Detection device of vehicle interior condition

• US 20070176402A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Monji, Tatsuhiko, Furusawa, Isao, Irie, Kota
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A detection system of vehicle interior condition including an illumination unit for illuminating a plurality of mutually different illumination regions including at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof so as to have different illumination time durations shifted by a predetermined time, an imaging unit for photographing an occupant and/or an object on the seat upon each illumination of the illumination unit, and a control processor for comparing a plurality of images photographed by the imaging unit and also for generating information indicative of a condition of the occupant and/or the object on the basis of a comparison result of the image comparator.

Claims

1. A detection system of vehicle interior condition comprising:

an illumination unit for illuminating a plurality of mutually different illumination regions including at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof at different timings during a predetermined period;

an imaging unit for photographing an occupant and/or an object on said seat upon each illumination of said illumination unit; and

a control unit having an image comparator for comparing a plurality of images photographed by said imaging unit and also having an information generator for generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant and/or said object on the basis of a comparison result of said image comparator.

2. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said illumination unit is arranged so as to illuminate the seat of the vehicle from an upper side.

3. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said illumination units are mounted on a ceiling of the vehicle in rows at both sides thereof above a driver'"'"'s seat and/or an assistant driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, and illumination angles of the illumination units are adjusted so that the illumination units illuminate the driver'"'"'s seat and/or the assistant driver'"'"'s seat.

4. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said illumination units are positioned to be parallel to a vehicle proceeding direction.

5. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said illumination units are mounted on the ceiling of the vehicle at upper forward parts of the driver'"'"'s seat and/or the assistant driver'"'"'s seat to photograph any one of at least a headrest, a seat back, and an airbag unit of the driver'"'"'s seat and/or the assistant driver'"'"'s seat.

6. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said control unit has an output section for sending a signal based on the information generated by said information generator to at least one of an airbag control unit, a seat belt tension control unit, and a traction control unit.

7. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said image comparator compares a plurality of said images with respect to the quantity of reflected light and/or a shading distribution of said illumination unit.

8. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said information generator generates information indicative of a condition of said occupant and/or said object through template matching of said images.

9. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 8, wherein said information generator normalizes the size of a template for said template matching on the basis of distance information about said occupant and/or said object.

10. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 8, wherein said information generator calculates a gravity coordinate of a head part of said occupant through the template matching, determines said occupant'"'"'s attitude and/or height on the basis of said gravity coordinate, and generates information indicative of a condition of said occupant on the basis of the occupant'"'"'s attitude and/or height.

11. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 8, wherein said information generator extracts end edges of left and right shoulder of said occupant through the template matching, calculates a shoulder width of said occupant on the basis of the end edges, and generates information indicative of a condition of said occupant.

12. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said imaging unit is a stereo camera.

13. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 12, wherein said control unit has an image processor for dividing said image for each distance from a photographing target detected by said stereo camera, and generates information indicative of a condition of said occupant and/or said object on the basis of division images of the image.

14. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said imaging unit photographs an occupant and/or an object in front and rear seats.

15. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein said illumination unit is built in a map lamp provided in an interior of the vehicle.

16. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein stoppage or start of condition detecting operation is controlled on the basis of a door locking/unlocking signal of said vehicle.

17. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein the presence or absence of the occupant or occupant'"'"'s figure is detected by photographing the vehicle interior to get an image before the occupant rids in the vehicle, storing said image in a memory device, and comparing said image with an image photographed after the occupant rides in the vehicle.

18. A detection system of vehicle interior condition according to claim 1, wherein, when the system fails to detect a vehicle velocity signal in a predetermined time, the system stops its operation, and when detecting the vehicle velocity signal thereafter, the system starts its operation.

19. A detection device of vehicle interior condition comprising:

an input unit for receiving a signal from an imaging unit which illuminates a plurality of mutually different illumination regions including at least one seat of a vehicle and a surrounding region thereof at different timings during a predetermined period, and also for receiving a signal a signal from an imaging unit which photographs an occupant and/or an object on said seat upon each illumination of said illumination unit;

an image comparator for comparing a plurality of said images photographed by said imaging unit;

an information generator for generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant and/or said object on the basis of a comparison result of said image comparator; and

an output unit for issuing the information generated by said information generator.

20. A detection method of vehicle interior condition comprising the steps of:

illuminating a plurality of mutually different illumination regions including at least one seat of a vehicle and/or a surrounding region thereof at different timings during a predetermined period;

photographing the occupant and/or the object on said seat upon each illumination;

comparing a plurality of said photographed images; and

generating information indicative of a condition of said occupant and/or said object on the basis of a comparison result of said comparison step.