Vision-based highway overhead structure detection system
First Claim
1. A vision-based identification apparatus comprising:
- a host vehicle;
wherein said host vehicle is equipped with a plurality of elements including;
i) an image capture device element;
operatively interconnected with;
ii) an image signal processor element;
which is operatively interconnected with;
iii) a matching processor element;
which is also operatively interconnected with;
iv) a radar transceiver element;
wherein the image capture device element is configured to provide a time-based sequence of data frames to the image signal processor element and the image signal processor element provides a processed image signal to the matching processor element, andwherein the data frames include a two-dimensional array of pixel elements; and
wherein the radar transceiver element is configured to provide a radar signal to the matching processor element, andwherein the matching processor element combines the processed image signal and the radar signal, whereby the combined signals complement each other and allow the apparatus to effectively identify objects likely to be misidentified as collision threats,wherein the time-based sequence of data frames include a plurality of data elements including at least one horizontal edge; and
wherein each horizontal edge is identified based on a plurality of pixels having a substantially similar electromagnetic radiation response across a plurality of substantially horizontally aligned pixels; and
wherein the image signal processor element extracts horizontal edges, from the time-based sequence of data frames, in the form of edge pixels, andwherein the edge pixels are projected in each row of the data frames, to get a horizontal edge projection in the sequence of data frames; and
wherein each horizontal edge projection may be tracked in time based on the horizontal edge projection'"'"'s sequential appearance in the data frames.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image sequence is inputted 200 from the camera and vertical motion is estimated 202. A windowed horizontal edge projection 204 is extracted from the inputted image sequence 200 and the horizontal edges are projected 206. The horizontal edge projection 206 and the vertical motion estimation 202 are combined in a horizontal segmentation and tracking element 208, and forwarded to an object parameter estimation element 210 where the object'"'"'s distance and height are estimated. This data is combined in a fusion with radar detection element 212. By correctly matching the overhead objects sensed by the radar and video camera, the proximity and relative speed can be ascertained. Once overhead objects have been identified they can be isolated and not considered for collision avoidance purposes.
78 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A vision-based identification apparatus comprising:
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a host vehicle; wherein said host vehicle is equipped with a plurality of elements including; i) an image capture device element;
operatively interconnected with;ii) an image signal processor element;
which is operatively interconnected with;iii) a matching processor element;
which is also operatively interconnected with;iv) a radar transceiver element; wherein the image capture device element is configured to provide a time-based sequence of data frames to the image signal processor element and the image signal processor element provides a processed image signal to the matching processor element, and wherein the data frames include a two-dimensional array of pixel elements; and wherein the radar transceiver element is configured to provide a radar signal to the matching processor element, and wherein the matching processor element combines the processed image signal and the radar signal, whereby the combined signals complement each other and allow the apparatus to effectively identify objects likely to be misidentified as collision threats, wherein the time-based sequence of data frames include a plurality of data elements including at least one horizontal edge; and wherein each horizontal edge is identified based on a plurality of pixels having a substantially similar electromagnetic radiation response across a plurality of substantially horizontally aligned pixels; and wherein the image signal processor element extracts horizontal edges, from the time-based sequence of data frames, in the form of edge pixels, and wherein the edge pixels are projected in each row of the data frames, to get a horizontal edge projection in the sequence of data frames; and wherein each horizontal edge projection may be tracked in time based on the horizontal edge projection'"'"'s sequential appearance in the data frames. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A vision-based identification method comprising the steps of:
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providing a host vehicle; and equipping the host vehicle with a plurality of elements including; i) an image capture device element;
operatively interconnected with;ii) an image signal processor element;
which is operatively interconnected with;iii) a matching processor element;
which is also operatively interconnected with;iv) a radar transceiver element; wherein the image capture device element is configured to provide a time-based sequence of data frames to the image signal processor element and the image signal processor element provides a processed image signal to the matching processor element; and wherein the data frames include a two dimensional array of pixel elements; and wherein the radar transceiver element is configured to provide a radar signal to the matching processor element; and wherein the matching processor element combines the processed image signal and the radar signal, whereby the combined signals complement each other and allow for the effective identification of objects likely to be misidentified as collision threats, wherein the time-based sequence of data frames include a plurality of data elements including at least one horizontal edge; and wherein each horizontal edge is identified based on a plurality of pixels having a substantially similar electromagnetic radiation response across a plurality of substantially horizontally aligned pixels; and wherein the image signal processor element extracts horizontal edges, from the time-based sequence of data frames, in the form of edge pixels; and wherein the edge pixels are projected in each row of the data frames, to get a horizontal edge projection in the sequence of data frames; and wherein each horizontal edge projection may be tracked in time based on the horizontal edge projection'"'"'s sequential appearance in the data frames. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification