Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Relative location – Collision avoidance
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-11-13
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Relative location
Collision avoidance
C701S028000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317691
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for enhancing vehicle safety utilizing machine vision to inform vehicle occupants and vehicle systems when a collision is likely to occur. Ideally, the system will notify the driver to take corrective action. In situations where collisions are inevitable, the system can facilitate smart airbag deployment as well as provide input to other vehicle safety systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many vehicle collisions occur every year, often causing bodily injury and extensive property damage. Some of these collisions result from inattentive drivers who fail to stop quickly enough when traffic stops. Particularly dangerous conditions exist at night, when drivers are more prone to fatigue and the ability to judge distances is impaired. The ability to judge distance depends, in part, on spatial clues, many of which are obscured by darkness. Adverse whether conditions may similarly obscure spatial clues and impair depth perception. Additionally, congested traffic, with its typical stop and go character, and close vehicle proximities, requires the driver to maintain a constant level of heightened alertness. Even a momentary lapse in attention can result in an collision.
In situations where collisions are inevitable, some automotive systems can be configured to minimize the potential for injury and loss of life. The airbag is an example of one such system. If the type and severity of the collision can be predicted, even to a first approximation, before the collision actually occurs, the airbags can be configured for optimal response. Parameters subject to configuration may include the rate and extent of airbag inflation.
To reduce the seriousness and number of collisions resulting from operator error, ranging sensors have been employed to collect external data and to provide timely warnings to vehicle occupants. Most ranging sensors utilized in collision avoidance include a transmitting portion and a receiving portion. The transmitting portion sends a signal from the sensor-equipped vehicle, or host vehicle, to a target vehicle. The target vehicle serves as a reflector, returning a portion of the transmitted signal to the receiving portion. The delay between the transmission and the reception of the reflected signal provides data pertaining to inter-vehicle distance and relative vehicle dynamics. This type of sensing system will be termed an interrogation/reflection system herein, and usually comes in one of two general types; either a radar-based system that transmits and receives radio waves, or a laser-based system that transmits and receives coherent light instead of radio waves. Both radar and laser-based systems are very costly and, as such, are not affordable to many consumers. Additionally, both systems have certain drawbacks. For instance radar-based interrogation/reflection systems need to be monitored and periodically maintained. A poorly maintained transmitting element, or mismatched antenna, may result in a portion of the transmission signal being reflected back into the transmitter, potentially causing damage. Electromagnetic pollution is another shortcoming common to most radar-based interrogation/reflection systems. There are a finite number of radio frequencies available, and as the number of frequency-requiring devices increases, so does the likelihood of false alarms caused by spurious signals originating from devices using neighboring frequencies or by inadequately shielded devices operating on distant frequencies, but manifesting harmonics within the operational frequencies of the receiving apparatus. Laser-based systems have attempted to overcome the problems associated with the overcrowded radio spectrum by using coherent light instead of radio signals. Although laser-based systems sufficiently overcome some of the problems associated with radio-based signals, they have other significant limitations. For example, precise mounting and alignment, while required in many interrogation/reflection systems, are especially important in laser-based systems. Failure to properly align a laser can result in the transmitted signal either being dissipated in space, or reflecting off an unintended object. Furthermore, lasers, because of their characteristic coherent nature are dangerous if directed into the eye. The risk is most acute with higher-powered lasers, or lasers operating outside of the visible spectrum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for enhancing vehicle safety utilizing machine vision to warn vehicle occupants and vehicle systems when an collision is likely to occur. In the ideal situation the system will issue a warning in time for the driver to take remedial action. In situations where collisions are inevitable, the invention can facilitate smart airbag deployment by providing information regarding to the expected severity of the crash. The invention can also provide data to other vehicle safety systems.
One embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for collision avoidance utilizing taillight tracking comprising at least one sensor for providing data, wherein the at least one sensor includes an image sensor having front and a lens for gathering image data, said lens including a focal axis, and said image data including color image components. The apparatus further includes a data processing device operatively connected with the at least one sensor to receive and process data therefrom, wherein said data processing device includes a means for isolating the colored image components from the image data and a means for performing a dilation and size filtering operation on the colored image components to provide selectively enhanced color image components. Further, the data processing device includes a means for identifying taillight pairs in the selectively enhanced color image components using a one-dimensional limited horizontal shift autocorrelation, with each of the identified taillight pairs having a taillight separation and a means for using the taillight separation of each of the identified taillight pairs to determine the value of the distance of each of the taillight pairs from the image sensor. The data processing device additionally includes a means for determining the taillight pair most aligned with the focal axis of the lens and in front to the image sensor; and a means for controlling the means set forth hereinabove of the present section. Wherein this last means generates, over time, a plurality of values of the distance from the image sensor to the taillight pair most aligned with the focal axis of the lens and in front to the image sensor, said values including a first most recent value and a second most recent value. The data processor additionally includes a means for storing the first most recent value and the second most recent value of the distance from the image sensor to the taillight pair most aligned with the focal axis of the lens and in front of the image sensor; and the data processor also includes a means for comparing the first most recent value and the second most recent value of the distance from the image sensor to the taillight pair most aligned with the focal axis of the lens and in front to the image sensor to determine the value of the rate-of-closure therebetween. There is also a safety system functionally connected with the data processing device, wherein said safety system is configured to receive the value of the rate-of-closure between the image sensor and the taillight pair most aligned with the focal axis of the lens and in front to the image sensor, and to activate when the value of the rate of closure exceeds a threshold value. While the apparatus has been described in general terms it is anticipated that one possible embodiment of the present invention would utilize a CMOS or CCD electronic camera as the image sensor and that at least one sensor will provide information to the data processor via a wireless interface. Further, it is anticipated that the data processor may provide
Narayan Srinivasa
Owechko Yuri
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
HRL Laboratories LLC
Marc-Coleman Marthe
Tope-McKay Cary
Tope-Mckay & Associates
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