Vehicular monitoring systems using image processing
First Claim
1. A vehicle including a monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
- at least one active pixel camera for obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle; and
a processor coupled to said at least one active pixel camera for determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by said at least one active pixel camera.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Vehicular monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle including at least one active pixel camera for obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle and a processor coupled to the active pixel camera(s) for determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by the active pixel camera(s). The active pixel camera can be arranged in a headliner, roof or ceiling of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, in an A-pillar or B-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, or in a roof, ceiling, B-pillar or C-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle behind a front seat of the vehicle. The determined characteristic can be used to enable optimal control of a reactive component, system or subsystem coupled to the processor. When the reactive component is an airbag assembly including at least one airbag, the processor can be designed to control at least one deployment parameter of the airbag(s).
96 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A vehicle including a monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
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at least one active pixel camera for obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle; and
a processor coupled to said at least one active pixel camera for determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by said at least one active pixel camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for monitoring an environment of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle by means of at least one active pixel camera; and
determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by the at least one active pixel camera. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50)
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18. A vehicle including an arrangement for measuring position of an object in an environment of or about the vehicle, the position-measuring arrangement comprising:
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a light source capable of directing modulated light into the environment;
at least one light-receiving pixel arranged to receive the modulated light after reflection by any objects in the environment; and
a processor for determining the distance between any objects from which the modulated light is reflected and said light source based on the reception of the modulated light by said at least one pixel.
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26. A vehicle including a monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle, the monitoring arrangement comprising:
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an imaging device for obtaining three-dimensional images of the environment; and
a processor embodying a pattern recognition technique for processing the three-dimensional images to determine at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the three-dimensional images obtained by said imaging device.
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35. A vehicle including an arrangement for measuring position of an object in an environment of or about the vehicle, the position-measuring arrangement comprising:
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a light source capable of directing individual pulses of light into the environment;
at least one array of light-receiving pixels arranged to receive light after reflection by any objects in the environment; and
a processor for determining the distance between any objects from which any pulse of light is reflected and said light source based on a difference in time between the emission of a pulse of light by said light source and the reception of light by said at least one array.
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45. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle, the arrangement comprising:
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generating means generating a first signal having a first frequency in a specific radio range;
a wave transmitter arranged to receive the signal and transmit waves toward the objects;
a wave-receiver arranged relative to said wave transmitter for receiving waves transmitted by said wave transmitter after the waves have interacted with an object, said wave receiver being arranged to generate a second signal based on the received waves at the same frequency as said first signal but shifted in phase; and
detecting means for detecting a phase difference between said first and second signals, whereby said phase difference is a measure of a property of the object.
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48. A method for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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generating a first signal having a first frequency in a specific radio range;
directing the first signal to a wave transmitter to cause the wave transmitter to transmit waves toward the objects;
arranging a wave receiver relative to the wave transmitter;
receiving waves transmitted by the wave transmitter at the wave receiver after the waves have interacted with an object;
detecting a phase difference between the first and second signals, the phase difference being a measure of a property of the object.
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Specification