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:
Mar. 05, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 16, 2008
Dieter Krökel, Eriskirch, DE;
Thomas Fechner, Wasserburg, DE;
Carlos Almeida, Lindau, DE;
Christian Schaale, Weissensberg, DE;
Dieter Krökel, Eriskirch, DE;
Thomas Fechner, Wasserburg, DE;
Carlos Almeida, Lindau, DE;
Christian Schaale, Weissensberg, DE;
Abstract
A method for determining at least one threshold value S for distinguishing, in the dark, between reflectors and vehicle lights that are recorded as light spots by a camera sensor oriented towards the surroundings of a vehicle. The camera sensor records a series of images of the surroundings of the vehicle. At least one light spot in the series of images is tracked. When the tracking of a light spot is completed, at least one parameter (for example the maximum intensity Iof the light spot in the entire series of images, or the lifetime τ of the light spot) is determined from measured values, for example from the intensity of the light spot in each image. The threshold value S is then adapted to the determined parameter/s. The determined parameter value of the light spot is included in a frequency distribution of the parameter values from previously tracked light spots. A new threshold value for distinguishing between vehicle lights and reflectors is determined from the updated frequency distribution of the parameter values. After temporal filtering a new threshold value for distinguishing between reflectors and vehicle lights is fixed.