Method and device for detecting objects on a windshield

• US 6,555,804 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Blasing, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenberger, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barth, Vincent P
• Application Number:
  US09/530,634
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 318/483, 318/DIG.2, 318/643, 318/443, 318/444, 318/568.7, 382/232, 250/208.7, 250/227.25
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for detecting objects (3) on a windshield (2). The method comprises the following steps: Placing an optical sensor array (4) on the inner side of a section of the windshield (2), said array having a plurality of individual pixels and being focused on the outer side (7) of the windshield (2); determining the local frequency spectrum S(f) of the intensity fluctuations of pixels of the sensor array (4), said pixels being combined in one or more blocks, and afterwards; evaluating the local frequency spectrum, whereby the detected local frequency spectrum S(f) is compared to one or more reference frequency distributions, and whereby a control signal for triggering one or more actuators is generated when the determined local frequency spectrum S(f) sufficiently conforms to a reference frequency distribution. The device comprises a detecting unit (4) connected to a data processing unit (5). The detecting unit is a sensor array (4) which is provided with an aperture (9) and is arranged at a certain distance behind the windshield (2).

Claims

1. A method for detecting the presence of objects on a windshield, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a portion of the windshield with an optical sensor array, the optical sensor array being divided into a plurality of blocks with each block containing a plurality of pixels, the optical sensor array being placed inside to the windshield, wherein the portion of the windshield is imaged onto the pixels of the optical sensor array in focus and objects away from the windshield are imaged onto the pixels of the optical sensor array in a blurred state;

evaluating signals of the pixels of the optical sensor array blockwise;

transforming the blockwise evaluated signals into spatial frequence spectra of intensity fluctuations;

comparing the spatial frequency spectra of the individual blocks with reference frequency spectra to determine correspondence between the spatial frequency spectra and the reference frequency spectra; and

generating a control signal to control an actuator in response to a sufficient correspondence between the spatial frequency spectra and the reference frequency spectra.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of transforming includes using a discrete cosine transform to transform the blockwise evaluated signals of the optical sensor array into spatial frequency spectra of intensity fluctuations.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing a time-recursive lowpass filtering of the at least one frequency band after the step of transforming.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

filter parameters of the low pass filtering are adaptable.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

carrying out an overload determination of the pixels of the optical sensor array prior to the step of transforming, wherein the first evaluation step of analyzing the spectral frequency spectra takes into account any determined pixel overload.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

illuminating the portion of the windshield from the inside with infrared light with the directions of incidence of the light changing during illumination.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

executing background suppression by modulating high frequency bands as a function of the intensity fluctuations detected in low frequency bands.

8. A method for detecting the presence of objects on a windshield, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a portion of the windshield with an optical sensor array having pixels, the optical sensor array being placed inside with respect to the windshield, wherein the portion of the windshield is imaged onto the pixels of the optical sensor array in focus and objects away from the windshield are imaged onto the pixels of the optical sensor array in a blurred state;

evaluating signals of the pixels of the optical sensor array blockwise, wherein the optical sensor array is divided into a plurality of blocks with each block containing a plurality of pixels;

transforming the blockwise evaluated signals of the optical sensor array into spatial frequency spectra of intensity fluctuations as characteristics of the spectral power density of frequency bands across the pixels of the blocks; and

analyzing the spatial frequency spectra of the blocks in a multi-step evaluation of the spatial frequency spectra with respect to the characteristics of the spectral power density of the frequency bands across the pixels of the blocks,

whereby in a first evaluation step, the spatial frequency spectra of each block with respect to the frequency bands are compared with a reference frequency spectrum and a signal is provided if this is exceeded in a step of comparison of the previous block- and frequency-band related comparison with a threshold,

whereby in a second evaluation step, the number of the signals provided in the first evaluation step in respect to the frequency bands is determined and compared with a threshold allocated to each frequency band; and

generating a control signal to control an actuator when the threshold is exceeded.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the step of transforming includes using a discrete cosine transform to transform the blockwise evaluated signals of the optical sensor array into spatial frequency spectra of intensity fluctuations.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

performing a time-recursive lowpass filtering of the at least one frequency band after the step of transforming.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

filter parameters of the low pass filtering are adaptable.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

carrying out an overload determination of the pixels of the optical sensor array prior to the step of transforming, wherein the first evaluation step of analyzing the spectral frequency spectra takes into account any determined pixel overload.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

illuminating the portion of the windshield from the inside with infrared light with the directions of incidence of the light changing during illumination.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

between the steps of transforming and analyzing, executing background suppression by modulating the high frequency bands as a function of the intensity fluctuations detected in the low frequency bands.