Apparatus for detecting the presence of an occupant in a motor vehicle

• US 6,757,009 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1997
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Matthies, Larry, Simon, Marc R., Kemeny, Sabrina Elizabeth, Janutka, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Application Number:
  US08/872,836
• Time in Patent Office: 2,575 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148, 348/42, 348/43, 348/46, 348/47, 348/153, 348/159, 382/100, 382/101, 382/41, 280/735
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A motor vehicle control system includes a pair of cameras for producing first and second images of a passenger area. A distance processor determines distances that a plurality of features in the first and second images are from the cameras based on the amount that each feature is shifted between the first and second images. An analyzer processed the distances and determine a size of an object on the seat. Additional analysis of the distance also may determine movement of the object and the rate of that movement. The distance information also can be used to recognize predefined patterns in the images and thus identify the object. A mechanism utilizes the determined object characteristics in controlling operation of a device, such as deployment of an air bag.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic object detection system for sensing and categorizing objects present on a seat of a motor vehicle, the stereoscopic object detection system comprising:

a camera assembly for producing first and second images of the seat in which image features are shifted between the first and second images by an amount corresponding to distances the image features are from the camera assembly;

an image analyzer coupled to the camera assembly and processing the first and second images to determine presence of an object on the seat, and to determine a size of the object in response to a given amount that the object is shifted between the first and second images; and

an output device coupled to the image analyzer and producing a signal in an event that the presence of an object on the seat is detected, wherein the signal indicates the size of the object on the seat.

2. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 wherein the camera assembly comprise an image sensor in which segments of the first and second images are randomly accessible.

3. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a processor connected to the camera assembly and which determines distances that a plurality of features in the first and second images are disposed from the camera assembly, wherein the distances are determined in response to a given amount that the plurality of features are shifted between the first and second images.

4. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 3 wherein the image analyzer employs the distances in determining the presence of an object on the seat.

5. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 3 wherein the image analyzer employs the distances in determining the size of the object on the seat.

6. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a image analyzer which employs information from the camera assembly to detect movement of an object on the seat.

7. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a pattern detector which receives information from the camera assembly and processes the information to recognize presence of a predefined pattern in at least one of the first and second images.

8. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 7 wherein the pattern detector comprises a memory for storing a reference pattern;

and a processor which detects presence of the reference pattern in the information from the camera assembly.

9. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 7 wherein the reference pattern is for a child seat.

10. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 8 wherein the reference pattern denotes a physical characteristic of a motor vehicle operator.

11. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a mechanism connected to the output device and controlling deployment of an air bag in response to the signal.

12. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 7 the camera assembly comprises a pair of cameras.

21. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 1 wherein the camera assembly has a single imaging device which produces the first and second images stereoscopically side-by-side.

22. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 11 wherein the mechanism controls a rate at which the air bag is deployed.

13. A stereoscopic object detection system for sensing and categorizing objects present on a seat of a motor vehicle, the stereoscopic object detection system comprising:

a camera assembly for producing first and second images of the seat and objects thereon, in which image features are shifted between the first and second images by an amount corresponding to distances the image features are disposed from the camera assembly;

a distance processor connected to the camera assembly for determining distances that a plurality of features in the first and second images are from the camera assembly, wherein the distances are determined in response to a given amount that each feature is shifted between the first and second images;

an analyzer coupled to the distance processor to analyze the distances and determine a size of an object on the seat; and

a mechanism for controlling operation of a device of the motor vehicle in response to the analyzer.

14. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 further comprising another analyzer employs the distances in determining whether an object is present on the seat.

15. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 further comprising another analyzer which employs the distances in detecting movement of the object.

16. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 further comprising another analyzer which employs the distances in detecting a rate of movement of the object.

17. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a pattern detector which processes information from the camera assembly to recognize presence of a predefined pattern in at least one of the first and second images.

18. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 wherein the mechanism controls deployment of an air bag.

23. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 13 wherein the camera assembly has a single imaging device which produces the first and second images stereoscopically side-by-side.

24. The stereoscopic object detection system as recited in claim 18 wherein the mechanism controls a rate at which the air bag is deployed.

19. A method for controlling operation of an air bag in an vehicle, said method comprising step of:

acquiring an image of a passenger area of the vehicle;

processing the image to determine a size of a person in the passenger area;

processing the image to detect movement of the person in the passenger area; and

controlling operation of the air bag in response to the size of the person in the passenger area and in response to whether movement of the person is detected.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein processing the image to detect movement produces information regarding a rate of movement of the person in the passenger area;

and the step of controlling operation of the air bag is further in response to the rate of movement.

25. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein controlling operation of the air bag controls a rate at which the air bag is deployed.

26. A system for controlling operation of an air bag in a motor vehicle, which system comprises:

a camera having an imaging device which stereoscopically produces first and second images side-by-side wherein image features are shifted between the first and second images by an amount corresponding to distances the image features are from the camera;

an image analyzer coupled to the camera and processing the first and second images to determine presence of a person in the motor vehicle and to determine a size of the person in response to a given amount that the person is shifted between the first and second images; and

a mechanism for controlling operation of the air bag in response to the size of the person.

27. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the image analyzer derives a volume measurement of at least a portion of the person;

and the mechanism controls operation of the air bag in response to that volume measurement.

28. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the image analyzer determines a distance that the person is from the camera, and the mechanism controls operation of the air bag in response to that distance.

29. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the image analyzer produces kinematic information about the person;

and the mechanism controls operation of the air bag in response to the kinematic information.

30. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the image analyzer produces information regarding a rate of movement of the person;

and the controls operation of the air bag in response to that rate of movement.