Imaging system and method for detecting a bright city condition

• US 9,398,270 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Liken, Peter A., Pierce, Phillip R., Redder, Troy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aynalem, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US14/095,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/77, 382/104, 362/465
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An imaging system and method is provided that generates image data. A processor is configured to process the image data and to generate a signal in response to analysis of the image data and a selected mode of operation. The processor selects either a village mode or a non-village mode as a mode of operation depending on whether at least one characteristic in the image data meets village detect conditions. The processor monitors an ambient light level over a period of time and modifies the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

an image sensor configured to acquire one or more images of a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the one or more acquired images; and

a processor configured to;

receive the image data;

analyze the image data to detect an ambient light level in the image data and select a village mode as a mode of operation when the ambient light level meets village detect conditions, wherein selection of the village mode disables the use of high beams in the controlled vehicle;

monitor the ambient light level over a period of time;

based on the monitoring, modify the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level; and

based on the modification of the village detect conditions, select a non-village mode as a mode of operation, the non-village mode enabling the automatic use of high beams in areas that would have met village detect conditions absent modification thereof.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the selection of the non-village mode, continue to receive and analyze image data in order to determine whether to select the village mode or continue in the non-village mode.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ambient light level must reach the threshold within a selected time period.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein modification to the village detect conditions comprises changing the threshold.

5. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a signal based on the analysis of the image data and the selected mode of operation, and wherein the signal is used to directly or indirectly control exterior lights of the controlled vehicle.

16. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with a state of mesopic vision or a state of near photopic vision.

6. An imaging method, comprising the steps of:

providing an image sensor for acquiring one or more images of a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the one or more acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data in a processor to detect an ambient light level in the image data;

selecting a village mode as the mode of operation if the ambient light level meets village detect conditions, wherein selection of the village mode disables the use of high beams in the controlled vehicle;

monitoring the ambient light level over a period of time;

based on the monitoring, modifying the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level; and

based on the modification of the village detect conditions, select a non-village mode as a mode of operation, the non-village mode enabling the automatic use of high beams in areas that would have village detect conditions absent modification thereof.

7. The imaging method of claim 6, wherein the ambient light level must reach the threshold within a selected time period.

8. The imaging method of claim 6, wherein the step of modifying further comprises changing the threshold.

9. The imaging method of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a signal based on the analysis of the image data and the selected mode of operation, and wherein the signal is used to directly or indirectly control the exterior lights of the controlled vehicle.

14. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the selection of a non-village mode, continue to receive and analyze image data in order to determine whether to select the village mode or continue in the non-village mode.

17. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with a state of mesopic vision or a state of near photopic vision.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions executed by a processor, the software instructions comprising the steps of:

acquiring one or more images of a scene external and forward of a controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data to detect an ambient light level in the image data;

selecting a village mode as the mode of operation if the ambient light level meets village detect conditions, wherein selection of the village mode disables the use of high beams in the controlled vehicle;

monitoring the ambient light level over a period of time;

based on the monitoring, modifying the village detect conditions when the ambient light level reaches a threshold that indicates that the driver'"'"'s eyes have adapted to a bright ambient light level;

based on the modification of the village detect conditions selecting a non-village mode as a mode of operation, the non-village mode enabling the automatic use of high beams in areas that would have met village detect conditions absent modification thereof.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the ambient light level must reach the threshold within a selected time period.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the step of modifying comprises changing the threshold.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a signal based on the analysis of the image data and the selected mode of operation, wherein the signal is used to directly or indirectly control exterior lights of the controlled vehicle.

15. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the selection of a non-village mode, continue to receive and analyze image data in order to determine whether to select the village mode or continue in the non-village mode.

18. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the bright ambient light level is associated with a state of mesopic vision or a state of near photopic vision.