Abstract: A method and device for correcting image artifacts. Pixel quotient values of camera images are computed in a first direction by comparing intensity differences between neighboring pixels. Median values of pixel quotient values are computed with respect to time and attenuation factors of pixel lations are computed. Corrected pixel intensities can then be derived by dividing observed pixel intensities by attenuation factors of the respective pixel locations.

Abstract: A method and device for determining an ego-motion of a vehicle are disclosed. Respective sequences of consecutive images are obtained from a front view camera, a left side view camera, a right side view camera and a rear view camera and merged. A virtual projection of the images to a ground plane is provided using an affine projection. An optical flow is determined from the sequence of projected images, an ego-motion of the vehicle is determined from the optical flow and the ego-motion is used to predict a kinematic state of the car.

Abstract: A glare detection apparatus for detection of at least one glare region within an image includes a processing unit configured to aggregate image pixels of the image having a high luminance intensity to bright image areas within the image and to calculate for image pixels around each bright image area gradients expected in case of a glare and actual gradients and configured to increase a glare diameter of a glare region around the respective bright image area as long as the calculated actual gradients match the calculated expected gradients.

Abstract: The application provides a method of calibrating a camera of a vehicle. The vehicle has a reference frame. The method comprises taking an image of a scene by the camera. The ground plane of the vehicle is then determined according to features of the image. An origin point of the vehicle reference frame is later defined as being located on the determined ground plane. A translation of a reference frame of the camera is afterward determined for aligning the camera reference frame with the vehicle reference frame.

Abstract: A method and a device for image stabilization of an image sequence of one or more cameras of a vehicle are disclosed. Images of the surroundings of the vehicle are recorded and image points of the recorded images are projected to a unit sphere, where the projection includes applying a lens distortion correction. For each of the one or more cameras, a vanishing point is calculated using the projected image points on the unit sphere and a motion of the vanishing point on the unit sphere is tracked. The motion of the vanishing point is used to calculate a corrected projection to a ground plane.

Abstract: A method and device for correcting image artifacts. Pixel quotient values of camera images are computed in a first direction by comparing intensity differences between neighboring pixels. Median values of pixel quotient values are computed with respect to time and attenuation factors of pixel lations are computed. Corrected pixel intensities can then be derived by dividing observed pixel intensities by attenuation factors of the respective pixel locations.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting image artifacts. Pixel transition values of camera images are computed in a first direction by comparing intensity differences between neighboring pixels with an upper threshold and a lower threshold and setting a corresponding pixel transition value. A low pass filter with respect to time and a spatial filter are applied to the pixel transition values. Pixels of potential artifact regions are identified by comparing magnitude values of the smoothed pixel transition values with a predetermined detection threshold.

Abstract: A method for detecting contaminations on a lens of a vehicle camera. Transition values are assigned to pixels of image frames. Three-dimensional coordinates are assigned to the pixels by using a simplified model of the scene. Using the assigned coordinates and movement data, trajectories are assigned to the pixels. An expectation value is derived from a transition value of a starting pixel of a trajectory and a satisfied transition value is derived from transition values along the trajectory. The expectation value and the satisfied transition value are accumulated over time, and a cleanliness value is derived from a ratio of the accumulated satisfied transition value to the accumulated expectation value.

Abstract: An enhanced object detecting method and apparatus is presented. A plurality of successive frames is captured by a monocular camera and the image data of the captured frames are transformed with respect to a predetermined point of view. For instance, the images may be transformed in order to obtain a top-down view. Particular features such as lines are extracted from the transformed image data, and corresponding features of successive frames are matched. An angular change of corresponding features is determined and boundaries of an object are identified based on the angular change of the features.

Abstract: The invention relates to method for displaying a front-view of a vehicle's (42) surrounding, the method comprising the steps of: capturing (S1) camera images (20) of the vehicle's (42) surrounding through a lens (53) of a vehicle camera (44) on an image sensor (52) of said vehicle camera (44); transforming (S2) said captured camera images (20) by a processing unit (101) into display images (30), said display images (30) being substantially projected in parallel onto a projection plane (90) being parallel to an image sensor plane (54) of said image sensor (52); and displaying (S3) said display images (30) on a display device (102) for viewing by a driver of said vehicle (42).

Abstract: The invention relates to method for displaying a front-view of a vehicle's (42) surrounding, the method comprising the steps of: capturing (S1) camera images (20) of the vehicle's (42) surrounding through a lens (53) of a vehicle camera (44) on an image sensor (52) of said vehicle camera (44); transforming (S2) said captured camera images (20) by a processing unit (101) into display images (30), said display images (30) being substantially projected in parallel onto a projection plane (90) being parallel to an image sensor plane (54) of said image sensor (52); and displaying (S3) said display images (30) on a display device (102) for viewing by a driver of said vehicle (42).

Abstract: A glare detection apparatus for detection of at least one glare region within an image includes a processing unit configured to aggregate image pixels of the image having a high luminance intensity to bright image areas within the image and to calculate for image pixels around each bright image area gradients expected in case of a glare and actual gradients and configured to increase a glare diameter of a glare region around the respective bright image area as long as the calculated actual gradients match the calculated expected gradients.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting image artifacts. Pixel transition values of camera images are computed in a first direction by comparing intensity differences between neighboring pixels with an upper threshold and a lower threshold and setting a corresponding pixel transition value. A low pass filter with respect to time and a spatial filter are applied to the pixel transition values. Pixels of potential artifact regions are identified by comparing magnitude values of the smoothed pixel transition values with a predetermined detection threshold.

Abstract: A method for detecting contaminations on a lens of a vehicle camera. Transition values are assigned to pixels of image frames. Three-dimensional coordinates are assigned to the pixels by using a simplified model of the scene. Using the assigned coordinates and movement data, trajectories are assigned to the pixels. An expectation value is derived from a transition value of a starting pixel of a trajectory and a satisfied transition value is derived from transition values along the trajectory. The expectation value and the satisfied transition value are accumulated over time, and a cleanliness value is derived from a ratio of the accumulated satisfied transition value to the accumulated expectation value.

Abstract: The application provides a method of calibrating a camera of a vehicle. The vehicle has a reference frame. The method comprises taking an image of a scene by the camera. The ground plane of the vehicle is then determined according to features of the image. An origin point of the vehicle reference frame is later defined as being located on the determined ground plane. A translation of a reference frame of the camera is afterward determined for aligning the camera reference frame with the vehicle reference frame.

Abstract: A method and a device for image stabilization of an image sequence of one or more cameras of a vehicle are disclosed. Images of the surroundings of the vehicle are recorded and image points of the recorded images are projected to a unit sphere, where the projection includes applying a lens distortion correction. For each of the one or more cameras, a vanishing point is calculated using the projected image points on the unit sphere and a motion of the vanishing point on the unit sphere is tracked. The motion of the vanishing point is used to calculate a corrected projection to a ground plane.

Abstract: A method and device for determining an ego-motion of a vehicle are disclosed. Respective sequences of consecutive images are obtained from a front view camera, a left side view camera, a right side view camera and a rear view camera and merged. A virtual projection of the images to a ground plane is provided using an affine projection. An optical flow is determined from the sequence of projected images, an ego-motion of the vehicle is determined from the optical flow and the ego-motion is used to predict a kinematic state of the car.

Abstract: An enhanced object detecting method and apparatus is presented. A plurality of successive frames is captured by a monocular camera and the image data of the captured frames are transformed with respect to a predetermined point of view. For instance, the images may be transformed in order to obtain a top-down view. Particular features such as lines are extracted from the transformed image data, and corresponding features of successive frames are matched. An angular change of corresponding features is determined and boundaries of an object are identified based on the angular change of the features.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an animal detection system (11) includes a surround view system (12), a location determination system (13) and a processing module (14). The processing module (14) is configured to receive data from the surround view system (12) and receive data regarding the location of the vehicle (10) from the location determination system (13). The processing module (14) is configured to determine if the location of the vehicle (10) is within an animal zone, and if the location of the vehicle (10) is within an animal zone, to process data received from the surround view system (12). If the data from the surround view system (12) indicates the presence of an animal, the processing module (14) activates an alert (19).

Abstract: An image generating device includes: a gravity parameter changing section for changing a parameter relating to gravity of each of a plurality of rigid bodies which are constrained to one another and included in a first object based on a positional relationship between each of the plurality of rigid bodies and a second object; a physical calculation section for physically calculating a motion of each of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object based on the changed parameter; and an image rendering section for rendering an image representing a surface of the first object based on the motions of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object.