Patents by Inventor Thomas Wierich

Thomas Wierich has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9883080
    Abstract: A method for processing color image data captured by a vehicular camera includes providing a color camera having an imaging array having a plurality of photosensors, and disposing one or more spectral filters at or in front of photosensors of the plurality of photosensors of the imaging array. The color camera is disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The color camera captures image data that is provided to an image processor, which processes the image data captured by the color camera. The processing of image data includes processing via an algorithmic loop that corrects color variation due to lighting conditions so that images derived from captured image data are color corrected. The algorithmic loop includes processing image data in a color correction loop for color correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20180025237
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least rearward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data. A trailer is attached to the vehicle and image data captured by the camera includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vehicular control system determines a trailer angle of the trailer and is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive at least to a steering angle of the vehicle and the determined trailer angle of the trailer. The vehicular control system determines an object present exterior of the vehicle and the vehicular control system distinguishes a drivable surface from a prohibited space, and the vehicular control system plans a driving path for the vehicle that neither impacts the object nor violates the prohibited space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Paul Jarmola, Thomas Wierich, Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20170374289
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image sensor, a control and a display. The image sensor is disposed at a subject vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The control, at least in part responsive to image processing of image data captured by the image sensor, is operable to generate an avatar representative of at least one object or scene segment in the field of view of the image sensor. The display is operable to display the avatar. The vision system may display an avatar that is a representation of an object that is only partially viewed by the image sensor to enhance the display for viewing and understanding by the driver of the subject vehicle, and a portion of the avatar representing the non-viewed portion of the object may be displayed in phantom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20170307797
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens and a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements. The camera includes a volume hologram disposed between the lens and the imaging array. The volume hologram may function as a spatial low pass filter with a steep filtering slope. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20170299861
    Abstract: A display system for a vehicle includes a head-up display unit operable to display, at a display area at a windshield of the vehicle, information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The head-up display unit includes a Köhler illuminator having a light source and an optical element. A reconfigurable mask is backlit by Köhler illumination generated by the Köhler illuminator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Wierich, Christian Weber, Michael Junglas
  • Patent number: 9779313
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera and an image processor operable to process captured image data. When the vehicle is towing a trailer, and based at least in part on image processing of image data captured by the camera during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer, the vision system estimates a length of the trailer. Image data captured during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vision system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, determines a trailer angle of the trailer that is towed by the vehicle, and is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive to a steering angle of the vehicle and the determined trailer angle of the trailer and the estimated length of the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Paul Jarmola, Thomas Wierich, Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu
  • Patent number: 9743002
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image sensor, a control and a display. The image sensor is disposed at a subject vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The control, at least in part responsive to image processing of image data captured by the image sensor, is operable to generate an avatar representative of at least one object or scene segment in the field of view of the image sensor. The display is operable to display the avatar. The vision system may display an avatar that is a substantial representation of an object that is only partially viewed by the image sensor to enhance the display for viewing and understanding by the driver of the subject vehicle, and a portion of the avatar representing the non-viewed portion of the object may be displayed as a phantom image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20170195525
    Abstract: A method for processing color image data captured by a vehicular camera includes providing a color camera having an imaging array having a plurality of photosensors, and disposing one or more spectral filters at or in front of photosensors of the plurality of photosensors of the imaging array. The color camera is disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The color camera captures image data that is provided to an image processor, which processes the image data captured by the color camera. The processing of image data includes processing via an algorithmic loop that corrects color variation due to lighting conditions so that images derived from captured image data are color corrected. The algorithmic loop includes processing image data in a color correction loop for color correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20170185852
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera and an image processor operable to process captured image data. When the vehicle is towing a trailer, and based at least in part on image processing of image data captured by the camera during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer, the vision system estimates a length of the trailer. Image data captured during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vision system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, determines a trailer angle of the trailer that is towed by the vehicle, and is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive to a steering angle of the vehicle and the determined trailer angle of the trailer and the estimated length of the trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Paul Jarmola, Thomas Wierich, Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu
  • Patent number: 9604581
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior rearward field of view. The color camera includes an imaging array of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed at or in front of at least some of the photosensing pixels. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the color camera. Processing of captured image data by the image processor includes utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix. The color correction matrix algorithm may utilize a 3×3 color correction matrix. The color correction algorithm may include a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm that function to determine a color correction for the captured image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Patent number: 9580013
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and having an exterior field of view rearward of the vehicle. The rear camera includes an imaging array and a lens system for imaging external sources of light at the imaging array. The lens system includes at least one asymmetric anamorphic lens optic. The asymmetric anamorphic lens optic may include a longitudinally truncated conical-shaped lens optic. The longitudinal axis of the longitudinally truncated conical-shaped lens optic may be generally vertical when the rear camera is disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, with a smaller diameter portion at an upper region of the optic and a larger diameter portion at a lower region of the optic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Patent number: 9558409
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes at least one camera and an image processor. The camera is disposed at a vehicle and has an exterior field of view rearward of the vehicle. The camera is operable to capture image data. The image processor is operable to process captured image data. The vision system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, is operable to determine a trailer angle of a trailer that is towed by the vehicle. The vision system is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive to a steering angle of the vehicle and the vision system is operable to display information for viewing by the driver to assist the driver in driving the vehicle with the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Paul Jarmola, Thomas Wierich, Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20160137126
    Abstract: A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera having a lens and a two dimensional imaging array sensor. The camera is disposed at a side of a body of a vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle and at least rearward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data. The imaging array sensor has a center region. The lens is configured to focus light at the imaging array sensor, and the lens has a center axis. The lens is disposed at the imaging array sensor with the center axis of the lens laterally offset from the center region of the imaging array sensor. A video display is disposed in the vehicle and is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The video display is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Manfred Fürsich, Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20150042806
    Abstract: A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes an imaging array having rows and columns of photosensing elements that may include red light sensing elements, green light sensing elements and blue light sensing elements. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. A display is disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle and is operable to display images derived from captured image data. Responsive to image processing of captured image data by the image processor, temporal noise in images derived from captured image data is reduced by determining a change in luminance of photosensing elements from a first frame of captured image data to a second frame of captured image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20140368654
    Abstract: A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens and a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements. The camera is operable to sense color via color filters at respective photosensing elements. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. The vision system is operable to determine an aberration of colors in the captured image data and to correct the aberration of colors. The vision system determines the aberration based on parameters of the lens, and the vision system may corrects the aberration of colors by scaling the color channels according to a location of the respective pixels and the respective parameters of the lens for that location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20140307095
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a color camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior rearward field of view. The color camera includes an imaging array of photosensing pixels and at least one color filter disposed at or in front of at least some of the photosensing pixels. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the color camera. Processing of captured image data by the image processor includes utilization of a color correction algorithm that includes a color correction matrix. The color correction matrix algorithm may utilize a 3×3 color correction matrix. The color correction algorithm may include a color correction matrix algorithm and a histogram algorithm that function to determine a color correction for the captured image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20140293057
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and having an exterior field of view rearward of the vehicle. The rear camera includes an imaging array and a lens system for imaging external sources of light at the imaging array. The lens system includes at least one asymmetric anamorphic lens optic. The asymmetric anamorphic lens optic may include a longitudinally truncated conical-shaped lens optic. The longitudinal axis of the longitudinally truncated conical-shaped lens optic may be generally vertical when the rear camera is disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, with a smaller diameter portion at an upper region of the optic and a larger diameter portion at a lower region of the optic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich
  • Publication number: 20140160276
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes at least one camera and an image processor. The camera is disposed at a vehicle and has an exterior field of view rearward of the vehicle. The camera is operable to capture image data. The image processor is operable to process captured image data. The vision system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, is operable to determine a trailer angle of a trailer that is towed by the vehicle. The vision system is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive to a steering angle of the vehicle and the vision system is operable to display information for viewing by the driver to assist the driver in driving the vehicle with the trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Paul Jarmola, Thomas Wierich, Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20140139676
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image sensor, a control and a display. The image sensor is disposed at a subject vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The control, at least in part responsive to image processing of image data captured by the image sensor, is operable to generate an avatar representative of at least one object or scene segment in the field of view of the image sensor. The display is operable to display the avatar. The vision system may display an avatar that is a substantial representation of an object that is only partially viewed by the image sensor to enhance the display for viewing and understanding by the driver of the subject vehicle, and a portion of the avatar representing the non-viewed portion of the object may be displayed as a phantom image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Wierich