Measurements via vehicle sensors

• US 10,404,909 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Danielle, Golgiri, Hamid M., Melatti, Anthony, Van Hoecke, Patrick Lawrence Jackson
• Primary Examiner(s): Aghevli, Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/955,892
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20096 Interactive definition of curve of interest
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system for a vehicle comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a forward path of the vehicle; a screen configured to display the image; and a processor, configured to, responsive to an input to the screen identify two edges of at least one object of the image, measure a first distance between the two edges and output the first distance.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of a forward path of the vehicle;

a screen configured to display the image; and

a processor, configured to, responsive to an input to the screen by a user drawing a line substantially enclosing an object displayed on the image, identify two edges outmost of the object, and measure a first distance between the two edges and output the first distance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen, and the processor is further configured to receive the input via the touch screen.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify the two edges on the image by receiving two touch inputs defining two edge detection zones on the image; and

detect edges of the image within the two edge detection zones.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to identify the two edges on the image responsive to receipt of touch input enclosing an object of the image.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to match orientations of the two edges to be substantially parallel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare the first distance measured between the two measuring edges with a preset value; and

output a result of the comparison.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the input from a mobile device wirelessly connected to the processor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a distance sensor configured to detect at least one object and measure a depth between the distance sensor and the detected object.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to measure a second distance between the two edges using the depth detected by the distance sensor, and rectify the first distance and the second distance to obtain a final result distance.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the distance sensor includes at least one of:

an ultrasonic sensor;

a radar sensor;

or a lidar sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to measure the closest two points between the two edges.

12. A method, comprising:

displaying an image captured by a camera on a touch screen display;

receiving an input including a line drawn to the touch screen display substantially enclosing at least one object of the image;

identifying two edges outmost of at least one object opposite to each other displayed on the image captured by the camera;

measuring a first depth between the camera and the at least one object; and

calculating a first distance between the two edges using the first depth through image processing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the input is made to the touch screen display by two touch inputs at close proximities to the two edges to be identified.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

highlighting the identified edges on the touch screen display;

displaying a segment simulating the distance measured between the edges on the display; and

displaying the measured distance near the segment.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

measuring a second depth between a distance sensor and at least one of the object using the distance sensor;

calculating a second distance between the two edges using the second depth; and

rectifying the first distance and the second distance to obtain a final result distance.