Image processing for vehicular applications
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining information about an occupying item in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
- obtaining a series of images of the compartment using an imaging device, each image being taken at a different time and at least one of which includes the occupying item;
using a processor for comparing a later obtained image from the series of images to at least one previously obtained image from the series of images to ascertain the presence of differences between the images; and
using the processor for analyzing the differences to obtain information about the occupying item.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method for obtaining information about an occupying item in a compartment in a vehicle includes obtaining a series of images of the compartment, each image being taken at a different time and at least one of which includes the occupying item, comparing a later obtained image from the series of images to at least one previously obtained image from the series of images to ascertain the presence of differences between the images, and analyzing the differences to obtain information about the occupying item. One way to compare images is to subtract the later obtained image from the previously obtained image to determine which image pixels have changed in value and analyze the changed pixels. This analysis may involve analyzing a leading edge of the changed pixels and/or analyzing a width of a field of the changed pixels.
272 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining information about an occupying item in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
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obtaining a series of images of the compartment using an imaging device, each image being taken at a different time and at least one of which includes the occupying item; using a processor for comparing a later obtained image from the series of images to at least one previously obtained image from the series of images to ascertain the presence of differences between the images; and using the processor for analyzing the differences to obtain information about the occupying item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining the identification and position of objects in a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
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storing images of the compartment taken from a single imaging device with different objects in various positions in the compartment in association with data relating to the identification of the objects and the position of the objects relative to the compartment, the images being stored in a memory device; obtaining a plurality of images of the interior of the compartment from the imaging device; and using a processor for comparing the obtained images of the interior of the compartment with the stored images to obtain the associated data relating to the identification and position of the objects of the stored image to which the obtained images of the interior of the compartment match most closely. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for determining the identification and position of objects in a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
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storing images of radiation emanating from different objects in various positions in the compartment taken from a single location in association with data relating to the identification of the objects and the position of the objects relative to the compartment, the images being stored in a memory device; obtaining a plurality of images of the interior of the compartment using an imaging device; and using a processor for comparing the obtained images with the stored of images to obtain the associated data relating to the identification and position of the object of the stored image which the obtained images of the interior of the compartment matches most closely. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of developing a system for determining the occupancy state of a seat in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
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mounting at least one imaging device in the vehicle; storing an image of the compartment obtained from each of the at least one imaging device with a seat in the compartment being empty to thereby obtain an empty seat image analysis; obtaining at least one additional image of the compartment from each of the at least one imaging device, each of the at least one additional image including the seat and the seat having one of a plurality of different occupancy states; using a processor for pre-processing each of the at least one additional image to remove pixels from each of the at least one additional images based on the empty seat image analysis to thereby obtain image data; and using the processor for creating a trained pattern recognition algorithm from the image data capable of producing an output indicative of the occupancy state of the seat upon inputting image data.
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Specification