Light modulation techniques for imaging objects in or around a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
- directing electromagnetic illumination generated by an illumination source into the compartment;
temporally modulating the illumination using an illumination modulation device;
receiving at a receiver, illumination reflected from an object in the compartment; and
analyzing the reflected illumination to obtain information about the object using a processor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and system for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle includes directing illumination into the compartment, spatial or temporally modulating the illumination, receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, and analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object. The compartment may be a passenger compartment of an automobile, the trunk of an automobile or the interior of a trailer of a truck. The illumination may be directed from a light source and the reflected light received at a receiver spaced apart from the light source. Analysis of the reflected light may therefore entail applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object. The same method and system can be adapted for monitoring the environment around the vehicle.
95 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
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directing electromagnetic illumination generated by an illumination source into the compartment; temporally modulating the illumination using an illumination modulation device; receiving at a receiver, illumination reflected from an object in the compartment; and analyzing the reflected illumination to obtain information about the object using a processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15)
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7. An arrangement for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
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an electromagnetic illumination source that directs electromagnetic illumination into the compartment; an illumination modification device that temporally modulates the illumination from said illumination source; a receiver that receives illumination reflected from an object in the compartment, said receiver being spaced apart from said illumination source; and an analysis device coupled to said receiver and that analyzes the reflected illumination to obtain information about the object. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16)
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13. A method for obtaining information about an object exterior of a vehicle, comprising:
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directing electromagnetic illumination generated by an illumination source outward from the vehicle into the environment around the vehicle; temporally modulating the illumination using an illumination modulation device; receiving at a receiver, illumination reflected from any objects in the environment around the vehicle; and analyzing the reflected illumination to obtain information about one or more of the objects from which illumination has been reflected using a processor. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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17. A method for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
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directing electromagnetic illumination generated by at least one illumination source into the compartment; spatial or temporally modulating the illumination using an illumination modulation device, the step of modulating the illumination comprising modulating a plurality of light beams each at a different frequency or with a different code; receiving at a receiver, light reflected from an object in the compartment; matching a source of each of the light beam with reflected light; and
thereafteranalyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object using a processor.
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18. An arrangement for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle, comprising:
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an illumination source that directs electromagnetic illumination into the compartment; an illumination modification device that spatial or temporally modulates the illumination from said illumination source; an illumination receiver that receives illumination reflected from an object in the compartment, said receiver being spaced apart from said illumination source; and an analysis device coupled to said receiver and that analyzes the reflected illumination to obtain information about the object, said light modification device being arranged to modulate the illumination from said illumination source by modulating a plurality of light beams each at a different frequency or with a different code, said analysis device being arranged to match a source of each light beam with reflected light prior to analyzing the reflected light.
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Specification