Systems and methods for detecting traffic lights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022327843-A1
Application number	US-202217848124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2022
Priority date	Jan 3, 2020
Publication date	Oct 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for vehicle navigation. In one implementation, a navigation system for a host vehicle may comprise at least one processor. The processor may be programmed to receive from a first camera at least a first captured image representative of an environment of the host vehicle. The processor may be programmed to receive from a second camera at least a second captured image representative of the environment of the host vehicle. Both the first captured image and the second image includes a representation of the traffic light, and wherein the second camera is configured to operate in a primary mode where at least one operational parameter of the second camera is tuned to detect at least one feature of the traffic light. The processor may be further programmed cause at least one navigational action by the vehicle based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light.

First claim

1 . A navigation system for a host vehicle, the navigation system comprising:
at least one processor comprising circuitry and a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the circuitry cause the at least one processor to:
receive at least a first captured image acquired by a first camera associated with the host vehicle, the first captured image being representative of an environment of the host vehicle;
receive at least a second captured image acquired by a second camera associated with the host vehicle, the second captured image being representative of the environment of the host vehicle, wherein a field of view of the first camera at least partially overlaps with a field of view of the second camera, wherein the first captured image includes a representation of a traffic light in the environment of the host vehicle, wherein the second captured image also includes a representation of the traffic light, and wherein the second camera is configured to operate in a primary mode where at least one operational parameter of the second camera is tuned to detect at least one feature of the traffic light; and
cause at least one navigational action by the host vehicle based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light in the at least a first captured image and based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light in the at least a second captured image.

2 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the navigational action includes at least one of accelerating, braking, or turning the host vehicle.

3 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the second camera includes a filter array configured to: pass light in a first band associated with an expected color of a red lamp associated with the traffic light; pass light in a second band associated with an expected color of an orange lamp associated with the traffic light; and pass light in a third band associated with an expected color of a yellow lamp associated with the traffic light; and wherein during the primary mode, the filter array is employed such that light having wavelengths within the first, second, and third bands is used to generate the at least a second captured image, with light having wavelengths outside the first, second, and third bands being attenuated relative to light within the first, second, and third bands.

4 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein, in the primary mode, the second camera is configured to operate with one or more of a frame capture rate, a sensor gain, or a sensor integration time selected to facilitate detection of an expected flicker associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light.

5 . The navigation system of claim 4 , wherein the expected flicker associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light has a frequency of between 80 HZ and 120 Hz.

6 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein, in the primary mode, the second camera is configured to operate with one or more of a frame capture rate, a sensor gain, or a sensor integration time selected to facilitate detection of an expected duty cycle associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light.

7 . The navigation system of claim 6 , wherein the expected duty cycle associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light is between 8% and 12%.

8 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein, in the primary mode, the at least one operational parameter of the second camera is tuned to detect a 100 Hz flicker rate of a red LED lamp that operates at a 10% duty cycle.

9 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the second camera is configured to operate in a secondary mode, different in at least one respect relative to the primary mode.

10 . The navigation system of claim 9 , wherein, in the secondary mode, the at least one operational parameter of the second camera is de-tuned for detecting the at least one feature of the traffic light.

11 . The navigation system of claim 9 , wherein the second camera is configured to operate in the primary mode and the secondary mode during alternating frame captures.

12 . The navigation system of claim 9 , wherein the second camera is configured to operate in the primary mode full time.

13 . The navigation system of claim 9 , wherein the second camera is configured to selectively switch between the primary mode and the secondary mode.

14 . The navigation system of claim 9 , wherein the second camera is configured to alternatingly operate in the primary mode for a first plurality of frames and in the secondary mode for a second plurality of frames.

15 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the instructions included in the memory further cause the at least one processor to:
receive at least a third captured image acquired by a third camera associated with the host vehicle, the third captured image being representative of the environment of the host vehicle, wherein the field of view of the second camera at least partially overlaps with both the field of view of the first camera and a field of view of the third camera; and cause the at least one navigational action by the host vehicle based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light in the at least a second captured image and based on analysis of a representation of the traffic light in the at least a third captured image.

16 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic light includes at least one LED lamp.

17 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a first image includes a first stream of images.

18 . The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a second image includes a second stream of images.

19 . A method for navigating a host vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving at least a first captured image acquired by a first camera associated with the host vehicle, the first captured image being representative of an environment of the host vehicle; receiving at least a second captured image acquired by a second camera associated with the host vehicle, the second captured image being representative of the environment of the host vehicle, wherein a field of view of the first camera at least partially overlaps with a field of view of the second camera, wherein the first captured image includes a representation of a traffic light in the environment of the host vehicle, wherein the second captured image also includes a representation of the traffic light, and wherein the second camera is configured to operate in a primary mode where at least one operational parameter of the second camera is tuned to detect at least one feature of the traffic light; and causing at least one navigational action by the host vehicle based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light in the at least a first captured image and based on analysis of the representation of the traffic light in the at least a second captured image.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein, in the primary mode, the second camera is configured to operate with one or more of a frame capture rate, a sensor gain, or a sensor integration time selected to facilitate detection of an expected flicker associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein, in the primary mode, the second camera is configured to operate with one or more of a frame capture rate, a sensor gain, or a sensor integration time selected to facilitate detection of an expected duty cycle associated with at least one lamp of the traffic light.

22 .

Assignees

• Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Belman Efim
• Bowers Gabriel

Classifications

• G01C21/26 Primary

  specially adapted for navigation in a road network · CPC title

• G06V20/584 Primary

  of vehicle lights or traffic lights · CPC title

• G06V20/582

  of traffic signs · CPC title

• G06V10/895

  the filter being related to phase processing, e.g. phase-only filters · CPC title

• G08G1/09623

  Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle (G08G1/0967 takes precedence) · CPC title