Automotive occupant sensing device
First Claim
1. A vehicle sensor system for sensing the presence of an object in the interior of a vehicle and classifying an image of the object, wherein the object is associated with reflected light energy, comprising:
- image classification information representing potential images and features of the object;
storage means for storing the image classification information;
an image sensor for viewing the interior of the vehicle, the image sensor including;
a lens for viewing and focusing the image of the object, anda photodetector array for acquiring the image of the object, and for detecting the reflected light energy associated with the object, further wherein the reflected light energy is represented as raw analog image signals;
an analog-to-digital converter for receiving the raw analog image signals, and converting the raw analog image signals into digital data representing a low resolution gray-scale outline of the image of the object; and
a processor for analyzing the digital data and for distinguishing the gray-scale outline of the image represented by the digital data, wherein the processor includescomparison means for comparing the distinguished outline of the image of the object with the stored classification information, wherein if the outline of the image of the object matches one of the stored potential images and features, the processor determines that the outline of the image represents the stored potential image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant safety system includes an image sensor and processor that provides a classification of the occupancy status of the passenger seat area to determine whether an airbag should be deployed. The image processing system includes a photodetector array sensor and lens assembly with image processing electronics to acquire a machine vision representation of the passenger seat area within a vehicle. The objects in the field of view are then discriminated to determine whether a rear-facing child carrier is located in the passenger seat, such that the passenger-side airbag can be disabled.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle sensor system for sensing the presence of an object in the interior of a vehicle and classifying an image of the object, wherein the object is associated with reflected light energy, comprising:
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image classification information representing potential images and features of the object; storage means for storing the image classification information; an image sensor for viewing the interior of the vehicle, the image sensor including; a lens for viewing and focusing the image of the object, and a photodetector array for acquiring the image of the object, and for detecting the reflected light energy associated with the object, further wherein the reflected light energy is represented as raw analog image signals; an analog-to-digital converter for receiving the raw analog image signals, and converting the raw analog image signals into digital data representing a low resolution gray-scale outline of the image of the object; and a processor for analyzing the digital data and for distinguishing the gray-scale outline of the image represented by the digital data, wherein the processor includes comparison means for comparing the distinguished outline of the image of the object with the stored classification information, wherein if the outline of the image of the object matches one of the stored potential images and features, the processor determines that the outline of the image represents the stored potential image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A safety system for enhancing the safety of a passenger seated in a passenger seat of a vehicle having a passenger-side airbag controlled by airbag electronics, the safety system for disabling the passenger-side airbag if an image representing a child seated in a rear-facing child carrier seat is identified, the system comprising:
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a storage device for storing templates of data representing a plurality of seating arrangements in the vehicle, wherein at least one of the templates defines a child seated in a rear-facing child carrier seat; a sensor for viewing the passenger seat of the vehicle, the sensor including; a lens for focusing the image of the passenger, the passenger having associated reflected light energy, a photodetector array for detecting and measuring the reflected light energy of the passenger, the photodetector array providing output gray-scale image signals; and a processor for comparing the output gray-scale image signals with the stored templates of data to identify whether the output gray-scale image signals correlate with one of the plurality of seating arrangements represented by the stored templates, wherein if a child seated in a rear-facing child carrier seat is identified, the processor communicates with the airbag electronics to disable the passenger-side airbag. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of classifying an image of an object in a vehicle observed by a sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing classification data representing conventional configurations of the observed image in a reference library; acquiring a gray scale input image of the object observed in the vehicle; distinguishing details and edges of the gray scale input image; identifying potential false edges of the gray scale input image to differentiate unnatural edges obstructing the gray scale input image; segregating the false edges from the gray scale input image to define an enhanced image; determining angles of the edges of the enhanced image to identify high-probability edges and weak edges; filtering the enhanced image to disregard false edges and weak edges, the filtered enhanced image defining a feature vector space; correlating the feature vector space with the stored classification data in the reference library; and classifying the correlated feature vector space according to a match between the feature vector space and the reference library. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of identifying an image in a passenger seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger-side airbag, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing classification data representing at least three possible seating arrangements of the image, the at least three possible seating arrangements including an empty passenger seat, a child seated in a rear-facing child carrier in the passenger seat, and a forward-facing occupant, the classification data being stored in a reference library; observing the image, wherein the image is observed for a plurality of flames defined by predetermined periods of time; acquiring the plurality of frames of the observed image; interpreting the acquired frames of the image by distinguishing details and edges of the observed image, segregating weak and false edges of the observed image, and filtering the weak and false edges from the observed image; comparing the filtered observed image with the stored classification data to determine whether the filtered observed image matches one of the at least three possible seating arrangements; and classifying the filtered observed image within one of the at least three possible seating arrangements, wherein if the passenger seat is determined to be empty, the passenger-side airbag is disabled, if a child seated in a rear-facing child carrier is determined to be in the passenger seat, the passenger-side airbag is disabled, and if a forward-facing occupant is determined to be seated in the passenger seat, the passenger-side airbag is enabled. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification