Method and apparatus for discriminating the colour of road markings
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of discriminating between road markings of at least two colours, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a monochrome camera for viewing road markings through a filter positioned between said road markings and said camera, said filter extending generally transversely to the road markings and having at least two sections, the filter sections providing a first colour response in a first area of a field of view of said camera and a second colour response in a second area of said field of view of said camera;
(b) capturing an image of at least one road marking with the monochrome camera provided in step (a), said captured road marking image extending generally along the length of the road marking from said first area of said camera field of view into said second area of said camera field of view;
(c) determining a change in intensity of said captured image of said road marking between said first and second areas in said field of view; and
(d) utilizing the change in intensity of said captured road marking image to discriminate between at least two colours.
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Abstract
A method of discriminating between road markings of at least two colors, comprises: capturing an image of a road and at least one road marking with a monochrome camera having a first color response in a first area of a field of view of the camera and a second color response in the second area of the field of view; and determining the change in intensity of the captured image of the road marking between the first and second areas. Apparatus for discriminating between road markings is also disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of discriminating between road markings of at least two colours, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a monochrome camera for viewing road markings through a filter positioned between said road markings and said camera, said filter extending generally transversely to the road markings and having at least two sections, the filter sections providing a first colour response in a first area of a field of view of said camera and a second colour response in a second area of said field of view of said camera; (b) capturing an image of at least one road marking with the monochrome camera provided in step (a), said captured road marking image extending generally along the length of the road marking from said first area of said camera field of view into said second area of said camera field of view; (c) determining a change in intensity of said captured image of said road marking between said first and second areas in said field of view; and (d) utilizing the change in intensity of said captured road marking image to discriminate between at least two colours. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus adapted to be fitted to a vehicle and capable of discriminating between at least a first colour and a second colour of road markings, the apparatus comprising:
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a monochrome camera arranged to view a road marking ahead of said vehicle, said camera being provided with a filter positioned between said road markings and said camera, said filter having at least two sections, said filter extending generally transversely across said road marking, said filter sections providing said different colour response of said first and second areas and having a first colour response in a first area of a field of view of said camera and a second colour response in a second area of said field of view of said camera; and a processing unit, arranged to capture images from said camera that are generally along the length of said road marking and determine from said capture images a position of said road markings with said road markings extending from said first area of said camera field of view into said second area of said camera field of view said processing unit also being arranged to discriminate between said first and second colours of said road markings from a change in intensity of said captured image of said road markings between said first and second areas in said field of view. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus capable of discriminating between at least a first colour and a second colour of road markings, the apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle; a monochrome camera mounted upon said vehicle, said monochrome camera arranged to view road markings ahead of said vehicle, said camera viewing said road markings through a filter positioned between said road markings and said camera, said filter extending generally transversely to the road markings and having at least two sections, the filter sections providing a first colour response in a first area of a field of view of said camera and a second colour response in a second area of said field of view of said camera; and a processing unit, arranged to capture images from said camera and to determine from said captured images a position of said road markings with said road markings generally along the length of said road markings and extending from said first area of said camera field of view into said second area of said camera field of view, said processing unit also being arranged to discriminate between said first and second colours of said road markings from a change in intensity of said captured image of said road markings between said first and second areas in said field of view.
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Specification