Apparatus and method for checking the integrity of visual display information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958318-B2
Application number	US-201314899430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and method for checking the integrity of visual display information and has particular application to checking images displayed in an automotive vehicle, such images containing safety critical information. The image intensity is checked only to an extent commensurate with a human being able to interpret its correct meaning. Hence, images which are defective in some way yet still recognisable by the human eye are not classified as failures. In one embodiment, a part of the image containing safety critical information is segmented into smaller areas and the luminance of pixels in each segmented area is compared with a threshold brightness level and a threshold darkness level. A histogram for each area is generated and compared with a reference.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for checking the integrity of visual display information wherein the visual display information represents an image comprising a plurality of pixels, the apparatus being arranged to:
segment at least a part of the image into a plurality of segmented areas
compare, for each segmented area, at least one attribute of each pixel therein with a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value;
determine, for each segmented area, a number of pixels which meet a first predetermined criteria, wherein a pixel meets the first predetermined criteria based on the at least one attribute being greater than the first predetermined value;
determine, for each segmented area, a number of pixels which meet a second predetermined criteria, wherein a pixel meets the second predetermined criteria based on the at least one attribute being less than the second predetermined value;
compare, for each segment area, the determined number of pixels which meet the first predetermined criteria with a first reference value;
compare, for each segment area, the determined number of pixels which meet the second predetermined criteria with a second reference value; and
generate an error signal if the determined number of pixels which meet the first predetermined criteria in one or more segmented areas fails to match the first reference value or if the determined number of pixels which meet the second predetermined criteria in one or more segmented areas fails to match the second reference value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an attribute of a pixel comprises a luminance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an attribute of a pixel comprises a colour.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a first predetermined value is a brightness level and a second predetermined value is a darkness level.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a segmented area is four-sided.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a segmented area is circular.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the segmented areas are adjacent to one another.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is arranged generate a histogram for each segmented area, said histogram comprising a number of pixels within each segmented area which meet one or more predetermined criteria.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a part of the image which is segmented relates to safety critical information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is implemented in an integrated circuit device.

11. A vehicle comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

12. A method for checking the integrity of visual display information wherein the visual display information represents an image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
segmenting at least a part of the image into a plurality of segmented areas;
comparing, for each segmented area, at least one attribute of each pixel therein with a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value;
determining, for each segmented area, a number of pixels which meet a first predetermined criteria, wherein a pixel meets the first predetermined criteria based on the at least one attribute being greater than the first predetermined value;
determining, for each segmented area, a number of pixels which meet a second predetermined criteria, wherein a pixel meets the second predetermined criteria based on the at least one attribute being less than the second predetermined value;
comparing, for each segment area, the determined number of pixels which meet the first predetermined criteria with a first reference value;
comparing, for each segment area, the determined number of pixels which meet the second predetermined criteria with a second reference value; and
generating an error signal if the determined number of pixels which meet the first predetermined criteria in one or more segmented areas fail to match the first reference value or if the determined number of pixels which meet the second predetermined criteria in one or more segmented areas fail to match the second reference value.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining the number of pixels which meet one or more predetermined criteria comprises generating a histogram.

14. A tangible non-transitory computer program product having executable code stored therein to perform a method for checking the integrity of visual display information in accordance with claim 12 .

Assignees

• Staudenmaier Michael
• Aubineau Vincent
• Von Wendorff Wilhard
• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Staudenmaier Michael
• Aubineau Vincent
• Von Wendorff Wilhard

Classifications

• G09G2380/10

  Automotive applications · CPC title

• G09G5/10

  Intensity circuits · CPC title

• G09G2380/08

  Biomedical applications · CPC title

• G01J1/42 Primary

  using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10) · CPC title

• G09G2380/12

  Avionics applications · CPC title