Water depth estimation apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016196656-A1
Application number	US-201414915958-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A land-based automotive vehicle ( 10, 110 ) comprising an apparatus ( 12 a, 12 b ) for estimating the depth of water (H) about the vehicle. The apparatus comprising at least one light source ( 70 ), at least one imaging means such as a camera ( 30 ) mounted to the vehicle and a control unit ( 40 ), the apparatus being structured and arranged such that a first light signal is emitted toward a water surface ( 18 ) about the vehicle, the at least one camera is configured for imaging the first light signal and the control unit is configured and arranged to compute from the imagery obtained by the at least one camera an estimation of a depth of water about the vehicle.

First claim

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . An apparatus for estimating depth of water, the apparatus comprising at least one light emitter, at least one imaging means and a control unit, the at least one light emitter being structured and arranged such that a first light signal emitted by the at least one light emitter is directed towards a water surface, the at least one imaging means being configured and arranged for imaging the first light signal and the control unit being configured to compute from imagery obtained by the at least one imaging means an estimation of a depth of water.

19 . An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the at least one imaging means comprises at least one camera.

20 . An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the apparatus comprises a first camera configured to detect one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on a water surface and wherein the first or another camera is configured to detect one or more locations of incidence of a second light signal on a ground surface, wherein the second light signal is a refracted portion of the first light signal and wherein the control unit derives a height of the water surface above the ground level in dependence upon the distance between the one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface and the one or more locations of incidence of a corresponding refracted second light signal on the ground surface.

21 . An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the distance is determined by said control unit by counting a maximum or average number of pixels between the one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface and the one or more locations of incidence of a corresponding refracted second light signal on the ground surface.

22 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a light source and a beam shaper element.

23 . (canceled)

24 . An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the first light signal is shaped such that said one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface is shaped as a line.

25 . An apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the light source comprises one or more coherent light sources.

26 . An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the one or more coherent light sources comprises one or more or a combination of: a blue laser, a green laser and a UV laser.

27 . An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the apparatus comprises an optical fiber for coupling light between the one or more light sources and the light beam shaper element.

28 . A method of estimating the depth of water about a vehicle, the method comprising:
(i) emitting a first light signal toward a water surface about the vehicle; (ii) imaging the first light signal; and (iii) computing from said imagery an estimation of a depth of water about the vehicle.

29 . A method according to claim 28 wherein step (ii) comprises imaging one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on a water surface and imaging one or more locations of incidence of a second light signal on a ground surface, wherein the second light signal is a refracted portion of the first light signal and wherein step (iii) comprises deriving an estimation of the height of the water surface above the ground level in dependence upon a detected distance between the one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface and the one or more locations of incidence of a corresponding refracted second light signal on the ground surface.

30 . A method according to claim 28 wherein the first light signal is a shaped light signal such that the one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface is shaped as a line.

31 . (canceled)

32 . An apparatus according to claim 27 comprising a moveable mounting means for mounting a portion of the optical fiber and/or the beam shaper element to a vehicle and wherein the mounting means moves the optical fiber and/or the beam shaper element to change the position relative to the vehicle from which the first light signal is emitted.

33 . An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the apparatus comprises one light source, a first optical fiber and a first beam shaper element, the optical fiber and/or the beam shaper element being mounted via a first moveable mounting means to the front of the vehicle and wherein the apparatus is structured and arranged such that the first light signal is scanned in front of the vehicle in: a substantially linear pattern or in a substantially arcuate pattern.

34 . An apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the apparatus comprises a second optical fiber and a second beam shaper element for emitting a further light signal from the vehicle, the second optical fiber and/or the second beam shaper element being mounted via a second moveable mounting means to the rear of the vehicle and wherein the apparatus is structured and arranged such that a further light signal is scanned to the rear of the vehicle in: a substantially linear pattern or in a substantially arcuate pattern.

35 . An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the apparatus is manually activated by a driver of the vehicle.

36 . An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the apparatus is positioned on the vehicle such that the apparatus is suitable for estimating the depth of a body of water ahead of the direction of travel of the vehicle, in front of the vehicle, to the rear of the vehicle and/or to one or both of the sides of the vehicle.

37 . A land-based automotive vehicle comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one light emitter and the at least one imaging means are mounted to the vehicle, the at least one light emitter being structured and arranged to emit a first light signal directed toward a water surface about the vehicle, and wherein the at least one imaging means is configured to image the first light signal emitted by the at least one light emitter and the control unit is configured to compute from imagery obtained by the at least one imaging means an estimation of depth of the water about the vehicle.

38 . An apparatus according to claim 37 wherein the maximum wading depth of the vehicle is 150 mm or more.

39 . A land-based automotive vehicle according to claim 37 wherein the first light signal is shaped such that said one or more locations of incidence of the first light signal on the water surface is shaped as a line and the line is a horizontal straight line spaced from the front end of the vehicle or spaced from the rear end of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Cund Mark
• Widdowson Paul
• O'Donoghue Jim

Classifications

• G06T7/0051 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2300/30

  characterised by the type of image processing · CPC title

• G06K9/00791

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60R2300/80

  characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement · CPC title