Method and device for detecting a braking situation

• US 9,827,956 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2012
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Foltin, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/363,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method for detecting a braking situation of a vehicle located on a traffic route, which has a task of ascertaining a red component of at least one image area of an image which depicts at least one section of the traffic route, and includes a task of determining the braking situation based on the red component.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by processing circuitry of a first vehicle, an image of a route in front of the first vehicle in which a second vehicle is located in columnar line with, and between, the first vehicle and a third vehicle, which is not imaged in the obtained image;

processing, by the processing circuitry, the obtained image to ascertain a red component within the image, which red component does not include lighted braking lights;

identifying the ascertained red component, by the processing circuitry, as a reflection of light from a braking light of the third vehicle that is not imaged in the obtained image; and

the processing circuitry at least one of outputting a warning and controlling a motion of the first vehicle in response to the identification of the reflection of the light from the braking light of the third vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the red component identified as the reflection is in an area of the image that depicts a roadway surface of the route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the red component identified as the reflection is in an area of the image that depicts a barrier at a side of a roadway of the route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the red component is ascertained as at least one of an absolute red component and a relative red component of the image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining an additional red component within an additional image of the route at a different time than that to which the image corresponds, wherein the identifying of the red component as the reflection of light from the braking light of the third vehicle is based on the red component and the additional red component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying is based on a determination that the red component exceeds a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising setting the threshold value as a function of an environmental condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying includes comparing the red component to each of a plurality of threshold values.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle, which blocks the third vehicle from being imaged in the image, is imaged in the image.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, based on another red component, identifying, by the processing circuitry, a braking by the second vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the red component identified as the reflection is in an area of the image that depicts a side of a body of a fourth vehicle in a lane of a roadway of the route that is adjacent to a lane of the first, second, and third vehicles, the side of the body of the fourth vehicle not including any brake lights.

12. A device comprising:

an imaging device of a first vehicle; and

processing circuitry of the first vehicle that is in communication with the imaging device, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to;

obtain from the imaging device an image of a route in front of the first vehicle in which a second vehicle is located in columnar line with, and between, the first vehicle and a third vehicle, which is not imaged in the obtained image;

process the obtained image to ascertain a red component within the image, which red component does not include lighted braking lights;

identify the ascertained red component as a reflection of light from a braking light of the third vehicle that is not imaged in the obtained image; and

at least one of output a warning and control a motion of the first vehicle in response to the identification of the reflection of the light from the braking light of the third vehicle.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program that is executable by a processor of a first vehicle, and, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

obtaining, from an imaging device of the first vehicle, an image of a route in front of the first vehicle in which a second vehicle is located in columnar line with, and between, the first vehicle and a third vehicle, which is not imaged in the obtained image;

processing the obtained image to ascertain a red component within the image, which red component does not include lighted braking lights;

identifying the ascertained red component as a reflection of light from a braking light of the third vehicle that is not imaged in the obtained image; and

at least one of outputting a warning and controlling a motion of the first vehicle in response to the identification of the reflection of the light from the braking light of the third vehicle.