Automatic vehicle equipment monitoring, warning, and control system

• US 9,230,183 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bechtel, Jon H., Andrus, Jeremy C., Bush, Gregory S., Wright, David J., Schneider, Jim L., Sherman, Tom B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/897,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/435, 340/903, 348/148, 348/149, 348/208.4, 348/302, 348/294, 348/311, 348/308, 348/297, 250/214.R, 250/208.1, 382/106, 382/167, 382/162, 382/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• 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: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An automatic vehicle equipment control system and methods thereof are provided, the system includes at least one imager configured to acquire a continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, a processor, a color spectral filter array including a plurality of color filters, at least a portion of which are different colors, and pixels of an imager pixel array being in optical communication with substantially one spectral color filter, and a lens, wherein the imager is configured to capture a non-saturated image of nearby oncoming headlamps and at least one of a diffuse lane marking and a distant tail lamp in one image frame of the continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and the system configured to detect at least one of said highway markings and said tail lamps, and quantify light from the oncoming headlamp from data in the one image frame.

Claims

1. An automatic vehicle equipment control system comprising:

at least one imager configured to acquire a continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and said at least one imager comprising a pixel array;

a color spectral filter array in optical communication with said at least one imager, said color spectral filter array comprising a plurality of color filters, at least a portion of which are different colors, and each said pixel being in optical communication with substantially one said spectral color filter;

a lens in optical communication with said at least one imager and said color spectral filter array; and

a processor in communication with said at least one imager, said processor being configured to analyze said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images to detect any AC light sources and any DC light sources in said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, wherein said processor generates a control signal that is used to control vehicle equipment in response to analysis of said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and wherein said processor is configured to respond differently to detection of an AC light source than to the detection of a DC light source,

wherein said at least one imager is configured to have a sampling image repetition period that is longer than that of a flicker cycle period of said AC light source.

2. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to enhance a detection of yellow in said image, such that yellow lane markers in said image are detected.

3. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said imager is configured to capture a non-saturated image of nearby oncoming headlamps and at least one of a diffuse lane marking and a distant tail lamp in one image frame of said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images.

4. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said imager is configured to have a frame rate of approximately 20 to 25 frames per second.

5. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 4, wherein said frame rate is such that an AC light source operating at both approximately 60 Hz and 50 Hz is detectable.

6. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said imager is configured to have a non-harmonic frequency frame rate with respect to an AC light source.

9. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one imager is configured for use in at least one system comprising lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, traffic sign recognition, automatic headlamp control, pedestrian detection, occupant identification, drowsiness detection, smart airbag deployment, vehicle theft identification, drive-by wire, and blind spot detection.

11. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to detect lane markers, such that said colored spectral filter array comprising at least one blue filter, at least one green filter, and at least one red filter, wherein a low blue pixel value relative to a green pixel value and a red pixel value indicates a detection of a yellow lane marker.

12. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to adjust a color detection criteria based upon light conditions.

13. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to determine that a selected pixel is yellow when color ratios of various color component values for said pixel with respect to other selected color component values for the same said pixel are within a predetermined range.

14. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 12, wherein said light conditions comprise one of direct sunlight, shaded area, and a headlamp.

15. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to detect a cloud type based upon said image of the sky as a function of at least one of color, pixel intensity, and spatial variation in pixel intensity.

16. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to utilize colors of pixels from images of lane markings to adjust color detection thresholds to increase inclusion of such colors.

17. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to automatically select a color conversion algorithm based upon at least one of whether image data is being displayed, automatic vehicle exterior light control, lane detection, lane tracking, lane keeping, and blind spot warning.

18. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to process said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images and to use color information from pixels of said pixel array to enhance yellow colored features in said high dynamic range images to detect yellow lane markers.

19. The automatic vehicle equipment control system of claim 1, wherein the control signal generated by said processor is an external light control signal that is used to control external lights of the vehicle.

7. A automatic vehicle equipment control system comprising:

at least one imager configured to acquire a continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and said at least one imager comprising a pixel array;

a color spectral filter array in optical communication with said at least one imager, said color spectral filter array comprising a plurality of color filters, at least portion of which are different colors, and each said pixel being in a optical communication with substantially one said spectral color filter;

a lens in optical communication with said at least one imager and said color spectral filter array; and

a processor in communication with said at least one imager, said processor being configured to detect an AC light source in said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images,

wherein said at least one imager is configured to have a sampling image repetition period that is longer than that of a flicker cycle period of said AC light source,

wherein said imager is configured to have a non-harmonic frequency frame rate with respect to an AC light source, and

wherein said non-harmonic frequency frame rate is a beat pattern in which a signal for a sub-sampled flicker frequency oscillates at a rate approximately equal to one half of said frame rate and a phase of said signal is inverted during each beat frequency half cycle phase reversal period.

8. An automatic vehicle equipment control system comprising:

at least one imager configured to acquire a continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and said at least one imager comprising a pixel array;

a color spectral filter array in optical communication with said at least one imager, said color spectral filter array comprising a plurality of color filters, at least a portion of which are different colors, and each said pixel being in optical communication with substantially one said spectral color filter;

a lens in optical communication with said at least one imager and said color spectral filter array; and

a processor in communication with said at least one imager, said processor being configured to detect an AC light source in said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images,

wherein said at least one imager is configured to have a sampling image repetition period that is longer than that of a flicker cycle period of said AC light source, and

wherein said imager is configured to have a beat frequency frame rate with respect to an AC light source, such that a repetition rate of image acquisition for said beat frequency is approximately half a cycle period that is approximately two image acquisition periods so that during said beat frequency half cycle period, a phase of an alternating acquisition pattern shifts by approximately 180 degrees relative to a flicker cycle.

10. An automatic vehicle equipment control system comprising:

at least one imager configured to acquire a continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images, and said at least one imager comprising a pixel array;

a color spectral filter array in optical communication with said at least one imager, said color spectral filter array comprising a plurality of color filters, at least a portion of which are different colors, and each said pixel being optical communication with substantially one said spectral color filter;

a lens in optical communication with said at least one imager and said color spectral filter array; and

a processor in communication with said at least one imager, said processor being configured to detect an AC light source in said continuous sequence of high dynamic range single frame images,

wherein said at least one imager is configured to have a sampling image repetition period that is longer than that of a flicker cycle period of said AC light source, and

wherein said processor is further configured to detect a plurality of lane markers in said image, and determine a change ratio of lane marker curvature to detect additional lane markers.