Street light with infrared illumination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10706295-B2
Application number	US-201816023016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A system includes a light source configured to emit light in a wavelength in a visible range and a wavelength in an infrared range, and a vehicle including an infrared camera, and a computer programmed to identify an object based at least in part on an infrared image from the camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising;
a light source configured to emit light in a wavelength in a visible range and a wavelength in an infrared range; and
a vehicle, including:
an infrared camera, and
a computer programmed to:
receive image data from captured light including the visible wavelength and the infrared wavelength;
determine a classification confidence value of the received image data including the visible wavelength and the infrared wavelength, wherein the confidence value quantifies a suitability of the received image data for classifying the object; and
upon determining that the determined classification confidence value exceeds a specified threshold, identify an object based at least in part on an infrared image from the camera.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera of the vehicle further includes an optical path configured to allow the infrared wavelength to pass.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to actuate at least one of a vehicle propulsion, a vehicle steering, and a vehicle brake actuator, based on the identified object.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
receive image data from captured light at each of the visible and infrared wavelengths;
determine a quality value of the received image data; and
upon determining that the determined quality value exceeds a specified threshold, identify the object.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second computer, programmed to actuate the light source of a street light to emit light at the infrared wavelength upon, based on a location coordinate provided by the object, detecting the object and determining that the object is within a specified distance from the street light.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second computer is further programmed to determine that the object is within the specified distance from the street light based on stored location data of the street light and received object location data.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second computer, programmed to actuate a light source of the street light, upon determining that an ambient light intensity is below a specified threshold.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second computer is further programmed to activate the light source to emit light with the visible wavelength, upon determining that an ambient light intensity is below a specified threshold.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is included in a street light.

10. A method, comprising;
emitting, from a light source, light in a wavelength in a visible range and a wavelength in an infrared range;
receiving image data from captured light including the visible wavelength and the infrared wavelength;
determining a classification confidence value of the received image data including the visible wavelength and the infrared wavelength, wherein the confidence value quantifies a suitability of the received image data for classifying the object; and
upon determining that the determined classification confidence value exceeds a specified threshold, identifying, in a vehicle, an object based at least in part on an infrared image from a vehicle infrared camera.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the camera of the vehicle further includes an optical path configured to allow the infrared wavelength to pass.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising actuating at least one of a vehicle propulsion, a vehicle steering, and a vehicle brake actuator, based on the identified object.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving image data from captured light at each of the visible and infrared wavelengths;
determining a quality value of the received image data; and
upon determining that the determined quality value exceeds a specified threshold, identifying the object.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising actuating the light source of a street light to emit light at the infrared wavelength upon, based on a location coordinate provided by the object, detecting the object and determining that the object is within a specified distance from the street light.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining that the object is within the specified distance from the street light based on stored location data of the street light and received object location data.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising actuating the light source of a street light, upon determining that an ambient light intensity is below a specified threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising activating the light source to emit light with the visible wavelength, upon determining that an ambient light intensity is below a specified threshold.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the light source is included in a street light.

19. A system, comprising;
a light source configured to emit light in a wavelength in a visible range and a wavelength in an infrared range; and
a vehicle including an infrared camera and a first computer programmed to identify an object based at least in part on an infrared image from the camera; and
a second computer programmed to actuate the light source of a street light to emit light at the infrared wavelength upon, based on a location coordinate provided by the object, detecting the object and determining that the object is within a specified distance from the street light.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cionca Codrin
• Kourous-Harrigan Helen Elizabeth
• Remillard Jeffrey Thomas
• Vora Ankit Girish
• Xu Lu
• Zhang Linjun

Classifications

• G06V10/143

  Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths · CPC title

• G06V20/58 Primary

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• B60W2420/403

  Image sensing, e.g. optical camera · CPC title

• B60W2050/0043

  Signal treatments, identification of variables or parameters, parameter estimation or state estimation · CPC title

• B60R2300/103

  using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source · CPC title