# US 2010/0165102 A1 · Method and device for determining a change in the pitch angle of a camera of a vehicle

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- Number: US 2010/0165102 A1
- Document ID: US20100165102A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/648,676
- Filed: 2009-12-29
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-30
- Assignees: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
- Inventors: Boris Klebanov; Ingo Hoffmann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165102A1

## CPC

- G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80)
- B60Q 1/115: by electric means {(details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076)}
- B60Q 2300/3321: Detection of streetlights
- G06T 2207/10016: Video; Image sequence
- G06T 2207/30244: Camera pose
- G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A method and device determine the change in pitch angle of a camera of a vehicle. At least three images, each reproducing a detection area in front of the vehicle, are sequentially recorded and corresponding image data are generated. A position of a first reproduction of a stationary object in the first image is determined as a first image position. A position of a second reproduction of the stationary object in the second image is determined as a second image position. On the basis of at least the first image position and the second image position, the course of a straight line is determined. A position of a third reproduction of the stationary object in the third image is determined as a third image position. On the basis of the distance between the third image position and the straight line, the change in the pitch angle is determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for determining a change in a pitch angle of a camera of a vehicle, comprising:
sequentially recording at least three images, each of which includes a reproduction of a detection area in front of the vehicle, and the at least three images including at least a first image, a second image and a third image;
generating image data corresponding to each of the images; and
processing the image data by:
determining a first image position as a position of a first reproduction of a stationary object in the first image;
determining a second image position as a position of a second reproduction of the stationary object in the second image;
determining a course of a straight line based on at least the first image position and the second image position;
determining a third image position as a position of a third reproduction of the stationary object in the third image; and
determining the change in the pitch angle of the camera based on a distance between the third image position and the straight line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
recording at least a fourth image of the at least three images after recording the second image and before recording the third image; and
determining a fourth image position as a position of a fourth reproduction of the stationary object in the fourth image; and wherein
determining the course of the straight line includes determining the course of the straight line based on the first image position, the second image position and the fourth image position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining a course of a second straight line based on at least the first image position, the second image position and the third image position;
recording a fifth image of the at least three images after recording the third image;
determining a fifth image position as a position of a fifth reproduction of the stationary object in the fifth image; and
determining a further change in the pitch angle of the camera based on a distance between the fifth image position and the second straight line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the course of the straight line is approximated to the first, second and fourth image positions and the course of the straight line runs through at least one of the first, second and fourth image positions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the course of the straight line is determined with the aid of a displacement vector of image positions between at least two of the at least three images.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, further comprising:
determining one displacement vector of the image positions each time between at least two image pairs of two sequentially recorded images of the at least three images; and
determining an average displacement vector using each of the displacement vectors; wherein the average displacement vector is used to determine the course of the straight line, a first image pair comprises the first image and the second image, and a second image pair comprises the second image and a fourth image recorded between the second image and the third image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein at least the first image, the second image and the third image include a reproduction of a second stationary object, the method further comprising:
determining image positions of the reproduction of the second stationary object in each of the first image, the second image and the third image;
determining a first course of the image positions of the reproduction of the second stationary object between the first image and the second image;
determining a second course of the image positions of the reproduction of the second stationary object between the second image and the third image;
determining a third course of the first image position and the second image position between the first image and the second image;
determining a fourth course of the second image position and the third image position between the second image and the third image; and
determining at least one displacement vector between the first and second courses and between the third and fourth courses; and wherein the course of the straight line is determined based on the at least one displacement vector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the change in the pitch angle is determined with aid of the distance between the third image position and the straight line in a direction of a y-axis of an x-y-image point matrix of an image recording sensor of the camera, wherein a x-axis of the x-y image point matrix runs parallel to a y-axis of a vehicle coordinate system or the x-axis is at a preset angle with respect to the y-axis of the vehicle coordinate system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the change in the pitch angle Δα is determined according to the following equation:
tan Δα=a/b; wherein
a is the distance between the third image position and the straight line; and
b is the distance between an image plane and a image-side principal point of a camera optical system of the camera.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to one of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a steer angle of the vehicle between sequential image recording of at least two images of the at least three images; and
correcting an image position in at least one of the at least two images using the steer angle of the vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to one claim 1, further comprising:
determining at least one of light distribution to be set for at least one headlight of the vehicle based on the change in the pitch angle of the camera and a correction value for correction of the light distribution of the at least one headlight of the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the camera is a monocular camera.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the stationary object comprises at least one of a light source of a street light, a light source of a traffic signal facility, a light source of a traffic sign illumination, an object illuminated by a light source and reflecting at least part of a light of the light source, a traffic sign and a traffic management system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
determining whether the light source has brightness fluctuations as a result of an energy supply by a power grid with a power frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz; and
classifying the light source as the stationary object.

### Claim 15

A device for determining a change in a pitch angle of a camera of a vehicle, the camera sequentially recording at least three images, each of which includes a reproduction of a detection area in front of the vehicle and generates image data corresponding to each of the images, the at least three images including at least a first image, a second image and a third image; the device comprising:
a processing unit for processing the image data and configured to:
determine a first image position as a position of a first reproduction of a stationary object in the first image;
determine aa second image position as a position of a second reproduction of the stationary object in the second image;
determine a course of a straight line based on at least the first image position and the second image position;
determine a third image position as a position of a third reproduction of the stationary object in the third image; and
determine the change in the pitch angle of the camera based on a distance between the third image position and the straight line.