US 8,386,114 B2Granted

Imaging system for vehicle

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorMichael J. Higgins-Luthman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vehicular imaging system includes an imaging device that is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly and having a field of view rearward and/or sideward of the vehicle. A control processes captured image data utilizing edge detection. Responsive at least in part to the processing, the control determines objects of interest present in the field of view of the imaging device. Objects of interest determined to be present in the field of view include (i) a vehicle that is rearward and/or sideward of the vehicle, (ii) a headlight of a vehicle that is rearward and/or sideward of the vehicle, (iii) a bicycle that is rearward and/or sideward of the vehicle, and/or (iv) a bicycle rider that is rearward and/or sideward of the vehicle. Responsive at least in part to the processing of captured image data, a driver of the vehicle is alerted to a hazardous condition.

Claims61

Dependent claims

An imaging system for detecting objects exterior of a vehicle, said imaging system comprising:

an imaging device comprising a CMOS array of photo-sensing pixels, wherein said imaging device is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly that attaches at a side of a vehicle equipped with said imaging system, and wherein said imaging device captures image data;
wherein, with said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said imaging device has a field of view at least one of rearward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction towards the rear of the equipped vehicle and sideward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached;
a control for processing image data captured by said imaging device;
wherein said control utilizes edge detection in processing captured image data;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, said control determines objects of interest present in the field of view of said imaging device;
wherein objects of interest determined to be present in the field of view of said imaging device comprise at least one of (i) a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a headlight of a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a bicycle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, and (iv) a bicycle rider that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to a hazardous condition;
and
wherein, in determining objects of interest present in the field of view of said imaging device, edges that are not indicative of objects of interest are substantially ignored in order to at least one of (a) reduce processing requirements and (b) reduce false signals.

6 more elements

An imaging system for detecting objects exterior of a vehicle, said imaging system comprising:

an imaging device comprising a CMOS array of photo-sensing pixels, wherein said imaging device is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly that attaches at a side of a vehicle equipped with said imaging system, and wherein said imaging device captures image data;
wherein, with said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said imaging device has a field of view at least one of rearward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction towards the rear of the equipped vehicle and sideward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached;
a control for processing image data captured by said imaging device;
wherein said control utilizes edge detection in processing captured image data;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, said control determines an object of interest present in the field of view of said imaging device;
wherein an object of interest determined to be present in the field of view of said imaging device comprises at least one of (i) a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a headlight of a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to a hazardous condition;
and
wherein a video display screen is located in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein images are displayed by said video display screen that are derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said imaging device.

6 more elements

An imaging system for detecting objects exterior of a vehicle, said imaging system comprising:

an imaging device comprising a CMOS array of photo-sensing pixels, wherein said imaging device is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly that attaches at a side of a vehicle equipped with said imaging system, and wherein said imaging device captures image data;
wherein, with said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said imaging device has a field of view at least one of rearward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction towards the rear of the equipped vehicle and sideward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached;
a control for processing image data captured by said imaging device;
wherein said control utilizes edge detection in processing captured image data;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, said control determines an object of interest present in the field of view of said imaging device;
wherein an object of interest determined to be present in the field of view of said imaging device comprises at least one of (i) a bicycle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, and (ii) a rider of a bicycle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to a hazardous condition;
and
wherein a video display screen is located in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein images are displayed by said video display screen that are derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said imaging device.

6 more elements

An imaging system for detecting objects exterior of a vehicle, said imaging system comprising:

an imaging device comprising a CMOS array of photo-sensing pixels, wherein said imaging device is part of an exterior rearview mirror assembly that attaches at a side of a vehicle equipped with said imaging system, and wherein said imaging device captures image data;
wherein, with said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said imaging device has a field of view rearward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction towards the rear of the equipped vehicle, forward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction towards the front of the equipped vehicle and sideward of said exterior rearview mirror assembly in a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached;
a control for processing image data captured by said imaging device;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, said control determines objects of interest present in the field of view of said imaging device;
wherein objects of interest determined to be present in the field of view of said imaging device comprise at least one of (i) a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a headlight of a vehicle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a bicycle that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle, and (iv) a bicycle rider that is at least one of rearward of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive at least in part to said processing of captured image data by said control, a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to a hazardous condition;
and
wherein a video display screen is located in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein images are displayed by said video display screen that are derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said imaging device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/566,266Filed 3 Aug 2012 · continuation
Priority: 23 Dec 2004
Published: US 2012/0140078 A122 Nov 2012
Granted: 26 Feb 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification26 codes

G06V 20/588
Exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle: recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving…
B60Q 9/008
Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling: for…
B60R 1/12
Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or…:…
B60R 1/23
For viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle: with a predetermined field of view

Family

Application60/638,687Us provisional application · filed 23 Dec 2004
Application11/315,675Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Dec 2005
Application12/764,355Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Apr 2010
US 7,720,580 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 18 May 2010
Application12/979,497Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Dec 2010
US 7,877,175 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jan 2011
Application13/190,931Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Jul 2011
US 7,991,522 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Aug 2011
Application13/370,694Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Feb 2012
US 8,116,929 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Feb 2012
US 2012/0293658 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Nov 2012
US 8,239,086 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2006/0184297 A1Published application
US 2010/0228435 A1Published application
US 2011/0090339 A1Published application
US 2011/0279256 A1Published application
US 2012/0140078 A1Published application
US 8,386,114 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.