Image based occupant classification systems for determining occupant classification and seat belt status and vehicles having same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image based occupant classification system comprising:
- an image sensor configured to capture vehicular occupant information; and
an image processor in communication with the image sensor, the image processor being configured to employ an occupant classification algorithm to facilitate performance of first sampling operations to determine occupant classification and being further configured to employ a seat belt detection algorithm to facilitate performance of second sampling operations to determine a seat belt status, the image processor being further configured to place a first hold on the occupant classification algorithm when employing the seat belt detection algorithm and place a second hold on the seat belt detection algorithm when employing the occupant classification algorithm;
wherein;
each of the first sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of the vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation;
each of the second sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of the vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; and
each of the first sampling operations is conducted at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations.
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Abstract
An image based occupant classification system includes an image sensor and an image processor. The image sensor is configured to capture vehicular occupant information. The image processor is in communication with the image sensor. The image processor is configured to perform first sampling operations upon the vehicular occupant information to determine occupant classification. The image processor is further configured to perform second sampling operations upon the vehicular occupant information to determine a seat belt status. Each of the first sampling operations is conducted at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations. Vehicles are also provided.
36 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An image based occupant classification system comprising:
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an image sensor configured to capture vehicular occupant information; and an image processor in communication with the image sensor, the image processor being configured to employ an occupant classification algorithm to facilitate performance of first sampling operations to determine occupant classification and being further configured to employ a seat belt detection algorithm to facilitate performance of second sampling operations to determine a seat belt status, the image processor being further configured to place a first hold on the occupant classification algorithm when employing the seat belt detection algorithm and place a second hold on the seat belt detection algorithm when employing the occupant classification algorithm;
wherein;each of the first sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of the vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation; each of the second sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of the vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; and each of the first sampling operations is conducted at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle comprising:
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a passenger compartment; a seat belt configured to selectively secure a seated occupant within the passenger compartment; an image sensor configured to capture vehicular occupant information; and an image processor in communication with the image sensor and configured to employ an occupant classification algorithm to facilitate performance of first sampling operations to determine occupant classification and being further configured to employ a seat belt detection algorithm to facilitate performance of second sampling operations to determine a seat belt status, the image processor being further configured to place a first hold on the occupant classification algorithm when employing the seat belt detection algorithm and place a second hold on the seat belt detection algorithm when employing the occupant classification algorithm;
wherein;each of the first sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation; each of the second sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; and each of the first sampling operations is conducted by the image processor at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An image based occupant classification system comprising:
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an image sensor configured to capture vehicular occupant information; and an image processor in communication with the image sensor, the image processor being configured to employ an occupant classification algorithm to facilitate performance of first sampling operations to determine occupant classification and being further configured to employ a seat belt detection algorithm to facilitate performance of second sampling operations to determine a seat belt status;
wherein;each of the first sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation; each of the second sampling operations facilitates one of actuation of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analysis of vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; each of the first sampling operations is conducted at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations; and at least about ten of the first sampling operations are performed for each of the second sampling operations that is performed by the image processor.
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17. A method comprising:
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capturing vehicular occupant information; employing an occupant classification algorithm; performing first sampling operations with the occupant classification algorithm, each of the first sampling operations facilitating one of actuating of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analyzing vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation; determining occupant classification from the first sampling operations; employing a seat belt detection algorithm; performing second sampling operations with the seat belt detection algorithm at separate times than the first sampling operations, each of the second sampling operations facilitating one of actuating the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analyzing vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; determining seat belt status from the second sampling operations; and employing the occupant classification algorithm at least about ten times for each time that the seat belt detection algorithm is employed.
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18. A method comprising:
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capturing vehicular occupant information; employing an occupant classification algorithm; performing first sampling operations with the occupant classification algorithm, each of the first sampling operations facilitating one of actuating of the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analyzing vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding first sampling operation; determining occupant classification from the first sampling operations; employing a seat belt detection algorithm; performing second sampling operations with the seat belt detection algorithm at separate times than the first sampling operations, each of the second sampling operations facilitating one of actuating the image sensor to capture vehicular occupant information and analyzing vehicular occupant information already captured by the image sensor during a preceding second sampling operation; determining seat belt status from the second sampling operations; and placing a first hold on the occupant classification algorithm during employment of the seat belt detection algorithm; and placing a second hold on the seat belt detection algorithm during employment of the occupant classification algorithm. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification