Vehicle sensing system for detecting turn signal indicators

• US 10,380,439 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Biemer, Michael, Boegel, Ruediger
• Primary Examiner(s): Atala, Jamie J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kathleen V
• Application Number:
  US15/695,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20180068191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0001 characterised by position
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. A control, via processing of image data captured by the camera, is operable to detect the presence of a vehicle and a blinking light source in the field of view of the camera. The control, via processing of captured image data, determines an angle of the detected vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle and, responsive to determination of the angle, determines a middle region of an end of the detected vehicle. Responsive to detection of the vehicle and the blinking light source, the vision system is operable to determine whether the detected blinking light source is a left turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle or a right turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle.

Claims

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

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control having an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a vehicle in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, determines an angle of the detected vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the angle and via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, said control determines a middle region of an end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera;

wherein the end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera comprises a front end of the detected vehicle or a rear end of the detected vehicle, whichever is closer to the equipped vehicle and is being viewed by said camera;

wherein said control determines the middle region of the end of the detected vehicle based at least in part on an expected ratio of the end of the detected vehicle to a side of the detected vehicle when viewed at the determined angle;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a blinking light source in the field of view of said camera;

wherein, responsive to detection of a blinking light source, said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle on a road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling based on a characteristic of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold level corresponding to a characteristic of a turn signal indicator of a vehicle; and

wherein, responsive to determination that the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle, and responsive at least in part to determination of the middle region of the end of the detected vehicle, said control determines whether the determined turn signal indicator is a left turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle or a right turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system determines that a detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of another vehicle on the road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling more than one lane away from a lane in which the equipped vehicle is traveling.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera is disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle has a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera is a front end of the detected vehicle.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera is disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle has a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera is a rear end of the detected vehicle.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to determination of the middle region of the end of the detected vehicle, said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, determines whether the determined turn signal indicator is at a left side of the determined middle region of the end of the detected vehicle or at a right side of the determined middle region of the end of the detected vehicle.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on a color of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold color range.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on the rate of flashing of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold rate.

8. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on the location of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold range of locations for another vehicle.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is selected or adjusted responsive to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control determines the middle region of the end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera at least in part responsive to a determined distance to the detected vehicle.

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

a camera disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a field of view forward and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

a control having an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle and in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, determines an angle of the detected vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the angle and via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, said control determines a middle region of a rear end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera;

wherein said control determines the middle region of the rear end of the detected vehicle based at least in part on an expected ratio of the rear end of the detected vehicle to a side of the detected vehicle when viewed at the determined angle;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a blinking light source in the field of view of said camera;

wherein, responsive to detection of a blinking light source, said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle on a road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling based on a characteristic of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold level corresponding to a characteristic of a turn signal indicator of a vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination that the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle, and responsive at least in part to determination of the middle region of the rear end of the detected vehicle, said control determines whether the determined turn signal indicator is a left turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle or a right turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle; and

wherein said vision system determines that the detected blinking light source is a left or right turn signal indicator of another vehicle on the road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling more than one lane away from a lane in which the equipped vehicle is traveling.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on a color of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold color range.

13. The vision system of claim 11, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on the rate of flashing of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold rate.

14. The vision system of claim 11, wherein the threshold level is selected or adjusted responsive to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vision system of claim 11, wherein said control determines the middle region of the rear end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera at least in part responsive to a determined distance to the detected vehicle.

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

a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a field of view rearward and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

a control having an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a trailing vehicle behind the equipped vehicle and in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, determines an angle of the detected vehicle relative to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the angle and via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, said control determines a middle region of a front end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera;

wherein said control determines the middle region of the front end of the detected vehicle based at least in part on an expected ratio of the front end of the detected vehicle to a side of the detected vehicle when viewed at the determined angle;

wherein said control, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said camera, detects presence of a blinking light source in the field of view of said camera;

wherein, responsive to detection of a blinking light source, said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle on a road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling based on a characteristic of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold level corresponding to a characteristic of a turn signal indicator of a vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination that the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle, and responsive at least in part to determination of the middle region of the front end of the detected vehicle, said control determines whether the determined turn signal indicator is a left turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle or a right turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle; and

wherein said vision system determines that the detected blinking light source is a left or right turn signal indicator of another vehicle on the road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling more than one lane away from a lane in which the equipped vehicle is traveling.

17. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on a color of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold color range.

18. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said vision system is operable to determine if the detected blinking light source is a turn signal indicator of the detected vehicle based on the rate of flashing of the detected blinking light source being within a threshold rate.

19. The vision system of claim 16, wherein the threshold level is selected or adjusted responsive to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said control determines the middle region of the front end of the detected vehicle viewed by said camera at least in part responsive to a determined distance to the detected vehicle.