Object detection system for vehicle

• US 8,289,142 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pawlicki, John A., McMahon, Martha A., Chinn, Steven G., Gibson, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US12/559,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/34 Blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 : Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 : Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 : Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 : Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 : Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 : using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 : Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 : Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30256 : Lane; Road marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 : Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 : Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/174 : involving the use of two or more images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 : Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 : of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 : of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 : Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/10 : Recognition assisted with metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor and a control. The imaging sensor is operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle. The control is responsive to the imaging sensor. The imaging system may be associated with a side object detection system, a lane change assist system, a lane departure warning system, a monitoring system, a passive steering system and/or the like. The control may be operable to process a reduced image data set more than other image data, which are representative of areas of the captured image outside of a target zone, to detect objects present within the target zone.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring an area surrounding a vehicle comprising:

an imaging system of the vehicle, said imaging system comprising at least one of an object detection system, a lane departure warning system, a lane change assist system, a side object detection system, a forward facing imaging system, a rearward facing imaging system, a back up aid and a panoramic view imaging system, said imaging system comprising an imaging sensor operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said imaging sensor and selectably operable to communicate image data of said captured image to a remote receiving device remote from the vehicle; and

wherein said control processes said captured image, said captured image comprising an image data set representative of the exterior scene, said control including a microprocessor comprising an edge detection algorithm, said control applying said edge detection algorithm to a reduced image data set of said image data set, said reduced image data set being representative of a target zone of said captured image, said control being operable to process said reduced image data set more than other image data, which are representative of areas of said captured image outside of said target zone, to detect edges of objects present exteriorly of the vehicle and within said target zone.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said remote receiving device comprises at least one of a personal display system, a security display system and an emergency display system.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said control is selectably operable to communicate said image data to said remote receiving device in response to an input from a transmitter associated with said remote receiving device.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said control provides said image data to indicate a location and/or condition of the vehicle.

5. An imaging system for a vehicle comprising:

an imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of photo-sensing pixels, said imaging array sensor being positioned at the vehicle and having a field of view exteriorly of the vehicle, said imaging array sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle, said captured image comprising an image data set representative of the exterior scene; and

a control for processing said captured image, said control algorithmically processing said image data set to a reduced image data set of said image data set, said control processing said reduced image data set to extract information from said reduced image data set, said control selecting said reduced image data set based on a steering angle of the vehicle.

6. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to select said reduced image data set in response to a change in the travel speed of the vehicle.

7. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said imaging array sensor has a field of view at a side of the vehicle.

8. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein said control processes zones of the images to detect an object in the adjacent lane.

9. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to adjust said image processing to account for misalignment of said image array sensor at the vehicle.

10. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to distinguish between objects in the field of view of said image array sensor and shadows of objects.

11. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to switch between daytime and nighttime algorithms in response to an ambient light level at the vehicle.

12. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to detect headlamps of vehicles in the field of view.

13. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control is operable to alert the driver of the vehicle that an object is detected in said exterior scene.

14. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein said exterior scene is at a side of the vehicle, said control being operable to alert the driver in response to at least one of (a) the driver of the controlled vehicle actuating a turn signal toward the side of the vehicle at which the object is detected;

and (b) the driver of the controlled vehicle steering the controlled vehicle toward the side of the vehicle at which the object is detected.

15. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said control applies an edge detection algorithm to process said reduced image data set.

16. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein said reduced image data set is representative of a target zone of said captured image.

17. An imaging system for a vehicle comprising:

an imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of photo-sensing pixels, said imaging array sensor being positioned at the vehicle and having a field of view exteriorly of the vehicle, said imaging array sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle, said captured image comprising an image data set representative of the exterior scene; and

a control for processing said captured image, said control algorithmically processing said image data set to a reduced image data set of said image data set, said reduced image data set being representative of a target zone of said captured image, said control processing said reduced image data set with an edge detection algorithm to extract information from said reduced image data set, said control selecting said reduced image data set based on a steering angle of the vehicle.

18. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to select said reduced image data set in response to a change in the travel speed of the vehicle.

19. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said imaging array sensor has a field of view at a side of the vehicle.

20. The imaging system of claim 19, wherein said control processes zones of the images to detect an object in the adjacent lane.

21. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to adjust said image processing to account for misalignment of said image array sensor at the vehicle.

22. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to distinguish between objects in the field of view of said image array sensor and shadows of objects.

23. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to switch between daytime and nighttime algorithms in response to an ambient light level at the vehicle.

24. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to alert the driver of the vehicle that an object is detected in said exterior scene.

25. The imaging system of claim 24, wherein said exterior scene is at a side of the vehicle, said control being operable to alert the driver in response to at least one of (a) the driver of the controlled vehicle actuating a turn signal toward the side of the vehicle at which the object is detected;

and (b) the driver of the controlled vehicle steering the controlled vehicle toward the side of the vehicle at which the object is detected.

26. An imaging system for a vehicle comprising:

an imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of photo-sensing pixels, said imaging array sensor being positioned at the vehicle and having a field of view exteriorly of the vehicle, said imaging array sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle, said captured image comprising an image data set representative of the exterior scene;

said image sensor being one of (a) part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and with a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle, and (b) at an upper windshield area and behind the windshield of the vehicle and with a field of view forward and through the windshield; and

a control for processing said captured image, said control algorithmically processing said image data set to a reduced image data set of said image data set, said control processing said reduced image data set to extract information from said reduced image data set, said control selecting said reduced image data set based on a steering angle of the vehicle.

27. The imaging system of claim 26, wherein said image sensor is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and with a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle, said imaging system comprising a side object detection system for detecting objects at a side of the vehicle.

28. The imaging system of claim 26, wherein said image sensor is at an upper windshield area and behind the windshield of the vehicle and with a field of view forward and through the windshield, said imaging system comprising a lane departure warning system.