B60W 50/16 - Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
B60W 60/00 - Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
A vision system (10) for a motor vehicle comprises an imaging apparatus (11) adapted to capture images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle, and a data processing unit (14) adapted to perform image processing on images captured by said imaging apparatus (11) in order to detect objects in the surrounding of the motor vehicle. The data processing unit (14) comprises a flicker mitigation software module (33) adapted to generate a flicker mitigated current image (30′) for a current image frame by filter processing involving a captured current image (30N+1) corresponding to the current image frame and at least one captured earlier image (30N) corresponding to an earlier image frame.
H04N 23/745 - Detection of flicker frequency or suppression of flicker wherein the flicker is caused by illumination, e.g. due to fluorescent tube illumination or pulsed LED illumination
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
H04N 23/71 - Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
G06V 10/36 - Applying a local operator, i.e. means to operate on image points situated in the vicinity of a given pointNon-linear local filtering operations, e.g. median filtering
A driver assistance system for an ego vehicle, and a method for a driver assistance system is provided. The system is configured to refine a coarse geolocation method based on the detection of the static features located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. The system performs at least one measurement of the visual appearance of each of at least one static feature located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. Using the at least one measurement, a position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated. The real world position of the static feature is identified. The position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated, which is, in turn, used to calculate a static feature measurement of the vehicle location. The coarse geolocation measurement and the static feature measurement are combined to form a fine geolocation position. By combining the measurements, a more accurate location of the ego vehicle can be determined.
G01C 21/16 - NavigationNavigational instruments not provided for in groups by using measurement of speed or acceleration executed aboard the object being navigatedDead reckoning by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation
B60W 60/00 - Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
G01C 21/36 - Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
G01S 19/48 - Determining position by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
A vehicle environment detection system in an ego vehicle, including a sensor arrangement and a main control unit is arranged to detect and track at least one oncoming vehicle, and to determine whether the ego vehicle has entered a curve. The main control unit is arranged to determine a common curve with a radius, along which common curve the ego vehicle is assumed to travel, determine a measured oncome direction of the oncoming vehicle on the common curve, corresponding to an oncome angle, determine a difference angle between the measured oncome direction and an oncome direction corresponding to if the oncoming vehicle would be moving along the common curve, compare the difference angle with a threshold angle, and to determine that the oncoming vehicle is crossing if the difference angle exceeds the threshold angle.
A side-shield (310) for a radar transceiver (130), the side-shield (310) including a non-uniform delay structure arranged over an extension plane of the side-shield, the non-uniform delay structure being configured to delay a radar signal (220, 320) propagating through the side-shield (310) by a variable amount in dependence of a wavelength of the radar signal and in dependence of a location on the extension plane, thereby steering and/or diffusing the radar signal (320) after propagation through the side-shield (310).
A headlight control system (10) for a motor vehicle including, a controllable headlight (24) adapted to generate variable illumination of the vehicle environment, an imaging apparatus (11) adapted to capture images (100) from a region in front of the motor vehicle, and a data processing device (14) adapted to perform image processing of images (100) captured by the imaging apparatus (11) and to vary the light characteristics of the controllable headlight (24) depending on the image processing. A machine learning model (27) is implemented in the data processing device (14) which is trained to estimate and output an output signal (29) representing a desired illumination of the vehicle environment from one or more images (28) received as input from the imaging apparatus (11).
G06V 10/82 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using neural networks
B60Q 1/00 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
B60Q 1/14 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means
G06V 20/56 - Context or environment of the image exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
20.
Vehicle positioning based on wireless signal transmission
A method for estimating a position of a vehicle (100) relative to one or more radio transceivers (150). The method including the steps of; obtaining propagation delay data associated with radio transmission between a vehicle transceiver (110) included in the vehicle (100) and the one or more radio transceivers (150); obtaining vehicle motion data related to a trajectory of the vehicle (100); identifying one or more multipath components, MPC, in the propagation delay data, the MPC relates to a radio transmission propagation path between a fixed radio transceiver (150) and the vehicle transceiver (110); determining an MPC track for each identified MPC based on the vehicle motion data and on the propagation delay data, MPC track representing evolution of an MPC over time; and estimating the position of the vehicle (100) relative to the one or more radio transceivers (150) based on the MPC tracks.
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
An on-board system of a vehicle scans for target entities in at least one lane to a side of the vehicle and determines position and state of motion of detected target entities. From a state of the vehicle, an intention is inferred of a driver to move the vehicle into one of the at least one lane. If the on-board system detects a risk of collision between a target entity and the vehicle, then the motion of the vehicle is impeded by the system applying brakes of the vehicle and/or reducing a driving torque of the vehicle. A speed of the vehicle is monitored and a motion of the vehicle is not impeded if the speed of the vehicle is above a threshold speed.
G01B 15/00 - Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons
G01S 13/86 - Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G01S 13/00 - Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systemsAnalogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
A vision system (10) for a motor vehicle having an imaging apparatus (11) to capture images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle and a data processing device (14) performing image processing on images captured by the imaging apparatus (11) and to control at least one driver assistance device (18) depending on a result of the image processing. The image processing having object detection through edge detection and the object detection having decomposing (21, 22) images captured by the imaging apparatus into a plurality of decomposed images (23, 24) having different color characteristics. Separate edge detection (35, 36) is performed on the decomposed images. The edges (37, 38) from the separate edge detections are merged (39) into a common list of edges. An edge distinguishability measure is calculated for each of the edges (37, 38), and the merging of the edges (37, 38) is based on the edge distinguishability measure.
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G01S 7/41 - Details of systems according to groups , , of systems according to group using analysis of echo signal for target characterisationTarget signatureTarget cross-section
A driver assistance system for an ego vehicle, and a method for a driver assistance system is provided. The system is configured to refine a coarse geolocation method based on the detection of the static features located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. The system performs at least one measurement of the visual appearance of each of at least one static feature located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. Using the at least one measurement, a position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated. The real world position of the static feature is identified. The position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated, which is, in turn, used to calculate a static feature measurement of the vehicle location. The coarse geolocation measurement and the the static feature measurement are combined to form a fine geolocation position. By combining the measurements, a more accurate location of the ego vehicle can be determined.
A camera module (1) for a motor vehicle, in particular for driver monitoring in the passenger compartment, including at least one printed circuit board (2) and a shield for enclosing the printed circuit board (2). The shield includes at least a first shielding part (7) and a second shielding part (10). The first shielding part (7) is a ring shaped part and the second shielding part (10) is a hat shaped part put over, enclosing, and contacting the first shielding part (7).
H05K 9/00 - Screening of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic fields
B60R 16/023 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
B60R 16/03 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems
An apparatus for a motor vehicle driver assistance system is provided. The apparatus is configured to optimise object clusters, where each object cluster includes a sequence of position measurements for at least one object in the vicinity of the vehicle. Initially, in a pre-clustering phase, the assignment of the measured object positions to the object clusters may be based on the relative proximity of the measured object positions. The apparatus identifies a rogue object cluster on the basis of a first diagnostic, and a rogue object track from the measurements within the rogue object cluster. The position measurements from the rogue object track are removed from the clusters, and remaining position measurements in the rogue object cluster are reassigned to the other object clusters. The rogue object cluster is removed. Thus the object clusters are optimised.
G06V 20/56 - Context or environment of the image exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
G06F 18/23211 - Non-hierarchical techniques using statistics or function optimisation, e.g. modelling of probability density functions with adaptive number of clusters
28.
Determining object motion and acceleration vector in a vehicle radar system
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G01S 13/42 - Simultaneous measurement of distance and other coordinates
G01S 13/58 - Velocity or trajectory determination systemsSense-of-movement determination systems
G01S 13/72 - Radar-tracking systemsAnalogous systems for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
An apparatus for a motor vehicle driver assistance system for an ego vehicle is provided. The apparatus implements a state estimator configured to use a first state of the ego vehicle to calculate a subsequent second state of the ego vehicle, wherein calculating the second state from the first state includes a prediction element and an update element, wherein calculating the second state from the first state includes using an artificial neural network (“ANN”).
B60W 60/00 - Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
B60W 30/09 - Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
B60W 30/095 - Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
B60W 40/10 - Estimation or calculation of driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit related to vehicle motion
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G05D 1/02 - Control of position or course in two dimensions
A vision system (10) for a motor vehicle with a stereo imaging apparatus (11) with imaging devices (12) adapted to capture images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle, and a processing device (14) adapted to process images captured by the imaging devices (12) and to detect objects, and track detected objects over several time frames, in the captured images. The processing device (14) is adapted to obtain an estimated value for the intrinsic yaw error of the imaging devices (12) by solving a set of equations, belonging to one particular detected object (30), using a non-linear equation solver method, where each equation corresponds to one time frame and relates a frame time, a disparity value of the particular detected object, an intrinsic yaw error and a kinematic variable of the vehicle.
A vehicle radar detection system arranged to be mounted in an ego vehicle and including at least one detector arrangement and at least one control unit arrangement. The detector arrangement is adapted to obtain a dataset initially including a number K of radar detections. The control unit arrangement is adapted to repeatedly determine a dominating line from the dataset of radar detections, remove radar detections associated with the dominating line from the dataset of radar detections until a first stopping criterion is fulfilled, thereby determining a plurality of lines from the number K of radar detections.
G01S 7/41 - Details of systems according to groups , , of systems according to group using analysis of echo signal for target characterisationTarget signatureTarget cross-section
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
Mechanisms for detection of a target vehicle without V2V capability. The method includes obtaining sensor data from at least one on-board sensor of an ego vehicle. The sensor data indicates presence of the target vehicle within sensing range of the at least one on-board sensor. The method includes determining that the target vehicle is without V2V capability by comparing the sensor data to output data from a V2V system of the ego vehicle. The method includes determining, based on the sensor data and on current positioning data of the ego vehicle, fusion data representing at least one of current position, current direction and current speed of the target vehicle. The method includes wirelessly transmitting the fusion data of the target vehicle.
H04W 4/46 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
G08G 1/01 - Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
G08G 1/04 - Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled using optical or ultrasonic detectors
G08G 1/0967 - Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits
H04W 4/029 - Location-based management or tracking services
H04W 4/02 - Services making use of location information
34.
Control device, and method for controlling protective device
B60R 21/0132 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to vehicle motion parameters
B60R 21/231 - Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
B60R 21/232 - Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
B60W 30/08 - Predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision
B60R 21/00 - Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
B60R 21/01 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
B60L 3/00 - Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposesMonitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
B60T 8/1755 - Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve
B60W 30/09 - Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
B60W 30/095 - Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
6) sent pair-wise between two transceivers among the first transceiver device (3) and at least two other transceiver devices (7, 8, 9); calculate possible positions for the transceiver devices (3, 7, 8, 9), which results in possible positions for each transceiver device (3, 7, 8, 9); and perform Multidimensional scaling (MDS) calculation in order to obtain relative positions of the transceiver devices (3, 7, 8, 9) in a present coordinate system. After two initial MDS calculations, between every two consecutive MDS calculations, the processing unit (10) is arranged to repeatedly perform a processing procedure comprising translation, scaling and rotation of present coordinate system such that a corrected present coordinate system is acquired. The processing procedure is arranged to determine the corrected present coordinate system such that a smallest change for the relative positions of the transceiver devices (3, 7, 8, 9) between the consecutive MDS calculations is obtained.
H04W 4/46 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
B60W 30/095 - Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
G01S 19/48 - Determining position by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G01S 19/39 - Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
B60R 21/01 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
B60R 21/0134 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle
B60R 21/231 - Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
B60R 21/36 - Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians using airbags
B60R 22/48 - Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
G08G 1/01 - Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G05D 1/02 - Control of position or course in two dimensions
G08G 1/00 - Traffic control systems for road vehicles
G01S 13/87 - Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
A driver assistance apparatus being configured to generate a list of objects, each object being located in a vicinity of the vehicle and each object having been identified using data from at least one object sensor on the vehicle. The apparatus also searches for lane markings on a road on which the vehicle travels using data from at least one lane marking sensor on the vehicle. Finally, a region of interest (“ROI”) is established on the basis of at least one detected lane marking, wherein the ROI includes an ROI ego lane, an ROI left lane and an ROI right lane. A corresponding method is also provided.
A driver assistance apparatus being configured to determine an object position sequence for each of a plurality of objects and generate an object track to approximate each respective object position sequence. The apparatus also sorts the object tracks in to at least one object group according to the value of at least one parameter of each of the object tracks. For each object group, a swarm function is generated to approximate the object position sequences of the object tracks that are members of the respective object group. A swarm lane is generated according to each the swarm function, the swarm lane portion representing a portion of a lane. A corresponding method is also provided.
A vision system (10) for a motor vehicle includes a stereo imaging apparatus (11) adapted to capture images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle, a disparity calculation block (17) adapted to calculate a stereo disparity of left/right images captured by the stereo imaging apparatus (11), and a processing device (14) adapted to perform image processing of images captured by the imaging apparatus (11). The vision system is adapted to perform time sharing of the disparity calculation block (17) between the stereo disparity calculation and calculation of a one-dimensional optical flow of captured images in a horizontal direction only.
H04N 13/239 - Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance
H04N 13/00 - Stereoscopic video systemsMulti-view video systemsDetails thereof
40.
Determining relative velocity in a vehicle radar system
d) such that a total velocity distribution (14) is acquired along a side extension (E) that is perpendicular to an extension along the vehicle forward running direction (D).
G01S 7/41 - Details of systems according to groups , , of systems according to group using analysis of echo signal for target characterisationTarget signatureTarget cross-section
G01S 13/536 - Discriminating between fixed and moving objects or between objects moving at different speeds using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G01S 13/72 - Radar-tracking systemsAnalogous systems for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
G01S 13/42 - Simultaneous measurement of distance and other coordinates
G01S 13/87 - Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
G01S 13/34 - Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
G01S 13/44 - Monopulse radar, i.e. simultaneous lobing
G01S 13/58 - Velocity or trajectory determination systemsSense-of-movement determination systems
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G01S 13/50 - Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
G01S 13/72 - Radar-tracking systemsAnalogous systems for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
A vision system for detecting free space in front of a motor vehicle includes a mono imaging apparatus (11) adapted to capture images (30) from the surrounding of a motor vehicle, and an electronic processing device (14) adapted to perform image processing of images (30) captured by the mono imaging apparatus (11) in order to detect objects in the surrounding of a motor vehicle. The electronic processing device (14) is adapted to calculate a horizontal component of the optical flow (31), and to determine transitions (33, 35) between regions of essentially constant horizontal optical flow and regions of essentially non-constant horizontal optical flow.
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
G06V 20/56 - Context or environment of the image exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
B60Q 9/00 - Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups
43.
Enhanced object detection and motion estimation for a vehicle environment detection system
r0) and reference angular velocity (ω), constituting a common motion state for the object (11), by use of the results from the feature point tracker. A feature point tracker is constituted by a tracking algorithm which is arranged to track multiple features and which includes temporal filtering.
j). The radar system (3) is further arranged to determine an unoccupied domain border (11) and a corresponding unoccupied domain (12) for the radar transceiver coverage (9).
G01S 13/536 - Discriminating between fixed and moving objects or between objects moving at different speeds using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves
G01S 13/42 - Simultaneous measurement of distance and other coordinates
G01S 13/931 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
A method of predicting a future path of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: sensing a speed, and direction, and yaw rate of the vehicle; sensing a steering angle of the vehicle; sensing a driving lane near the vehicle, or along which the vehicle is being driven; calculating a first path prediction, for a first period of time following the current time, the first path prediction comprising a trajectory predicted based on the sensed speed and the direction and the yaw rate; calculating a second path prediction, for a second period of time, at least some of which is later than the first period of time, which assumes that a steering action arising from changes in the steering angle will take effect on the vehicle; calculating a third path prediction, for a third period of time, at least some of which is later than the second period of time, which assumes that the driver of the vehicle will control the trajectory of the vehicle to attempt to follow at least substantially the driving lane; and formulating a combined predicted path for the first, second and third periods of time, wherein the first, second and third path predictions each contribute to the combined predicted path.
A vision system (10) for a motor vehicle including an imaging system (11) adapted to capture images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle and a data processing device (14) establishing an object detector (15) adapted to detect an object in images captured by the imaging system (11) through image processing. The object detector (15) includes a wheel detector (20) adapted to detect a wheel (22; 27), a wheel-like structure, or a characteristic part thereof, of another vehicle.
A vehicle safety system including a detection system and a related method. The detection system is arranged to detect objects and includes at least two detectors. At least one control unit is arranged to determine that an object that is detected by an initial detector is classified as a confirmed object for the initial detector in its initial coverage area. The control unit is also arranged to determine whether at least one detection of another detector is from the same object. If so, a first preliminary detection of the other detector is classified as an intermediate low quality confirmed object for the other detector. A confirmed object is considered as a more reliable detection than a low quality confirmed object, which in turn is considered as a more reliable detection than a preliminary detection.
B60R 21/0134 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle
B60T 7/22 - Brake-action initiating means for automatic initiationBrake-action initiating means for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle
G01S 13/87 - Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
G01S 13/93 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
The occurrence of a vehicle collision is determined using an output signal of one satellite sensor disposed offset from a vehicle center line. A control device for an occupant protection device includes an acceleration sensor disposed at a front position of a vehicle; and a control unit that determines the occurrence of a collision based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and operates an occupant protection device. The acceleration sensor is one satellite sensor disposed so as to be offset in a vehicle width direction from a vehicle front center position. The control unit includes: a first threshold setting unit that sets one or more thresholds so as to correspond to a traveling speed of the vehicle or a relative speed signal related to the relative speed between a vehicle and another movable objects such as another vehicle; and a determining unit that compares a level of the output signal of the acceleration sensor with the one or more thresholds to determine the occurrence of a collision.
B60Q 1/00 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
B60R 21/0132 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to vehicle motion parameters
B60R 21/0134 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle
A processor-based electronic system for use in a vehicle may be used to automatically control the vehicle's velocity and position to cause the vehicle to automatically merge into a lane on a roadway or to maneuver around a road hazard or obstacle. A message can be transmitted to other vehicles indicating the vehicle is to occupy a future lane position at a future point in time. The vehicle electronic system may receive a message from one or more of the other vehicles in response thereto. One or more of the other vehicles may adjust their position based on the indicated future lane position. The vehicle electronic system may transmit a further message to the one or more of the other vehicles before merging into the lane.
A vehicle-mounted radar device providing stabilized performance and enabling a radar main body to be installed easily on a radar bracket. Radar device 100 includes radar main body 106 and a radar bracket 108 for installing on a vehicle. The radar bracket 108 forms an opening area 140 which exposes a transmission and reception surface 112 of the radar main body 106. One or more support parts which are provided on the side plate part 116, and support the radar main body 106 by contacting a side surface 128, or the transmission and reception surface 112 form a withdrawn shape 160 at the end of each of the support parts near the center of the transmission and reception surface 112 and is inclined toward the side distant from the center of the transmission and reception surface 112 and toward the outside of the vehicle.
max). The collision mitigation system (2) is arranged to issue a system trigger signal at least in dependence of an object being determined to at least partly being present within the trigger borders if a collision is predicted to occur. The adjustable trigger width (w) is adjustable in dependence of the number of system trigger signals that have been issued during a certain time period.
B60Q 5/00 - Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
B60T 7/22 - Brake-action initiating means for automatic initiationBrake-action initiating means for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle
A self-testing method of a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar device. A transmission signal having an object detection signal and a self-test signal superimposed on the object detection signal is transmitted. The self-test signal represents at least one virtual target. A reception signal is received. The reception signal is a received version of the transmission signal. Presence of the at least one virtual target in the reception signal is determined. A lack of presence of the virtual target in the reception signal provides an indication of hardware failure of the FMCW radar device.
A vehicle radar system (3, 3′, 3″) and method which including a microcontroller unit (21), MCU, and a plurality of Analog to Digital Converters (9, 10, 11, 12), (ADCs), arranged to convert the received signals to a digital form and to transfer the converted digital signals to a first and second Digital Signal Processor (DSP) (18, 19), DSP. The MCU (21) is arranged to control the DSPs (18, 19) such that for one time frame (n), the first DSP (18) functions as a Master DSP and the second DSP (19) functions as a Slave DSP, and such that for the next time frame (n+1), the first DSP (18) is configured to function as a Slave DSP and the second DSP (19) functions as a Master DSP. The MCU compares the raw target data from the first and second DSPs (19) to determine a degree of functionality for the DSPs (18, 19).
G01S 13/34 - Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
55.
Hill start assist method and a controller for hill start assist of a vehicle
A hill start assist method for a vehicle includes a vehicle-mounted controller for sensing an intention to start on an uphill slope, and converts a sensed gradient resistance into a target torque, and enables the engine to have adequate torque reserve in advance; therefore, in the subsequent start, driving wheels can obtain sufficient driving force to ensure that the vehicle will not slide backward. Furthermore, for a manual automobile, the engine torque is boosted in an early stage during a clutch release by a driver, thus accelerating the rotation speed of the engine, and avoiding, to a certain extent, engine stalling caused by a too quick or too much clutch release, compared with the situation where the engine is completely idling.
F02D 29/02 - Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto peculiar to engines driving vehiclesControlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto peculiar to engines driving variable-pitch propellers
F02D 41/10 - Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions for acceleration
B60W 10/06 - Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units including control of combustion engines
F02D 11/10 - Arrangements for, or adaptations to, non-automatic engine control initiation means, e.g. operator initiated characterised by non-mechanical control linkages, e.g. fluid control linkages or by control linkages with power drive or assistance of the electric type
The occurrence of a vehicle collision is determined using an output signal of one satellite sensor disposed offset from a vehicle center line. A control device for an occupant protection device includes: an acceleration sensor disposed at a front position of a vehicle; and a control unit that determines the occurrence of a collision based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and operates an occupant protection device. The acceleration sensor is one satellite sensor disposed so as to be offset in a vehicle width direction from a vehicle front center position. The control unit includes: a first threshold setting unit that sets a first threshold so as to correspond to a traveling speed of the vehicle; and a determining unit that compares a level of the output signal of the acceleration sensor with the first threshold to determine the occurrence of a collision.
B60Q 1/00 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
B60R 21/00 - Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
B60R 21/0136 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to actual contact with an obstacle
A safety arrangement for a vehicle. The safety arrangement has a control unit; one or more sensors, a road detection arrangement; and one or more vehicle safety systems. The control unit processes the signals from the sensors and determines whether the vehicle is travelling over rough terrain, entering a ditch-like feature, or is airborne. The control unit will activate one or more of the vehicle safety systems if it is determined that the vehicle is travelling over rough terrain, entering a ditch-like feature, or is airborne. Signals, or derived quantities, from the sensors are compared against a threshold to determine whether to activate a vehicle safety system. A first threshold level is used if the vehicle has not or is not likely to leave the road, and a second threshold level is used if the vehicle has or is likely to leave the road.
B60R 21/00 - Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
B60R 21/01 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
B60R 21/013 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
B60K 28/14 - Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
B60W 30/085 - Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping
B60W 40/10 - Estimation or calculation of driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit related to vehicle motion
B60R 21/0132 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to vehicle motion parameters
A lane marking crossing warning system for a vehicle includes a sensor arrangement arranged to detect at least one lane marking line that defines a corresponding lane boundary, a control unit arranged to determine if the vehicle has entered a curve, and a warning device arranged to issue a warning. When the control unit has determined that the vehicle has entered a curve, the control unit is arranged to determine if an imaginary sensor line running a certain distance from the lane marking line has been crossed by the vehicle. If that is the case, the control unit is arranged to determine that a warning is to be issued by the warning device.
