Time to collision using a camera
First Claim
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1. A method of computing a time-to-contact (TTC) of a vehicle with an object in an environment of the vehicle, wherein the object includes a light source, the method performable by a camera connectible to a processor on-board the vehicle, the method comprising:
- capturing, via the camera, a plurality of images of the object;
tracking, by the processor, a spot identified in at least two of the plurality of images, wherein the tracked spot includes light emanating from a light source of another vehicle;
determining, by the processor, a change in brightness of the tracked spot based on a change in respective pixel values of the tracked spot in the at least two of the plurality of images;
determining, by the processor, a change in computed energy of the tracked spot based on a change in aggregate pixel values in at least one image of the at least two of the plurality of images; and
computing, by the processor, the time-to-contact based on the change in brightness of the tracked spot and the change in computed energy of the tracked spot.
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Abstract
Computing a time-to-contact (TTC) of a vehicle with an object. The object includes a light source. The system mountable in the vehicle includes a camera and a processor configured to capture images of the object. The processor is operable to track a spot between the images to produce a tracked spot. The spot includes an image of the light source. The processor is operable to compute time-to-contact (TTC) responsive to changes in brightness of the tracked spot.
5 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of computing a time-to-contact (TTC) of a vehicle with an object in an environment of the vehicle, wherein the object includes a light source, the method performable by a camera connectible to a processor on-board the vehicle, the method comprising:
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capturing, via the camera, a plurality of images of the object; tracking, by the processor, a spot identified in at least two of the plurality of images, wherein the tracked spot includes light emanating from a light source of another vehicle; determining, by the processor, a change in brightness of the tracked spot based on a change in respective pixel values of the tracked spot in the at least two of the plurality of images; determining, by the processor, a change in computed energy of the tracked spot based on a change in aggregate pixel values in at least one image of the at least two of the plurality of images; and computing, by the processor, the time-to-contact based on the change in brightness of the tracked spot and the change in computed energy of the tracked spot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for computing a time-to-contact (TTC) of a vehicle with an object in an environment of the vehicle, wherein the object includes a light source, the system mountable in the vehicle, the system comprising:
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a camera; and a processor configured to; capture from the camera a plurality of images of the object; track a spot identified in at least two of the plurality of images, wherein the tracked spot includes light emanating from a light source of another vehicle; determine a change in brightness of the tracked spot based on a change in respective pixel values of the tracked spot in the at least two of the plurality of images; determine a change in computed energy of the tracked spot based on a change in aggregate pixel values in at least one image of the at least two of the plurality of images; and compute the time-to-contact (TTC) based on the change in brightness of the tracked spot and the change in computed energy of the tracked spot. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification