Brightway Vision Ltd.

Elbit Systems Ltd.

Ofer Bruce David

Yoav Grauer

Ron Schneider

Eyal Yaakob Levi

Haim Garten

Alon Krelboim

Oren Sheich

Sharon Lifshits

Ya'ara David

Dror Yahav

Shamir Inbar

Yehuda Borenstein

Ezri Sonn

Amit Oved

David Hornstein

Ran Ginat

Amit Haramati

Yan Katz

Yehuda Akiva Barukh

Keren Bennet

Alon Sade

Eyal Levi

Akiva Hershman

Avi Shukrun

Elad Yaniv

A method for depth mapping of objects in a scene by a system of a moving/movable platform is disclosed. According to some embodiments, the method includes actively illuminating the scene with pulsed light that is generated by at least one pulsed light illuminator and receiving, responsive to illuminating the scene, reflections on at least one image sensor that comprises a plurality of pixel elements. The method may further include gating at least one of the plurality of pixel elements of the at least one image sensor for converting the reflections into pixel values for generating reflection-based images that have at least two depth-of-field ranges and an overlapping DOF region. In addition, the method may include determining, based on at least one first pixel value of a first DOF in the overlapping DOF region, and based on at least one second pixel value of a second DOF in the overlapping DOF region, depth information of one or more objects located in the overlapping DOF region of the scene.

Gated imaging apparatus, system and method

Embodiments pertain to a method for controlling the operation of lighting, the method comprising: actively illuminating a scene with pulsed light generated by at least one pulsed light source of a platform for generating reflections from the scene; gating in timed coordination with the active illumination of the scene, at least one of a plurality of pixel elements of at least one image sensor of the platform; receiving, at least some of the reflections from the scene; generating, reflection-based image data; and controlling, based on the reflection-based image data, the operation of platform lighting comprising a plurality of light sources that are configured in a matrix arrangement for simultaneously subjecting at least one first scene region and at least one second scene region with different illumination power.

Apparatus, system and method for controlling lighting using gated imaging

Active-gated imaging system and method for imaging environment with at least one high-intensity source. A light source emits light pulses toward the environment, and an image sensor with a pixelated sensor array receives reflected pulses from a selected depth of field and generates a main image. The image sensor exposure mechanism includes a pixelated transfer gate synchronized with the emitted pulses. An image processor identifies oversaturated image portions of the main image resulting from a respective high-intensity source, and interprets the oversaturated image portions using supplementary image information acquired by image sensor. The supplementary information may be obtained from: a low-illumination secondary image having substantially fewer gating cycles than the main image; by accumulating reflected pulses from the high-intensity source after the reflected pulses undergo internal reflections between optical elements of the camera; or a low-illumination secondary image acquired by residual photon accumulation during a non-exposure state of image sensor.

High dynamic range imaging of environment with a high intensity reflecting/transmitting source

A system for improving capturing of images of a scene, and data derived from them is provided herein. The system includes a light source configured to illuminate the scene with pulsed light at a specified direction based on predefined gating parameters; two or more capturing devices configured to capture images of the scene, each one of the capturing devices from at different spatial locations, wherein at least one of the capturing is synchronized with the pulsed light, so as to result in stereoscopic fused images of the scene for the synchronized capturing; and a computer processor configured to improve the capturing by using data derived from the gated images and the gating parameters. In another embodiment, the light source is not present and at least one of the sensors' is configured to apply multiple exposures for a single readout, to yield enhanced images that are used to improve the capturing.

Stereo gated imaging system and method

Systems and methods are provided, having sensing unit(s) configured to capture images of a surrounding of a vehicle, and a processing unit connected to a database which is configured to store imaging data relating to the surrounding of the vehicle together with metadata relating to capturing parameters of the stored imaging data. The processing unit enhances the captured images with stored imaging data according to a correspondence of metadata with vehicle situations, for example, according to a relation between capturing parameters of different sensing units. Sensing unit(s) may be gated infrared to indicate specified reflectivity parameters of regions in the captured images. Sensing unit(s) may comprise a controller applying changing patterned filters to the pixel array to enhance visibility and other image features. Multiple sensing units with gateable infrared sensors may communicate using modulated illumination spots.

Image enhancements for vehicle imaging systems

An apparatus for regulating air pressure level in a tire is provided. The apparatus includes a housing attached to the tire; a piston located inside the housing, coupled to the housing via a spring; a one-way valve; and locking elements located at a specified location along the housing, wherein the piston is configured to move towards a first end of the housing responsive to an imbalance between centrifugal force applied to the piston due to angular speed of the tire and force applied to it by the spring, wherein the locking elements are configured to lock the piston at the specified location whenever the tire reaches a predefined angular speed, and release the piston once the angular speed of the tire crosses a predefined threshold, so that the piston moves towards a second end of the sleeve producing an air pulse, conveyed by the one-way valve into the tire.

Self-pressure regulator tire mechanism

A method for gated imaging using an adaptive depth of field is provided herein. The method includes obtaining boundary conditions associated with a preliminary depth of field (DOF) parameters in a scene; illuminating the scene, using a light source, with a pulsed light beam, based on the specified boundary conditions; controlling sensor array parameters based on the boundary conditions; capturing, using the sensor array, one or more images of the scene, wherein the capturing is based on one or more exposures synchronized with the pulsed light beam, to achieve gated images of the scene in accordance with the boundary conditions associated with the DOF parameters; analyzing at least one of the captured images, using data processing algorithms, to yield updated DOF parameters; and repeating the above stages with updated sensor array parameters and updated light source parameters, based on the updated DOF parameters and updated boundary conditions.

