# US 2022/0032884 A1 · Systems and methods for causing a vehicle response based on traffic light detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032884 A1 - Document ID: US20220032884A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/500,050 - Filed: 2021-10-13 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-28 - Assignees: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. - Applicants: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. - Inventors: Itai BEN SHALOM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032884A1 ## CPC - B60T 7/12: for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} - B60K 31/0008: {including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path} - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - B60T 7/18: operated by wayside apparatus - B60T 7/22: initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} - B60W 30/18109: {Braking} - B60W 30/18154: {Approaching an intersection} - B60K 2031/0025: {Detecting position of target vehicle, e.g. vehicle driving ahead from host vehicle} - B60T 2201/022: Collision avoidance systems - B60T 2210/32: Vehicle surroundings - B60T 2210/36: Global Positioning System [GPS] - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2540/18: Steering angle - B60W 2555/60: Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A traffic light detection system for a vehicle is provided. The system may include at least one processing device programmed to receive, from at least one image capture device, a plurality of images representative of an area forward of the vehicle, the area including a traffic light fixture having at least one traffic light. The at least one processing device may also be programmed to analyze at least one of the plurality of images to determine a status of the at least one traffic light, and determine an estimated amount of time until the vehicle will reach an intersection associated with the traffic light fixture. The at least one processing device may further be programmed to cause a system response based on the status of at least one traffic light and the estimated amount of time until the vehicle will reach the intersection. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-31. (canceled) ### Claim 32 A traffic light detection system for installation in a vehicle, the system comprising: a processing unit comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and support circuitry, the processing unit programmed to: access images captured by at least one image acquisition unit, the images being representative of an area in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the area includes a plurality of objects; identify the plurality of objects in the images; determine a plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures by excluding a portion of the plurality of objects from the candidate traffic light fixtures based on at least one of: an object shape, an object dimension, an object position, an object movement, or stored example images of traffic light fixtures; and cause a navigational response of the vehicle based on at least one of the determined plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The traffic light detection system of claim 32, the processing unit being further programmed to determine, from among the candidate traffic light fixtures, a traffic light relevant to a lane of travel of the vehicle. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The traffic light detection system of claim 33, the processing unit being further programmed to generate scores for the plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures, wherein the relevant traffic light is determined based on a score of a candidate traffic light fixture associated with the relevant traffic light. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The traffic light detection system of claim 34, wherein the score of the candidate traffic light fixtures associated with the relevant traffic light is highest among the scores of the plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The traffic light detection system of claim 33, wherein the area comprises a road junction and the relevant traffic light is determined based on a model of the junction. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The traffic light detection system of claim 36, wherein the navigation response is based on a geometry of the road junction comprising at least one of: a number of lanes detected on either side of the vehicle; at least one marking detected on a road surface; or a description of the road junction extracted from map data. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The traffic light detection system of claim 33, wherein the navigational response is based on the relevant traffic light. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The traffic light detection system of claim 38, wherein the navigational response is based on a status of the relevant traffic light, the status being represented by a yellow or red color. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The traffic light detection system of claim 32, wherein the processing unit being further programmed to update a confidence level associated with the plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures based on subsequent images. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The traffic light detection system of claim 39, wherein the confidence level is updated based on a number of the determine candidate traffic light fixtures. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The traffic light detection system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures based on stereo image analysis of the accessed images. ### Claim 42 (depends on 32) The traffic light detection system of claim 32, wherein the accessed plurality of images were captured by multiple image acquisition units. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The traffic light detection system of claim 42, wherein the multiple image acquisition units are associated with a single vehicle. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The traffic light detection system of claim 42, wherein the multiple image acquisition units are associated with multiple vehicles. ### Claim 45 (depends on 32) The traffic light detection system of claim 32, wherein: the area comprises a road junction; the processing unit is further programmed to determine a distance between the vehicle and the road junction; the navigational response is based on the determined distance. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The traffic light detection system of claim 45, the processing unit being further programmed to determine the distance between the vehicle and the road junction based on at least one of: a stop line in at least one of the accessed images; a pedestrian crossing line in at least one of the accessed images; or at least one of the candidate traffic light fixtures. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The traffic light detection system of claim 45, the processing unit being further programmed to: determine, from among the candidate traffic light fixtures, a traffic light a relevant to a lane of travel of the vehicle; and determine a status of the relevant traffic light to be represented by a yellow or red color, wherein the causing the navigational response of the vehicle comprises causing the vehicle to decelerate based on the determined status and the determined distance between the vehicle and the road junction. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The traffic light detection system of claim 47, the processing unit being further programmed to dynamically calculate the a deceleration rate as the vehicle approaches the road junction. ### Claim 49 A method for traffic light detection, the method comprising: access images captured by at least one image acquisition unit, the images being representative of an area in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the area includes a plurality of objects; identify the plurality of objects in the images; determine a plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures by excluding a portion of the plurality of objects from the candidate traffic light fixtures based on at least one of: an object shape, an object dimension, an object position, an object movement, or stored example images of traffic light fixtures; and cause a navigational response of the vehicle based on at least one of the determined plurality of candidate traffic light fixtures. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, further comprising determining, from among the candidate traffic light fixtures, a traffic light relevant to a lane of travel of the vehicle. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein the relevant traffic light is determined based on a score of a candidate traffic light fixture associated with the relevant traffic light, the score being based on at least one of: an orientation of the relevant traffic light with respect to the vehicle; a distance between the relevant traffic light and the vehicle; or map data associated with a location of the vehicle.