Apparatus and method for detecting driver's dazzling and system and method for blocking dazzling using the same

• US 9,180,756 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Byoung Joon, Jung, Ho Choul, Kim, Sam Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz Criado, Jorge L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kwon, Yong Joon
• Application Number:
  US13/486,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/00 Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens optical viewing arrangements for vehicles B60R1/00; Sun visors for vehicles sun visors having appliances for storing or holding personal property B60R7/05
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness

Abstract

A technique for detecting whether dazzling is affecting the drivers driving ability when the eye area is included in the area to which the direct sunlight is incident is provided. More particularly of the technique detects a facial area and an eye area of a driver'"'"'s image, and an area to which direct sunlight is incident in the facial area, and then determines whether dazzling is effecting the drivers driving ability when the eye area is included in the area to which the direct sunlight is incident to detect a direction of incidence of the direct sunlight and then, automatically blocks the direct sunlight in the direction to which light is incident via a blocking apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for blocking dazzling, comprising:

detecting, by a dazzling detector, a facial area and an eye area of a driver'"'"'s facial image;

detecting, by the dazzling detector, an incident area to which direct sunlight is incident in the facial area;

determining, by the dazzling detector, whether dazzling is affecting the driver'"'"'s driving ability when the eye area is included in the area to which the direct sunlight is incident;

recognizing, by an incident area shape recognizer, a shape of the incident area;

detecting, by an incident direction detector, an incident direction based on a shape of the recognized incident area and the detected facial area, wherein the detecting of the incident direction includes;

approximating, by a boundary line approximator, a boundary line between the shape of the recognized incident area and the detected facial area to a straight line;

determining, by a slope determiner, the incident direction of the direct sunlight by calculating a slope of the straight line; and

operating and adjusting, by a blocking apparatus driver, a blocking apparatus to block direct sunlight from the detected incident direction,

wherein the determining of the incident direction includes;

determining the incident direction as lateral incidence when the slope of the straight line satisfies a vertical range,

determining the incident direction as front incidence when the slope of the straight line satisfies a horizontal range, and

determining the incident direction as lateral and front incidence in cases other than the first and second determination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the dazzling includes:

photographing, by an image photographer, a driver'"'"'s facial image;

detecting, by an eye area detector, an eye area of the driver'"'"'s facial image;

detecting, by a facial area detector, a facial area of the driver'"'"'s facial image;

detecting, by an incident area detector, an incident area to which direct sunlight is incident in the facial area; and

determining, by a dazzling detector, whether dazzling is affecting the drivers driving ability when the eye area is included in the area to which the direct sunlight is incident.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the detecting of the incident area includes:

applying, by an area binarizer, a threshold value to the detected facial area to represent the facial area as black or white;

sorting, by an area sorter, the binarized facial area into a black area and a white area; and

detecting, by an incident area detector, the sorted white area as the incident area.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the binarizing includes:

representing the facial area as white when brightness of each pixel within the facial area exceeds the threshold value; and

representing the facial area as black when the brightness thereof does not exceeds the threshold value.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the driving of the blocking apparatus drives the blocking apparatus when an exposure value of the image photographer does not exceed a first reference value.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the driving of the blocking apparatus does not drive the blocking apparatus when the incident area detected by the incident area detector includes the facial area detected by the facial area detector of a second reference value or more.