Method and apparatus for controlling classification and classification switching in a vision system
First Claim
1. An occupant classification method for controlling an occupant protection device in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- continuously imaging an area of interest within an interior of the vehicle at an associated imaging sensor and providing image signals;
determining an image class corresponding to each image signal from a plurality of image classes;
determining, for a predetermined time period, respective confidence levels for the plurality of image classes, the confidence level for a given class being defined as the percentage of image class determinations that match the image class out of a total number of image class determinations made during the predetermined time period;
establishing an image classification in response to the determined confidence levels for the plurality of image classes, only if the confidence level associated with a given class over the predetermined time period exceeds a threshold value; and
controlling the occupant protection device according to the established image classification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for classifying image data includes a vision system (58) for continuously imaging an area (42) of interest and providing an image signals. A classifier (84) determines an image class corresponding to each image signal, determines a confidence level for each determined image class, determines a time period for the confidence level, and establishes an image classification in response thereto. Switching between image classifications is in response to the confidence level and time period of the confidence level. When used in a vehicle restraining system (20), other monitor vehicle parameters (54) can be used to adjust the confidence levels and time periods needed to switch between image classifications.
49 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An occupant classification method for controlling an occupant protection device in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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continuously imaging an area of interest within an interior of the vehicle at an associated imaging sensor and providing image signals; determining an image class corresponding to each image signal from a plurality of image classes; determining, for a predetermined time period, respective confidence levels for the plurality of image classes, the confidence level for a given class being defined as the percentage of image class determinations that match the image class out of a total number of image class determinations made during the predetermined time period; establishing an image classification in response to the determined confidence levels for the plurality of image classes, only if the confidence level associated with a given class over the predetermined time period exceeds a threshold value; and controlling the occupant protection device according to the established image classification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling an occupant protection device in a vehicle according to classification of image data comprising the steps of:
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imaging an area of interest within an interior of the vehicle at an image sensor and providing image data; classifying the image data as one of a plurality of image classes to provide an image classification; storing a predetermined number of image classifications over a first time period; assigning a confidence level to each image class according to the percentage of the predetermined number of image classifications in the first time period that represent the image class; assigning an image class to the area of interest only when the confidence level assigned to the image class exceeds a first threshold; and controlling the occupant protection device according to the established image classification. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A system for classifying image data comprising:
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a vision system for continuously imaging an area of interest and providing image signals; a classifier that determines an image class corresponding to each image signal; and a confidence filter that determines a confidence level for each determined image class, the confidence filter determining a first confidence level for a first image class over a first time period and determining a second confidence level for a second image class over a second time period, and establishing an image classification for the area of interest as the first class if the first confidence level exceeds a first threshold and as the second class if the second confidence level exceeds a second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A system for classifying image data associated with a vehicle occupant safety system into an associated one of a plurality of output classes, said system comprising:
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a vision system that images a vehicle interior to provide an image signal; and a classifier that determines an image class in response to a class confidence level of the image signal and time period of the classification, said classifier permitting class switching only in response to a new image class determination having a predetermined new confidence value for a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification