# US 12,223,735 B2 · Vehicle camera vision and control system and method

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,223,735 B2
- Document ID: US12223735B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/226,121
- Filed: 2023-07-25
- Published: 2024-01-25
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-25
- Assignees: Lumileds LLC
- Applicants: Lumileds LLC
- Inventors: Benno Spinger; Dirk Vanderhaeghen; Ronald Johannes Bonne; Wouter Schrama; Norbert Lesch; Patrick van den Akker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223735B2

## CPC

- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- B60Q 1/0023: {the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera}
- B60Q 1/085: {due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence)}
- B60Q 1/1415: {Dimming circuits}
- B60Q 1/249: {for illuminating the field of view of a sensor or camera}
- B60R 1/24: in front of the vehicle
- F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162)
- F21V 23/0442: {activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors}
- G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters}
- G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
- H04N 5/74: Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
- H04N 23/10: for generating image signals from different wavelengths
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
- B60Q 2300/052: Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
- B60Q 2300/054: Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
- B60Q 2300/30: Indexing codes relating to the vehicle environment
- B60Q 2300/33: Driving situation
- B60R 2300/303: using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
- B60R 2300/8093: for obstacle warning
- G06T 7/55: from multiple images
- G06T 2207/10048: Infrared image
- G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
- G06V 2201/07: Target detection
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A camera is described that includes a first imager and a processor communicatively coupled to the first imager. The first imager captures images of a roadway on which a vehicle is located when operating. The processor, when operating, generates a signal to cause a first hybridized device in the vehicle to project a first patterned light on to an object on the roadway, generates a signal to cause the first imager to capture an image of the first patterned light projected on the object, receives the image from the first imager, and detects the object on the roadway based on the first patterned light captured in the image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A camera comprising:
a first imager that is configured to capture images of a roadway on which a vehicle is located when operating;
a processor communicatively coupled to the first imager that is configured to, when operating:
generate a signal to cause a first hybridized device in the vehicle to project a first patterned light in a non-visible spectrum on to an object on the roadway, wherein the first hybridized device comprises a silicon backplane and a monolithic array on the silicon backplane, the monolithic array comprising at least 20,000 light-emitting segments spaced 20 μm or less apart that are independently controllable in groups to project the first patterned light for a period of time that is less than a threshold of human perception,
generate a signal to cause a second hybridized device to project a non-patterned light in a visible spectrum on the roadway,
generate a signal to cause the first imager to capture an image of the first patterned light projected on the object,
receive the image from the first imager, and
detect the object on the roadway based on the first patterned light captured in the image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
generate a signal to cause a second hybridized device to project a second patterned light on to the object on the roadway;
generate a signal to cause a second imager to capture a second image of the first patterned light projected on to the object on the roadway, wherein the second imager is adapted to exclude the second pattern light projected by the second hybridized device and the first imager is adapted to exclude the first pattern light projected by the first hybridized device; and
detect the object on the roadway based on the image from the first imager and the second image from the second imager.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to select a pattern for the first patterned light based on at least one of:
operating parameters of the vehicle, or
the image of the first patterned light projected on the object captured by the first imager.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a signal to alert other systems in the vehicle when the object is detected.

### Claim 5

A method of objection detection, the method comprising:
causing, by a processor in a camera, a first hybridized device to project a first patterned light in a non-visible spectrum on to an object on a roadway on which a vehicle is located when operating wherein the first hybridized device comprises a silicon backplane and a monolithic array on the silicon backplane, the monolithic array comprising at least 20,000 light-emitting segments spaced 20 μm or less apart that are independently controllable in groups to project the first patterned light for a period of time that is less than a threshold of human perception;
causing, by the processor in the camera, the first hybridized device to project a non-patterned light in a visible spectrum on the roadway
causing, by the processor in the camera, a first imager to capture an image of the first patterned light projected on the object;
receiving, by the processor in camera, the image from the first imager;
detecting, by the processor in the camera, the object on the roadway based on the first patterned light captured in the first imager.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
generating, by the processor, a signal to cause a second hybridized device to project a second patterned light on to the object on the roadway;
generating, by the processor, a signal to cause a second imager to capture a second image of the first patterned light projected on to the object on the roadway, wherein the second imager is adapted to exclude the second pattern light projected by the second hybridized device and the first imager is adapted to exclude the first pattern light projected by the first hybridized device; and
detecting, by the processor, the object on the roadway based on the first image from the first imager and the second image from the second imager.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising selecting a pattern for the first patterned light based on at least one of:
operating parameters of the vehicle, or
the image of the first patterned light projected on the object captured by the first imager.