Blind spot detection system and method using preexisting vehicular imaging devices

• US 8,004,425 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Hoek, Steven G., Newton, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/570,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 340/908, 340/904, 340/903, 340/937, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 700/300, 700/301
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A vehicular blind spot detection system (700) for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to an object in the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, the system includes a first imaging device (707) used typically used to control vehicle lighting and that works to detect objects substantially forward of the vehicle and a second imaging device (709) typically used with a rear camera display (RCD) for detecting objects substantially rearward of the vehicle. A control unit (711) is coupled to the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) that includes a graphic processing unit (713) for processing images captured by the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) for detecting an optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between vehicles and other objects entering the driver'"'"'s blind spot.

Claims

1. A vehicular blind spot detection system for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to an object in the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, the system comprising:

a first imaging device used to control vehicle headlights for detecting objects substantially forward of the motor vehicle;

a second imaging device for detecting objects substantially rearward of the vehicle; and

a control unit coupled to the first imaging device and second imaging device that includes a graphic processing unit for processing images captured by the first imaging device and second imaging device for detecting an optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between vehicles and other objects entering a driver'"'"'s blind spot.

2. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the detected optical flow comprises determining a motion vector of one or more pixels between two images.

3. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the first imaging device is attached to a rear view mirror.

4. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the vehicle lighting includes headlights.

5. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the second imaging device is used with a rear camera display (RCD).

6. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the second imaging device is positioned substantially near the vehicle'"'"'s rear license plate.

7. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the first imaging device and second imaging device are also used for other driver assist functions.

8. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 1, wherein the first imaging device and second imaging device are complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging devices.

9. A vehicle blind spot detection system comprising:

a first sensor for capturing images forward of the vehicle;

a second image sensor for capturing sequential images of approaching traffic; and

a control unit coupled to the first image sensor and second image sensor, the control unit comprising a graphic processing unit coupled to the first image sensor and second image sensor for processing images captured by the first image sensor and second image sensor to detect optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between vehicles and other objects, the control unit detecting a speed of travel of each vehicle from sequential images.

10. A vehicle blind spot detection system as in claim 9, wherein the detected optical flow comprises determining a motion vector of one or more pixels between two images.

11. A vehicle blind spot detection system as in claim 9, wherein the first image sensor is attached to a rear view mirror.

12. A vehicle blind spot detection system as in claim 9, wherein the second image sensor is used with a rear camera display (RCD).

13. A vehicle blind spot detection system as in claim 9, wherein the first image sensor and second image sensor includes a first camera used to control vehicle lighting and a second camera used with a rear camera display (RCD).

14. A vehicle blind spot detection system as in claim 13, wherein the first camera faces substantially forward of the vehicle and the second camera faces substantially rearward of the vehicle.

15. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 9, wherein the first imaging device and second imaging device are complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging devices.

16. A blind spot detection system for monitoring activity along a vehicular border, the system comprising:

at least one monitoring device each comprising;

a first image sensor for capturing images along and in the vicinity of a first field of view forward of the vehicle;

a second image sensor for capturing images along and in the vicinity of a second field of view rearward of the vehicle;

a control unit coupled to the first image sensor and second image sensor for processing the captured images and detecting moving objects in the captured images and, when a moving object is detected, causing a signal to be transmitted to alert a driver indicating that motion has been detected in the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot; and

wherein the control unit comprises a graphic processing unit coupled to the image sensor for processing images captured by the image sensor for detecting an optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between moving objects and non-moving objects in a vehicle'"'"'s blind spot.

17. A blind spot detection system as in claim 16, wherein the detected optical flow comprises determining a motion vector of one or more pixels between two images.

18. A blind spot detection system as in claim 16, wherein the first image sensor is used to control vehicular lighting.

19. A blind spot detection system as in claim 16, wherein the second image sensor is used with a rear camera display (RCD).

20. A vehicular blind spot detection system as in claim 16, wherein the first imaging device and second imaging device are complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging devices.