System and method for adjusting an image capture setting

• US 9,723,274 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US14/290,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/30 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An imaging system and method of a trailer backup assist system is provided and includes a camera having an image sensor. The camera is mounted on the rear of a vehicle and images a target provided on a trailer. A controller is included for adjusting an image capture setting of the camera based on a status input from a vehicle lighting system, image data from the camera, and locational input from a positioning device.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

a rear vehicle camera for imaging a target on a trailer; and

a controller

configured to set a reference point on the target and analyze image data with respect to the reference point to determine whether an adjustment to the image capture setting of the camera is needed;

wherein the controller further determines whether to make the adjustment based on a status input indicating whether a rear vehicle light is activated; and

wherein if the status input indicates that the rear vehicle light is activated, the controller subtracts a predetermined color cast specific to the rear vehicle light from an image captured by the camera.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the image capture setting comprises at least one of a white balance and an exposure of the camera.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein if the status input indicates that the rear vehicle light is activated, the controller performs one of modifying an exposure of each pixel of the image sensor and compensating an image after being captured by the camera.

4. An imaging method comprising the steps of:

using a camera to image a target on a trailer;

providing a controller for;

setting a reference point on the target and analyzing image data with respect to the reference point to determine whether an adjustment to an image capture setting of the camera is needed; and

further determining whether to make the adjustment based on a status input indicating whether a rear vehicle light is activated, wherein if the status input indicates that the rear vehicle light is activated, subtracting a predetermined color cast specific to the rear vehicle light from an image captured by the camera.

5. The imaging method of claim 4, wherein the image capture setting comprises at least one of a white balance and an exposure of the camera.