VEHICLE IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN VEHICLE TAIL LIGHTS AND FLASHING RED STOP LIGHTS

• US 20150049197A1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Liken, Peter A., Pierce, Phillip R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,619,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

An imaging system for a vehicle is provided for distinguishing between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light. The system includes an imager configured to image a forward external scene and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to identify red light sources and to further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period. If the red light source is not detected within a predetermined time period after it is detected, the processor determines that the red light source is a flashing red stop light. Otherwise, if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, the processor determines that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle.

Claims

1. An imaging system for a vehicle, comprising:

an imager configured to image a scene external and forward of the vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and

a processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to identify red light sources and to further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, wherein if the red light source is not detected within a predetermined time period after it is detected, said processor is configured to determine that the red light source is a flashing red stop light, otherwise if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, said processor is configured to determine that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to generate a signal indicating the presence of another vehicle if said processor detects a tail light of the other vehicle.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is about one second.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine that the red light source is a flashing red stop light when it is detected periodically and is not detected within the predetermined time period following a period of detection.

5. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to generate a signal indicating that an illumination level of the exterior lights should be reduced when a brightness of a red flashing stop light exceeds a brightness threshold.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein frames of image data are captured at a predetermined image capture rate and said processor is configured to determine that the red light source is a flashing red stop light when the red light source is not detected within a predetermined number of frames acquired after a frame in which the red light source is detected, wherein the predetermined number of frames corresponds to the predetermined time period multiplied by the predetermined image capture rate.

7. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to generate a control signal that is used to control exterior lights of the vehicle in which the imaging system is used, in response to analysis of the image data.

8. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein said processor is further configured to generate a control signal that is used to set the exterior lights of the vehicle to a low beam state when a detected flashing red stop light reaches a predetermined threshold brightness.

9. A method for distinguishing between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light, comprising:

providing an imager for use in a vehicle;

imaging a scene external and forward of the vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data in a processor to identify red light sources and further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period;

if the red light source is not detected within a predetermined time period after it is detected, determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light; and

otherwise if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, determining that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, and further comprising generating a control signal that is used to control exterior lights of the vehicle in which the imaging system is used in response to analysis of the image data, wherein, when generating a control signal, indicating the presence of another vehicle if a tail light of the other vehicle is detected.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined time period is about one second.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light includes determining whether the red light source is detected periodically and is not detected within the predetermined time period following a period of detection.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the control signal indicates that an illumination level of the exterior lights should be reduced when a brightness of a red flashing stop light exceeds a brightness threshold.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein frames of image data are captured at a predetermined image capture rate and the step of determining whether the red light source is a flashing red stop light includes determining whether the red light source is not detected within a predetermined number of frames acquired after a frame in which the red light source is detected, wherein the predetermined number of frames corresponds to the predetermined time period multiplied by the predetermined image capture rate.

15. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor within a vehicle, cause the processor to distinguish between tail lights of another vehicle and a flashing red stop light, by executing the steps comprising:

controlling an imager to image a scene external and forward of the vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images;

receiving and analyzing the image data in the processor to identify red light sources and further analyze each red light source to determine if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period;

if the red light source is not detected within a predetermined time period after it is detected, determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light; and

otherwise if the red light source is detected for a predetermined time period, determining that the red light source may be a tail light of another vehicle.

16. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the software instructions cause the processor to generate a control signal that is used to control exterior lights of the vehicle in which the imaging system is used, in response to analysis of the image data, and when generating a control signal, to indicate the presence of another vehicle if a tail light of the other vehicle is detected.

17. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the predetermined time period is about one second.

18. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of determining that the red light source is a flashing red stop light includes determining whether the red light source is detected periodically and is not detected within the predetermined time period following a period of detection.

19. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the control signal indicates that an illumination level of the exterior lights should be reduced when a brightness of a red flashing stop light exceeds a brightness threshold.

20. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein frames of image data are captured at a predetermined image capture rate and the step of determining whether the red light source is a flashing red stop light includes determining whether the red light source is not detected within a predetermined number of frames acquired after a frame in which the red light source is detected, wherein the predetermined number of frames corresponds to the predetermined time period multiplied by the predetermined image capture rate.