Provided is a vehicle periphery monitor device for accurately distinguishing between and detecting two side-by-side pedestrians and a vehicle that is lighting lights. With regard to a pedestrian candidate having at least two head candidates, a reference image creation unit creates the peripheral image of one of the head candidates as a reference image and creates an inverted image in which the right and left sides of the reference image are inverted. An object determination unit sets the peripheral image of the other heat candidate as a comparative image, and determines whether the head candidates are the pedestrians or the vehicle on the basis of the consistency of the reference image and the inverted image relative to the comparative image.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
G06K 9/62 - Methods or arrangements for recognition using electronic means
An electronic unit (1) having a circuit board, PCB, (2) arranged to be mounted in a main housing (6, 7 and having a first housing part (6) and a second housing part (7), where the first housing part (6) is at least partly electrically conducting. The PCB (2) having a first outer layer (3), a second outer layer (4), and a ground plane (5). The first outer layer (3) faces the first housing part (6) and the second outer layer (4) faces the second housing part (7) The ground plane (5) is in electrical contact with the first housing part (6) forming a first chamber (29), facing the first outer layer (3), and a second chamber (30), facing the second outer layer (4). The chambers (29, 30) are separated by the ground plane (5), providing electromagnetic shielding between the chambers (29, 30).
A vehicle (1) having a vehicle information acquisition unit (11) which acquires image captured by a vehicle mounted sensor (20) and a camera (21), a vehicle information transmission unit (13) which transmits vehicle information data indicating information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit (11) to a host computer (50), a first arithmetic processing result reception unit (14) which receives first arithmetic processing result data replied from the host computer (50), and a driving assistance unit (17) which executes driving assistance processing based on the first arithmetic processing result data, the host computer (50) has a vehicle information reception unit (52) which receives vehicle information data, a first arithmetic processing unit (53) which executes first arithmetic processing on vehicle information data, and a first arithmetic processing result transmission unit (54) which transmits first arithmetic processing result data indicating the first arithmetic processing result to the vehicle (1).
G08G 1/13 - Traffic control systems for road vehicles indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles to a central station the indicator being in the form of a map
A living body recognizing device is equipped with a captured image acquiring unit which acquires captured images from infrared cameras having a characteristics that a luminance of an image portion of a target object becomes higher as a temperature of the target object becomes higher than a background, and vice versa, according to a temperature difference between the background and the target object, a living body image extracting unit which executes a first living body image extracting processing of extracting the image portion of the target object assumed as a living body, from a region in the captured image where the luminance is equal to or lower than a first threshold value, and a living body recognizing unit which recognizes an existence of the living body, based on the image portion of the target object extracted by the living body image extracting unit.
A driver assistance system (10) for a motor vehicle comprises an imaging means (11) for acquiring images from a surrounding of the motor vehicle, and a processing means (14) adapted to perform image processing of images (30) recorded by the imaging means (11) and to detect an oncoming vehicle (33) by identifying its head lights (34) as a result of the image processing. The processing means (14) is adapted to detect, in the recorded images (30), a light aura (37) originating from at least one light source (34) hidden to the imaging means (11), and to use the light aura detection in the oncoming vehicle detection.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
B60Q 1/14 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means
Each respective vehicle of a plurality of vehicles transports a vehicle navigation system. A position determining system determines a position and a velocity of the respective vehicle and an information acquisition system is operable to determine a displacement and velocity between the respective vehicle and a vehicle adjacent to the respective vehicle. An information communication system of a respective vehicle is operable to transmit first information (that vehicle's velocity and position) to other vehicles and to receive information from other vehicles regarding their velocities and positions. A vehicle routing system can determine a target routing and target velocity for moving the respective vehicle over a path including the roadway. Based on the received or determined information, the velocity of the respective vehicle can be controlled.
G01C 22/00 - Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers or using pedometers
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G05D 1/02 - Control of position or course in two dimensions
There is provided a vehicle surroundings monitoring device including: a candidate animal area setting unit configured to set a candidate animal area including a candidate animal image portion and a surrounding area of the candidate animal image portion; an edge extraction unit configured to extract a horizontal edge from the candidate animal area; and an animal determination unit configured to determine whether or not a real space object corresponding to the candidate animal image portion is an animal based on a criterion that first and second horizontal edges in the candidate animal area have a strength greater than or equal to a first predetermined strength.
When it is determined that a type of a physical body in real space corresponding to an image portion is a crossing pedestrian, a distance calculating unit 13 performs a first distance calculating process of calculating a distance between a vehicle 1 and the physical body, on the basis of a correlative relationship between the distance from the vehicle 1 set on assumption of a height of the pedestrian and a height of the image portion, according to the height of the image portion. When it is determined that the type of the physical body is not the crossing pedestrian, then the distance calculating unit 13 performs a second distance calculating process which calculates the distance between the physical body and the vehicle, on the basis of a change in size of the image portions of the physical body extracted from time-series captured images.
A device for monitoring surroundings of a vehicle mounted in a vehicle, captures an image of surroundings of the vehicle, extracts from the captured image an image area for a predetermined part of a desired type of object, and sets a predetermined area below the extracted image area. The device extracts candidates for the desired type of object present outside the vehicle based on the predetermined area and determines, for each of the extracted object candidates, whether the object candidate is the desired type of object. When no pattern different from the background is captured in the predetermined area, or when a pattern different from the background is captured only in one of a first and a second areas, then the object in the image area is excluded from the candidates for the desired type of object. Thus, a pedestrian, for example, can be distinguished from an artificial structure.
