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:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 11, 2005
William W. Fultz, Carmel, IN (US);
Michael R Meier, Walled Lake, MI (US);
Ronald M. Taylor, Greentown, IN (US);
Thomas L. Voreis, Noblesville, IN (US);
Robert K Constable, Kokomo, IN (US);
George J. Noland, Noblesville, IN (US);
William W. Fultz, Carmel, IN (US);
Michael R Meier, Walled Lake, MI (US);
Ronald M. Taylor, Greentown, IN (US);
Thomas L. Voreis, Noblesville, IN (US);
Robert K Constable, Kokomo, IN (US);
George J. Noland, Noblesville, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
Image processing parameters of an imaging chip in a vision-based occupant sensing system are adjusted for each frame based on ambient illumination responsive information obtained in the idle period preceding that frame. The same sensing data is also used to determine if active illumination is needed to supplement existent ambient illumination during the ensuing image acquisition interval. The inter-frame ambient illumination is detected with an external light sensor or with selected pixels of the imaging chip, and the information is used to calculate and set the gain and integration time of the imaging chip. In applications where the resolution of the imaging chip significantly exceeds the resolution required for occupant sensing, intensity data from one or more otherwise inactive pixels is averaged with the intensity data from the normally active pixels to adapt the sensitivity of the imaging chip to changing ambient illumination.