IMAGE BASED VEHICLE OBJECT DETECTION SENSOR WITH RANGE FINDER
First Claim
1. An image based vehicle object detection system having a range finder, said system comprising:
- an illuminator adapted to be located on a vehicle for generating a pattern of illumination in an object detection coverage zone relative to the vehicle;
an optics device adapted to be located on the vehicle and spaced from the illuminator for collecting reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone;
an imager comprising an array of pixels for receiving images from the coverage zone via the optics device, wherein the imager captures images from the coverage zone and the collected reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone; and
a processor for processing the received images and reflected illumination signals, wherein the processor determines range to an object in the coverage zone based on a location of the pixels of the imager detecting the reflected illumination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image based object detection system and method having a range finder are provided. The system includes an illuminator located on a vehicle to generate an illumination beam in a coverage zone relative to the vehicle. The system also includes an optics device spaced from the illuminator for collecting reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone and an imager comprising an array of pixels for receiving images from the coverage zone via the optics device. The imager captures images from the coverage zone and the collected reflected illumination from the objects in the coverage zone. The system further includes a processor for processing the received images and the reflected illumination signals. The processor determines range to an object in the coverage zone based on a location of the pixels in the imager detecting the reflected illumination.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An image based vehicle object detection system having a range finder, said system comprising:
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an illuminator adapted to be located on a vehicle for generating a pattern of illumination in an object detection coverage zone relative to the vehicle; an optics device adapted to be located on the vehicle and spaced from the illuminator for collecting reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone; an imager comprising an array of pixels for receiving images from the coverage zone via the optics device, wherein the imager captures images from the coverage zone and the collected reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone; and a processor for processing the received images and reflected illumination signals, wherein the processor determines range to an object in the coverage zone based on a location of the pixels of the imager detecting the reflected illumination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting range to an object in a coverage zone with an imager on a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a pattern of light illumination with an illuminator within a coverage zone relative to the vehicle; receiving reflected illumination from one or more objects in the coverage zone with an optics device; directing the received reflected illumination via the optics device onto an imager that is spaced from the illuminator, wherein the imager comprises an array of pixels for receiving the reflected illumination from the coverage zone; and processing the received reflected illumination with a processor to determine range to an object based on location of the pixels receiving the reflected illumination. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification