Enhancement of vehicle interior digital images
First Claim
1. A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device, said method comprising the steps of:
- taking an image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager having an array of pixels;
selecting a contiguous portion of the image that is less than the entire image;
applying at least one image enhancement technique to the selected portion of the image;
combining the enhanced image portion with the other portions of the image to make an enhanced image; and
analyzing the enhanced image to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the enhanced image.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device (22) includes taking an image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager (50) having an array of pixels (53). A contiguous portion of the image less than the entire image is selected. At least one image enhancement technique is applied to the selected image portion. The enhanced image portion is combined with the other portions of the image to make an enhanced image. The enhanced image is analyzed to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the enhanced image. Alternatively, a selected non-contiguous group of the pixels (53) of the imager (50) are read out, as representative of the entire image, to estimate the illumination levels across the entire array of pixels. In one aspect, the imager shutter (56) speed may be controlled to enhance the image.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device, said method comprising the steps of:
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taking an image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager having an array of pixels;
selecting a contiguous portion of the image that is less than the entire image;
applying at least one image enhancement technique to the selected portion of the image;
combining the enhanced image portion with the other portions of the image to make an enhanced image; and
analyzing the enhanced image to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the enhanced image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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8. A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device, said method comprising the steps of:
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taking an image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager having an array of pixels;
reading out a selected non-contiguous group of the pixels of the imager that are representative of the entire image, to estimate the illumination levels across the entire array of pixels;
analyzing the image to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the image; and
controlling operation of the vehicle occupant protection device on the basis of the image analysis. - View Dependent Claims (7, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device, said method comprising the steps of:
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taking a first image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager having an array of pixels and set at a first shutter speed;
reading out at least a portion of the pixels of the imager to determine illumination levels of the image;
changing the shutter speed of the imager from the first shutter speed to a second shutter speed;
taking a second image of the vehicle interior with the digital imager set at a second shutter speed;
analyzing the second image to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the image; and
controlling operation of the vehicle occupant protection device on the basis of the image analysis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification