VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN DETECTION

• US 20150178576A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gupta, Nikhil
• Granted Patent: US 10,095,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/07 Target detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view that encompasses first and second regions exterior of the vehicle. The camera captures image data that includes a first set of image data representative of the first region of the field of view and a second set of image data representative of the second region of the field of view. An image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region based on a first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian. The image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region based on a second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

Claims

1. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least one camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein the field of view encompasses a first region exterior of the vehicle and a second region exterior of the vehicle;

wherein said camera captures image data and wherein captured image data includes a first set of image data representative of the first region of the field of view and a second set of image data representative of the second region of the field of view;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region of the field of view based on a first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian; and

wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region of the field of view based on a second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a camera of a surround vision system of the vehicle.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the first region is at a side region of the field of view of said camera and the second region is at a center region of the field of view of said camera.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera includes a wide angle lens and a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein the first region is at a side region of the field of view of said camera and the second region is at a center region of the field of view of said camera.

6. The vision system of claim 5, wherein the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is generally vertical, and wherein the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is tilted relative to the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region based on a first predetermined size of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region based on a second predetermined size of a pedestrian.

8. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to processing of captured image data over multiple frames of captured image data, said image processor adjusts the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian and adjusts the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the first set of image data based on the adjusted first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the second set of image data based on the adjusted second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system comprises a surround-view vision system and wherein said at least one camera comprises a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle.

11. The vision system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of cameras includes at least (i) a rear camera disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a generally rearward field of view, (ii) a first side camera disposed at a first side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the first side of the vehicle, and (iii) a second side camera disposed at a second side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the second side of the vehicle.

12. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least one camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein the field of view encompasses a first region exterior of the vehicle and a second region exterior of the vehicle;

wherein said camera captures image data and wherein captured image data includes a first set of image data representative of the first region of the field of view and a second set of image data representative of the second region of the field of view;

wherein the first region is at a side region of the field of view of said camera and the second region is at a center region of the field of view of said camera;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region of the field of view based on a first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian;

wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region of the field of view based on a second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian; and

wherein the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is generally vertical, and wherein the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is tilted relative to the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region based on a first predetermined size of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region based on a second predetermined size of a pedestrian.

14. The vision system of claim 12, wherein, responsive to processing of captured image data over multiple frames of captured image data, said image processor adjusts the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian and adjusts the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the first set of image data based on the adjusted first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the second set of image data based on the adjusted second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

16. The vision system of claim 12, wherein said vision system comprises a surround-view vision system and wherein said at least one camera comprises a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle, and wherein said plurality of cameras includes at least (i) a rear camera disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a generally rearward field of view, (ii) a first side camera disposed at a first side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the first side of the vehicle, and (iii) a second side camera disposed at a second side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the second side of the vehicle.

17. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least one camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein the field of view encompasses a first region exterior of the vehicle and a second region exterior of the vehicle;

wherein said camera includes a wide angle lens and a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said camera captures image data and wherein captured image data includes a first set of image data representative of the first region of the field of view and a second set of image data representative of the second region of the field of view;

wherein the first region is at a side region of the field of view of said camera and the second region is at a center region of the field of view of said camera;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region of the field of view based on a first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian;

wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region of the field of view based on a second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian;

wherein the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is generally vertical, and wherein the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian is tilted relative to the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian;

wherein, responsive to processing of captured image data over multiple frames of captured image data, said image processor adjusts the first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian and adjusts the second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian; and

wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the first set of image data based on the adjusted first predetermined orientation of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor adjusts processing of the second set of image data based on the adjusted second predetermined orientation of a pedestrian.

18. The vision system of claim 17, wherein said image processor processes the first set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the first region based on a first predetermined size of a pedestrian, and wherein said image processor processes the second set of image data to detect a pedestrian present in the second region based on a second predetermined size of a pedestrian.

19. The vision system of claim 17, wherein said vision system comprises a surround-view vision system and wherein said at least one camera comprises a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of cameras includes at least (i) a rear camera disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a generally rearward field of view, (ii) a first side camera disposed at a first side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the first side of the vehicle, and (iii) a second side camera disposed at a second side of the vehicle and having a generally sideward field of view at the second side of the vehicle.