Process for determining vehicle dynamics
First Claim
1. A process for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring movement in one or more camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling; and
analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic by analyzing the texture of the features in a single camera frame image, wherein the texture analysis comprises;
identifying edges or points of high image intensity gradient in the camera frame image;
calculating the orientation of an edge segment associated with the edges or points of high image intensity gradient; and
determining a dominant orientation of the edge segments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for determining at least one dynamic of a vehicle, particularly slip angle, during travel. The process involves optically monitoring, in real time and from the vehicle itself, the movement in one or more camera images of surface features as the vehicle passes over the surface. The direction in which the surface features are moving at any given time indicates the actual direction of vehicle movement with respect to the orientation of the optical monitoring equipment. From this actual direction of movement, in combination with the known orientation of the optical monitoring equipment and the direction in which the vehicle is being steered, it is possible to calculate the slip angle in real time.
56 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring movement in one or more camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling; and analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic by analyzing the texture of the features in a single camera frame image, wherein the texture analysis comprises; identifying edges or points of high image intensity gradient in the camera frame image; calculating the orientation of an edge segment associated with the edges or points of high image intensity gradient; and determining a dominant orientation of the edge segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring movement in one or more camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling; and analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic by analyzing the texture of the features in a single camera frame image, wherein the camera shutter speed, ts, falls within the range ##EQU9## where l is the field of view of the camera in a steering direction of the vehicle and v is vehicle velocity.
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10. A process for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring movement in a plurality of consecutive camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling; and analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic, wherein the step of monitoring movement comprises monitoring individual features of the surface in at least two consecutive camera frame images, and wherein the camera is operated at a shutter speed of less than ##EQU10## where l is the field of view in a steering direction of the vehicle, n is the number of pixels in the image plane along the steering direction, and v is the speed of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A process for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring movement in one or more camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling; and analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic, wherein the step of monitoring movement is performed with at least one strobe light in combination with a camera such that at least two strobe flashes are performed during a single camera frame exposure, and wherein the strobe flashes are separated by a period ranging from ##EQU11## and the camera is operated at a shutter speed ranging from ##EQU12## where l is the field of view in a steering direction of the vehicle and v is the speed of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A vehicle comprising an apparatus for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, wherein the apparatus is capable of monitoring movement in one or more camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling, and analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic by analyzing the texture of the features in a single camera frame image, wherein the texture analysis comprises:
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identifying edges or points of high image intensity gradient in the camera frame image; calculating the orientation of an edge segment associated with the edges or points of high image intensity gradient; and determining a dominant orientation of the edge segments. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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- 19. A vehicle comprising an apparatus for determining a vehicle dynamic during travel, wherein the apparatus includes a camera and is capable of monitoring movement in a plurality of consecutive camera images of features in a surface over which a vehicle is traveling, and of analyzing the movement to determine at least one vehicle dynamic, wherein the step of monitoring movement comprises monitoring individual features of the surface in at least two of the consecutive camera frame images, and wherein the camera is operated at a shutter speed of less than ##EQU13## where l is the field of view in a steering direction of the vehicle, n is the number of pixels in the image plane along the steering direction, and v is the speed of the vehicle.
Specification