Vehicle vision system

• US 9,436,880 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bos, Brent J., Schofield, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/153,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• 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 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/31 providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0003 inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 : Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 : Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 : from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 : Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 : of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 : using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor having a forward field of view in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The imaging sensor includes an array of photosensing elements that has groupings of photosensing elements, each grouping having at least three neighboring photosensing elements. At least one photosensing element of each grouping is a red light sensitive photosensing element and at least one other photosensing element of each grouping is a white light sensitive photosensing element. A control may process image data captured by the imaging sensor to determine a taillight of a leading vehicle present in the forward field of view and traveling ahead of and in the same direction as that of the equipped vehicle. The control may process captured image data to determine rate of approach of the equipped vehicle relative to the leading vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

an imaging sensor having a forward field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said imaging sensor comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 262,144 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

wherein said matrix array comprises at least 512 rows of photosensing elements;

wherein said imaging sensor captures frames of image data within said forward field of view of said imaging sensor;

wherein said array of photosensing elements comprises groupings of photosensing elements, each grouping having at least three neighboring photosensing elements;

wherein at least one photosensing element of each grouping comprises a red light sensitive photosensing element and at least one other photosensing element of each grouping comprises a white light sensitive photosensing element;

a control, wherein said control comprises an image processor that processes captured image data to determine a taillight of a leading vehicle present in said forward field of view and traveling ahead of the equipped vehicle in the same direction as that of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines distance between the leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle based, at least in part, on size of the determined taillight in captured frames of image data;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines an angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines a lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to the determined distance to the leading vehicle and the determined angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle and the determined lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle, determines the leading vehicle to be closest to the equipped vehicle as compared to other vehicles present in said forward field of view of said imaging sensor; and

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to said determination of the leading vehicle being closest to the equipped vehicle, is operable to at least in part control a braking system of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control analyzes red light sensitive photosensing elements in determining the taillight of the leading vehicle.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control processes captured image data to determine at least one of (i) intensity of a light source present in said forward field of view and (ii) spectral characteristic of a light source present in said forward field of view.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines that a light source present in said forward field of view is a taillight of the leading vehicle based, at least in part, on the intensity of the light source present in said forward field of view and its spectral characteristic being characteristic of a vehicle taillight.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to at least in part control a system of the equipped vehicle based on a determination of the leading vehicle being closest to the equipped vehicle as compared to other objects present in said forward field of view.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said imaging sensor is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said imaging sensor views through the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said imaging sensor is housed in a housing that is attached at the windshield of the equipped vehicle via a bracket.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to adjust a light beam emitted by a headlamp of the equipped vehicle responsive to processing of image data captured by said imaging sensor.

8. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control adjusts beam light emitted by a headlamp of the equipped vehicle responsive to said control (i) processing captured image data and (ii) identifying a headlamp or taillight of another vehicle present in said forward field of view.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said control adjusts beam light emitted by the headlamp of the equipped vehicle by adjusting between a first beam and a second beam.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to at least in part control a system of the equipped vehicle responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, and wherein said controlled system comprises at least one of (i) a lighting system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a brake system of the equipped vehicle and (iii) a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

11. The vision system of claim 1, comprising another imaging sensor having a forward field of view in a forward direction of travel of the equipped vehicle, wherein said another imaging sensor is spaced from said imaging sensor, and wherein said imaging sensor and said another imaging sensor comprise imaging sensors of a stereoscopic imaging system of the equipped vehicle.

12. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

an imaging sensor having a forward field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said imaging sensor comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 262,144 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

wherein said matrix array comprises at least 512 rows of photosensing elements;

wherein said imaging sensor captures frames of image data within said forward field of view of said imaging sensor;

wherein said array of photosensing elements comprises groupings of photosensing elements, each grouping having at least three neighboring photosensing elements;

wherein at least one photosensing element of each grouping comprises a red light sensitive photosensing element and at least one other photosensing element of each grouping comprises a white light sensitive photosensing element;

a control, wherein said control comprises an image processor that processes captured image data to determine a taillight of a leading vehicle present in said forward field of view and traveling ahead of the equipped vehicle in the same direction as that of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines distance between the leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle based, at least in part, on size of the determined taillight in captured frames of image data;

wherein said imaging sensor is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said imaging sensor views through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said imaging sensor is housed in a housing that is attached at the windshield of the equipped vehicle via a bracket;

wherein said control is operable to at least in part control a system of the equipped vehicle responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, and wherein said controlled system comprises at least one of (i) a lighting system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a brake system of the equipped vehicle and (iii) a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines an angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines a lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to the determined distance to the leading vehicle and the determined angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle and the determined lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle, determines the leading vehicle to be closest to the equipped vehicle as compared to other vehicles present in said forward field of view of said imaging sensor; and

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to said determination of the leading vehicle being closest to the equipped vehicle, is operable to at least in part control a braking system of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein said control analyzes red light sensitive photosensing elements in determining the taillight of the leading vehicle.

14. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

an imaging sensor having a forward field of view in a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said imaging sensor comprises a lens and a CMOS imaging array comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements;

wherein said two-dimensional array of photosensing elements comprises at least 262,144 photosensing elements arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns;

wherein said matrix array comprises at least 512 rows of photosensing elements;

wherein said imaging sensor captures frames of image data within said forward field of view of said imagine sensor;

wherein said array of photosensing elements comprises groupings of photosensing elements, each grouping having at least three neighboring photosensing elements;

wherein at least one photosensing element of each grouping comprises a red light sensitive photosensing element and at least one other photosensing element of each grouping comprises a white light sensitive photosensing element;

a control, wherein said control comprises an image processor that processes captured image data to determine a taillight of a leading vehicle present in said forward field of view and traveling ahead of the equipped vehicle in the same direction as that of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines distance between the leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle based, at least in part, on size of the determined taillight in captured frames of image data;

wherein said imaging sensor is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said imaging sensor views through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said imaging sensor is housed in a housing that is attached at the windshield of the equipped vehicle via a bracket;

wherein said control is operable to at least in part control a system of the equipped vehicle responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, and wherein said controlled system comprises at least one of (i) a lighting system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a brake system of the equipped vehicle and (iii) a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines that a light source present in said forward field of view is a taillight of the leading vehicle based, at least in part, on the intensity of the light source present in said forward field of view and its spectral characteristic being characteristic of a vehicle taillight;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines an angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines a lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to the determined distance to the leading vehicle and the determined angle between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle and the determined lateral position of the leading vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle, determines the leading vehicle to be closest to the equipped vehicle as compared to other vehicles present in said forward field of view of said imaging sensor; and

wherein said control, at least in part responsive to said determination of the leading vehicle being closest to the equipped vehicle, is operable to at least in part control a braking system of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said control analyzes red light sensitive photosensing elements in determining the taillight of the leading vehicle.

16. The vision system of claim 15, wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, is operable to at least in part control an accessory of the equipped vehicle based on a determination of the leading vehicle being closest to the equipped vehicle as compared to other objects present in said forward field of view.

17. The vision system of claim 15, wherein said control, at least in part responsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data, determines distance between the equipped vehicle and the leading vehicle at least in part responsive to position of the determined taillight.