U.S. patent application number 12/508840 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-28 for vehicle imaging system.
Invention is credited to Michael J. HIGGINS-LUTHMAN, Yuesheng Lu.
Application Number | 20100020170 12/508840 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41568272 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100020170 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HIGGINS-LUTHMAN; Michael J. ;
et al. |
January 28, 2010 |
Vehicle Imaging System
Abstract
A vehicle vision system includes an image sensor having a
forward field of view and capturing image data of a road surface
forward of the vehicle. An image processor processes the image data
and the vehicle vision system determines at least an estimate of a
traction condition of at least a portion of the imaged road
surface. The vision system may detect objects forward of the
vehicle and may distinguish between live and dead animals in the
field of view of the image sensor, and may at least one of (a)
generate an alert and (b) control the vehicle to assist in avoiding
a collision. The system may detect situations in which the vehicle
lighting system can be turned off or operated under reduced power
consumption in order to enhance fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
Inventors: |
HIGGINS-LUTHMAN; Michael J.;
(Livonia, MI) ; Lu; Yuesheng; (Farmington Hills,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MAGNA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
337 MAGNA DRIVE
AURORA
ON
L4G-7K1
CA
|
Family ID: |
41568272 |
Appl. No.: |
12/508840 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61083222 |
Jul 24, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/135 ;
340/435; 348/E7.085 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q 1/143 20130101;
H04N 5/2256 20130101; B60Q 1/1423 20130101; B60R 2300/8093
20130101; H04N 7/18 20130101; B60R 16/0236 20130101; B60R 16/03
20130101; B60R 2300/105 20130101; B60W 30/16 20130101; B60W 2552/40
20200201; B60W 40/06 20130101; H04N 5/23241 20130101; B60R 1/12
20130101; B60R 1/00 20130101; B60R 2001/1215 20130101; G06K 9/00791
20130101; B60R 2300/307 20130101; B60W 50/0097 20130101; B60Q
2300/054 20130101; H04N 5/23293 20130101; B60W 2552/00 20200201;
G06K 9/00362 20130101; B60R 1/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/135 ;
340/435; 348/E07.085 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/18 20060101
H04N007/18; B60Q 1/00 20060101 B60Q001/00 |
Claims
1. A vehicle vision system for a vehicle, said vehicle vision
system comprising: an image sensor having a forward field of view
for capturing image data of a road surface forward of the vehicle;
and an image processor processing said image data, said vehicle
vision system determining at least an estimate of a traction
condition of at least a portion of the imaged road surface.
2. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle
vision system estimates a targeted separation gap between the host
vehicle and a leading vehicle.
3. The vehicle vision system of claim 2, wherein said targeted
separation gap is adjusted based on a current driving
condition.
4. The vehicle vision system of claim 2, wherein said vehicle
vision system adjusts said targeted separation gap based on the
driving capabilities of the driver of the host vehicle.
5. A vehicle vision system for a vehicle, said vehicle vision
system comprising: an image sensor having a field of view and
capturing image data of a scene exterior of the vehicle; a monitor
monitoring power consumption of the vehicle; at least one lighting
system that draws electrical power from the vehicle when operated;
an image processor processing said image data; and wherein the
electrical power drawn by said at least one lighting system is
varied at least in part responsive to processing of said image data
by said image processor in order to adjust fuel consumption by the
vehicle.
6. The vehicle vision system of claim 5, wherein the electrical
power drawn by said at least one lighting system is reduced at
least in part responsive to processing of said image data by said
image processor in order to reduce fuel consumption by the
vehicle.
7. The vehicle vision system of claim 5, wherein said vehicle
vision system reduces the light generated by said vehicle lighting
system during driving conditions when less vehicle lighting is
desired while directing light at areas where it is determined that
light is desired.
8. The vehicle vision system of claim 5, wherein said image sensor
has a forward field of view and captures image data of a scene
forward of the vehicle and in the direction of forward travel of
the vehicle.
9. A vehicle vision system for a vehicle, said vehicle vision
system comprising: an image sensor and image processor, said image
sensor having a field of view exterior of the vehicle for capturing
image data of a scene forward of the vehicle, said image processor
processing said image data; wherein said vehicle vision system
distinguishes the presence of a live animal from a dead animal
imaged within said field of view; and wherein said system at least
one of (a) generates an alert and (b) controls the vehicle to
assist in avoiding a collision.
10. The vehicle vision system of claim 9, wherein said system is
adaptable to the driver's assumption of risk when operating to
avoid a collision with the animal or to continue on the vehicle's
path of travel.
11. The vehicle vision system of claim 9, wherein said system is
adaptable to react differently depending on the type of animal that
is detected and identified.
12. The vehicle vision system of claim 9, wherein said system is
adaptable to react differently depending on whether the detected
animal is distinguished as a live animal or a dead animal.
13. The vehicle vision system of claim 9, comprising: at least two
image sensors having at least one of (a) a forward field of view
and capturing image data of a scene forward of the vehicle, (b) a
rearward field of view and capturing image data of a scene rearward
of the vehicle and (c) a sideward field of view and capturing image
data of a scene to the side of the vehicle; and a display
displaying the captured images as a merged image with image
stitching of the component images to minimize artifacts of image
stitching.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
provisional application Ser. No. 61/083,222, filed Jul. 24, 2008,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to vehicle imaging
systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Vehicle vision systems or imaging systems are known.
Examples of such vision and/or imaging systems are described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;
5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;
7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454;
and 6,824,281, which are all hereby incorporated herein by
reference in their entireties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicle
vision system for a vehicle includes an image sensor having a
forward field of view for capturing image data of a road surface
forward of the vehicle and an image processor processing the image
data. The vehicle vision system determines at least an estimate of
a traction condition of at least a portion of the imaged road
surface.
[0005] Optionally, the vehicle vision system may use the estimated
traction condition (such as a friction condition, such as a state
of friction or state of traction or coefficient of friction or the
like) estimate of an upcoming road surface and may estimate a
targeted separation gap between the host vehicle and a leading
vehicle, and optionally the targeted separation gap may be adjusted
and estimated based on a current driving condition. Optionally, the
vehicle vision system may adjust the targeted separation gap based
on the driving capabilities of the driver of the host vehicle.
[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
vehicle vision system for a vehicle includes an image sensor having
a field of view and capturing image data of a scene exterior of the
vehicle, a monitoring device monitoring power consumption of the
vehicle, at least one lighting system that draws electrical power
from the vehicle when operated, and an image processor that
processes the captured image data. The electrical power drawn by
the lighting system is varied at least in part responsive to
processing of the image data by the image processor in order to
adjust fuel consumption by the vehicle. The system thus may detect
situations in which the vehicle lighting system can be turned off
or operated under reduced power consumption in order to enhance the
efficiency of the vehicle and enhance or maximize the miles per
gallon of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle.
[0007] Optionally, the vehicle vision system may reduce the light
generated by the vehicle lighting system in areas where it is
determined that less light is desired or needed while maintaining
or directing light at areas where it is determined that light is
desired or needed. Optionally, the image sensor may have a forward
field of view and may capture image data of a scene forward of the
vehicle and in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
vehicle vision system for a vehicle includes an image sensor and
image processor. The image sensor has a field of view exterior of
the vehicle for capturing image data of a scene forward of the
vehicle. The image processor processes the image data and the
vehicle vision system may detect and identify animals on or at or
near the road and generally forward of the vehicle, and the system
may distinguish the presence of a live animal from a dead animal
within the field of view. The system at least one of (a) generates
an alert (such as responsive to detection and/or identification of
a live or dead animal within the field of view), and (b) controls
the vehicle to assist in avoiding a collision (such as with a
detected and/or identified animal within the field of view).
[0009] Optionally, the system may be adaptable to the driver's
assumption of risk when operating to avoid a collision with the
animal or to continue on the vehicle's path of travel. Optionally,
the system may be adaptable to react differently depending on the
type of animal that is detected and identified. Optionally, the
system may be adaptable to react differently depending on whether
the detected animal is distinguished as a live animal or a dead
animal.
[0010] Optionally, the vehicle vision system may comprise at least
two image sensors having at least one of (a) a forward field of
view and capturing image data of a scene forward of the vehicle,
(b) a rearward field of view and capturing image data of a scene
rearward of the vehicle and (c) a sideward field of view and
capturing image data of a scene to the side of the vehicle. A
display may display the captured images as a merged image with
image stitching of the component images to minimize artifacts of
image stitching.
[0011] These and other objects, advantages and features of this
invention will become apparent upon review of the following
specification in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a vehicle vision system, showing a
windshield sun visor in accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematics of a vehicle vision system,
showing an animal detection system in accordance with the present
invention; and
[0014] FIGS. 4-14 are images representative of a vehicle vision
system that is operable to merge images from two or more cameras in
accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative
embodiments depicted therein, an imaging system (FIG. 1) is
operable to provide a sun visor or light absorbing or light
inhibiting element or device may be operable to block light from
external to the vehicle, such as sun, sun reflections, headlamps
from oncoming vehicles and other glaring light sources, while
allowing other light to pass through the vehicle windshield. For
example, a sun visor may be embedded in or on or at or near a
windshield that can block sun light, headlamp light and/or other
glaring light sources, while leaving the rest of the scene
unblocked.
[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, a light blocking or light
limiting device or system 10 of a vehicle 11 (FIG. 1) may comprise
an addressable LCD type variable transmittance element or glass
substrate or windshield portion 12 between the driver's eyes and
the light source. The windshield thus may comprise a "transition
lens" type windshield coating that is selectively darkened by a
scanning energy beam 14 (such as an ultraviolet or UV scanning
energy beam or an infrared energy beam or the like) and returns to
normal clearness when the energy beam is turned off. The system may
adjust or "darken" the windshield portion in response to a
detection of a light source that is determined to be at a location
where light from the light source may cause glare to the driver of
the vehicle. The number and size of the "darken" areas on the
windshield are determined by the number and the size of the glaring
objects (sun, headlamps or other glaring sources), which can be
determined by a forward facing camera 16 of a forward facing camera
system such as described below. The size of the "darken" area on
the windshield may also be determined by the driver's eye aperture
size, which varies from a smaller area (such as about 2 mm or
thereabouts) in brighter lighting conditions, to a larger area
(such as about 8 mm or thereabouts) in darker lighting conditions.
The windshield normally or can be designed to attenuate most of UV
and IR wavelength bands. The windshield coating is preferably
applied to the inner surface of the windshield so that the
windshield serves as a cut-off filter to avoid the exposure of
designated UV or IR from solar radiation and other external light
sources, which may cause unintended "darkening" of the windshield.
The windshield coating is only darkened by the energy beam emitted
from the visor system and returns to its undarkened state when the
energy beam is deactivated.
[0017] The energy beam system or device 15 may comprise a source
device or devices, a scanner, or scanners, and optics that control
the beam size and shape. The source may be a laser or a light
emitting diode (LED) or the like, which emits an energy beam 14
that darkens the windshield coating. The location of device 15 may
be any suitable location, and may be as shown in FIG. 1 or other
convenient or suitable location. Preferably, the device may be
located such that that the energy beam does not reflect from the
windshield to the vehicle occupants' eyes or skin. The power
density of the energy beam controls the darkness or the level of
attenuation of the windshield coating. One may electrically control
the power output level at the source. Optionally, one may control
the duty cycle of pulse width modulation of the energy beam to
control the power density at the windshield coating. The scanner
may comprise 2 galvanometer scanning mirrors that scan the energy
beam in the X and Y directions on the windshield, or a lens mounted
on a 2-D scanning device that can deflect and scan the energy beam
in the X and Y directions on the windshield, or the scanner may
comprise any other suitable beam scanning means. Optionally, a
digital projector-like energy beam system may be used, where a
planar energy beam source, an addressable device (such as a liquid
crystal device or micro mirror array or the like) and optics are
used and which deliver and control the energy beams onto the
windshield to form addressable darkened spots. An electric control
module may be employed to control the address or coordinates and
the darkness or attenuation level. This module may interface with
or be a part of the central control module of the visor system.
[0018] The system may include an object detection device or system
(such as a forward facing camera or image processor and associated
processor or control circuitry) and a driver detection device or
system, which is operable to determine the location of driver's
head or eyes (such as via a stereo camera, a structured light and
camera, and/or the like), whereby the system or systems may
determine whether or not light from a detected light source may
cause glare to the driver of the vehicle, and may determine the
level of "darkening" or light attenuation needed, and the address
or coordinates of the "darkened" areas. Spatial coordinates
transformation and computations that involve measured angular
coordinates of the glaring objects, the driver's eye position
coordinates, the position of the cameras, as well as the position
and angle of the windshield, will result to the output of the
position of the "darkened" areas on windshield. Optionally, the
travel direction or heading of the vehicle and/or a global
positioning system may be used to determine whether a detected
light source is at a location that may cause glare to the driver.
Optionally, the system may determine the location or angle or
setting of the vehicle mirrors to indicate or approximate the
location of the head of the driver of the vehicle to assist in
determining whether light from a detected light source may cause
glare to the driver of the vehicle. Optionally, a forward facing
camera or imaging sensor may capture images of the scene occurring
forward of the vehicle that may encompass the sun and headlamps of
oncoming vehicles. The system may distinguish detection of the sun
as compared to detection of headlamps of oncoming vehicles because
the sun is slow moving unless the vehicle is turning, while the
motion of headlamps is faster when the headlamps are near to the
host vehicle.
