Method and system for improving the monitoring of the external environment of a motor vehicle

• US 8,044,789 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Daura Luna, Francesc, Servera Serapio, Lorenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yacob; Sisay
• Application Number:
  US11/883,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/425.5, 340/463, 701/36, 382/104, 382/103, 382/106, 362/545, 362/540, 362/543, 348/148, 359/843, 359/877, 359/844, 359/876
• US Class Current: 340/463
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for improving the monitoring of the external environment of a motor vehicle. According to the invention, the vehicle comprises a built-in system for detecting objects with which it is likely to collide, within a monitored area covering a blind spot, comprising a capturing device for acquiring images that are representative of one or more objects located within said area and an electronic system for processing and analysing input signals. The inventive method comprises the automatic activation of an infrared light source in the direction of the monitored area when the images acquired cannot be processed and analysed in order to provide a result that would reliably detect a determined object and the automatic deactivation of said infrared light source when the acquired images produce the correct result without the need for infrared light. In addition, the system comprises a model with an infrared light source.

Claims

1. A method for improving the monitoring of the external environment of a motor vehicle, of the type which comprises using a detection system adapted for detecting the presence of large sized vehicles which are susceptible to collide with the mentioned vehicle, in a determined surveillance area, covering at least one blind spot, said system comprising at least one capturing device suitable for acquiring images representative of one or more objects located within said surveillance area, and an electronic system comprising at least one system for processing and analyzing input signals obtained by means of said at least one capturing device, and which generates output signals according to the result of said analysis, said method comprising carrying out the next steps sequentially:

detecting, by means of said at least one capturing device and said electronic system, that an object has entered said surveillance area,

activating at least one of said output signals indicative of said detection, and keeping it activated while said detection is maintained,

automatically activating an infrared light source to emit infrared light towards the surveillance area to be covered by the capturing device, for illumination purposes, when the images acquired by said capturing device don'"'"'t make possible a processing and an analysis providing a result that would reliably detect a determined object, because said surveillance area is undergoing a darkening, said infrared light source activation having the purpose of making possible to keep on detecting said object if is a large sized vehicle causing said darkening,

checking if, with said infrared light source activated, the capturing device captures images and;

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle continues to occupy the surveillance area, keeping said at least one output signal activated, and

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle has already left the surveillance area, at least deactivating said output signal indicative of said detection, and

deactivating, also automatically, said infrared light source when the electronic system determines, after processing and analyzing the images acquired by the capturing device, that a determined object in said surveillance area can be reliably detected without the need for infrared light.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the power supply of at least part of the detection system if the images captured are indicative that said object does not continue to occupy the surveillance area.

3. A method for improving the monitoring of the external environment of a motor vehicle, of the type which comprises using a detection system adapted for detecting the presence of large sized vehicles which are susceptible to collide with the mentioned vehicle, in a determined surveillance area, covering at least one blind spot, said system comprising at least one capturing device suitable for acquiring images representative of one or more objects located within said surveillance area, and an electronic system comprising at least one system for processing and analyzing input signals obtained by means of said at least one capturing device, and which generates output signals according to the result of said analysis, said method comprising carrying out the next steps sequentially:

automatically activating an infrared light source to emit infrared light towards the surveillance area to be covered by the capturing device when the images acquired by said capturing device don'"'"'t make possible a processing and an analysis providing a result that would reliably detect a determined object, because said surveillance area is undergoing a darkening, said infrared light source activation having the purpose of making possible to detect said object if is a large sized vehicle causing said darkening,

detecting, with said infrared light source activated, by means of said at least one capturing device and said electronic system, that an object has entered said surveillance area,

activating at least one of said output signals indicative of said detection, and keeping it activated while said detection is maintained,

checking if, with said infrared light source activated, the capturing device captures images and;

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle continues to occupy the surveillance area, keeping said at least one output signal activated, and

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle has already left the surveillance area, at least deactivating said output signal indicative of said detection, and

deactivating, also automatically, said infrared light source when the electronic system determines, after processing and analyzing the images acquired by the capturing device, that a determined object in said surveillance area can be reliably detected without the need for infrared light.

4. A method for improving the monitoring of the external environment of a motor vehicle, of the type which comprises using a detection system adapted for detecting the presence of large sized vehicles which are susceptible to collide with the mentioned vehicle, in a determined surveillance area, covering at least one blind spot, said system comprising at least one capturing device suitable for acquiring images representative of one or more objects located within said surveillance area, and an electronic system comprising at least one system for processing and analyzing input signals obtained by means of said at least one capturing device, and which generates output signals according to the result of said analysis, said method comprising carrying out the next steps sequentially:

automatically activating an infrared light source to emit infrared light towards the surveillance area to be covered by the capturing device when;

the images acquired by said capturing device don'"'"'make possible a processing and an analysis providing a result that would reliably detect a determined object, because said surveillance area is undergoing a darkening, said infrared light source activation having the purpose of making possible to detect said object if is a large sized vehicle causing said darkening, and

when the activation of at least one turn signal of the vehicle by means of detection means included in said detection system is further detected,

detecting, with said infrared light source activated, by means of said at least one capturing device and said electronic system, that an object has entered said surveillance area,

activating at least one of said output signals indicative of said detection, and keeping it activated while said detection is maintained,

checking if, with said infrared light source activated, the capturing device captures images and;

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle continues to occupy the surveillance area, keeping said at least one output signal activated, and

if such images are indicative that said large sized vehicle has already left the surveillance area, at least deactivating said output signal indicative of said detection, and

deactivating, also automatically, said infrared light source when the electronic system determines, after processing and analyzing the images acquired by the capturing device, that a determined object in said surveillance area can be reliably detected without the need for infrared light.