Method and control unit for recognizing a weather condition in the surroundings of a vehicle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for recognizing a weather condition in surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:
- emitting a light bundle from a headlight of the vehicle;
capturing, by an image capture device of the vehicle, a plurality of images of a surroundings of the vehicle;
ascertaining, by a processing device of the vehicle in the images of the surroundings, light spots that are produced in response to the emitted light bundle, and a height and a width of the light spots, the height representing an apparent vertical size of the light spot and the width representing an apparent horizontal size of the light spot, the light spots including reflections of the emitted light bundle from at least one of;
a road in front of the vehicle, or a space above the road in front of the vehicle;
determining, by the processing device, weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison of the ascertained height of the light spots to a plurality of different expected height value ranges and of the ascertained width of the light spots to a plurality of different expected width value ranges; and
controlling, using a vehicle control system, operation of a vehicle system based on the determined weather information, the vehicle system including at least one of;
an anti-lock braking system, an electronic stability program system, or an optical detection system.
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Abstract
A method for recognizing a weather condition in the surroundings of a vehicle. The method includes a step of ascertaining at least one imaging feature in image information. The image information represents a depiction of at least a portion of the surroundings, and the imaging feature represents a light effect on a reflective or luminescent object in the portion of the surroundings. In addition, the method includes a step of determining weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison between the imaging feature and at least one expected value.
22 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for recognizing a weather condition in surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:
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emitting a light bundle from a headlight of the vehicle; capturing, by an image capture device of the vehicle, a plurality of images of a surroundings of the vehicle; ascertaining, by a processing device of the vehicle in the images of the surroundings, light spots that are produced in response to the emitted light bundle, and a height and a width of the light spots, the height representing an apparent vertical size of the light spot and the width representing an apparent horizontal size of the light spot, the light spots including reflections of the emitted light bundle from at least one of;
a road in front of the vehicle, or a space above the road in front of the vehicle;determining, by the processing device, weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison of the ascertained height of the light spots to a plurality of different expected height value ranges and of the ascertained width of the light spots to a plurality of different expected width value ranges; and controlling, using a vehicle control system, operation of a vehicle system based on the determined weather information, the vehicle system including at least one of;
an anti-lock braking system, an electronic stability program system, or an optical detection system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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8. A control unit for a vehicle, the control unit comprising:
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a processing unit; and a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having program instructions, which when executed by the processing unit perform a method of recognizing a weather condition in surroundings of the vehicle, the method including; receiving from an image capture device of the vehicle a plurality of images of the surroundings of the vehicle while a headlight of the vehicle emits a light bundle; ascertaining in the images of the surroundings light spots that are produced in response to the emitted light bundle, and a height and a width of the light spots, the height representing an apparent vertical size of the light spot and the width representing an apparent horizontal size of the light spot, the light spots including reflections of the emitted light bundle from at least one of;
a road in front of the vehicle, or a space above the road in front of the vehicle;determining weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison of the ascertained height of the light spots to a plurality of different expected height value ranges and of the ascertained width of the light spots to a plurality of different expected width value ranges; and controlling operation of a vehicle system based on the determined weather information, the vehicle system including at least one of;
an anti-lock braking system, an electronic stability program system, or an optical detection system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having program instructions, which when executed by a processor perform a method for recognizing a weather condition in surroundings of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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emitting a light bundle from a headlight of the vehicle; capturing, by an image capture device of the vehicle, a plurality of images of the surroundings of the vehicle; ascertaining in the images of the surroundings light spots that are produced in response to the emitted light bundle, and a height and a width of the light spots, the height representing an apparent vertical size of the light spot and the width representing an apparent horizontal size of the light spot, the light spots including reflections of the emitted light bundle from at least one of; a road in front of the vehicle, or a space above the road in front of the vehicle; determining weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison of the height of the light spots to a plurality of different expected height value ranges and of the ascertained width of the light spots to a plurality of different expected width value ranges; and controlling, using a vehicle control system, operation of a vehicle system based on the determined weather information, the vehicle system including at least one of;
an anti-lock braking system, an electronic stability program system, or an optical detection system.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification