Abstract: Systems and methods monitor driver behavior for vehicular fleet management in a fleet of vehicles using driver-facing imaging device. The systems and methods herein relate generally to vehicular fleet management for enhancing safety of the fleet and improving the performance of the fleet drivers, and further relate to monitoring the operation of fleet vehicles using one or more driver-facing imaging devices disposed in the fleet vehicles for recording activities of the fleet drivers and their passengers, storing information relating to the monitored activities, selectively generating warnings related to the monitored activities, and reporting the monitored activities to a central fleet management system for use in enhancing the safety of the vehicles of the fleet and for helping to improve the performance of the fleet drivers.

Abstract: Systems and methods monitor driver behavior for vehicular fleet management in a fleet of vehicles using driver-facing imaging device. The systems and methods herein relate generally to vehicular fleet management for enhancing safety of the fleet and improving the performance of the fleet drivers, and further relate to monitoring the operation of fleet vehicles using one or more driver-facing imaging devices disposed in the fleet vehicles for recording activities of the fleet drivers and their passengers, storing information relating to the monitored activities, selectively generating warnings related to the monitored activities, and reporting the monitored activities to a central fleet management system for use in enhancing the safety of the vehicles of the fleet and for helping to improve the performance of the fleet drivers.

Abstract: A camera controller for selectively controlling illumination around a vehicle comprises an image capture portion having a viewing area; an output for transmitting lighting control messages; and control logic. The control logic determines that a change in illumination is necessary in the viewing area and transmits a lighting control message at the output in response to the determination that illumination change is necessary. The lighting control message directs at least one lighting source associated with the vehicle in the viewing area of the camera controller to be adjusted.

Abstract: A camera controller for selectively controlling illumination around a vehicle comprises an image capture portion having a viewing area; an output for transmitting lighting control messages; and control logic. The control logic determines that a change in illumination is necessary in the viewing area and transmits a lighting control message at the output in response to the determination that illumination change is necessary. The lighting control message directs at least one lighting source associated with the vehicle in the viewing area of the camera controller to be adjusted.

Abstract: Systems and methods monitor driver behavior for vehicular fleet management in a fleet of vehicles using driver-facing imaging device. The systems and methods herein relate generally to vehicular fleet management for enhancing safety of the fleet and improving the performance of the fleet drivers, and further relate to monitoring the operation of fleet vehicles using one or more driver-facing imaging devices disposed in the fleet vehicles for recording activities of the fleet drivers and their passengers, storing information relating to the monitored activities, selectively generating warnings related to the monitored activities, and reporting the monitored activities to a central fleet management system for use in enhancing the safety of the vehicles of the fleet and for helping to improve the performance of the fleet drivers.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an image based vehicle detection and measuring apparatus that employs an accelerated, structured, search method is described for quickly finding the extrema of a multivariable function. The input domain of the function is determined. The method exploits information as it becomes available, calculating a best possible value with the information available so far, and terminating further evaluation when the best possible value does not exceed the extreme value found so far. Ordering and best guess schemes are added to the best possible value idea to accelerate it further. The method is applied to speed up an image processing problem, an example of which is given, but has general application, for example, in fields such as vehicle detection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an image of the surroundings of an articulated vehicle are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a processor determines a relative position between a first vehicle of an articulated vehicle and a second vehicle of the articulated vehicle; receives a first image from a first camera arranged on the first vehicle and a second image from a second camera arranged on the second vehicle; and combines the first image and the second image based on the relative position between the first vehicle and the second vehicle to generate a combined image of surroundings of the articulated vehicle.

Abstract: When detecting an object of interest, such as a bicyclist passing a truck, two downward looking cameras both capture images of the cyclist and detect the cyclist as a deviation from the flat ground plane. The ground plane is reconstructed using a homography (projection) matrix of each camera and compared. Where the camera images do not agree, the ground is not flat. The cyclist is located as the intersection of the rays extending to either end of the area of disagreement between the images.

Abstract: An imaging system, method, and computer readable medium filling in blind spot regions in images of peripheral areas of a vehicle. Intrinsic or extrinsic blind spot data is used together with vehicle movement data including vehicle speed and steering angle information to determine one or more portions of a series of images of the peripheral areas that include or will include one or more blind spot obstructions in the images. Portions of the images predicted to be obstructed at a future time, portions of overlapping images obtained concurrently from plural sources, or both, are obtained and used as an image patch. A blind spot region restoration unit operates to stitch together a restored image without the blind spot obstruction by merging one or more image patches into portions of the images that include the one or more blind spot obstructions.

