Vehicle imaging system and method for distinguishing between vehicle tail lights and flashing red stop lights
First Claim
1. An imaging system for a vehicle, comprising:
- an imager configured to acquire one or more images of a scene external and forward of the vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the one or more acquired images; and
a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to detect one or more red light sources and to further analyze each detected red light source to determine if each respective red light source is detected for a predetermined time period,based on a determination that the respective red light source is not detected for the predetermined time period, the processor is further configured to;
(i) determine that the respective red light source is a flashing red stop light, and (ii) generate a signal indicating that an illumination level of exterior lights of the vehicle should be reduced when a brightness of the flashing red stop light exceeds a brightness threshold regardless of an absence of any other vehicles in the imaged scene.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system for a vehicle is provided for distinguishing between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light. The system includes an imager configured to image a forward external scene and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to identify red light sources and to further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period. If the red light source is not detected within a predetermined time period after it is detected, the processor determines that the red light source is a flashing red stop light. Otherwise, if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, the processor determines that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle.
212 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An imaging system for a vehicle, comprising:
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an imager configured to acquire one or more images of a scene external and forward of the vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the one or more acquired images; and a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to detect one or more red light sources and to further analyze each detected red light source to determine if each respective red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, based on a determination that the respective red light source is not detected for the predetermined time period, the processor is further configured to;
(i) determine that the respective red light source is a flashing red stop light, and (ii) generate a signal indicating that an illumination level of exterior lights of the vehicle should be reduced when a brightness of the flashing red stop light exceeds a brightness threshold regardless of an absence of any other vehicles in the imaged scene. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 17, 19)
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6. A method for distinguishing between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light, comprising:
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providing an imager for use in a vehicle; imaging a scene external and forward of the vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images; receiving and analyzing the image data in a processor to identify red light sources and further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period; if the red light source is not detected within the predetermined time period, determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light and generating a signal indicating that an illumination level of the exterior lights should be reduced when a brightness of the flashing red stop light exceeds a brightness threshold regardless of an absence of any other vehicles in the imaged scene; and otherwise if the red light source is detected for the predetermined time period, determining that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 18)
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11. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor within a vehicle, cause the processor to distinguish between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light, by executing the steps comprising:
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controlling an imager to image a scene external and forward of the vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images; receiving and analyzing the image data in the processor to identify red light sources and further analyzing each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period; if the red light source is not detected within the predetermined time period, determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light and generating a signal that indicates that an illumination level of the exterior lights should be reduced when a brightness of the flashing red stop light exceeds a brightness threshold regardless of an absence of any other vehicles in the imaged scene; and otherwise if the red light source is detected for the predetermined time period, determining that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification