Vehicle vision system with dirt detection
First Claim
1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
- a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, wherein, when said camera is disposed at the equipped vehicle, said lens is exposed to the environment exterior the equipped vehicle;
wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of a scene occurring in the field of view of said camera;
an image processor operable to process multiple frames of image data captured by said camera while the vehicle is moving;
wherein said image processor processes captured image data while the vehicle is moving to detect a blob in a first frame of captured image data;
wherein, responsive to detecting, via processing the first frame of captured image data, the blob in the first frame of captured image data, said vision system determines at a first confidence level that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant;
wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, with the first confidence level being at least 80%, that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor adjusts processing when processing subsequent frames of captured image data;
wherein adjustment of processing when processing the subsequent frames of captured image data comprises detecting, in a second frame of captured image data, image data associated with the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data; and
wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, via processing of the second frame of captured image data, at a second confidence level of at least 80%, that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor determines that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens of said camera.
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Abstract
A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera having an image sensor and a lens, with the lens exposed to the environment exterior the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process multiple frames of image data captured by the camera and processes captured image data to detect a blob in a frame of captured image data. Responsive to processing a first frame of captured image data, and responsive to the image processor determining a first threshold likelihood that a detected blob is indicative of a contaminant, the image processor adjusts processing when processing subsequent frames of captured image data. Responsive to the image processor determining a second threshold likelihood that the detected blob is indicative of a contaminant when processing subsequent frames of captured image data, the image processor determines that the detected blob is representative of a contaminant at the lens of the camera.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, wherein, when said camera is disposed at the equipped vehicle, said lens is exposed to the environment exterior the equipped vehicle; wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of a scene occurring in the field of view of said camera; an image processor operable to process multiple frames of image data captured by said camera while the vehicle is moving; wherein said image processor processes captured image data while the vehicle is moving to detect a blob in a first frame of captured image data; wherein, responsive to detecting, via processing the first frame of captured image data, the blob in the first frame of captured image data, said vision system determines at a first confidence level that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, with the first confidence level being at least 80%, that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor adjusts processing when processing subsequent frames of captured image data; wherein adjustment of processing when processing the subsequent frames of captured image data comprises detecting, in a second frame of captured image data, image data associated with the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data; and wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, via processing of the second frame of captured image data, at a second confidence level of at least 80%, that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor determines that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens of said camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, wherein, when said camera is disposed at the equipped vehicle, said lens is exposed to the environment exterior the equipped vehicle; wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of a scene occurring in the field of view of said camera; an image processor operable to process multiple frames of image data captured by said camera while the vehicle is moving; wherein said image processor processes captured image data while the vehicle is moving to detect a blob in a first frame of captured image data; wherein, responsive to detecting, via processing the first frame of captured image data, the blob in the first frame of captured image data, said vision system determines at a first confidence level that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, with the first confidence level being at least 80%, that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor adjusts processing when processing subsequent frames of captured image data; wherein adjustment of processing when processing the subsequent frames of captured image data comprises detecting, in a second frame of captured image data, image data associated with the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, via processing of the second frame of captured image data, with a second confidence level of at least 80%, that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor determines that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens of said camera; wherein said vision system, responsive to said image processor determining that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens, triggers a function; wherein said function triggered by said vision system comprises cleaning of said lens of said camera; and wherein said camera is disposed at a rear exterior portion of the equipped vehicle and views at least rearward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, wherein, when said camera is disposed at the equipped vehicle, said lens is exposed to the environment exterior the equipped vehicle; wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of a scene occurring in the field of view of said camera; an image processor operable to process multiple frames of image data captured by said camera while the vehicle is moving; wherein said image processor processes captured image data while the vehicle is moving to detect a blob in a first frame of captured image data; wherein, responsive to detecting, via processing the first frame of captured image data, the blob in the first frame of captured image data, said vision system determines at a first confidence level that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, with the first confidence level being at least 80%, that the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor adjusts processing when processing subsequent frames of captured image data; wherein adjustment of processing when processing the subsequent frames of captured image data comprises detecting, in a second frame of captured image data, image data associated with the blob detected in the first frame of captured image data; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining, via processing of the second frame of captured image data, with a second confidence level of at least 80%, that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is indicative of a contaminant, said image processor determines that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens of said camera; wherein, responsive to said image processor determining that the blob detected in the second frame of captured image data is representative of a contaminant at said lens, said vision system generates an alert; and wherein said camera is disposed at a rear exterior portion of the equipped vehicle and views at least rearward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification