Light Modulation Techniques for Imaging Objects in or around a Vehicle

• US 20090092284A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• 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 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 : for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 : detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 : sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 : detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 : Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 : Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 : Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 : responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/431 : specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 : using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/516 : for trucks or trailers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 : Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 : Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 : Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 : of transmitters alone
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 : relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 : Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 : Geometry of the configuration

Abstract

Method and system for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle includes directing illumination into the compartment, spatial or temporally modulating the illumination, receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, and analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object. The compartment may be a passenger compartment of an automobile, the trunk of an automobile or the interior of a trailer of a truck. The illumination may be directed from a light source and the reflected light received at a receiver spaced apart from the light source. Analysis of the reflected light may therefore entail applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object. The same method and system can be adapted for monitoring the environment around the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:

directing illumination into the compartment;

spatial or temporally modulating the illumination;

receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment; and

analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the illumination from a light source; and

receiving the reflected light at a receiver spaced apart from the light source, the step of analyzing the reflected light comprising applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination is spatially modulated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination is temporally modulated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination is modulated with a random or pseudorandom modulation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the reflected light comprises determining a distance between a source of the illumination and a plurality of points on the object and forming a three-dimensional representation of the object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the illumination is modulated with a random or pseudorandom modulation and the illumination is directed at an area in which a face of an occupant is likely to be positioned when the object is a human occupant.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the object is a fixed component in the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising controlling a component in the vehicle based on the three-dimensional representation of the object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the illumination at a pre-designated area in which a finger of an occupant is likely to be positioned when the object is a human occupant;

analyzing the reflected light to determine motion of the finger; and

controlling a component in the vehicle based on the determined motion of the finger.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modulating the illumination comprises modulating a plurality of light beams each at a different frequency or with a different code, further comprising matching a source of each beam with reflected light prior to analyzing the reflected light.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the illumination from a digital light processor having a significant number of independently rotatable mirrors; and

receiving the reflected light at a receiver spaced apart from the digital light processor,

wherein the step of directing illumination into the compartment comprises assigning different mirrors of the digital light processor to illuminate different parts of the compartment, and moving the mirrors to enable a direction of each light beam that illuminates a point to be determined by triangulation.

13. An arrangement for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:

a light source for directing illumination into the compartment;

a light modification device for spatial or temporally modulating the illumination from said light source;

a light receiver for receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, said receiver being spaced apart from said light source; and

an analysis device coupled to said light receiver for analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said analysis device is arranged to apply a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between said light source and illuminated point on the object.

15. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said light modification device is arranged to modulate the illumination with a random or pseudorandom modulation.

16. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein said light source is mounted on the vehicle to direct the illumination at an area in which a face of an occupant is likely to be situated when the object is a human occupant.

17. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein the object is a fixed component in the vehicle.

18. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said analysis device is arranged to determine a distance between said light source and a plurality of points on the object and form a three-dimensional representation of the object.

19. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said light source is arranged to direct the illumination at a pre-designated area in which a finger of an occupant is likely to be positioned when the object is a human occupant, said analysis device is arranged to analyze the reflected light to determine motion of the finger, further comprising a control device coupled to said analysis device and arranged to control a component in the vehicle based on the determined motion of the finger.

20. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said light modification device is arranged to modulate the illumination from said light source by modulating a plurality of light beams each at a different frequency or with a different code, said analysis device being arranged to match a source of each beam with reflected light prior to analyzing the reflected light.

21. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said light source is a digital light processor having a significant number of independently rotatable mirrors, said light modification device being arranged to assign different mirrors to illuminate different parts of the compartment and moving said mirrors to enable a direction of each light beam that illuminates a point to be determined by said analysis means by triangulation.

22. A method for obtaining information about an object exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

directing illumination outward from the vehicle into the environment around the vehicle;

spatial or temporally modulating the illumination;

receiving light reflected from any objects in the environment around the vehicle; and

analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about one or more of the objects from which light has been reflected.