In an image captured by an infrared camera mounted in a vehicle, a featured image portion group including first and second high luminance image portions lined up side by side vertically or horizontally and a third high luminance image portion located below the first and second high luminance image portions is defined. The featured image portion group has a feature indicating that a similarity of one of a luminance distribution and a shape between the first high luminance image portion and the second high luminance image portion is higher than between the third high luminance image portion and at least one of the first and second high luminance image portions. If the featured image portion group is found in the captured image, it is determined that at least the third high luminance image portion is the image of a component of a traffic signal structure.
Category determination is performed on an object candidate extracted from a captured image after an exclusion process is performed in advance. In the exclusion process, a distance from a vehicle to the object candidate is calculated based on a size of the object candidate in a current image, a moved distance of the vehicle occurring in a time interval from a time a previous image was captured to a time the current image is captured is calculated, the size of the object candidate in the current image is decreased at a change ratio based on the distance to the object candidate and the moved distance, and a size of the object candidate in the previous image and a size of the object candidate decreased at the change ratio are compared. The object candidate with difference between them being determined to be larger than a predetermined value is removed.
The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus is provided with an imaging device and a device that transforms captured image to digital image. A first edge extraction mask is applied to detect multiple horizontal edges. The apparatus further includes a detector that detects upper end of the head of the object by detecting a horizontal edge having a highest edge intensity out of the multiple horizontal edges. A second edge extraction mask is used to detect the lower end of the head of the physical object by detecting multiple vertical edges and matching the positional variation of the multiple vertical edges with predetermined patterns.
An imaging means mounted on a vehicle performs imaging resulting in grayscale images having brightness values corresponding to object temperature, and objects around the vehicle are detected from said images. On the basis of said grayscale images, display images to be displayed on a display device mounted on the vehicle are generated and displayed on the display device. The display images are generated by lowering the brightness of areas not corresponding to the objects detected in the grayscale images. The display device is positioned in the vehicle width direction at no more than a prescribed distance away from an imaginary line passing through the center of rotation of the vehicle steering wheel and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, because display images are generated in which only the objects are spotlighted, the driver can quickly comprehend the objects present when using a display device.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
A surrounding area monitoring apparatus for vehicle includes an infrared camera mounted on a vehicle for capturing images of surrounding area around the vehicle, a unit for generating and displaying images based on image data captured by the camera, and a controller for calibrating output of the camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the camera, The controller estimates whether a temperature of the camera is stable, based on an operation state of the vehicle, and determines a possibility that a driver is looking at the unit, based on a behavior of the vehicle. When the temperature of the camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the unit is determined to be low, the means for calibrating executes the calibration.
An object collision warning system for a motor vehicle comprises a sensing means (11) adapted to sense a surrounding of the motor vehicle and a processing means (14) adapted to detect objects in a surrounding of the motor vehicle by processing a signal provided by the sensing means (11), to perform an estimation of a collision probability between the vehicle and the detected object, and to output a corresponding signal in case the collision probability is non-negligible. The processing means (14) is adapted to determine, after having passed a curve, information describing the passed curve, to store the curve describing information, and to use the curve describing information of at least one previously passed curve for determining the vehicle path in a current curve in the estimation of the collision probability.
m) of the first expanded region (B1), and recognizes the image containing the first image portion (A1) and the second image portion (A2) as the image of another vehicle if the second expanded region (B2) is detected.
H04N 7/18 - Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
Provided is a vehicle periphery monitoring device capable of making a driver reliably recognize the shape of an object to which attention should be paid. According to an image processing unit (1) (vehicle periphery monitoring device), for example, when it is highly probable that the shape of the object is difficult to be visually recognized through the output image because of the reason that the object is present far from the vehicle or other reason, an enlarged image (Q′) of the object (Q) is displayed on an HUD (7) so as not to overlap with the object (Q).
B60W 50/00 - Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
Provided is a vehicle periphery monitoring device having: a first distance calculating unit (25) which calculates a distance between a vehicle (10) and an object, using a parallax gradient of image sections of the same object among a plurality of images captured by infrared cameras (2R, 2L) at different times within a predetermined sampling interval; a vehicular velocity sensor (4) which detects a vehicular velocity of the vehicle (10); and a sampling interval setting unit (23) which sets the sampling interval shorter with the increase of the vehicular velocity of the vehicle (10).
An occupant restraint device controller, including an electronic circuit substrate incorporating therein a control circuit that determines whether or not a vehicle has collided based on a detection output of a sensor detecting acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and outputs a control signal for activating an occupant restraint tool. The electronic circuit substrate is accommodated inside a resin case provided with a structure for leading out a ground electrode from the inside to the outside of the resin case. The structure for leading out a ground electrode is configured such that a fixing leg, for fixing the electronic circuit substrate, is provided inside the case. This fixing leg is connected to a mounting portion, to be mounted to the vehicle, via a ground lead-out member that includes a first spring structure held between the fixing leg and the electronic circuit substrate, a ground terminal held between the case and part of the vehicle, and a second spring structure connecting the first spring structure to the ground terminal.
As a result, grounding and sensor performance similar to that of conventional counterparts is achieved while a resin case is employed.
B60R 21/013 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
G06F 19/00 - Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications (specially adapted for specific functions G06F 17/00;data processing systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or forecasting purposes G06Q;healthcare informatics G16H)
78.
Method and system of automatically detecting objects in front of a motor vehicle
A method of automatically detecting objects in front of a motor vehicle comprises the steps of pre-storing template objects representing possible objects in front of the motor vehicle, detecting images from a region in front of the vehicle by a vehicle mounted imaging means, generating a processed image containing disparity or vehicle-to-scene distance information from the detected images, comparing the pre-stored template objects with corresponding regions-of-interest of the processed image, and generating a match result relating to the match between the processed image and the template objects. Each of the pre-stored template objects is a flat two-dimensional multi-pixel area of predetermined shape.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
G06K 9/68 - Methods or arrangements for recognition using electronic means using sequential comparisons of the image signals with a plurality of reference, e.g. addressable memory
79.
Vehicle environment classifying safety system for a motor vehicle
A safety system for a motor vehicle having a sensing arrangement (11) providing sensor signals related to the surrounding environment of the vehicle, at least one safety means (13, 14, 15) for an occupant of the vehicle, and a control means (22) adapted to control the safety means (13, 14, 15) depending on signals from the sensing arrangement (11). The safety system (10) has an environment classifying means (23) adapted to classify the surrounding environment of the vehicle into different predetermined categories on the basis of signals from the sensing arrangement (11), and to adjust the control means (22) depending on the vehicle environment category determined by the environment classifying means (23).
H04N 7/18 - Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
B60R 21/0134 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle
B60R 21/01 - Electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
A system 1 for monitoring the area around a vehicle of the present invention capable of visually notifying the passenger in the vehicle 10 of not only the presence but also the kind of an object in images around the vehicle displayed in an HUD 7, for example, according to a difference in the display mode of the presence of the object, wherein the driver of the vehicle 10 is able to recognize which of a human or a four-footed animal the object belongs to, according to either a difference in the design between a first mark M1 and a second mark M2 or a difference in the design between a first frame F1 and a second frame F2 displayed on the HUD 7.
Each respective vehicle of a plurality of vehicles transports a vehicle navigation system. A position determining system determines a position and a velocity of the respective vehicle and an information acquisition system is operable to determine a displacement and velocity between the respective vehicle and a vehicle adjacent to the respective vehicle. An information communication system of a respective vehicle is operable to transmit first information (that vehicle's velocity and position) to other vehicles and to receive information from other vehicles regarding their velocities and positions. A vehicle routing system can determine a target routing and target velocity for moving the respective vehicle over a path including the roadway. Based on the received or determined information, the velocity of the respective vehicle can be controlled.
G01C 22/00 - Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers or using pedometers
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
A vehicle periphery monitoring device includes: a parallax calculating unit which extracts a first image section that contains a target object in real space from a first image imaged by a first imaging unit at a predetermined time and extracts a second image section correlated to the first image section from a second image imaged by a second imaging unit at the predetermined time, and then calculates the parallax between the first image section and the second image section; a parallax gradient calculating unit for calculating a parallax gradient based on a time series calculation of the parallax of the identical target object in real space by the parallax calculating unit; and a first distance calculating unit for calculating the distance from the vehicle to the target object on the basis of the parallax gradient and the velocity of the vehicle.
A vehicle periphery monitoring device is operable to report a high contact possibility between a vehicle and an object at an appropriate time or frequency according to the type of the object. When the object is determined to be a human being and the position of the object in real space is contained in a first contact determination area, a high contact possibility between the vehicle and the object is reported. On the other hand, when the object is determined to be a quadruped animal and the real spatial position of the object is contained in a second contact determination area, the corresponding report is made. The second contact determination area has an overlapped area that overlaps with the first contact determination area, and an overflowed area that has at least a part thereof overflowing from the first contact determination area.
A sensor arrangement, particularly for a passenger protection system of a motor vehicle, comprising a first group of sensors (10, 12) by means of which a first group of state parameters jointly usable by a first decision making unit connected downstream for detecting a first event can be detected, a first digital unit (20) coupled on the input side to at least one sensor (12) of the first sensor group. The arrangement processes the sensor output signals fed thereto and providing the same for forwarding to the first decision making unit as digital values. A second group of sensors (14, 16, 18), by means of which a second group of state parameters jointly useable by a second decision making unit is connected downstream for detecting a second event can be detected with a second digital unit coupled on the input side to at least one sensor (16, 18) of the second sensor group. The arrangement processes the sensor output signals fed thereto and providing the same for forwarding to the second decision making unit as digital values wherein at least one sensor (10) of the first sensor group is coupled to the second digital unit (22) and at least one sensor (14) of the second sensor group is coupled to the second digital unit (22) and at least one sensor (14) of the second sensor group is coupled to the first digital unit (20). The digital units (20, 22) are coupled on their output sides to a first and a second node (28, 30) combining the digital values.
Provided is an apparatus capable of, even when an object is moving, measuring the position of the object at a high accuracy. A vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus (10) calculates the change rate (Rate(t)) of the size of an object region between two times separated by a specified interval (ΔT). The specified interval (ΔT) is a time interval defined so that the shapes and postures of an object in images resemble or match each other to such an extent that it is possible to identify that the object is identical. Based on the change rage (Rate(t)) of the size of the object region during the specified interval (ΔT), it is possible to measure the distance from a vehicle (1) to the object or the position at a high accuracy even when the object is moving.
i)) obtained by enlarging a local region (B(k−1)) at a previous time (k−1) and a local region (B(k)) at a time (k) later than the previous time (k−1) becomes the maximum is calculated as a change rate (Rate(k)) of the size of the local region (B(k)). Based on the change rage (Rate(k)), it is possible to measure the distance (Z(k)) from a vehicle (1) to the object or the position (P(k)) at a high accuracy even when the object is moving.
A vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising a distance detecting unit which detects the distance between cameras and an object, an object image extracting unit which extracts a first image portion of the object from the acquired image, a filtering unit which performs a filtering process to the acquired image, in which a target edge width is set to be narrower as the assumed value of the width is smaller and the distance is longer, and in which a target edge direction is set to a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, and an object type identifying unit which identifies, on the basis of a shape of a second image portion extracted by the filtering process, whether or not the type of the object in real space corresponding to the second image portion is the specific type.
A vehicle periphery monitoring device which determines type of an object with high accuracy, wherein the size of object regions that are set in each of the image representing the peripheral condition of the vehicle in each of two different points in time and that include the identical objects, are aligned on the basis of the distance from the vehicle to the object in each of the two different point in time. Further, local regions with the same arrangement pattern are set taking each of the object regions with aligned size as reference. Still further, the object is classified into the object class which corresponds to the arrangement pattern in the case where the degree of correlation between the local regions becomes equal to or larger than a threshold value.
A method of analyzing the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: gathering data regarding objects in the vicinity of the vehicle; analyzing the data to determine regions of empty space around the vehicle; creating one or more signatures representing at least some of the regions of empty space; and storing the signatures for later retrieval.
G01S 13/00 - Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systemsAnalogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
B60K 28/10 - Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
a), and an object type discriminating portion for discriminating a type of real space monitoring object corresponding to the image portion included in the corrected image processing target area (62).
A method of obtaining a spatial low pass filtered images from the video output of a video camera operable to produce successive video frames in the form of pixelated 2D sensed images. Each of the sensed images has a first predetermined number of rows of pixels and a second predetermined number of columns of pixels. The method may include scanning the sensor array row by row, and deriving the value of each pixel of said low spatial frequency image in such a way that said low spatial frequency value of a pixel is dependent on at least all earlier scanned pixels of the current row and all earlier scanned rows, but is not dependent on the pixels of rows located below a pixel row which is a third predetermined number of rows below the current row, said third predetermined number being significantly less than said first predetermined number.
An object detection system for a vehicle comprising an infrared camera for gathering an image of at least a part of the surroundings of the vehicle; and a processor for applying an algorithm to at least a part of the image gathered by the camera, the algorithm identifying non-relevant hot or warm objects (5, 6, 7) detected by the camera and reducing the brightness and/or distinctiveness of the non-relevant objects (5, 6, 7) in the image; and a display for displaying the image to a driver of the vehicle, characterized in that the infrared camera forms an image in the far infrared; and the algorithm identifies non-relevant hot or warm objects (5, 6, 7) detected by the camera.
An object type determination apparatus, an object type determination method, a vehicle, and a program for determining an object type, capable of accurately determining the type of the object by appropriately determining periodicity in movement of the object from images, are provided. The object type determination apparatus includes an object area extracting means (11) for extracting an area of an object from an image picked up by an image pick-up means (2R, 2L), an object end point extracting means (12) for extracting an end point of an image portion of the object from the extracted object area, an object periodicity determination means (13) for calculating time series data of a feature value representing a size of the object using the end point of the image portion of the object extracted by the object end point extracting means (12) from the area of the object extracted by the object area extracting means (11) for respective ones of time series images picked up by the image pick-up means (2R, 2L) to determine whether the feature value changes with prescribed periodicity, and a living body determination means (14) for determining the object having the feature value determined to change with periodicity as a living body.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention a driving aid system for mounting in a road vehicle is provided. The driving aid system comprises a detection system for detecting and storing profiles of characteristics of objects around the vehicle along a road on which the vehicle is being driven. A positioning system is for providing a current position of the vehicle. Profiles of characteristics of objects are stored in relation to the detected position of the vehicle. A processing arrangement compares currently detected profiles with earlier stored profiles and, if a match between a currently detected profile and an earlier stored profile is found, then the current position of the vehicle is determined relative to an object corresponding to the earlier stored profile, and the same or other earlier stored profiles is used to predict the future surroundings of the vehicle.
G06G 7/70 - Analogue computers for specific processes, systems, or devices, e.g. simulators for vehicles, e.g. to determine permissible loading of ships
G06G 7/76 - Analogue computers for specific processes, systems, or devices, e.g. simulators for traffic
A vehicle environment monitoring apparatus capable of extracting an image of a monitored object in an environment around a vehicle by separating the same from the background image with a simple configuration having a single camera mounted on the vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a first image portion extracting processing unit to extract first image portions (A1, A2) considered to be the head of a pedestrian from a currently picked up image and a previously picked up image by an infrared camera, a mask area setting processing unit to set mask areas (M1(0,0), M1(1,0), . . . , M1(5,8)) around the first image portion (A1) in the currently picked up image, and an object extracting processing unit to carry out pattern matching for the previously picked up image by a comparison pattern obtained through affine transformation of each mask area at a change rate (Rate) between the first image portions (A1, A2), and to set an area (Ar1) including the first image portion (A2) and a second image portion (M2(1,3), M2(2,3), . . . , M2(3,6)) where a displacement amount between the position (black point) corresponding to the centroid of the mask area and the matching position is smaller than a predetermined threshold value to be an image area of the monitored object.
An imaging apparatus including an infrared video camera. The infrared video camera includes a sensor array operable to produce successive video images in the form of pixelated two-dimensional images. The imaging apparatus further comprises a processing arrangement operable to reduce or increase the overall brightness of an image in dependence upon the overall brightness of the pre-enhanced image and the overall brightness of the preceding enhanced image, so that the change in the overall brightness (DC-level) between the enhanced image and the preceding enhanced image is decreased.
A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus is provided herein which is capable of determining an object type, particularly capable of determining an animal other than a human being among objects. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus which monitors the surroundings of a vehicle by using an image captured by a camera (2R, 2L) mounted on the vehicle, including an object extraction process unit which extracts an image area of the object from the captured image (steps 1 to 6) and an object type determination process unit which determines the object type according to whether the image area of the object extracted by the object extraction process unit includes a first object area in which the ratio of widths in different directions is within a predetermined range and a plurality of second object areas located below the first object area and smaller in area than the first object area (steps 31 to 37).
A vehicle position determination system can determine a position of a first moving vehicle relative to at least one other moving vehicle and to non-moving objects. An information communication system transported by a first moving vehicle can be operable to receive from the at least one other moving vehicle an estimate of such moving vehicle's position relative to the first moving vehicle. Sensors of the first moving vehicle can be usable to obtain information relating to positions of other moving vehicles and non-moving objects in a vicinity of the first moving vehicle. A processor may then use the obtained information with the received estimate of the at least one other moving vehicle's position to make a first estimate of a position of the first moving vehicle relative to the other moving vehicles and non-moving objects.
—3 when a difference between an average luminance AVE_C of the reference mask area MASK_C and an average luminance AVE_L of the left-hand mask area MASK_L or a difference between the average luminance AVE_C and an average luminance AVE_R of the right-hand mask area MASK_R is equal to or greater than a predetermined level and which recognizes that the object type is “pedestrian” in the case where a plurality of second image portions are detected.