[0019] The image processor may process the captured images and may
generate addresses or coordinates for the visor pixels and
transmittance of light through the visor. Thus, upon detection of
and identification of or recognition of a glaring light source
(such as the sun or headlamp of an oncoming vehicle), such as in
the forward path of the vehicle, the system may determine an
appropriate window area that is to be "darkened" or that is to have
a reduced transmissivity of light therethrough (such as an area or
region of the windshield between the detected light source and the
driver's eyes), and may actuate the energy source to scan or raster
the energy beam across the appropriate window area to effectively
darken the windshield at that area while allowing light to pass
through the rest of the windshield substantially unaffected by
operation of the energy source.
[0020] Optionally, for example, a window dimming device may
comprise a window having at least a portion that is treated with a
coating and an energy emitting device that is operable to emit
energy toward a targeted region of the window. The coated portion
of the window is selectively darkened by energy emitted by the
energy emitting device. The energy emitting device may emit a
scanning energy beam comprising one of an ultraviolet scanning
energy beam and an infrared scanning energy beam. The window may
comprise a window of a vehicle or other transparent or
substantially transparent window or glass or polymeric substrate.
The energy emitting device emits energy toward a selected portion
of the window portion to darken the selected portion in response to
a detection of a light source that is determined to be at a
location where light from the light source may cause glare to a
driver or occupant of a vehicle.
[0021] Optionally, the window darkening system may be suitable for
use in non-automotive or non-windshield applications as well. For
example, the system may be utilized at other vehicle windows, such
as side windows or a rear backlite or a sun roof or the like).
Optionally, it is envisioned that aspects of the darkening system
may be suitable for use in or on eyeglasses (such as sunglasses or
prescription glasses or the like). For example, the size of each
blocking area may be approximate the aperture size of the human
eye, and may vary from a smaller area (such as about 2 mm or
thereabouts) in brighter lighting conditions, to a larger area
(such as about 8 mm or thereabouts) in darker lighting conditions.
Thus, a smaller number of addressable areas are needed in
applications on glasses since glasses may only have about 25-30
units or pixels across their width and less units or pixels across
their vertical dimension, whereby the maximum area (in pixels or
units to be scanned or energized) may be less than about 500 area
units for glasses. The eyeglasses of the present invention may have
an energy beam system similar in concept to the windshield system
of FIG. 1.
[0022] Optionally, for example, an eyeglass dimming device for
eyeglasses may comprise an eyeglass lens or optic element (such as
supported in an eyeglass frame for viewing through by a person
wearing the eyeglasses) having at least a portion that is treated
with a coating. An energy emitting device (that may be disposed at
the eyeglasses, such as at the frame of the eyeglasses or the like)
is operable to emit energy toward a targeted region of the lens.
The coated portion of the lens is selectively darkened by energy
emitted by the energy emitting device. The energy emitting device
emits energy toward a selected portion of the lens portion to
darken the selected portion in response to a detection of a light
source that is determined to be at a location where light from the
light source may cause glare to a wearer of the eyeglasses.
[0023] Optionally, the eyeglasses may have individually addressable
elements, such as in liquid crystal displays similar to computer
laptop displays, or such as in spatial light modulators. With such
addressable elements in the eyeglasses, the energy beam system is
not needed. Such dimmable or selectively darkenable sunglasses may
be suitable for driving glasses and/or for some sports glasses,
such as, for example, golf glasses (where the glasses may be
selectively dimmed to reduce glare from the sun when the golfer
looks up to follow the flight of the ball, but the rest of the
glasses are not dimmed or darkened to allow the golfer to follow
the flight of the ball when it is not between the sun and the
golfer's eyes) or the like.
[0024] Optionally, for example, an eyeglass dimming device for
eyeglasses may comprise an eyeglass lens or optic element (such as
supported in an eyeglass frame for viewing through by a person
wearing the eyeglasses) with addressable elements. The addressable
elements are selectively darkened by the eyeglass dimming device
(such as an electronic control or the like that may be disposed at
the eyeglasses, such as at the frame of the eyeglasses or the like)
in response to a detection of a light source that is determined to
be at a location where light from the light source may cause glare
to the eyeglass wearer.
[0025] Optionally, an imaging system of the present invention may
include multiple headlights, such as multiple forward facing light
emitting diodes (LEDs), where the intensity of the LEDs can be
controlled so that a machine vision system can see the light
variations emitted by the LEDs, while a human may not discern such
variations. Typically, humans cannot see more than 60-70 Hz
variations and for isolated flashes humans typically can sum
photons up to 100 ms. Thus, the system may selectively energize or
activate the LEDs so they blast or emit light at short intervals
(faster than the threshold rate at which humans may detect the
flashing of the lights) and humans may not see or discern the blast
from the overall illumination integrated at slower time intervals.
Thus, the system can blast or emit light forwardly of the vehicle
and may detect or see a substantial increase or rise in reflected
light as captured by a forward facing camera or imaging system, and
if done at a high enough rate or a short enough blast or interval,
a human cannot see or discern the presence of the blast of light.
The system thus may provide an easy way to see if detected light
sources or items (in images captured by the camera or imaging
sensor) are reflective items or objects (such as signs or the like)
or light sources (such as headlamps of oncoming vehicles or
taillights of leading vehicles or the like). Such a system may be
suitable for use in intelligent headlamp control systems and/or
other automotive vision tasks for machines.
[0026] Optionally, the system may utilize super-fast lighting for
the machine vision system to "learn" the environment without
alienating the driving public (such as drivers of other vehicles on
the road with the host vehicle). Optionally, the system may utilize
different lights (such as different colored lights), and may use
lights that, when energized together, sum perceptually to a white
colored light, but that may flash different color components that
would be discernible to machine vision while being imperceptible or
not readily discernible to the human eyes.
[0027] Optionally, and although some regulatory constraints exist,
the system may utilize multiple LED headlights, whereby the
headlight orientation and intensity can be controlled quickly by
the vision or imaging system. This allows the vision system to
provide enhanced illumination when desired and may reduce or
increase lighting of respective regions in response to various
inputs, such as inputs from an object detection system or the like.
The system thus may be operable to increase or reduce the intensity
of the headlights as desired or appropriate, and the lights may be
controlled to provide a tailored illumination of the area forward
of and/or sideward of the vehicle. For example, the lights may be
selectively activated or energized and/or aimed to illuminate the
area forward of the vehicle, while substantially not illuminating
or directing light toward areas where other vehicles are located
(such as an oncoming vehicle or a leading vehicle on the road with
the subject or host vehicle).
[0028] Such a tailorable lighting or vision system (which may
adjust the direction of the lighting in response to a forward
facing camera that detects objects or vehicles in front of the host
vehicle or a gaze detection device that detects the gaze direction
of the driver of the host vehicle and adjusts the headlights
accordingly, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described
in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/171,436, filed Jul. 11, 2008
by Higgins-Luthman et al. for AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH
ADAPTIVE ALIGNMENT FUNCTION, published Jan. 15, 2009 as U.S. Patent
Publication No. US2009/0016073; and U.S. provisional application
Ser. No. 60/949,352, filed Jul. 12, 2007, which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference in their entireties) may provide
enhanced or targeted illumination and may provide enhanced safety
for the driver and passenger(s) of the host vehicle, pedestrians,
other vehicles, and/or animals, and may enhance the detection of
objects or obstacles or road irregularities on the road surface on
which the host vehicle is traveling. Optionally, an output of the
vision system may provide an input for vision systems of other
vehicles.
[0029] Optionally, it is envisioned that, by selectively activating
and deactivating some of the light sources and selectively
increasing and decreasing the intensity of light sources so as to
not constantly brightly illuminate areas that are not of interest
to the driver of the vehicle, the vision system may provide a
reduced power consumption by the vehicle during operation of the
headlights as compared to operation of conventional headlamps. For
example, a 4-10 percent power consumption loss (or thereabouts)
with the lights on may result in a 4-10 percent increase (or
thereabouts) in fuel efficiency for the host vehicle, while driving
at night. This may be a significant improvement to vehicle
manufacturers or owners/operators of fleets of vehicles or truck
companies or the like, and may assist the vehicle manufacturers in
meeting increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
requirements. Also, by reducing the light emitted by the vehicle
headlights when it is not needed or even desired, the overall
"light pollution" may be reduced.
[0030] Optionally, for example, the vehicle includes at least one
lighting system that draws power from the vehicle when operated and
the vision system may include a monitoring device that monitors the
electrical power consumption of the lighting system and/or vehicle.
The image processor may process captured image data and may detect
situations in which the vehicle lighting system can be turned off
or operated under reduced power consumption in order to maximize
the fuel efficiency or miles per gallon of the vehicle in a safe
manner without reducing the light output in a way that may
adversely affect the viewability of the scene by the driver. The
electrical power drawn by the at least one lighting system thus may
be varied (such as reduced) at least in part responsive to the
image processor in order to adjust (such as reduce) fuel
consumption by the vehicle.
[0031] The vehicle vision system may reduce the light generated by
the vehicle lighting system during driving conditions when less
vehicle lighting is desired while directing light at areas where it
is determined that light is desired. Optionally, the image sensor
may have a forward field of view and may capture image data of a
scene forward of the vehicle and in the direction of forward travel
of the vehicle. The system may control or reduce fuel consumption,
such as gasoline consumption or electrical power consumption (such
as for an electric vehicle or the like) or other types of fuels
utilized for operation of the vehicle and/or lighting system.
Optionally, the system may control or reduce or minimize vehicle
emissions responsive at least in part to the image processor.
[0032] Optionally, the vision system may detect ice or water in or
on the road surface in front of the vehicle. For example, the
vision system may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/948,086, filed Nov. 30, 2007, which
is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and may
warn the driver of hard to see black ice. Optionally, such a system
may measure water depth. Optionally, the system may be operable to
identify the road surface (such as asphalt, concrete, metal, rain,
snow, ice, water or the like) ahead of the vehicle and on which the
vehicle is traveling and any associated road surface coatings, such
as via processing image data captured by a forward facing imaging
sensor or the like, and may determine (such as via a look up table
or database) at least an estimate of a traction condition of or a
friction condition of or the coefficient of friction for that road
surface and/or coating or a portion of the road surface ahead of
the vehicle. For example, if the system determines that the
upcoming surface looks just like the current surface did, the
system can determine that the traction condition or coefficient of
friction will probably be the same as it was for the current road
surface. If, on the other hand, the system determines that the
upcoming road surface (or at least a portion thereof) looks
different, the system can prepare for different traction on the
upcoming surface as compared to the current traction. The system
may adjust a traction control system or cruise control system or
may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle responsive to a
detection of a change in traction or traction condition on the road
surface ahead of the vehicle.
[0033] Optionally, the system may use estimates of the host tire
contribution to the traction condition or coefficient of friction
when calculating or estimating the traction condition or
coefficient of friction between the vehicle tires and the road
surface. Optionally, the vehicle may estimate the traction
condition or coefficient of friction or change in the traction
condition or coefficient of friction based on a detection of
movement of other vehicles or objects on the road surface. For
example, if the vehicle is traveling on a curve and a leading
vehicle moves in a manner indicative to a skid or slide, then the
system may determine that the traction condition or coefficient of
friction may be reduced ahead of the host vehicle.
[0034] Optionally, the system may calculate or determine the
traction condition or coefficient of friction by using the
relationship between water, ice, road surface, speed and
coefficient of friction. For example, the stopping distance is
related to square of the vehicle speed and the coefficient of
friction. The stopping distance gets worse (larger or longer) with
increased speed. The stopping distance is inversely related to the
coefficient of friction. Optionally, the system may have a table
and/or calculation database embedded in the processor to assist in
determining the traction condition or coefficient of friction.
[0035] The vision system may be operable to identify the water,
snow and/or ice up ahead as well as near the tires of the vehicle.
Because antilock brakes can be worse than standard brakes if snow
or gravel piles into a dam when brakes lock up, it is beneficial
that the vision system may be operable to identify such build up of
snow or gravel in front of the vehicle.
[0036] Systems for estimating the coefficient of friction are
generally for the tire road interface during actual braking. While
this may be helpful (such as for antilock braking systems), it is
still a reactive process. Knowing the depth of water and ice on an
upcoming road surface would allow preparation of the braking
system, and an equivalent risk of collision gap could be set for
adaptive cruise control systems. For example, the stopping distance
can be altered by a factor of 2 or 3 or more by knowing the
conditions of the road ahead. Although better brake reactions are
good, predictive knowledge is better.
[0037] Optionally, the vision system may be operable in conjunction
with an adaptive cruise control system. Optionally, the adaptive
cruise control system may function to keep or maintain the gap
between the host vehicle and the leading vehicle at a substantially
constant time to collision standard or a separation distance
standard. Optionally, the vision system may use the traction
condition or coefficient of friction measures ahead of the host
vehicle to change the separation gap based on a determined or
calculated or estimated stopping distance (based on the speed of
the vehicle and the traction condition or coefficient of friction
of the road surface ahead of the vehicle).
[0038] Optionally, the vision system may utilize measures of driver
capability (in-vehicle), a template drive over golden routes,
visibility, threat measures and/or the like to adjust or tune the
stopping and steering distances for adaptive live measures rather
than pre-set values. For example, the system may adjust the traffic
gap or separation distance as a function of a predetermined
standard traffic gap as a standard safety margin by a standard
driver and vehicle, such as a young driver with clear, 20/20 color
vision, and normal visual threshold and contrast and reaction time
for different contrast color brightness, and the like. For example,
the system may compare the host vehicle driver to the standard
driver and adjust the separation gap or time to collision
accordingly.
