Structured lighting detection of vehicle occupant type and position
First Claim
1. A method of determining the location of a vehicle occupant in the interior of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- projecting at least one structured light pattern from a light source onto an area of interest in the vehicle;
altering the apparent location of the light source with respect to the area of interest;
detecting a reflected light pattern with an image sensor;
measuring a characteristic of the light pattern on the area of interest; and
calculating the distance of points on the area of interest from the image sensor on the basis of the measured characteristic, wherein said projecting step includes projecting at least one non-diverging light pattern onto the area of interest, said measuring step includes measuring the width of the light pattern on the area of interest, and said calculating step includes determining the amount of the field of view of the imager sensor that is occupied by the reflected light pattern.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (12) for determining the location of a vehicle occupant (20) in a vehicle interior includes a light source (40) for projecting at least one structured light beam (42) onto an area of interest (44) to form a light pattern on the area of interest. A beam divergence control device (50) alters the apparent location of the light source (40) with respect to the area of interest (44). An imager (60) detects the light reflected from the area of interest (44). A characteristic of the reflected light is measured, and the distance between the imager (60) and the area of interest (44) is measured, based on the measured characteristic of the reflected light.
35 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of determining the location of a vehicle occupant in the interior of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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projecting at least one structured light pattern from a light source onto an area of interest in the vehicle;
altering the apparent location of the light source with respect to the area of interest;
detecting a reflected light pattern with an image sensor;
measuring a characteristic of the light pattern on the area of interest; and
calculating the distance of points on the area of interest from the image sensor on the basis of the measured characteristic, wherein said projecting step includes projecting at least one non-diverging light pattern onto the area of interest, said measuring step includes measuring the width of the light pattern on the area of interest, and said calculating step includes determining the amount of the field of view of the imager sensor that is occupied by the reflected light pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus for determining the location of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle interior, comprising:
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a light source for projecting at least one structured light pattern onto an area of interest in the vehicle;
at least one lens for altering an apparent location of said light source with respect to the area of interest;
an image sensor for detecting light reflected from the area of interest;
means for measuring a characteristic of the reflected light; and
means for determining a distance between said image sensor and the area of interest based on the measured characteristic of the reflected light, wherein said light pattern is at least one non-diverging light pattern projected onto the area of interest, said means for measuring is adapted to measure a width of the at least one non-diverging light pattern on the area of interest, and the means for determining is adapted to determine an amount of a field of view of said image sensor that is occupied by the reflected light pattern. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of determining the location of an area of interest in the interior of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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projecting a non-diverging light beam onto the area of interest in the vehicle interior to form a light pattern on the area of interest;
detecting light reflected from the area of interest with an image sensor, the non-diverging light beam being projected at a vertical angle relative to the image sensor;
measuring a vertical center of the light pattern on the area of interest and relative to said image sensor; and
determining a distance between said image sensor and the area of interest based on the measured vertical center of the light pattern relative to said image sensor.
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9. Apparatus for determining the location of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle interior, comprising:
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a light source for projecting a non-diverging light beam onto an area of interest in the vehicle interior to form a light pattern on the area of interest;
an image sensor for detecting light reflected from the area of interest, said light source projecting the non-diverging light beam at a vertical angle relative to the light source;
means for measuring a vertical center of the light pattern on the area of interest and relative to said image sensor; and
means for determining a distance between said image sensor and the area of interest based on the measured vertical center of the light pattern relative to said image sensor.
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Specification