Vehicle identification based on an image

• US 8,929,606 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Conradt, Jonathan Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US14/307,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20140294242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 203 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/156, 382/162, 382/168, 382/173, 382/181, 382/206, 382/209, 382/219, 382/224, 382/232, 382/254, 382/274, 382/276, 382/286, 382/291, 382/305, 382/312, 382104-107, 701/1, 701/29.6, 705/26.4, 705/26, 455/418
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30268 Vehicle interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/02 Recognising information on displays, dials, clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/08 Detecting or categorising vehicles

Abstract

A machine may be configured as a vehicle identification machine to identify a model of a vehicle based on an image that depicts a dashboard of the vehicle. As configured, the machine may receive an image of the dashboard, where the image depicts a layout of instrumentation within the dashboard. The machine may identify the layout of instrumentation by processing the image. For example, the machine may process the image by determining a position of an instrument within the layout of instrumentation, determining an outline of instrument, or both. The machine may access a data record that correlates a model of the vehicle with the identified layout of instrumentation and, based on the data record, identify the model of the vehicle. The machine may then provide a notification that references the vehicle, references the identified model of the vehicle, or references both.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an image that depicts an instrument panel of a vehicle whose model of vehicle is to be identified;

modeling a first instrument layout based on the received image that depicts the instrument panel of the vehicle, the modeling of the first instrument layout including;

determining an outline of an instrument within the instrument panel depicted in the image,

determining a first instrument position of the instrument within the instrument panel, and

representing the outline of the instrument in the first instrument layout by encoding the outline and the first instrument position of the instrument in a modeling language, the modeling being performed by a processor of a machine;

accessing a second instrument layout that corresponds to a vehicle model and includes a representation of a second instrument position encoded in the modeling language, the accessing of the second instrument layout being from a database;

determining that the first instrument position represented in the first instrument layout matches the second instrument position represented in the second instrument layout; and

providing a notification that identifies the vehicle model that corresponds to the second instrument layout as the model of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image, the providing of the notification being based on the first instrument position matching the second instrument position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining of the first instrument position of the instrument includes determining an orientation of the instrument within the instrument panel depicted in the received image; and

the representing of the outline of the instrument includes encoding, in the modeling language, the determined orientation of the instrument.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the modeling of the first instrument layout includes determining the outline of the instrument by determining edges of the instrument that are visible in the received image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the modeling of the first instrument layout includes determining the outline of the instrument by determining markings of the instrument that are visible in the received image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the accessing of the second instrument layout includes accessing a data record in which the outline of the instrument within the instrument panel is encoded in the modeling language.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the accessing of the second instrument layout includes accessing a data record in which the second instrument position is of the instrument within the instrument panel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the accessing of the second instrument layout includes accessing a data record in which outlines and positions of multiple instruments within the instrument panel are encoded in the modeling language.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the outline of the instrument is a first outline represented in the first instrument layout;

the method further comprises determining that the first outline represented in the first instrument layout matches a second outline that is represented in the second instrument layout; and

the providing of the notification is based on the first outline matching the second outline.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining that the first outline matches the second outline includes determining that the first outline matches the second outline within a threshold probability that the first and second outlines match.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second instrument layout further corresponds to a vehicle year; and

the providing of the notification provides the notification with a reference to the vehicle year that corresponds to the second instrument layout as a year of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the instrument within the instrument panel is an odometer;

the method further comprises determining a mileage of the vehicle based on the received image that depicts the instrument panel; and

the providing of the notification provides the notification with a reference to the mileage determined based on the received image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the determined mileage corresponds to a maintenance procedure applicable to the model of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image; and

the providing of the notification provides the notification with a further reference to the maintenance procedure that corresponds to the determined mileage of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the determined mileage corresponds to a replaceable part of the model of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image; and

the providing of the notification provides the notification with a further reference to the replaceable part that corresponds to the determined mileage of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving an image that depicts an instrument panel of a vehicle whose model of vehicle is to be identified;

modeling a first instrument layout based on the received image that depicts the instrument panel of the vehicle, the modeling of the first instrument layout including;

determining an outline of an instrument within the instrument panel depicted in the image,

determining a first instrument position of the instrument within the instrument panel, and

representing the outline of the instrument in the first instrument layout by encoding the outline and the first instrument position of the instrument in a modeling language;

accessing a second instrument layout that corresponds to a vehicle model and includes a representation of a second instrument position encoded in the modeling language, the accessing of the second instrument layout being from a database;

determining that the first instrument position represented in the first instrument layout matches the second instrument position represented in the second instrument layout; and

providing a notification that identifies the vehicle model that corresponds to the second instrument layout as the model of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image, the providing of the notification being based on the first instrument position matching the second instrument position.

15. A system comprising:

a reception module configured to receive an image that depicts an instrument panel of a vehicle whose model of vehicle is to be identified;

a processor configured by a dashboard module to model a first instrument layout based on the received image that depicts the instrument panel of the vehicle, the modeling of the first instrument layout including;

determining an outline of an instrument within the instrument panel depicted in the image,

determining a first instrument position of the instrument within the instrument panel, and

representing the outline of the instrument in the first instrument layout by encoding the outline and the first instrument position of the instrument in a modeling language;

a correlation module configured to access a second instrument layout that corresponds to a vehicle model and includes a representation of a second instrument position encoded in the modeling language, the accessing of the second instrument layout being from a database;

an identification module configured to determine that the first instrument position represented in the first instrument layout matches the second instrument position represented in the second instrument layout; and

a notification module configured to provide a notification that identifies the vehicle model that corresponds to the second instrument layout as the model of the vehicle whose instrument panel is depicted in the received image, the providing of the notification being based on the first instrument position matching the second instrument position.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the outline of the instrument is a first outline represented in the first instrument layout;

the identification module is configured to determine that the first outline represented in the first instrument layout matches a second outline that is represented in the second instrument layout; and

the notification module is configured to provide the notification based on the first outline matching the second outline.