Vehicle imaging system providing multi-stage aiming stability indication
First Claim
1. A system for controlling equipment of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
- an imaging system including an image sensor configured to acquire images of a scene external of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and
a controller in communication with said imaging system, said controller configured to receive and analyze the image data, to generate a control signal that is used to control the equipment, and to automatically aim said image sensor,wherein the control signal includes an aim stability indication.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for controlling equipment of a controlled vehicle, including: an imaging system including an image sensor configured to acquire images of a scene external of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller in communication with the imaging system. The controller is configured to receive and analyze the image data, to generate a control signal that is used to control the equipment, and to automatically aim the image sensor. The controller may analyze the image data to determine a stability state for the aim of the image sensor. The control signal may include an aim stability indication.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A system for controlling equipment of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
-
an imaging system including an image sensor configured to acquire images of a scene external of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller in communication with said imaging system, said controller configured to receive and analyze the image data, to generate a control signal that is used to control the equipment, and to automatically aim said image sensor, wherein the control signal includes an aim stability indication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A system for controlling equipment of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
-
an imaging system including an image sensor configured to acquire images of a scene external of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller in communication with said image sensor, said controller configured to receive and analyze the image data, to generate a control signal that is used to control the equipment, and to automatically aim said image sensor, wherein said controller analyzes the image data to determine a stability state for the aim of said image sensor, wherein said controller determines the stability state for the aim of said image sensor by selecting from at least three states based upon a duration at which the aim has not been adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for determining a stability state for the aim of an image sensor of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
-
(a) acquiring an image of a scene external of the controlled vehicle using the image sensor and generating image data corresponding to the acquired image; (b) receiving and analyzing the image data in a controller to detect an aim point within the image data based on at least one position of at least one object detected in the acquired image; (c) acquiring a subsequent image of the scene external of the controlled vehicle using the image sensor and generating subsequent image data corresponding to the subsequently acquired image; (d) receiving and analyzing the subsequent image data in the controller to detect a subsequent aim point within the subsequent image data based on at least one position of at least one object detected in the subsequently acquired image; (e) determining whether a position of the detected subsequent aim point has changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change; (f) repeating steps (c) through (e) while tracking a number of sequential times that it is determined in step (e) that a position of the detected subsequent aim point has not changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change; and (g) determining a stability state for the aim of the image sensor based at least in part upon an auto aim stability count corresponding to the number of sequential times that it is determined in step (e) that a position of the detected subsequent aim point has not changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine a stability state for the aim of an image sensor of a controlled vehicle, by executing the steps comprising:
-
(a) acquiring an image of a scene external of a controlled vehicle using the image sensor and generating image data corresponding to the acquired image; (b) receiving and analyzing the image data in the processor to detect an aim point within the image data based on at least one position of at least one object detected in the acquired image; (c) acquiring a subsequent image of the scene external of the controlled vehicle using the image sensor and generating subsequent image data corresponding to the subsequently acquired image; (d) receiving and analyzing the subsequent image data in the processor to detect a subsequent aim point within the subsequent image data based on at least one position of at least one object detected in the subsequently acquired image; (e) determining whether a position of the detected subsequent aim point has changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change; (f) repeating steps (c) through (e) while tracking a number of sequential times that it is determined in step (e) that a position of the detected subsequent aim point has not changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change; and (g) determining a stability state for the aim of the image sensor based at least in part upon an auto aim stability count corresponding to the number of sequential times that it is determined in step (e) that a position of the detected subsequent aim point has not changed from that of the previous aim point so as to cause an auto aim position to change. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification