Arrangement and method for recognizing road signs

• US 9,536,156 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wey, Torsten, Doerne, Gerald, Gunia, Dirk, Roeber, Marc, Schlaug, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/260,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20140300741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/904, 340/905, 340/908, 340/933, 340/936, 340/937, 340/939, 340/995.13, 340/995.27, 701/1, 701116-119, 701/414, 701/423, 701/426, 701/429, 701/432
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

Various embodiment include a system and a method for recognizing road signs. An image of a road sign may be captured by least one image sensor. A vehicle computer may receive the image data representing one or more road signs along a route and display one or more images of the road sign based on the image data. The display may be capable of presenting one or more status of the road sign based on one or more travel states for the vehicle. These travel states may include at least one of an amount of elapsed travel time, distance travelled, or speed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle image-sensor configured to capture road sign images along a route; and

a vehicle-based computer, in communication with multiple displays, configured to;

receive the captured road sign images;

simultaneously display the road sign images on different of the displays;

select one of;

distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time; and

diminish intensity of the displayed images independently, corresponding to the selected one of distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle image sensor is a front-mounted camera.

3. A computer-implemented method comprising:

capturing road sign images using a vehicle image-sensor;

receiving the captured road sign images;

simultaneously displaying, using a vehicle computer, the road sign images on different vehicle displays;

selecting one of;

distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time; and

diminishing intensity of the displayed images independently, corresponding to the selected one of distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the vehicle image sensor is a front-mounted camera.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a vehicle computer, cause the computer to execute a method comprising:

capturing road sign images using a vehicle image-sensor;

receiving the captured road sign images;

simultaneously displaying the road sign images on different vehicle displays;

selecting one of;

distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time; and

diminishing intensity of the displayed images independently, corresponding to the selected one of distance travelled, vehicle speed and elapsed travel time.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the vehicle image sensor is a front-mounted camera.