System for the detection by a motor vehicle of a phenomenon that interferes with visibility

• US 7,920,250 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Robert, Caroline, Leleve, Joël, Hue, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ratcliffe; Luke D
• Application Number:
  US12/181,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 356/28
• US Class Current: 356/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0237 circuits concerning the atmospheric environment meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/538 for determining atmospheric attenuation and visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

A process for the detection from a vehicle of a visibility interference phenomenon, comprising the following steps: the emission of a beam of light to illuminate the rear of the vehicle, the beam of light being emitted into a field of vision of a camera mounted in the vehicle, and the determination of a presence and the nature of a visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image captured by the camera.

Claims

1. A process for the detection of a visibility interference phenomenon comprising the following steps:

emission of a beam of light from a vehicle, said beam of light being emitted into a field of vision of a camera of the vehicle; and

determining the presence and the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image of said beam of light captured by the camera; and

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a homogeneity of said visibility interference phenomenon on the image;

said visibility interference phenomenon and said determining step being effected by using said at least one image of said beam of light that is emitted into said field of said camera.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the nature of the said visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a homogeneity and a granulometry of the visibility interference phenomenon on said at least one image.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the beam of light is modulated.

3. A process for the detection of a visibility interference phenomenon comprising the following steps:

emission of a beam of light from a vehicle, said beam of light being emitted into a field of vision of a camera of the vehicle; and

determining the presence and the nature of a visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image captured by the camera;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a homogeneity of said visibility interference phenomenon on the image;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a tracking movement of the said visibility interference phenomenon.

5. A detection device for a visibility interference phenomenon comprising:

a light source emitting a beam of light from a vehicle, with this beam of light being emitted within the field of vision of a camera of the vehicle; and

a control unit to determine a presence and a nature of the visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image captured by the camera;

wherein said control unit determines said nature of the visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of the homogeneity of the visibility interference phenomenon on the image;

said control unit determining said visibility interference phenomenon by using said at least one image of said beam of light that is emitted into said field of said camera.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein said process is performed using a detection device comprising a computer program product comprising one or more sequences of instructions that can be carried out by an information processing unit, the carrying out of the said one or more sequences of instructions being wherein the computer program enables the process of:

emission of said beam of light from the vehicle, said beam of light being emitted into said field of vision of said camera of the vehicle; and

determining the presence and the nature of said visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of said at least one image captured by the camera;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of said homogeneity of said visibility interference phenomenon.

7. A process for the detection of a visibility interference phenomenon comprising the following steps:

emission of a beam of light from a vehicle, said beam of light being emitted into a field of vision of a camera of the vehicle; and

determining the presence and the nature of a visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image captured by the camera;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a homogeneity of said visibility interference phenomenon on said at least one image;

wherein the determination of the nature of the said visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of the homogeneity and the granulometry of the visibility interference phenomenon on said at least one image;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a tracking movement of the said visibility interference phenomenon.

8. A detection device comprising:

at least one camera mounted on a rear of a vehicle;

a control coupled to said at least one camera for capturing an image behind the vehicle;

said control being adapted to determine the presence of at least one of rain or an obstacle in response to the homogeneity of the visibility interference phenomenon;

said control determining said visibility interference phenomenon by using said at least one image of said beam of light that is emitted into said field of said at least one camera.

9. The detection device according to claim 8, wherein said computer program bases the homogeneity of the visibility interference and granulometry of diffused light.

10. The detection device according to claim 8, wherein said computer program further comprises a diode light source coupled to a control, said diode light source generating a light beam that is compatible with said camera.

11. The detection device according to claim 10, wherein said diode light source generates said light beam when rear lights on said vehicle come on.

12. A process for the detection of a visibility interference phenomenon comprising the following steps:

emission of a beam of light from a vehicle, said beam of light being emitted into a field of vision of a camera of the vehicle; and

determining the presence and the nature of a visibility interference phenomenon on the basis of at least one image captured by the camera;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a homogeneity of said visibility interference phenomenon on said at least one image whenever rear lights on said vehicle are on;

wherein the determination of the nature of the visibility interference phenomenon is effected on the basis of a tracking movement of the said visibility interference phenomenon.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein said process further comprises the step of adjusting an intensity of rear lights on said vehicle in response to a detection of an obstacle.