Vehicle vision system with color correction

• US 9,604,581 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wierich, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Atala, Jamie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US14/356,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20140307095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6027 Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast H04N1/6058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/12 with one sensor only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior rearward field of view. The color camera includes an imaging array of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed at or in front of at least some of the photosensing pixels. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the color camera. Processing of captured image data by the image processor includes utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix. The color correction matrix algorithm may utilize a 3×3 color correction matrix. The color correction algorithm may include a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm that function to determine a color correction for the captured image data.

Claims

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

a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said color camera comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed in front of at least some of said photosensing pixels;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said color camera, wherein processing of captured image data by said image processor comprises utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix;

wherein said color correction algorithm comprises a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm to determine a color correction for the captured image data; and

wherein an output of said color correction matrix algorithm is used as an input to said histogram algorithm and an output of said histogram algorithm is used as an input to said color correction matrix algorithm.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm are repeated until a desired level of color correction is determined.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system includes a light source that comprises a Planckian emitter.

4. The vision system of claim 3, wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm repeatedly operate to migrate a plurality of data points representative of white points through a color room towards a center line of white points along a Planckian locus.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said image processor includes polynomial equations representative of light plots in white illuminated illumination scenarios, and wherein said image processor, responsive to a determination that captured image data is representative of a typical illumination scenario, uses a corresponding polynomial equation to determine a desired point along a polynomial equation without having to interpolate between data points.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said color correction matrix algorithm utilizes a 3×

3 color correction matrix.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said output of said color correction matrix algorithm used as said input to said histogram algorithm and said output of said histogram used as said input to said color correction matrix algorithm comprise a closed image data color control loop algorithm.

8. The vision system of claim 7, wherein said closed image data color control loop algorithm is repeatedly applied until a desired level of color correction is determined.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said closed image data color control loop algorithm operates to migrate the plurality of data point accumulations representative of white points through the color room towards the center line of white points along the Planckian locus.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said color camera is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and has a field of view rearward of the vehicle.

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

a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said color camera comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed in front of at least some of said photosensing pixels;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said color camera, wherein processing of captured image data by said image processor comprises utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix;

wherein said color correction algorithm comprises a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm to determine a color correction for the captured image data;

wherein said vision system includes a light source that comprises a Planckian emitter;

wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm repeatedly operate to migrate a plurality of data points representative of white points through a color room towards a center line of white points along a Planckian locus; and

wherein said histogram algorithm does not use said data points when an RGB component of said data points exceeds a threshold fraction of full scale.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein the threshold fraction of full scale of said RGB component is about ninety percent.

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

a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said color camera comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed in front of at least some of said photosensing pixels;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said color camera, wherein processing of captured image data by said image processor comprises utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix;

wherein said color correction algorithm comprises a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm to determine a color correction for the captured image data;

wherein said vision system includes a light source that comprises a Planckian emitter;

wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm repeatedly operate to migrate a plurality of data points representative of white points through a color room towards a center line of white points along a Planckian locus; and

wherein said histogram algorithm does not use said data points when the RGB components of said data points are substantially similar.

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

a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said color camera comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed in front of at least some of said photosensing pixels;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said color camera, wherein processing of captured image data by said image processor comprises utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix;

wherein said color correction algorithm comprises a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm to determine a color correction for the captured image data;

wherein an output of said color correction matrix algorithm is used as an input to said histogram algorithm and an output of said histogram algorithm is used as an input to said color correction matrix algorithm; and

wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm are repeatedly applied until a desired level of color correction is determined.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said histogram algorithm does not use said points when an RGB component of said points exceeds a threshold fraction of full scale.

16. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm repeatedly operate to migrate a plurality of data points representative of white points through a color room towards a center line of white points along a Planckian locus.

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

a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and rearward of the vehicle, wherein said color camera comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed in front of at least some of said photosensing pixels;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said color camera, wherein processing of captured image data by said image processor comprises utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix;

wherein said color correction algorithm comprises a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm to determine a color correction for the captured image data;

wherein said vision system includes a light source that comprises a Planckian emitter;

wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm operate to migrate a plurality of data points representative of white points towards white points along a Planckian locus; and

wherein at least one of (i) said histogram algorithm does not use said data points when an RGB component of said data points exceeds a threshold fraction of full scale and (ii) said histogram algorithm does not use said data points when the RGB components of said data points are substantially equal.

18. The vision system of claim 17, wherein said color correction matrix algorithm and said histogram algorithm are repeatedly applied until a desired level of color correction is determined.