Method and device for recognising pulsing light sources
First Claim
1. A method for recognising a pulsing light source (7), in which a sequence of individual images is acquired with a camera (2), and gray values of picture points of the individual images are measured with a light sensitive sensor (5) of the camera (2), wherein the sensor (5) comprises an array of photodetectors, wherein further, in an evaluation unit (6), all or at least some of the picture points of each individual image, on account of their gray values, are examined with regard to at least one predefined feature, wherein a given image point is classified as a light source or as a part of a light source depending on whether it displays the at least one feature,wherein for each of the picture points of each of the individual images the gray value of the picture point depends on two or more charge levels (ci, i=1, 2, . . . ) of at least one of the photodetectors corresponding to the picture point at the ends of at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point, wherein the at least two integration intervals for said picture point have different lengths,wherein the charge level of any of the photodetectors at the end of any of the integration intervals is indicative of the amount of illumination incident on the photodetector during the integration interval, a zero value (ci0) of the charge level at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating no illumination during the integration interval and a saturation value (cisat) of the charge level at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating saturation of the photodetector during the integration interval, characterised in thatthe examination with regard to the at least one predefined features comprises an examination of the picture points as to whether the picture points have gray values in a defined vicinity of one of at least one predefined gray value, the at least one predefined gray value being defined as the gray value that any of the picture points attains if the charge levels of the at least one photodetector corresponding to the picture point at the ends of the at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point have either the corresponding zero value or the corresponding saturation value.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and a device for recognizing a pulsing light source, in which a sequence of individual images is acquired with a light sensitive sensor. In an evaluation unit, all or at least some of the picture points of each individual image are examined with regard to at least one predefined feature. A gray value of any picture point depends on two or more charge levels of at least one of the photodetectors of the sensor corresponding to the picture point at the ends of at least two integration intervals for the picture point. The at least two integration intervals for said picture point have different lengths. The examination comprises an examination of the picture points as to whether the picture points have gray values in a defined vicinity of one of at least one predefined gray value.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for recognising a pulsing light source (7), in which a sequence of individual images is acquired with a camera (2), and gray values of picture points of the individual images are measured with a light sensitive sensor (5) of the camera (2), wherein the sensor (5) comprises an array of photodetectors, wherein further, in an evaluation unit (6), all or at least some of the picture points of each individual image, on account of their gray values, are examined with regard to at least one predefined feature, wherein a given image point is classified as a light source or as a part of a light source depending on whether it displays the at least one feature,
wherein for each of the picture points of each of the individual images the gray value of the picture point depends on two or more charge levels (ci, i=1, 2, . . . ) of at least one of the photodetectors corresponding to the picture point at the ends of at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point, wherein the at least two integration intervals for said picture point have different lengths, wherein the charge level of any of the photodetectors at the end of any of the integration intervals is indicative of the amount of illumination incident on the photodetector during the integration interval, a zero value (ci0) of the charge level at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating no illumination during the integration interval and a saturation value (cisat) of the charge level at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating saturation of the photodetector during the integration interval, characterised in that the examination with regard to the at least one predefined features comprises an examination of the picture points as to whether the picture points have gray values in a defined vicinity of one of at least one predefined gray value, the at least one predefined gray value being defined as the gray value that any of the picture points attains if the charge levels of the at least one photodetector corresponding to the picture point at the ends of the at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point have either the corresponding zero value or the corresponding saturation value.
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17. A device for recognising a pulsing light source (7), comprising a camera (2) for acquiring a sequence of individual images, wherein the camera (2) comprises a light-sensitive sensor (5) with an array of photodetectors for measuring gray values of picture points of the individual images, and an evaluation unit (6) which is configured to examine all or at least some of the picture points of each individual image, on account of their gray values, are examined with regard to at least one predefined feature, wherein a given image point is classified as a light source or as a part of a light source depending on whether it displays the at least one feature,
wherein for each of the picture points of each of the individual images the gray value of the picture point depends on two or more charge levels (ci, i=1, 2, . . . ) of at least one of the photodetectors corresponding to the picture point at the ends of at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point, wherein the at least two integration intervals for said picture point have different lengths, wherein the charge level of any of the photodetectors at the end of any of the integration intervals is indicative of the amount of illumination incident on the photodetector during the integration interval, a zero value (ci0) of the charge level at the at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating no illumination during the integration interval and a saturation value (cisat) of the charge level at the end of any of the integration intervals indicating saturation of the photodetector during the integration interval, characterised in that at least one predefined gray value is defined as the gray value that any of the picture points attains if the charge levels of the at least one photodetector corresponding to this picture point at the ends of the at least two integration intervals (i=1, 2 . . . ) for the picture point have either the corresponding zero value or the corresponding saturation value, wherein the examination with regard to the at least one predefined feature comprises an examination of the image regions as to whether the picture points of these image regions comprise gray values in a defined vicinity of one of the at least one predefined gray value of the sensor.
Specification