SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING RELEVANT TRAFFIC LIGHTS

• US 20150210278A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobilEye Vision Technologies Ltd. (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MobilEye Vision Technologies Ltd. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Bagon, Eyal, Taieb, Yoav, Ben Shalom, Itai
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4042 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/806 Relative heading
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00276 : for two or more other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 : Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 : using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 : using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30256 : Lane; Road marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 : Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 : of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 : of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 : Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 : Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a system includes at least one image capture device configured to acquire at least one image of an area forward of the vehicle. The area includes a plurality of traffic lamp fixtures each including at least one traffic light. The system further includes at least one processing device configured to use at least one indicator of vehicle position, as determined from the at least one acquired image, to determine a relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures. The at least one processing device may determine, based on the at least one acquired image, a status of a traffic light included in at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle, and cause a system response based on the determined status.

Claims

1. A traffic light detection system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one image capture device configured to acquire at least one image of an area forward of the vehicle, the area including a plurality of traffic lamp fixtures each including at least one traffic light;

a data interface; and

at least one processing device configured to;

receive the at least one acquired image via the data interface;

use at least one indicator of vehicle position, as determined from the at least one acquired image, to determine a relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures;

determine, based on the at least one acquired image, a status of a traffic light included in at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle; and

cause a system response based on the determined status.

2. The traffic light detection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicator of vehicle position includes a lane marker recognized based on analysis of the at least one image.

3. The traffic light detection system of claim 1, wherein determining the status of the traffic light includes any of determining a location of the traffic light within a relevant traffic lamp fixture, determining whether the traffic light is illuminated, determining a color of the traffic light, and determining whether the traffic light includes an arrow.

4. The traffic light detection system of claim 1, wherein the system response includes any of providing a warning to the driver of the vehicle, applying vehicle brakes, and discontinuing cruise control.

5. The traffic light detection system of claim 1, wherein the relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures includes an indication of an orientation of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures with respect to the vehicle.

6. The traffic light detection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle is facing a front portion of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle, comprising:

a body;

at least one image capture device configured to acquire at least one image of an area forward of the vehicle, the area including a plurality of traffic lamp fixtures each including at least one traffic light;

a data interface; and

at least one processing device configured to;

receive the at least one acquired image via the data interface;

use at least one indicator of vehicle position, as determined from the at least one acquired image, to determine a relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures;

determine, based on the at least one acquired image, a status of a traffic light included in at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle; and

cause a system response based on the determined status.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the at least one indicator of vehicle position includes a lane marker recognized based on analysis of the at least one image.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein determining the status of the traffic light includes any of determining a location of the traffic light within a relevant traffic lamp fixture, determining whether the traffic light is illuminated, determining a color of the traffic light, and determining whether the traffic light includes an arrow.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the system response includes any of providing a warning to the driver of the vehicle, applying vehicle brakes, and discontinuing cruise control.

11. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures includes an indication of an orientation of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures with respect to the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle is facing a front portion of the vehicle.

13. A method for traffic light detection, the method comprising:

acquiring, via at least one image capture device, at least one image of an area forward of a vehicle, the area including a plurality of traffic lamp fixtures each including at least one traffic light;

using at least one indicator of vehicle position, as determined from the at least one acquired image, to determine a relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures;

determining, based on the at least one acquired image, a status of a traffic light included in at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle; and

causing a system response based on the determined status.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicator of vehicle position includes a lane marker recognized based on analysis of the at least one image.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the status of the traffic light includes any of determining a location of the traffic light within a relevant traffic lamp fixture, determining whether the traffic light is illuminated, determining a color of the traffic light, and determining whether the traffic light includes an arrow.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the system response includes any of providing a warning to the driver of the vehicle, applying vehicle brakes, and discontinuing cruise control.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures includes an indication of an orientation of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures with respect to the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle is facing a front portion of the vehicle.