FOG ISOLATION AND REJECTION FILTER

• US 20080181535A1
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Steiger, Reid
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/308
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20224 Image subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/30 Erosion or dilatation, e.g. thinning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/77 Retouching; Inpainting; Scratch removal

Abstract

An imaging processing system adapted for use with a vehicle is provided in one aspect of the present invention. The system generally includes an image capturing device and an image processing device. The image capturing device is operable to capture an original image of a scene exterior to the vehicle. The captured original image is generally defined by a group of pixels. The image processing device is operable to receive the captured original image and morphologically process the captured original image to remove distortion from the captured original image to produce a final filtered image.

Claims

1. An imaging processing system adapted for use with a vehicle;

the system comprising;

an image capturing device operable to capture an original image of a scene exterior to the vehicle, the captured original image being defined by a group of pixels; and

an image processing device operable to receive the captured original image and morphologically process the captured original image to remove distortion from the captured original image to produce a final filtered image.

2. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image processing device is configured to remove distortion from the captured original image due to fog being present in the scene as being captured in the captured original image.

3. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image processing device is configured to generate a structural element having a predetermined shape and size based on the type of original image captured.

4. The image processing system of claim 3, wherein the image processing device is configured to scan the entire group of pixels in the original image with the structural element to generate a morphological filtered image.

5. The image processing system of claim 4, wherein the structural element is positioned around one or more pixels in the group of pixels.

6. The image processing system of claim 5, wherein the image processing device is configured to compare average pixel values of the one or more pixels in the structural element to one or more average pixel values of one or more pixels within a first sub group of pixels positioned in proximity to the structural element.

7. The image processing system of claim 6, wherein the image processing device is configured to replace the average pixel values for any one or more pixels in the first sub group of pixels with the average pixel value of the one or more pixels in the structural element for any of the average pixel values of the one or more pixels in the first sub group of pixels that exceed a predetermined threshold.

8. The image processing system of claim 7, wherein the image processing device is configured to slide the structural element through one or more additional sub groups of pixels until the entire group of pixels have been scanned and replace the average pixel values for any one or more pixels in the additional sub group of pixels with the average pixel value of the one or more pixels in the structural element for any of the average pixel values of the one or more pixels in the additional sub groups of pixels that exceeds the predetermined threshold.

9. The image processing system of claim 4, wherein the image processing device is configured to subtract the morphological filtered image from the captured original image to produce a difference image.

10. The image processing system of claim 9, wherein the image processing device is configured to subtract the difference image from the captured original image to produce the final filtered image.

11. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is configured to capture the original image in a grey scale format.

12. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is configured to capture the original image in a color format.

13. A method for image processing a captured original image in a vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing the original image of a scene exterior to the vehicle; and

performing morphological image processing on the captured original image to remove distortion from the captured original image and produce a final filtered image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of capturing the original image further includes removing distortion from the captured original image due to fog being present in scene and captured in the original image.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a structural element having a predetermined shape and size based on the type of original image captured.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising filtering the captured original image with the structural element to produce a morphological filtered image.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising subtracting the morphological filtered image from the captured image to produce a difference image.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising subtracting the difference image from the captured original image to produce the final filtered image.

19. An imaging processing system comprising:

an image capturing device operable to capture an original image of a scene; and

an image processing device operable to receive the captured original image and morphologically process the captured original image to remove distortion from the captured original image due to fog being present in the scene and captured in the original image to produce a final filtered image.

20. The imaging processing system of claim 19, wherein the image capturing device is configured to capture the original image in a grey scale format.