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US 11,032,488 B2Granted
Camera system with light shield using object contrast adjustment
AssigneeAptiv Technologies AG
InventorsKevin J. Hawes, Ronald M. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera system suitable for use on an automated vehicle, includes an imager used to detect an image of a field-of-view of the system, a light-shield operable to block a portion of the image from being received by the imager, and a controller in communication with the imager and the light-shield. The controller is configured to position the light-shield in a line-of-sight between a bright-spot and the imager.
Claims17
A system, comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- receive image data from an imager of a camera installed on a vehicle;
- track, based on the image data, a position of a bright spot detected by the imager in a field of view of the camera, the bright spot being a reflection of light from a roadway traveled by the vehicle;
- determine, based on the image data, an object detected by the imager;
- position an absorber in a line-of-sight of the camera between the bright spot and the imager;
- and
- adjust a shape and an opacity of the absorber thereby reducing an intensity of the bright spot and increasing a contrast of the object image data via a post-processing normalization in response to receiving subsequent image data from the imager;
- wherein the absorber is a liquid crystal filter configured to match a geometry of the bright spot, and the controller is further configured to adjust the shape of the absorber by dynamically adjusting the shape of the absorber;
- and
- wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the opacity of the absorber by adjusting the opacity across a height and a width of the absorber;
- and
- wherein the absorber is comprised of a plurality of concentric shapes, wherein each subsequent concentric shape toward an outer dimension of the absorber is less opaque than the previous concentric shape.
9 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving, with a controller, image data from an imager of a camera installed on a vehicle;
- tracking, based on the image data, a position of a bright spot detected by the imager in a field of view of the camera, the bright spot being a reflection of light from a roadway traveled by the vehicle;
- determining, based on the image data, an object detected by the imager;
- positioning, an absorber in a line-of-sight of the camera between the bright spot and the imager;
- and
- adjusting, a shape and an opacity of the absorber thereby reducing an intensity of the bright spot and increasing a contrast of the object image data via a post-processing normalization in response to receiving subsequent image data from the imager;
- wherein the absorber is a liquid crystal filter configured to match a geometry of the bright spot, further comprising:
- adjusting the shape of the absorber by dynamically adjusting the shape of the absorber;
- and
- adjusting the opacity of the absorber by adjusting the opacity across a height and a width of the absorber;
- wherein the absorber is comprised of a plurality of concentric shapes, and wherein each subsequent concentric shape toward an outer dimension of the absorber is less opaque than the previous concentric shape.
8 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for causing one or more computing devices of a system to:
- receive image data from an imager of a camera installed on a vehicle;
- track, based on the image data, a position of a bright spot detected by the imager in a field of view of the camera, the bright spot being a reflection of light from a roadway traveled by the vehicle;
- determine, based on the image data, an object detected by the imager;
- position an absorber in a line-of-sight of the camera between the bright spot and the imager;
- and
- adjust a shape and an opacity of the absorber thereby reducing an intensity of the bright spot and increasing a contrast of the object image data via a post-processing normalization in response to receiving subsequent image data from the imager;
- wherein the absorber is a liquid crystal filter configured to match a geometry of the bright spot, and the controller is further configured to adjust the shape of the absorber by dynamically adjusting the shape of the absorber;
- and
- wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the opacity of the absorber by adjusting the opacity across a height and a width of the absorber;
- and
- wherein the absorber is comprised of a plurality of concentric shapes, wherein each subsequent concentric shape toward an outer dimension of the absorber is less opaque than the previous concentric shape.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.