Method of classifying vehicle occupants
First Claim
1. A method of classifying vehicle occupants comprising the steps of:
- generating a stereo image pair of the occupant from two cameras;
inputting the image pair into an occupant classification controller;
processing the stereo image pair into a differential edge density feature by the controller;
inputting the differential edge density feature into a state machine of the controller;
determining, by the state machine and using the differential edge density feature, if the occupant has changed;
if the occupant has changed, applying a static classification process having a prior knowledge of the occupant category in memory of the controller;
determining if prior occupant type has changed by the state machine and between an adult and a child;
establishing whether the occupant is an adult or a child;
switching on a corresponding adult or child dynamic classifier of the controller;
switching off a static classifier of the static classification process; and
utilizing the differential edge density features by the corresponding adult or child dynamic classifier to determine an occupant class output which signifies occupant position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of classifying vehicle occupants utilizes a neural network engine having a state machine for determining if an occupant has changed preferably between an adult and adult, an adult and child, and a child and child from a pair of images. If no change has occurred, the method utilizes the prior occupant type and then decides if the occupant has changed in position. If no, the occupant is deemed static and the prior type is valid as a classification or output to preferably a vehicle restraint system. If the occupant has changed in position, a dynamic classification process is initiated by either an adult or a child dynamic classifier as dictated by the state machine. Valid dynamic classifier outputs or classifications can be sent to the restraint system and invalid dynamic classifier outputs are sent to a static classifier for update of the occupant type.
36 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of classifying vehicle occupants comprising the steps of:
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generating a stereo image pair of the occupant from two cameras;
inputting the image pair into an occupant classification controller;
processing the stereo image pair into a differential edge density feature by the controller;
inputting the differential edge density feature into a state machine of the controller;
determining, by the state machine and using the differential edge density feature, if the occupant has changed;
if the occupant has changed, applying a static classification process having a prior knowledge of the occupant category in memory of the controller;
determining if prior occupant type has changed by the state machine and between an adult and a child;
establishing whether the occupant is an adult or a child;
switching on a corresponding adult or child dynamic classifier of the controller;
switching off a static classifier of the static classification process; and
utilizing the differential edge density features by the corresponding adult or child dynamic classifier to determine an occupant class output which signifies occupant position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of classifying vehicle occupants comprising the steps of:
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generating a stereo image pair of the occupant from two cameras;
determining if the occupant has changed generally between an adult and adult, an adult and child, and a child and child by a state machine of a neural network engine;
determining if the adult or child has altered position within the vehicle by the state machine;
if position is altered, initiating a corresponding adult or child dynamic classifier to compute a classification output; and
if the position is not altered, recording a previous classification as the current classification. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification