Abstract: Per one example embodiment, apparatus may be provided. The apparatus may include memory and representations of camera diagnostics code and of other code including machine vision code. An image acquirer assembly may be provided, which is configured to take source images. Source images are provided for a camera diagnostics system formed by the camera diagnostics code and for a machine vision system formed by the machine vision code. The camera diagnostics system includes an obscurant detector configured to determine when the source images include artifacts representative of one or more obscurants intercepting a light path between a target object substantially remote from the image acquirer assembly and an imaging plane of the image acquirer assembly. The machine vision system includes machine vision tools configured to locate and analyze the target object in the source images when the target object is not obscured by the one or more obscurants.

Abstract: A system for estimating lateral offset of a vehicle from a centered position on a road is comprised of a video camera and a digitizer to produce digitized input signals representative of the road ahead of the vehicle. A circuit is provided for sampling the digitized input signal to create a perspective-free image comprised of rows and columns of pixels. The curvature of the road is determined by ascertaining an amount by which each row of pixels of the perspective-free image must be horizontally shifted to cause features to appear in the perspective-free image as a straight line. Each column of pixels of the perspective-free image is added to produce a single row, referred to as a current scanline profile, representative of the vehicle's position on the road.

Abstract: A security system comprised of a device for monitoring an area under surveillance. The monitoring device produces images of the area. The security system is also comprised of a device for processing the images to determine whether the area is in a desired state or an undesired state. The processing device is trainable to learn the difference between the desired state and the undesired state. In a preferred embodiment, the monitoring device includes a video camera which produces video images of the area and the processing device includes a computer simulating a neural network. A method for determining whether an area under surveillance is in a desired state or an undesired state. The method comprises the steps of collecting data in a computer about the area which defines when the area is in the desired state or the undesired state.