Systems and methods for traffic event detection for vehicles using rolling averages
First Claim
1. A sensor assembly, comprising:
- a sensor, the sensor being adapted to be attached to an extendable support and configured to generate an image stream of an area in front of the vehicle for automated traffic event detection; and
control logic, connected to the sensor, the control logic being configured to;
automatically analyze the image stream, anddetect a traffic event in front of the vehicle based on a comparison of rolling averages generated based on at least two sets of images from the image stream wherein the rolling averages comprise at least a short-term rolling average based on a short-term image set and a long-term rolling average based on a long-term image set, and the long-term rolling average is generated by dividing a sum of red color content for matching pixels in the long-term image set by the number of images contained in the long-term image set, andwherein the detecting a traffic event comprises detecting whether the short-term rolling average plus a selected threshold exceeds the long-term rolling average and detecting a change in average red-color intensity in the short-term rolling average compared to the long-term rolling average.
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Abstract
Platforms and techniques are described in which a traffic event detection system includes a camera connected to a CPU in a vehicle. The camera is mounted on an extendable support, and captures images in front of the vehicle at a height generally above that of vehicles that may be ahead of the subject vehicle. The CPU can analyze those images for sudden change in traffic pattern based on a change in red color content of the image stream, and can warn the driver with an alert if the cars in front of him or her brake suddenly, or other traffic events occur. In implementations, short-term and long-term signal averages can be used to reduce false positive signals, and increase overall accuracy of traffic detection processing. In embodiments, the system can apply a timer to determine if potential hazards continue to be detected, and generated louder alarms or other graduated alerts.
5 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly, comprising:
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a sensor, the sensor being adapted to be attached to an extendable support and configured to generate an image stream of an area in front of the vehicle for automated traffic event detection; and control logic, connected to the sensor, the control logic being configured to; automatically analyze the image stream, and detect a traffic event in front of the vehicle based on a comparison of rolling averages generated based on at least two sets of images from the image stream wherein the rolling averages comprise at least a short-term rolling average based on a short-term image set and a long-term rolling average based on a long-term image set, and the long-term rolling average is generated by dividing a sum of red color content for matching pixels in the long-term image set by the number of images contained in the long-term image set, and wherein the detecting a traffic event comprises detecting whether the short-term rolling average plus a selected threshold exceeds the long-term rolling average and detecting a change in average red-color intensity in the short-term rolling average compared to the long-term rolling average. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of automatically detecting traffic events, comprising:
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automatically analyzing an image stream of an area in front of a vehicle generated by at least one sensor, and detecting a traffic event in front of the vehicle based on a comparison of rolling averages generated based on at least two sets of images from the image stream, wherein the detecting a traffic event comprises detecting a change in average red-color intensity in the short-term rolling average compared to the long-term rolling average, and wherein the rolling averages comprise at least a short-term rolling average based on a short-term image set and a long-term rolling average based on a long-term image set, and the long-term rolling average is generated by dividing a sum of red color content for matching pixels in the long-term image set by the number of images contained in the long-term image set, and wherein the detecting a traffic event comprises detecting whether the short-term rolling average plus a selected threshold exceeds the long-term rolling average. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification