Sensor arrangement and control and analysis unit for image recognition of an object

• US 7,109,470 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Köhler, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh X.
• Application Number:
  US10/380,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 250/226, 250/208.1, 250/341.8, 250/339.05, 348/162, 348272-279, 358/512, 356/405, 356/419, 356/420
• US Class Current: 250/226
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/14 operated upon collapse of driver deadman's devices for electrically propelled vehicles B60L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A sensor arrangement for image recognition includes a plurality of optical sensor elements (R,G,B) of a first type, the sensor elements being arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in the visible wavelength range. The sensor arrangement also includes further sensor elements (IR) of a second type. The further sensor elements respond to light in the invisible wavelength range.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement for image recognition of an image object, comprising:

a plurality of first optical sensor elements arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in a visible wavelength range;

a plurality of second optical sensor elements responding to light in an invisible wavelength range, wherein said plurality of second optical sensor elements are arranged in the raster layout between the plurality of first optical sensor elements;

a spotlight emitting light with a wavelength only within the invisible wavelength range; and

a selector unit connected to said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements for selecting one of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements, said selector element further connected to said spotlight for selectively activating said spotlight such that the activation of said spotlight is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of second optical sensor elements by said selector unit and deactivation of said spot light is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of first optical sensor elements by said selector unit.

2. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said invisible wavelength range is an infrared wavelength range.

3. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of said sensor elements of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements includes a light sensitive cell and a color filter.

4. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said raster layout comprises a plurality of modules arranged adjacently, each of said plurality of modules including at least one of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and at least one of said plurality of second optical sensor elements.

5. The sensor arrangement of claim 4, wherein sensor elements of said plurality of first optical sensor elements are connected to a first electric signal output and sensor elements of said plurality of second optical sensor elements are connected to a second electric signal output.

6. The sensor arrangement of claim 5, wherein a distribution density of said plurality of first optical sensor elements in said raster layout is greater than a distribution density of said plurality of second optical sensor elements in said raster layout.

7. The sensor arrangement of claim 6, wherein the distribution density of said plurality of first optical sensor elements is three times greater than the distribution density of said plurality of second optical sensor elements.

8. The sensor arrangement of claim 7, wherein said spotlight comprises an infrared light-emitting diode.

9. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein sensor elements of said plurality of first optical sensor elements are connected to a first electric signal output and sensor elements of said plurality of second optical sensor elements are connected to a second electric signal output.

10. The sensor arrangement of claim 9, wherein a distribution density of said plurality of first optical sensor elements is greater than a distribution density of said plurality of second optical sensor elements.

11. The sensor arrangement of claim 10, wherein the distribution density of said plurality of first optical sensor elements is three times greater than the distribution density of said plurality of second optical sensor elements.

12. The sensor arrangement of claim 11, wherein said spotlight comprises an infrared light-emitting diode.

13. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said selector unit comprises an exposure controller for setting the exposure duration of said first optical sensor elements and said second optical sensor elements.

14. The sensor arrangement of claim 13, wherein said exposure controller has two settings with different exposure durations.

15. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said selector unit comprises a sampling unit which samples images generated by said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements.

16. The sensor arrangement of claim 15, wherein said sampling unit alternately samples the sensor elements of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements in a first sampling step and samples the sensor elements of said plurality of second optical sensor elements in a second sampling step.

17. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said sensor elements are CCD elements.

18. The sensor arrangement of claim 1, wherein said sensor elements are CMOS elements.

19. A sensor arrangement for image recognition of an image object, comprising:

a plurality of first optical sensor elements arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in a visible wavelength range;

a plurality of second optical sensor elements responding to light in an invisible wavelength range, wherein said plurality of second optical sensor elements are arranged in the raster layout between the plurality of first optical sensor elements;

a spotlight emitting light with a wavelength only within the invisible wavelength range;

a selector unit connected to said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements for selecting one of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements, said selector element further connected to said spotlight for selectively activating said spotlight such that the activation of said spotlight is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of second optical sensor elements by said selector unit and deactivation of said spot light is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of first optical sensor elements by said selector unit; and

a video telephone and a fatigue sensor connected to an output of said selector, said selector being operable in a first mode and a second mode, said selector selecting said plurality of first optical sensor elements for connecting said plurality of first optical sensor elements to said video telephone in said first mode, and said selector selecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements for connecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements to said fatigue sensor in said second mode.

20. The sensor arrangement of claim 19, further comprising a person identification unit connected to an output of said selector, said selector being further operable in a third mode, said selector selecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements for connecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements to said person identification unit in said third mode.

21. A sensor arrangement for image recognition of an image object, comprising:

a plurality of first optical sensor elements arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in a visible wavelength range;

a plurality of second optical sensor elements responding to light in an invisible wavelength range, wherein said plurality of second optical sensor elements are arranged in the raster layout between the plurality of first optical sensor elements;

a spotlight emitting light with a wavelength only within the invisible wavelength range;

a selector unit connected to said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements for selecting one of said plurality of first optical sensor elements and said plurality of second optical sensor elements, said selector element further connected to said spotlight for selectively activating said spotlight such that the activation of said spotlight is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of second optical sensor elements by said selector unit and deactivation of said spot light is synchronized with the selection of said plurality of first optical sensor elements by said selector unit; and

a video telephone and a person identification unit connected to an output of said selector, said selector being selectively operable in first and second modes, said selector selecting said plurality of first optical sensor elements for connecting said plurality of first optical sensor elements to said video telephone in said first mode, and said selector selecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements for connecting said plurality of second optical sensor elements to said person identification unit in said second mode.