Method for detecting rain on a windscreen
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- detectingraindrops on a windscreen, using a camera, which is fitted inside the vehicle opposite the windscreen and which is focused at infinite;
thresholding, beyond a given minimum threshold, of the widths of contours of the spots, more particularly in order to confirm the possible presence of spots likely to correspond to droplets on the windscreen; and
reconstructing the droplets based on the thresholded widths of contour.
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Abstract
A method for detecting raindrops on a windscreen, which uses a camera, which is fitted inside the vehicle opposite the windscreen and which is focused at infinite. The method comprises steps of acquiring images by a camera through the windscreen, camera preferably focused at infinite, retrieving the contours of the spots present on the acquired images, and realizing the histogram of the widths of contours of the spots.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of:
- detecting
raindrops on a windscreen, using a camera, which is fitted inside the vehicle opposite the windscreen and which is focused at infinite; thresholding, beyond a given minimum threshold, of the widths of contours of the spots, more particularly in order to confirm the possible presence of spots likely to correspond to droplets on the windscreen; and reconstructing the droplets based on the thresholded widths of contour. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- detecting
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12. A method for detecting raindrops on a windscreen, which comprises the steps of:
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a stage (a) of acquiring images by a camera through the windscreen, camera preferably focused at infinite; a stage (b) of retrieving contours of the spots present on the acquired images; a stage (c) of realizing a histogram of the widths of said contours of the spots; a stage (d) thresholding, beyond a given minimum threshold, of the widths of contours of the spots, more particularly in order to confirm the possible presence of spots likely to correspond to droplets on the windscreen; and a stage (e) of reconstructing the droplets based on the thresholded widths of contour.
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13. A device for detecting raindrops on a windscreen, which comprises:
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means for acquiring images by a camera through the windscreen, said camera being focused at infinite; means for retrieving contours of the spots present on the acquired images; means for realizing the histogram of the widths of contours of the spots; means for thresholding, beyond a given minimum threshold, of the widths of contours of the spots, in order to identify the possible presence of spots likely to correspond to droplets on the windscreen; means of reconstructing/characterizing the spots based on the thresholded widths of contour, including at least one means for measuring one of the following parameters;
measure of variation of the greyscale in the spots, measure of blur of said spots, measure of shape of said spots, or count of said spots;means of automatic triggering or automatic modification of a functionality of the vehicle, including at least an actuation of the windscreen wipers. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A vehicle rain sensing system for sensing rain on a windshield comprising of:
- a camera for capturing an image of raindrops and generating information in response thereto;
a processor for processing said information and generating contour information of said raindrops; and
a control for energizing at least one windshield wiper in response to said contour information;wherein said processor thresholds beyond a given minimum threshold, of the widths of contours of the spots, more particularly in order to confirm the possible presence of spots likely to correspond to droplets on the windscreen and reconstructs the droplets based on the thresholded widths of contour. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a camera for capturing an image of raindrops and generating information in response thereto;
Specification