Detection device of vehicle interior condition

• US 8,081,800 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Irie, Kota, Furusawa, Isao, Monji, Tatsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Akhavannik, Hadi
• Application Number:
  US11/655,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/106, 382/100, 382/190
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A detection system of vehicle interior condition includes an illumination unit for illuminating a plurality of mutually different illumination regions including at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof so as to have different illumination time durations shifted by a predetermined time. An imaging unit photographs an occupant and/or an object on the seat upon each illumination of the illumination unit. A control processor compares a plurality of images photographed by the imaging unit, and generates information indicative of a condition of the occupant or object, based on the result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A system for detecting vehicle interior condition comprising:

an illumination unit which includes a plurality of individual illumination devices that are positioned and directed to illuminate, respectively, a plurality of mutually different illumination regions, which illumination regions collectively include at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof, said illumination devices being operable to illuminate their respective illumination regions sequentially at predetermined different timings during a predetermined period;

an imaging unit positioned and directed so as to photograph an occupant or object on said seat in synchronism with each of said different timings of said illumination devices; and

a control unit which is coupled to control illumination of said illumination devices, and has an image comparator for comparing a plurality of images photographed by said imaging unit, as well as an information generator for generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant or object on the basis of a comparison result of said image comparator.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said illumination unit is arranged so as to illuminate the seat of the vehicle from an upper side.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of illumination devices, are mounted on a ceiling of the vehicle in rows at both sides thereof above at least one of a driver'"'"'s seat and an assistant driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle; and

illumination angles of the illumination devices are directed so that the illumination devices illuminate at least one of the driver'"'"'s seat and an assistant driver'"'"'s seat.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said rows of illumination devices are disposed parallel to a direction of movement of said vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said illumination devices arc mounted on the ceiling of the vehicle at upper forward parts of at least one of the driver'"'"'s seat and the assistant driver'"'"'s seat to photograph any one of at least a headrest, a seat back, and an airbag unit of said at least one of the driver'"'"'s seat and the assistant driver'"'"'s seat.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said imaging unit photographs an occupant or object in front and rear seats.

7. A device for detecting vehicle interior condition, comprising:

an illumination unit which includes a plurality of individual illumination devices that are positioned and directed to illuminate, respectively, a plurality of mutually different illumination regions, which illumination regions collectively include at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof, said illumination devices being operable to illuminate their respective illumination regions sequentially at predetermined different timings during a predetermined period;

an input unit for receiving a signal from an imaging unit which photographs an occupant or object on said seat in synchronism with each of said different timings of said illumination devices;

an image comparator for comparing a plurality of images photographed by said imaging unit;

an information generator for generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant or object on the basis of a comparison result of said image comparator; and

an output unit for issuing the information generated by said information generator.

8. A method for detecting vehicle interior condition, comprising:

sequentially illuminating a plurality of mutually different illumination regions, which illumination regions collectively include at least one seat of a vehicle and/or a surrounding region thereof, said illumination regions being illuminated at predetermined different timings during a predetermined period;

photographing an occupant or object on said seat in synchronism with each illumination of a respective different one of said illumination regions;

comparing a plurality of said photographed images; and

generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant or object on the basis of a comparison result of said comparison step.