Patents by Inventor Alastair James Buchanan
Alastair James Buchanan 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).
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Patent number: 8903121Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Patent number: 8861780Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Patent number: 8781155Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2012Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Publication number: 20120182424Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2012Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: TRW LIMITEDInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Publication number: 20120169878Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: TRW LIMITEDInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Publication number: 20120169877Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: TRW LIMITEDInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Patent number: 8180099Abstract: A rain detection apparatus and method, comprising a camera adapted to view a surface and a processor adapted to capture at least one image from the camera, in which the processor is further adapted to generate at least one signal indicative of the presence of rain on the surface from information contained in the at least one captured image and to, optionally drive surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto, in which the apparatus is adapted to capture images focused at a plurality of distances; in which the processor includes edge detection means adapted to detect edges visible in the at least one captured image and difference means adapted to calculate the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images; and in which the edge detection means is further adapted to disregard edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: Adam John Heenan, Roger John Hazelden, Martin John Thompson, Alastair James Buchanan
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Publication number: 20040178945Abstract: An object location system for identifying the location of objects positioned in front of a host road vehicle (100), comprising: a first sensing means (101) such as a radar or lidar system which transmits a signal and receives reflected portions of the transmitted signal, obstacle detection means (103) adapted to identify the location of obstacles from information from the first sensing means (101); image acquisition means (102) such as a video camera adapted to capture a digital image of at least part of the road ahead of the host vehicle (100); image processing means (103) which processes a search portion of the captured digital image, the search portion including the location of obstacles indicated by the obstacle detection means (103) and being smaller than the captured digital image; and obstacle processing means which determine characteristics of detected obstacles. A method or using such a system is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2003Publication date: September 16, 2004Inventor: Alastair James Buchanan
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Publication number: 20040167717Abstract: A target object position sensing apparatus for a host vehicle, comprises a lane detection apparatus provided on the host vehicle which includes an image acquisition means adapted to capture an image of at least a part of the road ahead of the host vehicle, a vehicle path estimation means adapted to estimate a projected path for the host vehicle, and a target vehicle detection apparatus which is adapted to identify the position of any target objects located on the road ahead of the host vehicle, the position including data representing the distance of the target vehicle from the host vehicle. A first data processing means determines a target lane in which the host vehicle will be located when it has travelled along the projected path by the distance to the target object and a second processing means compares the position of the target vehicle determined by the target vehicle detection means with the position of the target lane to provide a processed estimate of the actual position of the target object.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventors: Alastair James Buchanan, Andrew Oghenovo Oyaide, Tuan Hoe Edwin Foo