METHOD AND CAMERA ASSEMBLY FOR DETECTING RAINDROPS ON A WINDSCREEN OF A VEHICLE

• US 20150015711A1
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Ahiad, Samia, Robert-Landry, Caroline
• Application Number:
  US14/343,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20150015711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting raindrops (26) on a windscreen of a vehicle, in which at least one image (30, 32, 34) is captured by a camera. An object extracted from the at least one image (30, 32, 34) captured by the camera is identified as a raindrop (26), if a confidence value assigned (S20) to the extracted object is above a predetermined threshold value. The threshold value is modified (S22) in dependence of the presence of an item (16) within the vehicle path. Moreover the invention relates to a camera assembly for detecting raindrops (26) on a windscreen of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for detecting raindrops on a windscreen of a vehicle, comprising:

capturing at least one image is captured by a camera,

wherein characterized in that an object extracted from the at least one image 34) captured by the camera is identified as a raindrop, if a confidence value assigned to the extracted object is above a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the threshold value is modified in dependence of the presence of an item within the vehicle path.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value is modified in dependence of the presence of an item within the camera'"'"'s field of view.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value is increased, if a distance between the camera and the item and/or between the vehicle and the item is lower than a predetermined distance.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a contour and/or the contrast and/or an intensity of the extracted object is considered for identifying the object as a raindrop.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the presence of the item within the camera'"'"'s field of view is determined by means of the camera.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presence of the item within the vehicle path is determined by a detection means configured to emit and receive a signal reflected by the item .

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is captured by a bifocal camera, wherein the raindrop detection is performed for objects extracted from an image area of the captured image, which is focused on the windscreen.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the presence of the item is determined within another image area of the captured image, which is focused at infinity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a supervised learning machine is utilized to identify raindrops among objects extracted from the at least one image.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value is reset to a predetermined value, if the item is no longer present within the vehicle path.

11. A camera assembly for detecting raindrops on a windscreen of a vehicle, comprising a camera for capturing at least one image, the camera assembly comprising:

evaluation means configured to;

identify an object extracted from the at least one image captured by the camera as a raindrop, if a confidence value assigned to the extracted object is above a predetermined threshold value; and

modify the threshold value in dependence of the presence of an item within the vehicle path.