[0039] The stopping distance and/or separation gap may be
calculated or determined or estimated as a function of the traction
condition or coefficient of friction, the driver's reaction time,
the visibility of the leading vehicle or object or obstacle in
front of the host vehicle, the time of day, any indications of
driver alertness, the separation gap between the host vehicle and
the detected object or leading vehicle, the tire tread of the
vehicle's tires, other cars in a cocoon multi-axis accelerometer,
and/or the like. Such information may be gathered by and/or
utilized with various vehicle systems, such as an adaptive cruise
control system, an intelligent headlamp control system, a forward
facing camera, forward collision warning (FCW) system a blind spot
detection/lane change aide (BSD/LCA) system, a reverse facing
camera, or a side mounted camera looking downward near parking
areas (such as used in Japan), a global position system (GPS), a
temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a traction condition or
coefficient of friction detection or determination and/or other
information for upcoming vehicles, an electronic stability control,
an internal driver view, a miner's light and/or the like.
Optionally, the stopping distance could be fed into an intelligent
transportation system (ITS) in a weighted sum of leading vehicles
and this closeness to next vehicles could be fed back into ITS but
also into a center high mounted stop lamp (CHMSL) type light or
brake light steganography for other vision systems. If the host
vehicle has a vision system then it should monitor the driver and
the environment so that other vehicles are warned if unsafe actions
are going to occur, or probably or possibly going to occur.
Optionally, if the host vehicle has a miner's light then the light
may be adjusted or directed to provide enhanced light on areas of
concern.
[0040] Optionally, vehicles for handicapped drivers may be extended
because all drivers at various times are handicapped or challenged.
For example, the vision system may detect characteristics of the
driver that may be indicative of the driver being inattentive,
drowsy, under the influence of substance use, bored, young/old,
healthy, having less than 20/20 vision, color deficient, poor field
of view, poor contrast sensitivity, poor clutter analysis, poor
reaction time, poor car maintenance, or encountering a challenging
environment, such as rain, snow, fog, traffic in cocoon, safe space
around car, poor lighting, unsafe area-past accidents, icy
conditions, curves, intersections and/or the like. The driver
assistance system may tend to make each driver have at least a
minimum standard of equivalent safety margin, until such time as
there exists totally automatic traffic. Optionally, the system may
inform or alert other drivers of a probability that the driver of
the host vehicle is potentially less than a standard driver in
semi-objective ways, such as via communication of such information
via a wireless communication or steganographic lighting
communication or the like. For example, a normal 60 meter gap is a
2 second gap between vehicles traveling at 65 mph, but a slower
reaction time of older driver and probability of ice makes the gap
for a forward collision warning to be about 120 meters. The forward
collision warning system if detecting a gap at less than a
threshold level (based on the particular driver and driving
conditions), such as less than about 0.7 of the calculated or
determined gap (such as 120 meters for the given example), may
provide a warning or alert to the driver of the host vehicle, or
may provide a steganographic warning to the leading vehicle so that
the leading vehicle may relay a warning back to the driver of the
host vehicle, such as through the leading vehicle's CHMSL brake
light or the like. In such a situation, the standard 60 meter gap
is less meaningful since what is truly desired is that the
particular driver of the vehicle keeps the gap to the leading
vehicle in such a way that the driver can stop safely if the
leading vehicle suddenly decelerates or brakes. This depends upon
how good the driver is and how good the vehicle is at stopping and
a blanket 60 meter distance obscures all these individual
differences.
[0041] Thus, the camera in the host vehicle can measure different
contrast color brightness, direction, a number of items in the
field of view and/or the like. When the automatic control systems
are disabled, an advanced vehicle system can measure or determine
the reaction time for various driver activities. For example,
high-low beam switching, average forward collision distance, blind
spot detection, braking time, relative vehicle positioning within
the host vehicle lane as measured by a lane departure warning
systems (LDW), steering wheel movements, and following capability
may be determined by the vision system and compared to the
"standard driver". The determination of driver capability may be
communicated ostensibly or steganographically to ITS systems and/or
other systems or entities. Optionally, for example, such data can
be relayed to driver license bodies and to other drivers and to the
driver himself/herself
[0042] Optionally, the system may adjust automatic controls or the
like to match the driver if desired. For example, intelligent
headlamp control (IHC) detection distance can be shorter or longer
based upon how driver behaves--such as for applications where the
control or behavior is a matter of preference and not safety.
Optionally, some applications will not match driver, but compensate
for driver deviations from standard, and may make all drivers
generally equally (or similarly) safe, even if the particular
driver has defects of driving deficiencies.
[0043] Optionally, the system may assist beginning and senior
drivers, such as by utilizing traffic sign recognition (TSR), IHC,
LDW, adaptive cruise control (ACC) and/or GPS navigating to monitor
the behavior of the driver, and score it along multiple risk
dimensions so that the car can behave like a normal car, or more
nanny-like (such as for training of the driver or easing the
driving for the more handicapped or deficient drivers). For
example, teenage drivers typically have good perception, poorer
judgment, and quick reflexes, while seniors typically have poorer
perception, slower reflexes and better driver learning but are
sometimes forgetful and have worse workload performance. The
purchaser of the vehicle (or of an aftermarket or add-on feature to
a cell phone or on aftermarket vehicle system) may want to continue
the "nanny-ness" over the teenage driver even when the parent exits
the car, and may want to have the elderly parent continue
semi-independent driving as long as safely possible. Thus, the
system may have an override feature, but that feature may be turned
off or not available for some drivers of the vehicle.
[0044] Optionally, beginning and senior drivers could use an
adaptive record of how to drive standard routes and commutes. For
example, GPS, start and end choices, and TSR allow overall route
identification. The driving record by average of trips or a "golden
drive" by a good driver leads to a record of speed, acceleration
and braking, lane deviation from center, typical IHC dimming
distances, coefficient of friction interaction with precipitation
(traction and rain sensor), and this may be extended to an ACC
system to allow measurement of any deviation from a benchmark drive
so that performance of a suboptimal driver can be identified so
that the vehicle risk management behaviors can be tailored for the
current driver. Such records could be sent to parents and adult
children for monitoring of driver performance. Optionally, inside
monitoring of passenger count could bias risk management for
teenage drivers (who typically drive worse with more passengers in
the vehicle). Optionally, the system may alert the driver of such
driving deficiencies or deviations from the expected or targeted
performance. The system may use optimally perceived warnings for
teenage drivers (who may hear higher frequencies so that they alone
will be warned, but nearby adults will be spared the sound).
[0045] Optionally, the vision system may be operable to detect
animals or objects in the road or path of travel of the host
vehicle. For example, the system may detect animals, both live and
road-kill, and may identify the animals based on expected behavior
patterns and size/shape of animals (such as determined from an
animal database). Thus, the system may, for both large (deer) and
small (pets) animals, provide optimum detection and evasive action,
such as by detecting deer in air for pre-collision settings and by
detecting static road-kill and moving live animals, and providing
an analysis of hit versus drive-over animals and dodge
probabilities versus driver risk preferences, as discussed below.
For example, pet lovers and vegetarians may choose more risky
maneuvers to avoid animal impacts, while hunters may simply want to
maximize driver safety with less risk, and without as much concern
for the animal.
[0046] The vision system may use laser line patterns and
triangulation to detect animals and/or the like, such as by
utilizing aspects of the machine vision of upcoming road surface
for predictive suspension described in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 12/251,672, filed Oct. 15, 2008, and published Apr. 16, 2009 as
U.S. Patent Publication No. US2009/0097038; and U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 60/980,265, filed Oct. 16, 2007, which is
hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such a
system may provide localized accurate sensors for ranges less than
6 meters. Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 2, the vision
system of a vehicle 11 may detect the driver's gaze direction 20
and a forward facing camera 22 of the vehicle 11 may be aimed in
that direction to capture images of the object or animal 24 that
the driver is looking at, whereby the image data may be processed
to detect and identify the object or animal and to control the
vehicle or provide an alert accordingly. The vision system may
provide the potential for detecting and identifying animals as a
special case of a bump (some detected "bumps" may be dead or live
animals) in the road, and may provide the potential for long range
detection and identification of larger animals within standard
vision scene. Optionally, the system may be operable to distinguish
dead animals from live animals (live animals move while dead
animals do not, and live animals are warn and dead animals
typically are not; and this may be detected by a heat sensing
device or visible or near-infrared or thermal-infrared sensors or
the like). Thus, the vision system may detect and identify animals
on the road or in the path of travel of the vehicle, and may
provide an alert or may take evasive action to avoid the detected
animal.
[0047] Optionally, the vision system may detect and identify
animals, such as dead animals by comparing image data of a detected
object (indicative of the size, shape, height, color, profile,
and/or the like of the object) to a data base of dead animal
profiles (such as profiles of dead animals as viewed at high speed
by drivers). Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 3, the system
may determine the size of the object or animal by processing image
data over time, and may match the height of the object (such as the
height or location of the detected object in the images captured by
the forward facing camera) and the tire location so that evasive
action could be programmed into the active steering and braking for
minimal interruption and risk to driver's path. For example, when a
detected object on the road surface is about 50 meters in front of
the equipped vehicle, the location of the object may be at one
height and position in the captured images, and as the vehicle
approaches the detected object, the object in the images captured
by the forward facing camera may lower toward the road surface and
increase in size, and such position at the road surface may be
compared to the tire position of the equipped vehicle to determine
if evasive action is necessary or desired. Such a determination of
evasive action may be responsive to the detected location and/or
size of the detected object and/or the steering angle or vehicle
path of the equipped vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the area about
five to eight meters immediately in front of the vehicle may be a
blind zone or area where the driver may not readily view the road
surface along which the vehicle is traveling. The system thus may
determine the predicted path of the vehicle's tires to determine if
the tire or tires may impact the detected object (that may not be
visible to the driver as the vehicle further approaches the
object).
[0048] Optionally, the vision system may detect and identify live
animals by comparing image data of a detected object (indicative of
the size, shape, height, color, profile, and/or the like of the
object) to a data base of live animal profiles (such as profiles of
live animals as viewed at high speed by drivers). The database may
include data pertaining to probable animal movements, locations of
animals, probable animal reactive movements after animal gets
closer to an approaching vehicle. The system may provide static
obstacle vehicle countermeasures from the dead animal scenario.
[0049] Optionally, the vision system may be responsive to a user
input, whereby the driver of the vehicle can input the utility
function tailored for their preferences. For example, the driver
could select a level of risk that is acceptable to the driver in
order to miss a detected animal. For example, some people may take
no risk to avoid hitting a small animal, but may tolerate an
increase accident risk level to avoid a collision if the animal in
the path of the vehicle is identified as a dog or cat. Typically, a
driver may take risks to avoid collisions with large animals, such
as deer. If the system determines that a collision is imminent,
then the system may trigger the vehicle's mitigating behaviors.
[0050] Optionally, the vision system may differentiate or
distinguish between animal detection and pedestrian detection. For
example, the animal detection system may detect erect, moving and
dead/injured beings, and a pedestrian detection system or subsystem
may be targeted for detected erect pedestrians. The vision system
may take recommended actions in response to detection of an object
or animal, and the actions may be different depending upon the
vehicle speed, collision probability, size of the detected animal,
driver preferences, legal preferences, kind of animal, and whether
or not the animal may be a human. Optionally, the system may be
adaptable for rules or regulations of the governmental or
regulatory bodies of the region in which the vehicle is traveling,
since governmental and/or regulatory bodies may mandate evasive
actions and risky behaviors for different animals. For example, in
India, the system may be tailored or adapted to avoid hitting
cattle in order to protect cattle, while in Australia, the system
may be tailored or adapted to avoid hitting koalas and/or
kangaroos, while in the United States, the system may be tailored
or adapted to avoid hitting common pets. Thus, the vision system
offers an objective way to accommodate regulations which vary from
place to place. Optionally, a vehicle-based global positioning
system (GPS) could activate different system actions related to
protected animals in the region/regions in which the vehicle is
travelling.
[0051] Optionally, the vision system may include a rearward facing
camera or image sensor and may be used in conjunction with a back
up assist system or reverse aid system or rear vision system or the
like. The system may include a display device or display screen for
viewing by the driver of the vehicle, and may provide a graphic
overlay (such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,935; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; and 6,611,202,
and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US08/76022, filed Sep. 11, 2008, and
published Mar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No.
WO2009/036176; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.
60/971,397, filed Sep. 11, 2007, which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference in their entireties) at the displayed image to
enhance the driver's viewing and understanding of the displayed
image. Optionally, and desirably, if the vehicle is not in reverse
gear position, the graphic overlays are not presented. Optionally,
the system may detect the contrast of an image or a graphic overlay
at the image and may adjust the contrast sensitivity (which depends
on the surroundings) of the display device. For example, the system
may utilize different look-up-tables (LUTs) to map input gray
levels to output gray levels. Because about 8 percent of the
population has some defect or deficiency in color vision, the
system may be operable to provide tunable settings to help the
driver better see and view and discern the displayed image
(especially for those people with more severe defects), so that the
driver or person viewing the display may experience enhanced
viewability and discernibility of the displayed image and/or may
see and discern the graphic overlays better than with a standard
contrast setting. Thus, the system may provide a display with
tunable colors (such as for a three different color graphic
overlay) so that the about 2-8 percent of the population that have
color vision deficiencies do not see an overlay with brown and
yellow only but will be able to see and discern the three different
colors of the graphic overlay.
