Inspection of the contoured surface of the undercarriage of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016148073-A1
Application number	US-201414901393-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for providing an image of a contoured surface includes: a) recording images of one or a plurality of regions of the surface using different light exposure and/or illumination; b) generating s an optimized image for each of the regions from the plurality of recorded images; and c) assembling the optimized images generated for the individual regions of the surface to form an optimized total image of the surface.

First claim

1 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . A method for providing an image of a contoured surface, comprising;
a) recording, using at least one image capturing device, multiple images of each of at least two regions of the surface using at least one of different light exposure and different illumination; b) generating an optimized image for each of the at least two regions from the recorded images; and c) assembling the optimized images generated for the at least two regions of the surface to form an optimized total image of the surface.

14 . The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein in step b), for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region is generated by (i) identifying features which are imaged using optimum contrast in the multiple recorded images of the respective region, and (ii) selecting as an optimized image one of the multiple images for each respective region which contains the most features imaged using optimum contrast.

15 . The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein in step b), for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region is generated by generating at least one synthetic intermediate image from two recorded images of the same respective region recorded using at least one of different illumination and different light exposure, and partial objects imaged using optimum contrast are identified in the recorded images and the at least one synthetic intermediate images.

16 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the margins of the individual partial objects are adapted upon assembling of the partial objects in order to avoid artifacts at interfaces between the assembled partial objects.

17 . The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein in step b), for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region is generated by using variance-based contrast adaptation to generate at least one synthetic intermediate image from at least two images of the same respective region recorded using at least one of different illumination and different light exposure.

18 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein, upon assembly of the optimized images in step c), the margins of the individual images are adapted by a local histogram adaptation to avoid artifacts at interfaces between the assembled optimized images.

19 . A device for providing an image of a contoured surface, comprising:
a) at least one image capturing device for recording multiple images of each of at least two regions of the surface using at least one of different light exposure and different illumination; b) an image optimization device generating an optimized image for each of the at least two regions from the recorded images; and c) an image synthesis device assembling the optimized images generated for the at least two regions of the surface to form an optimized total image of the surface.

20 . The device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the image optimization device is configured to generate, for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region by (i) identifying features which are imaged using optimum contrast in the multiple recorded images of the respective region, and (ii) selecting as an optimized image one of the multiple images for each respective region which contains the most features imaged using optimum contrast.

21 . The device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the image optimization device is configured to generate, for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region by generating at least one synthetic intermediate image from two recorded images of the same respective region recorded using at least one of different illumination and different light exposure, and partial objects imaged using optimum contrast are identified in the recorded images and the at least one synthetic intermediate images.

22 . The device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the image optimization device is configured to generate, for each of the at least two regions, an optimized image for the respective region by using variance-based contrast adaptation to generate at least one synthetic intermediate image from at least two images of the same respective region recorded using at least one of different illumination and different light exposure.

23 . The device as recited in claim 20 , wherein the image synthesis device includes an image-margin adaptation device configured to adapt, upon assembly of the optimized images, the margins of the individual images by a local histogram adaptation to avoid artifacts at interfaces between the assembled optimized images.

20 . The device as recited in claim 20 , further comprising:
at least one illumination device configured for illuminating at least one region of the surface, the illumination device including at least one illumination element and one illumination control device configured for adaptively controlling the at least one illumination element by taking into account the recorded images in order to adjust an optimum illumination intensity.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Uffenkamp Volker
• Takami Masato
• Nobis Guenter

Classifications

• G06T3/4038 Primary

  Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images · CPC title

• G06T2207/10144

  Varying exposure · CPC title

• G06T2207/10152

  Varying illumination · CPC title

• G06T2207/30248

  Vehicle exterior or interior · CPC title

• G06T5/50

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title