The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 2006
Filed:
May. 28, 2002
Jon K. Wallace, Redford, MI (US);
Farid Khairallah, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Barry Dunbridge, Torrance, CA (US);
John J. Berenz, San Pedro, CA (US);
Jon K. Wallace, Redford, MI (US);
Farid Khairallah, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Barry Dunbridge, Torrance, CA (US);
John J. Berenz, San Pedro, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A method for helping to control a vehicle occupant protection device () includes taking an image of the vehicle interior with a digital imager () having an array of pixels (). A contiguous portion of the image less than the entire image is selected. At least one image enhancement technique is applied to the selected image portion. The enhanced image portion is combined with the other portions of the image to make an enhanced image. The enhanced image is analyzed to detect at least one of features and characteristics of the enhanced image. Alternatively, a selected non-contiguous group of the pixels () of the imager () are read out, as representative of the entire image, to estimate the illumination levels across the entire array of pixels. In one aspect, the imager shutter () speed may be controlled to enhance the image.