Abstract: Driver assistance systems for detecting a structural barrier extending along a road. The driver assistance system may be mountable in a host vehicle. The camera may capture multiple image frames in the forward field of view of the camera. A processor may process motion of images of the barrier in the image frames. The camera may be a single camera. The motion of the images may be responsive to forward motion of the host vehicle and/or the motion of the images may be responsive to lateral motion of the host vehicle.

Abstract: A driver assistance/control system includes a camera operatively connectable to a processor mountable in a host vehicle. A vertical deviation in road contour is detected while the host vehicle is moving. First, second and third images of the road are captured from the camera. By matching image points of the road in the first image and corresponding image points of the road in the second image, a first homography is computed which transforms the first image of the road to the second image of the road. A second homography is computed which transforms the second image of the road to the third image of the road. A chained homography is computed by chaining the first and second homographies. By using the chained homography as an initial guess, a third homography is computed which transforms the first image of the road to the third image of the road.

Abstract: A system mounted on a vehicle for detecting an obstruction on a surface of a window of the vehicle, a primary camera is mounted inside the vehicle behind the window. The primary camera is configured to acquire images of the environment through the window. A secondary camera is focused on an external surface of the window, and operates to image the obstruction. A portion of the window, i.e. window region is subtended respectively by the field of view of the primary camera and the field of view of the secondary camera. A processor processes respective sequences of image data from both the primary camera and the secondary camera.

Abstract: A system mountable in a motor vehicle. The system includes a camera and a processor configured to receive image data from the camera. The camera includes a rolling shutter configured to capture the image data during a frame period and to scan and to read the image data into multiple image frames. A near infra-red illuminator may be configured to provide a near infra-red illumination cone in the field of view of the camera. The near infrared illumination oscillates with an illumination period. A synchronization mechanism may be configured to synchronize the illumination period to the frame period of the rolling shutter. The frame period may be selected so that the synchronization mechanism provides a spatial profile of the near infra-red illumination cone which may be substantially aligned vertically to a specific region, e.g. near the center of the image frame.

Abstract: A method for providing a forward collision warning using a camera mountable in a motor vehicle. The method acquires multiple image frames at known time intervals. A patch may be selected in at least one of the image frames. Optical flow may be tracked between the image frames of multiple image points of the patch. Based on the fit of the image points to a model, a time-to collision (TTC) may be determined if a collision is expected. The image points may be fit to a road surface model and a portion of the image points is modeled to be imaged from a road surface. A collision is not expected based on the fir of the image points to the road surface model.

Abstract: A system mounted in a vehicle for classifying light sources. The system includes a lens and a spatial image sensor. The lens is adapted to provide an image of a light source on the spatial image sensor. A diffraction grating is disposed between the lens and the light source. The diffraction grating is adapted for providing a spectrum. A processor is configured for classifying the light source as belonging to a class selected from a plurality of classes of light sources expected to be found in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein the spectrum is used for the classifying of the light source. Both the image and the spectrum may be used for classifying the light source or the spectrum is used for classifying the light source and the image is used for another driver assistance application.

Abstract: Computerized methods are performable by a driver assistance system while the host vehicle is moving. The driver assistance system includes a camera connectible to a processor. First and second image frames are captured from the field of view of the camera. Corresponding image points of the road are tracked from the first image frame to the second image frame. Image motion between the corresponding image points of the road is processed to detect a hazard in the road. The corresponding image points are determined to be of a moving shadow cast on the road to avoid a false positive detection of a hazard in the road or the corresponding image points are determined not to be of a moving shadow cast on the road to verify detection of a hazard in the road.

Abstract: Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a driver-assist object detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least two images from a plurality of captured images via a data interface. The device(s) analyze the first image and at least a second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. The processing device(s) locate a target object in the first two images, and determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the two images. The system may use the difference in size to determine a height of the object. Further, the system may cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A system mounted on a vehicle for detecting an obstruction on a surface of a window of the vehicle, a primary camera is mounted inside the vehicle behind the window. The primary camera is configured to acquire images of the environment through the window. A secondary camera is focused on an external surface of the window, and operates to image the obstruction. A portion of the window, i.e. window region is subtended respectively by the field of view of the primary camera and the field of view of the secondary camera. A processor processes respective sequences of image data from both the primary camera and the secondary camera.

Abstract: Various driver assistance systems mountable in a host vehicle and computerized methods for detecting a vertical deviation of a road surface. The driver assistance system includes a camera operatively connectible to a processor. Multiple consecutive image frames are captured from the camera including a first image of the road and a second image of the road. Based on the host vehicle motion, the second image is warped toward the first image to produce thereby a warped second image. Image points of the road in the first image and corresponding image points of the road in the warped second image are tracked. Optical flow is computed between the warped second image to the first image. The optical flow is compared with an optical flow based on a road surface model to produce a residual optical flow. The vertical deviation is computed from the residual optical flow.

Abstract: A system mounted in a vehicle for classifying light sources. The system includes a lens and a spatial image sensor. The lens is adapted to provide an image of a light source on the spatial image sensor. A diffraction grating is disposed between the lens and the light source. The diffraction grating is adapted for providing a spectrum. A processor is configured for classifying the light source as belonging to a class selected from a plurality of classes of light sources expected to be found in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein the spectrum is used for the classifying of the light source. Both the image and the spectrum may be used for classifying the light source or the spectrum is used for classifying the light source and the image is used for another driver assistance application.

Abstract: A system mountable in a motor vehicle. The system includes a camera and a processor configured to receive image data from the camera. The camera includes a rolling shutter configured to capture the image data during a frame period and to scan and to read the image data into multiple image frames. A near infra-red illuminator may be configured to provide a near infra-red illumination cone in the field of view of the camera. The near infrared illumination oscillates with an illumination period. A synchronization mechanism may be configured to synchronize the illumination period to the frame period of the rolling shutter. The frame period may be selected so that the synchronization mechanism provides a spatial profile of the near infra-red illumination cone which may be substantially aligned vertically to a specific region, e.g. near the center of the image frame.

Abstract: A method of estimating a time to collision (TTC) of a vehicle with an object comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the object; and determining a TTC from the images that is responsive to a relative velocity and relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object.

Abstract: A method of estimating a time to collision (TTC) of a vehicle with an object comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the object; and determining a TTC from the images that is responsive to a relative velocity and relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object.

Abstract: The driver assistance system includes a camera operatively connectable to a processor. The driver assistance system is operable while the host vehicle is moving to detect a deviation in vertical contour of a road. A first image frame and a second image frame are captured in the field of view of the camera. Image motion is processed between respective images of the road derived from the first image frame and the second image frame. The vertical contour of the road is estimated using a road surface model of the road and the deviation in the vertical contour is computed from the road surface model.

Abstract: A method of estimating a time to collision (TTC) of a vehicle with an object comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the object; and determining a TTC from the images that is responsive to a relative velocity and relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object.

Abstract: Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a driver-assist object detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least two images from a plurality of captured images via a data interface. The device(s) analyze the first image and at least a second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. The processing device(s) locate a target object in the first two images, and determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the two images. The system may use the difference in size to determine a height of the object. Further, the system may cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Computing a time-to-contact (TTC) of a vehicle with an object. The object includes a light source. The system mountable in the vehicle includes a camera and a processor configured to capture images of the object. The processor is operable to track a spot between the images to produce a tracked spot. The spot includes an image of the light source. The processor is operable to compute time-to-contact (TTC) responsive to changes in brightness of the tracked spot.

Abstract: A driver assistance/control system includes a camera operatively connectible to a processor mountable in a host vehicle. A vertical deviation in road contour is detected while the host vehicle is moving. First, second and third images of the road are captured from the camera. By matching image points of the road in the first image and corresponding image points of the road in the second image, a first homography is computed which transforms the first image of the road to the second image of the road. A second homography is computed which transforms the second image of the road to the third image of the road. A chained homography is computed by chaining the first and second homographies. By using the chained homography as an initial guess, a third homography is computed which transforms the first image of the road to the third image of the road.

Abstract: A computerized system mountable on a vehicle operable to detect an object by processing first image frames from a first camera and second image frames from a second camera. A first range is determined to said detected object using the first image frames. An image location is projected of the detected object in the first image frames onto an image location in the second image frames. A second range is determined to the detected object based on both the first and second image frames. The detected object is tracked in both the first and second image frames When the detected object leaves a field of view of the first camera, a third range is determined responsive to the second range and the second image frames.