[0052] Optionally, the vision system may include or provide a
detector/tracking system that detects an object rearward or to the
side of the vehicle and that tracks the object or highlights the
object at the rearview mirror (such as at the interior rearview
mirror and/or the exterior rearview mirror or mirrors) so that the
driver can readily see and discern the detected/highlighted object
in the reflected image. Angularly adjustable mirrors mounted inside
or outside a vehicle are normally positioned to display to the
driver reflections of the vehicle's surrounding area. The vision
system may provide overlaid patterns or lights that are made
visible upon the mirror, or mirror boundary, into position(s) which
indicate to the driver an object, or vehicle, or area that is a
potential collision danger, or source of such dangers, to the
vehicle. These areas could include the vehicle's "blind spots". The
lights or patterns may be provided at regions outside of the
viewing region or may be provided within the viewing region, such
as via a display on demand type display through a transflective
mirror reflector, so that the lights are viewable through the
reflective element when the lights are activated, but are
substantially not viewable or discernible through the reflective
element when the lights are deactivated.
[0053] The machine vision or detector/tracking system guides the
movement of the apparent position and visibility of the added
artificial pattern or light to the driver. The vision system senses
the presence and/or position and/or velocity of a possible
collision-danger object near the vehicle. The system could also
sense dangerous movements of the host vehicle, such as crossing
lane markers. The vision system directs the light/pattern for the
appropriate representation of meaningful information to the vehicle
driver. This direction is guided by rules of thumb or other
assumptions in lower cost systems up to advanced systems that
actually measure where the driver's eyes are to place the patterns
with high accuracy in the driver's field of view. The system may
use human reaction times to signal light/pattern movements so that
the driver can react to dangers appropriately.
[0054] The driver, by viewing the mirror from one head position,
would see that the apparent location of the additional artificial
light/pattern will "track" with the apparent location of the other
real object, or vehicle, in the mirror. This is because the
artificial light pattern will appear to move in synchrony with the
mirror's reflection of the other object/vehicle's apparent movement
in the mirror scene, as viewed by the driver. After the system
determines that the danger has passed, the artificial light/pattern
can become invisible or not discernible to the driver.
[0055] Optionally, the vision system may be overridden by the
driver, such as in conditions where the environment would normally
trigger inappropriate light/pattern movements. Optionally, the
light/pattern can appear to the driver to track the objects
ideally, or it could partially track the objects in a weighted
fashion. Partial tracking could protect against extreme apparent
motions of the pattern, and also encourage some ergonomically
recommended driver head movements, preventing inattention.
[0056] The vision system thus would provide enhanced viewing and
recognition of detected objects at the inside and/or outside
mirrors, such as for multiple blind spots, for more objects than
just vehicles, for areas themselves, for tracking pattern
movements, for binary pattern movements, for system tuning, and for
ergonomic features. The binary pattern movements could move between
two definite locations, each of which signals information to the
driver, such as common versus potentially dangerous situations. The
mirrors would be "assisting" the driver, in that they show to the
driver scenes that the total system "believes" that the driver
"should" see, before he or she acts unwisely.
[0057] Optionally, for example, a vehicle vision system may
comprise an image sensor having a forward and/or rearward and/or
sideward field of view and capturing image data of a scene forward
and/or rearward and/or to the sides of the vehicle, an image
processor processing the image data and detecting objects of
interest, and a display displaying information to the driver of the
vehicle using the interior rear view mirror and or the windshield
as a display area without compromising the driver's field of view
of the scene and keeping the driver's attention generally focused
forward of the vehicle and above the dashboard and below the
display. The vehicle vision system may be operable to highlight a
portion of the display at or near the image of a detected object of
interest and may track the image of the detected object of interest
as the image moves across the display. The display may be disposed
at a mirror reflective element of the vehicle and the vehicle
vision system may highlight a portion of the display at or near the
reflected image of a detected object of interest and may track the
reflection of the detected object of interest as the reflected
image moves across the mirror reflective element.
[0058] Optionally, aspects of such a vision system may be
implemented into navigational displays using camera videos and
graphical overlays. However, the use of the mirror itself (with the
lights being at or behind the reflective element) provides all the
dynamic range of a mirror, and all the resolution capability of a
mirror. These ranges and resolutions are of optical quality, which
may be orders of magnitude better than conventional navigational
displays (such as CRT, LCD, and/or the like). In addition, the
vision system encourages the use of present technology (rearview
mirrors), which has been ingrained into generations of drivers.
[0059] The light/patterns can be at the border of a mirror, just
slightly displaced from the apparent location of the "dangerous"
object/vehicle. The light/patterns can also be presented to the
driver in locations in the viewed mirror scene which are known to
be background low-risk areas. These areas include the road surface
just in front of the dangerous object/vehicle, and the sky area
immediately above the object/vehicle. The added artificial
information, if projected, can be presented in such a way that the
optical path of the artificial information will give a similar
optical path distance to the eye, so that the overlay information
appears to be close to the same depth plane of the actual
object/vehicle. The added artificial information can also be
related to the actual object/vehicle so that, for example, sounds
and flashing lights similar to a real police car could be overlaid
upon the apparent visual scene in the mirror when a vehicle
approaches at very high closing velocities. The vision system may
present information to the driver, without requiring the driver to
look, or hear, or respond in any different way than he or she
normally would. The vision system may present the extra information
in a manner similar to the driver's vast personal experience. The
vision system thus of the present invention may allow all the
current richness of driver experience, and present extra
information in ways that minimize the cognitive, sensory, and motor
load of the extra information to the driver's physical and mental
processing capability.
[0060] Optionally, using the mirror positions, as set by the
driver, allows a good estimation of the driver's eye positions.
Knowing eye positions, mirror positions, along with the camera
positions of the machine vision system, together with trigonometry
calculations, allows a good estimation of the position of the
driver-viewed reflection of the candidate object/vehicle in a
mirror. Knowing the position of the object reflection location and
the eye location allows the appropriate position of the overlaid
light pattern to be calculated.
[0061] Optionally, a lower cost or inexpensive system may present
the appropriate light/pattern in the mirror boundary close to the
apparent location of the object/vehicle, while more advanced
systems may present the additional light/pattern much closer, or
actually surrounding, the detected object/vehicle's apparent
location in the driver's field of view. Optionally, an even more
advanced system may use a sensor (camera, radar, lidar, ultrasonic
system or the like) to measure the real-time location of the
driver's eyes (or driver's gaze direction). Optionally, the vision
system could use an external driver-owned sensor system, such as
the compressed video output from the driver's cell phone camera
pointed at the driver, when placed in a docking cradle in the car.
When using real-time information about the driver's changing eye
position, if the driver moves, the apparent location of added
artificial information as seen in the mirror, can move in synchrony
with the apparent location of the targeted object/vehicle in the
mirror.
[0062] Optionally, the system may adjust the angle or tilt or
setting of the mirror reflector (such as the mirror reflector of an
exterior side mirror) in response to an object or vehicle
detection, in order to enhance the driver's viewability of the
object and awareness of the detected object. An angularly
adjustable mirror mounted inside or outside a vehicle is normally
positioned to display to the driver reflections of the vehicle's
surrounding area. The mirror may be temporarily angularly adjusted
by a motor to be out of its normal position and into a temporary
position(s) which display to the driver an object, or vehicle, or
area that is a potential collision danger, or source of such
dangers, to the vehicle. These areas could include the vehicle's
"blind spots".
[0063] The motor or mirror actuator moves the mirror to potentially
multiple positions and then back to the original position,
responsive to signals from a detector/tracking system. The
detector/tracking system could be a machine vision system or the
like. The vision system senses the presence, and/or position,
and/or velocity of a possible collision-danger object near the
vehicle. The system could also sense dangerous movements of the
host vehicle, such as crossing lane markers. The vision system
signals the adjustable mirror, for the appropriate display of a
candidate vehicle, or object, or dangerous areas, such as blind
spots, to the vehicle driver. The system may use human reaction
times to signal the mirror movements in sufficient time so that the
driver can react to dangers appropriately.
[0064] The driver, by viewing the mirror from one head position,
would be able to "track" the other object, or vehicle, because the
mirror would move in such a way as to allow this "tracking" to
occur. Also from one head position, the driver would be able to see
dangerous areas, or not, as the mirror moves. After the system
determines that the danger has passed, the mirror returns to its
normal position. Optionally, the system may be overridden by the
driver, such as in conditions where the environment would normally
trigger inappropriate mirror movements. The system can track the
objects ideally, or it could partially track the objects. Partial
tracking could protect against extreme mirror motions, and also
encourage some ergonomically recommended driver head movements,
preventing inattention.
[0065] The vision system thus would provide enhanced viewing and
recognition of detected objects at the inside and/or outside
mirrors, for multiple blind spots, for more objects than just
vehicles, for areas themselves, for tracking mirror movements, for
binary mirror movements, for system tuning, and for ergonomic
features. The mirrors would be adaptive or "intelligent", or
"assisting", in that they show to the driver scenes that the total
system "believes" that the driver "should" see, before acting
unwisely. Optionally, an electrochromic (EC) mirror (that adapts to
the light environment surrounding the vehicle), with angular
adaptive capability, adapts to the environment of light, and
objects, surrounding the vehicle, and may allow the driver to
readily see the relevant environment, with minimal head movements,
and/or minimal visual adaptation.
[0066] Optionally, the concepts of a vision system for enhanced
viewing and recognition of detected objects as discussed above,
with display at or near or around or overlaid on a rear-view mirror
can also be applied to display systems for heads-up or larger
displays at or on the windshield. These windshield displays can
utilize forward facing imaging systems with machine vision of
important or threat objects or objects of interest and may display
icons or attention-getting patterns to the driver. Similar
subsystems which monitor the driver's field of view can be utilized
so that the windshield display enhances the driver's knowledge of
the forward scene. Energy beam or projector-like systems as
mentioned above with respect to the simulated visor system can be
used to highlight relevant objects in the forward windshield scenes
as viewed by the driver.
[0067] Optionally, the vision system may provide a panoramic
display that combines or merges images from two or more cameras or
image sensors (such as from a center, rearward viewing camera and
two side, rearward viewing cameras) so the driver of the vehicle
may view a single display that displays the area rearward and to
the sides of the host vehicle. Such a vision system may utilize
aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,935;
5,949,331; 6,222,447; and 6,611,202, which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference in their entireties. With reference to FIGS.
4-14, the vision system may perform an image stitching function to
merge or stitch images together along a desired stitch or merge
line or lines to provide an enhanced generally uniform merged image
for displaying to the driver. The image stitching area should be
adaptively placed, such as near a lane marker line in a side camera
view. The system may utilize adaptive merge planes, or surfaces,
using vehicle neighbors, and/or may use a merge surface
intersecting side object detection algorithm distances for first
vehicles in left, center, and right lanes. Objects farther away and
road surfaces closer to the host may be double, missing or wrong
sized, but this may only minimally affect the driver. This is
because drivers typically track the nearby vehicles and mostly
ignore the road in front of, and objects behind, the closest
vehicle in the host's lane and adjacent lanes. The stitching area
may change, depending upon visible vehicles and/or other detected
objects.
[0068] The image stitching process may limit distortion of dominant
objects, vehicles and lane markers. From the side cameras, the
adjacent lane car images don't undergo cross stitching. Only
closely following car sides may cross the default stitching area or
lines. Each straight highway lane marker line may comprise an image
taken from one of the cameras. The default stitching may be just
outside the host lane marker lines for all cameras. In the
illustrated embodiment, there are three lane-specific cameras:
host, driver-adjacent, or passenger-adjacent, and the zipper
stitching could follow the center vehicle, and limit other-lane
effects. The system may judge vehicles/lanes priority, and use that
for setting the stitching and merge planes. For example, the system
may merge surfaces to follow either the most dangerous vehicle (as
determined based on rate of approach and/or location of the
detected vehicle) or the closest vehicle. The stitching may follow
the lane curves, as much as possible, and may use special line
fitting algorithms or calculations (such as a cubic spline line
fitting function or the like) so that lane markers have a
substantially continuous slope if they must cross the stitching
area. For example, with gentle curves, the system may alter the
stitching a small amount, while with more severe curves, the system
may need to default to a center or curve-side camera dominance for
stitching and merge surfaces. Optionally, the system may merge
surfaces so as to adapt for vehicle presence, or not, in each of
the three lanes.
[0069] Optionally, the fiducials used for calibration of the
merging surfaces and merging borders in such a vision system may be
indicators or LEDs along the host lane boundaries and back a
distance from the host vehicle (such as for situations where there
are no vehicles present behind the host vehicle) to enhance the
depth perception of the displayed image. Optionally, the fiducials
of such a vision system may be a series of vertical poles (such as
poles that appear to be 5 meters high), along the host lane
boundaries. In this way big trucks may look good, even up close in
the host lane. There can be several fiducial sets of cones and
LEDs. For example, there may be one set for no-curvature lanes and
other sets for lane curvatures of say 100, 30, 10 meters for the
respective radius of curvature. These sets of fiducials could be
used to select multiple calibrations for merging surfaces when
lanes have been measured for various radii of curvature for image
aligning and conversion from image space to 3D space.
[0070] The process of image joining can similarly include those of
front and side looking cameras also in a fashion similar to the
rear-side system described above for an image that combines these
images into one. The joining of images can include a resulting 360
degree image combining images from the front, rear and side facing
cameras. The image stitching in such an application would follow
the rules stated above. The stitching area itself, the pixels of
the border, can be camouflaged by replacing by non-important image
areas (pixels) nearby the stitching area which have similar
contrast and color.
[0071] The imaging device and control and image processor and
illumination source may comprise any suitable components, and may
utilize aspects of the vision systems of the text described in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094;
6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168; 7,004,606;
6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454; and
6,824,281, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in
their entireties. The imaging device and/or control may be part of
or share components or circuitry with other image or imaging or
vision systems of the vehicle, such as headlamp control systems
and/or rain sensing systems and/or cabin monitoring systems and/or
the like.
[0072] Changes and modifications to the specifically described
embodiments may be carried out without departing from the
principles of the present invention, which is intended to be
limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted
according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of
equivalents.
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