IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A BRIGHT CITY CONDITION

• US 20140152826A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Liken, Peter A., Pierce, Phillip R., Redder, Troy A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An imaging system and method is provided that generates image data. A processor is configured to process the image data and to generate a signal in response to analysis of the image data and a selected mode of operation. The processor selects either a village mode or a non-village mode as a mode of operation depending on whether at least one characteristic in the image data meets village detect conditions. The processor monitors an ambient light level over a period of time and modifies the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

an image sensor configured to image a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and

a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data, the processor further configured to;

generate a signal in response to analysis of the image data and in response to a selected mode of operation;

analyze the image data to detect at least one characteristic in the image data and select a village mode as a mode of operation when the at least one characteristic meets village detect conditions;

monitor an ambient light level over a period of time;

modify the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level; and

continue to analyze the image data to detect the at least one characteristic in the image data and select a non-village mode as a mode of operation when the at least one characteristic no longer meets the village detect conditions.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein if the non-village mode is selected, the processor continues to receive and analyze image data in order to determine whether to select the village mode or continue in the non-village mode.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the village detect conditions comprise at least one threshold to be reached by the at least one characteristic.

5. The imaging system of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic must reach the at least one threshold within a selected time period.

6. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein modification to the village detect conditions comprises changing one of the at least one threshold and the selected time period.

7. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein modification of the village detect conditions enables the processor to select the non-village-mode in areas that are not sufficiently lighted when the driver'"'"'s eyes are in one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

8. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the signal is used as a recommendation for controlling the exterior lights.

9. An imaging method, comprising the steps of:

providing an image sensor for imaging a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data in a processor to detect at least one characteristic of the image data;

generating a signal in response to analysis of the image data and in response to a selected mode of operation;

selecting a mode of operation from at least the following modes of operation;

a village mode and at least one non-village mode;

selecting the village mode if the at least one characteristic reaches a first threshold;

selecting one of the at least one non-village mode if the at least one characteristic has not or no longer reaches the first threshold;

monitoring an ambient light level over a period of time; and

modifying the first threshold when the ambient light level reaches a second threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level.

10. The imaging method of claim 9, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

11. The imaging method of claim 9, wherein the at least one characteristic must reach the first threshold within a selected time period.

12. The imaging method of claim 11, wherein the step of modifying further comprises changing one of the first threshold and the selected time period.

13. The imaging method of claim 9, wherein the step of modifying enables the processor to select the non-village-mode in areas that are not sufficiently lighted when the driver'"'"'s eyes are in one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

14. The imaging method of claim 9, wherein the signal is used as a recommendation for controlling the exterior lights.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions executed by a processor, the software instructions comprising the steps of:

imaging a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data to detect at least one characteristic of the image data;

generating a signal in response to analysis of the image data and in response to a selected mode of operation;

selecting a mode of operation from at least the following modes of operation;

a village mode and at least one non-village mode;

selecting the village mode if the at least one characteristic reaches a first threshold;

selecting one of the at least one non-village mode if the at least one characteristic has not or no longer reaches the first threshold;

monitoring an ambient light level over a period of time; and

modifying the first threshold when the ambient light level reaches a second threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic must reach the first threshold within a selected time period.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the step of modifying comprises changing one of the first threshold and the selected time period.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of modifying enables the processor to select the non-village-mode in areas that are not sufficiently lighted when the driver'"'"'s eyes are in one of a state of mesopic vision and a state of near photopic vision.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the signal is used as a recommendation for controlling exterior lights of the controlled vehicle.