Automatic beam-shaping using an on-car camera system

• US 10,427,588 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambarella International LP (Ambarella Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ambarella Incorporated
• Inventors: Pertsel, Shimon, Fink, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E
• Application Number:
  US15/879,754
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/115 by electric means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/122 with electrical actuating means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/335 Number or size of road lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/336 Crossings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/47 Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An apparatus includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor may be configured to generate a video signal based on a targeted view from a vehicle. The processor may be configured to perform video analysis on video frames of the video signal to detect an object, perform a classification of the object, provide a confidence level of the classification and generate a control signal in response to the classification of the object. The control signal may be used to reshape a beam of one or more headlights of the vehicle. The reshaping of the beams of the headlights may be determined based on a location of the object in the video frames and the confidence level of the classification. The confidence level of the classification of the object may be adjusted in response to a second classification of a second object detected in the video frame.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a video signal based on a targeted view from a vehicle; and

a processor configured to (1) perform video analysis on video frames of said video signal to detect an object, (ii) perform a classification of said object, (iii) provide a confidence level of said classification and (iv) generate a control signal in response to said classification of said object, wherein (A) said control signal is used to reshape a beam of one or more headlights of said vehicle, (B) said reshaping of said beams of said headlights is determined based on (i) a location of said object in said video frames and (ii) said confidence level of said classification and (C) said confidence level of said classification of said object is adjusted in response to a second classification of a second object detected in said video frames, wherein said classification and said second classification are each based on recognizing said object and said second object in said video frames.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said classification of said object is a road curve, (ii) said second object is classified as a road sign indicating a curve ahead and (iii) said confidence level of said classification of said road curve is increased in response to reading said road sign using said video analysis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are reshaped to illuminate said road curve.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second object is at least one of (i) lane markers, (ii) a shape of a roadway, (iii) road signs detected in said video frames and (iv) a second vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said second object detected is a lane boundary, (ii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are adjusted to illuminate said object based on said lane boundary and (iii) said object is a lane detected based on said lane boundary.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said object detected is an intersecting roadway, (ii) said confidence level of said classification of said object is increased in response to said second classification of said second object as a road sign and (ii) said headlights of said vehicle are adjusted to create a wider beam when approaching said intersecting roadway.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said object detected is a second vehicle and (ii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are adjusted to illuminate said second vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein (i) said second vehicle is an oncoming vehicle, (ii) said apparatus is configured to detect a windshield of said oncoming vehicle and (iii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are reshaped to prevent a reduction in visibility of a driver of said oncoming vehicle.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a video signal based on a targeted view from a vehicle;

an interface configured to receive status information from one or more components of said vehicle; and

a processor configured to (i) perform video analysis on video frames of said video signal to detect an object, (ii) perform a classification of said object, (iii) provide a confidence level of said classification and (iv) generate a control signal in response to (a) said classification of said object and (b) said status information, wherein (A) said control signal is used to reshape a beam of one or more headlights of said vehicle, (B) said reshaping of said beams of said headlights is determined based on (i) a location of said object in said video frames, (ii) said confidence level of said classification and (iii) said status information and (C) said status information is used to adjust said confidence level of said classification of said object.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein (i) said status information comprises at least one of (a) a current orientation of said headlights, (b) a turn signal, (c) a speed of said vehicle, (d) a position of a steering wheel, (e) location information received from a GPS satellite and (f) location information received from another vehicle and (ii) said status information is received through an on-board diagnostics port.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein (i) said object detected is a second vehicle and (ii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are adjusted to illuminate said second vehicle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein (i) said second vehicle is an oncoming vehicle, (ii) said apparatus is configured to detect a windshield of said oncoming vehicle and (iii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are reshaped to prevent a reduction in visibility of a driver of said oncoming vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein (i) said status information comprises GPS map data, (ii) said object comprises a shape of a road and (iii) said GPS map data confirms said classification of said shape of said road.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein (i) said location is calculated based on a comparison of a current size of said object detected in a current video frame to a reference size of a reference object and (ii) said reference object is retrieved from an updateable look up table based on said classification of said object.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a video signal based on a targeted view from a vehicle; and

a processor configured to (i) perform video analysis on video frames of said video signal to detect objects, (ii) perform a classification of said objects, (iii) provide a confidence level of said classification and (iv) generate a control signal in response to said classification of said objects, wherein (A) said control signal is used to reshape a beam of one or more headlights of said vehicle, (B) said reshaping of said beams of said headlights is determined based on (i) a location of said objects in said video frames and (ii) said confidence level of said classification and (C) a comparison of a current size of said objects detected in a current video frame to a reference size of a reference object is used to adjust said confidence level of said classification of said objects.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are reshaped based on at least one of a range of said headlights and a shape of a roadway.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said objects are at least one of a vehicle on a side of a road and an emergency vehicle.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein (i) said object detected is a second vehicle and (ii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are adjusted to illuminate said second vehicle.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein (i) said second vehicle is an oncoming vehicle, (ii) said apparatus is configured to detect a windshield of said oncoming vehicle and (iii) said beams of said headlights of said vehicle are reshaped to prevent a reduction in visibility of a driver of said oncoming vehicle.