Vision system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9736435-B2
Application number	US-201715463296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2004
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes a forward viewing camera that has a field of view through the windshield of the vehicle and is operable to capture image data. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, a road characteristic of a road along which the vehicle is traveling is detected. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, other vehicles exterior the equipped vehicle are detected. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, road curvature of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, a school bus stopping signal of a school bus present within the field of view of the forward viewing camera may be detected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a forward viewing camera configured to be disposed at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;
wherein, when disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said forward viewing camera has a field of view through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;
said forward viewing camera comprising an imaging array sensor and a lens;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward viewing camera;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, a road characteristic of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, other vehicles exterior the equipped vehicle are detected;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, road curvature of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, a school bus stopping signal of a school bus present within the field of view of said forward viewing camera is detected; and
wherein said vision system identifies the detected school bus stopping signal by matching a detected color or shape of the signal to a specified color or shape for that type of signal.

2. The vision system of claim 1 , wherein data derived from image data captured by said forward viewing camera is wirelessly communicated to a remote data receiver located remote from the equipped vehicle.

3. The vision system of claim 2 , wherein data is communicated in bursts from the equipped vehicle to said remote data receiver located remote from the equipped vehicle.

4. The vision system of claim 2 , wherein data received from the equipped vehicle is processed at said remote data receiver to extract information relevant to the geographic location of the equipped vehicle.

5. The vision system of claim 2 , wherein said remote data receiver receives location data from other vehicles.

6. The vision system of claim 5 , wherein, based at least in part on received location data, movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle is determined at said remote data receiver.

7. The vision system of claim 6 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, said remote data receiver communicates to the equipped vehicle that another vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle.

8. The vision system of claim 6 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, said remote data receiver communicates to the equipped vehicle that another vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle from a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle.

9. The vision system of claim 6 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, a speed control system of the equipped vehicle is controlled.

10. The vision system of claim 9 , wherein said speed control system comprises an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle.

11. The vision system of claim 6 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, a lighting system of the equipped vehicle is controlled.

12. The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said road characteristic comprises a lane marker.

13. The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said road characteristic comprises a road shoulder.

14. The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said road characteristic comprises a curb.

15. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a forward viewing camera configured to be disposed at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;
wherein, when disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said forward viewing camera has a field of view through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;
said forward viewing camera comprising an imaging array sensor and a lens;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward viewing camera;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, a road characteristic of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, other vehicles exterior the equipped vehicle are detected;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, road curvature of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, a pedestrian road crossing signal present within the field of view of said forward viewing camera is detected;
wherein said vision system identifies the detected pedestrian road crossing signal by matching a detected color or shape of the signal to a specified color or shape for that type of signal; and
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, a speed control system of the equipped vehicle is controlled.

16. The vision system of claim 15 , wherein said road characteristic comprises a road shoulder.

17. The vision system of claim 15 , wherein said road characteristic comprises a curb.

18. The vision system of claim 15 , wherein data derived from image data captured by said forward viewing camera is wirelessly communicated to a remote data receiver located remote from the equipped vehicle, and wherein said remote data receiver receives location data from other vehicles, and wherein, based at least in part on received data, said remote data receiver determines movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle.

19. The vision system of claim 18 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, said remote data receiver communicates to the equipped vehicle that another vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 19 , wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of movement of other vehicles relative to the equipped vehicle, said remote data receiver communicates to the equipped vehicle that another vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle from a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle.

21. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a forward viewing camera configured to be disposed at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;
wherein, when disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said forward viewing camera has a field of view through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;
said forward viewing camera comprising an imaging array sensor and a lens;

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Schofield Kenneth
• Lynam Niall R

Classifications

• H04N7/183 Primary

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G06V20/582 Primary

  of traffic signs · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• G06V10/147

  Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) · CPC title

• B60W2050/143

  Alarm means · CPC title