Optical navigation system for vehicles
First Claim
1. An optical vehicle motion detection system, comprising:
- at least one optical detector on a vehicle for detecting an image of a surface of a road and for generating image data corresponding to the detected image, the at least one optical detector including a variable focus lens system; and
an image processor for processing generated image data of successive images of the road surface detected by the at least one optical detector as the vehicle travels along the road for determining positional change of the vehicle relative to the road surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical vehicle motion detection system and a method for detecting motion of a vehicle. The optical vehicle motion detection system has at least one optical detector on a vehicle for detecting an image of a road surface and for generating image data corresponding to the detected image. An image processor processes image data of successive images of the road surface detected by the at least one optical detector as the vehicle travels along the road for determining positional change of the vehicle relative to the road surface and for generating vehicle motion data. The optical vehicle motion detection system can be incorporated in a vehicle navigation system to permit monitoring of the movement of the vehicle for accident prevention, traffic control and for other purposes.
30 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An optical vehicle motion detection system, comprising:
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at least one optical detector on a vehicle for detecting an image of a surface of a road and for generating image data corresponding to the detected image, the at least one optical detector including a variable focus lens system; and
an image processor for processing generated image data of successive images of the road surface detected by the at least one optical detector as the vehicle travels along the road for determining positional change of the vehicle relative to the road surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for detecting the motion of a vehicle, comprising:
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detecting sequential images of a road surface as a vehicle is traveling along a road, including focusing the sequential images variably;
generating image data corresponding to the sequential images; and
processing and comparing the generated image data for determining positional change of the vehicle relative to the road surface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A vehicle navigation system, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicles having an optical vehicle motion detection system including;
at least one optical detector on the vehicle for detecting an image of a surface of a road and for generating image data corresponding to the detected image; and
an image processor for processing generated image data of successive images of the road surface detected by the at least one optical detector as the vehicle travels along the road for determining positional change of the vehicle relative to the road and for generating vehicle motion data; and
a navigation system processor coupled to each of the vehicles for determining an absolute position of each vehicle from associated vehicle reference position information and the associated vehicle motion data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 27, 28)
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26. (canceled)
Specification