Abstract: A method for processing image data includes identifying a background scene in a background frame of an image. Each of a plurality of pixel locations in the background frame is set as a respective background pixel. For each of the pixel locations, a respective running mean and a respective running variance are determined based on a brightness component of the background frame at the pixel location. A subsequent frame is identified as a current frame. For each of the pixel locations in the current frame identified as a background pixel, the running mean is updated based on one of a plurality of mean weights and the running variance is updated based one of a plurality of variance weights.

Abstract: An imaging system, method, and computer readable medium filling in blind spot regions in images of peripheral areas of a vehicle. Intrinsic or extrinsic blind spot data is used together with vehicle movement data including vehicle speed and steering angle information to determine one or more portions of a series of images of the peripheral areas that include or will include one or more blind spot obstructions in the images. Portions of the images predicted to be obstructed at a future time, portions of overlapping images obtained concurrently from plural sources, or both, are obtained and used as an image patch. A blind spot region restoration unit operates to stitch together a restored image without the blind spot obstruction by merging one or more image patches into portions of the images that include the one or more blind spot obstructions.

Abstract: A method for graphically indicating an object in a final image includes obtaining a plurality of sub-images including the object from respective image capturing devices at different angles, replacing a portion of a first of the sub-images with a corresponding portion of a second of the sub-images, replacing a portion of the second sub-image with a corresponding portion of the first sub-image, and generating the final image including a graphical representation of the object as a two-dimensional view not aligned with a common virtual viewpoint based on the first and second sub-images including the respective replaced portions.

Abstract: A method for processing image data includes identifying a background scene in a background frame of an image. Each of a plurality of pixel locations in the background frame is set as a respective background pixel. For each of the pixel locations, a respective running mean and a respective running variance are determined based on a brightness component of the background frame at the pixel location. A subsequent frame is identified as a current frame. For each of the pixel locations in the current frame identified as a background pixel, the running mean is updated based on one of a plurality of mean weights and the running variance is updated based one of a plurality of variance weights.

Abstract: When detecting an object of interest, such as a bicyclist passing a truck, two downward looking cameras both capture images of the cyclist and detect the cyclist as a deviation from the flat ground plane. The ground plane is reconstructed using a homography (projection) matrix of each camera and compared. Where the camera images do not agree, the ground is not flat. The cyclist is located as the intersection of the rays extending to either end of the area of disagreement between the images.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking points within an encasement are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a processor designates an encasement at a first location within a first image acquired at a first time; identifies points to track within the encasement; determines characteristics of the points to track; tracks the points over time based on the characteristics; and determines a second location of the encasement within a second image acquired at a second time based on positions of the tracked points at the second time. Identifying the points to track may include identifying points within the encasement that are significant and persistent.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an image of the surroundings of an articulated vehicle are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a processor determines a relative position between a first vehicle of an articulated vehicle and a second vehicle of the articulated vehicle; receives a first image from a first camera arranged on the first vehicle and a second image from a second camera arranged on the second vehicle; and combines the first image and the second image based on the relative position between the first vehicle and the second vehicle to generate a combined image of surroundings of the articulated vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking points within an encasement are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a processor designates an encasement at a first location within a first image acquired at a first time; identifies points to track within the encasement; determines characteristics of the points to track; tracks the points over time based on the characteristics; and determines a second location of the encasement within a second image acquired at a second time based on positions of the tracked points at the second time. Identifying the points to track may include identifying points within the encasement that are significant and persistent.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an image based vehicle detection and measuring apparatus that employs an accelerated, structured, search method is described for quickly finding the extrema of a multivariable function. The input domain of the function is determined. The method exploits information as it becomes available, calculating a best possible value with the information available so far, and terminating further evaluation when the best possible value does not exceed the extreme value found so far. Ordering and best guess schemes are added to the best possible value idea to accelerate it further. The method is applied to speed up an image processing problem, an example of which is given, but has general application, for example, in fields such as vehicle detection.

Abstract: An imaging system with brightness control includes an image capture subsystem and an image control block and is adapted for use in conjunction with an image processing application. The image capture subsystem receives an image and converts this image into digital image data. The digital signal is then stored in a video buffer for access by the image control block. The image control block provides brightness control of an image sensor in the image control subsystem to optimize the brightness of the desired area of interest in the image relative to the background. In one application, the imaging system is used in conjunction with a lane tracking system image processing application to detect roadway lane markings from a moving vehicle.

Abstract: Improved imaging system includes a CMOS imaging chip with a light blocking layer configured so as to block incident light from a portion of the readout circuitry sensitive to light. The light blocking layer may be positioned on top of a glass package housing the imaging chip or may be incorporated in the manufacture of the chip itself. Distortions in image data due to lighting conditions in outdoor applications are avoided by the presence of the light blocking layer resulting in improved image quality under such conditions.