Gated imaging using an adaptive depth of field

Active or passive gated-sensor imaging system characterized by a minimized time period between successive sensor exposures. In the active imaging system, a light source emits light pulses toward a region of interest, and an image sensor receives reflections of the pulses reflected from objects located in a DOF to be imaged and converts the reflections into an image. Each frame of the image includes a plurality of gating cycles. Each gating cycle includes the emission of a respective light pulse and the reception of reflections of the respective pulse. A delay-time (T) is defined as the duration between the sensor exposure periods of successive gating cycles. A controller controls the operation of the light source and the image sensor, to minimize the delay-time for at least one gating cycle of an image frame, where the delay-time is adaptively determined in accordance with at least one system parameter or environmental condition.

Gated sensor based imaging system with minimized delay time between sensor exposures

A system and a method for object selective camera flash are provided herein. The steps of the method may include: capturing a raw image of a scene using a capturing device, wherein a scene comprises background and objects viewed by the capturing device; indicating at least one location on the captured raw image, wherein the location on the captured image corresponds with a location in the scene; calculating a volume portion within the scene based on the indicated at least one location on the captured raw image; generating a flash pulse having specified parameters directed at the scene; synchronizing an exposure of the capturing device to be carried out when reflections of the flash pulse from the calculated volume portion reaches the capturing device; and accumulating the reflections to yield an enhanced image.

Method and system for selective imaging of objects in a scene to yield enhanced image

A method of controlling a traffic light having at least two distinguishable light signals is provided herein. The method may include the following steps: obtaining a lighting pattern that determines an order of turning 'on' and turning 'off' said light signals over time; and illuminating the light signals based on the lighting pattern, such that over at least one period of time, a first light of the at least two distinguishable light signals is visible from a first distance range from the traffic light and a second light of the at least two distinguishable light signals is visible from a second distance range from the traffic light, wherein the first and the second distance ranges are non-overlapping.

Simultaneously illuminating traffic light signals at different ranges

System for detecting objects protruding from the surface of a body of water in a marine environment under low illumination conditions, the system comprising a gated light source, generating light pulses toward the body of water illuminating substantially an entire field of view, a gated camera, sensitive at least to wavelengths of the light generated by the gated light source, the gated camera receiving light reflected from at least one object, within the field of view, protruding from the surface of the body of water and acquiring a gated image of the reflected light, and a processor coupled with the gated light source and with the gated camera, the processor gating the gated camera to be set 'OFF' for at least the duration of time it takes the gated light source to produce a light pulse in its substantial entirety in addition to the time it takes the end of the light pulse to complete traversing a determined distance from the system and back to the gated camera, the processor further setting, for each pulse, the gated camera to be 'ON' for an &#x2018;ON&#x2019; time duration until the light pulse, reflecting back from the object, is received by the gated camera.

Image gated camera for detecting objects in a marine environment

A system for increasing awareness of a driver to traffic-signs on the road is provided herein. The system includes: a sensor attached to a vehicle and configured to determine a type of one or more traffic-signs that are present in a scene containing the vehicle, wherein at least some of the traffic-signs are time-variant traffic-signs which present time-variant visual indicators; and a controller configured to: monitor and analyze, in real time: relative metrics indicative of one or more spatial relations between the vehicle and the one or more detected traffic-signs; and temporal data associated with the time-variant visual indicators of the time-variant traffic-signs; apply one or more decision functions to at least two of: the detected one or more traffic-signs and to the monitored relative metrics, and the temporal data associated with the time-variant visual indicators, so as invoke an action selected from a predefined set of actions.

Smart traffic sign system and method

An imaging system, including a transmission source providing pulse(s), and a gated sensor for receiving pulse reflections from objects located beyond a minimal range. The pulse and the gate timing are controlled for creating a sensitivity as a function of range, such that the amount of the energy received progressively increases with the range. Also an imaging method, including emitting pulse(s) to a target area, receiving reflections of pulses reflected from objects located beyond a minimal range, the receiving includes gating detection of the reflections, and progressively increasing the received energy of the reflections, by controlling the pulses and the timing of the gating.

Gated imaging

Apparatus for concentrating light rays arriving from at least one external source onto a receiver, individual beams of the light rays each arriving at the apparatus substantially collimated, the apparatus including a respective Fresnel lens assembly for each of a plurality of openings, the Fresnel lens assembly including a first Fresnel lens, and a second Fresnel lens, the first Fresnel lens being located between a respective one of the openings and the receiver, the second Fresnel lens being located between the first Fresnel lens and the receiver, the first Fresnel lens for making the light rays arriving from the respective one of the openings parallel with an optical axis of the first Fresnel lens, the second Fresnel lens converging the collimated light rays onto the receiver, each opening being located in front of the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal plane of the first Fresnel lens, centered on the focal point of the first Fresnel lens, and the receiver being located behind the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal point of the second Fresnel lens.

Optical concentrator

Apparatus for concentrating light rays arriving from at least one opening onto a receiver, individual beams of the light rays each arriving at the apparatus substantially collimated, the apparatus including a respective Fresnel lens assembly for each opening, the Fresnel lens assembly including a first Fresnel lens, and a second Fresnel lens, the first Fresnel lens being located between the opening and the receiver, the second Fresnel lens being located between the first Fresnel lens and the receiver, the first Fresnel lens collimating the light rays arriving from the opening, the second Fresnel lens converging the collimated light rays onto the receiver, the opening being located in front of the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal plane of the first Fresnel lens, centered on the focal point of the first Fresnel lens, and the receiver being located behind the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal point of the second Fresnel lens.

Growing community of inventors

Tirat Hacarmel, Israel

Ofer Bruce David