Abstract: Bright spots imaged by a forward-looking monochrome video camera during night-time operation of a host vehicle are detected and classified to determine the presence of leading and on-coming vehicles. A specified region-of-interest in each image frame is globally scanned to adaptively detect the bright spot contours, and search windows bounding the larger bright spot contours are locally scanned to adaptively detect individual bright spot contours that were fused in the global scan. A sensitive area within the region-of-interest is locally scanned to adaptively detect dim taillights of a leading vehicle, and path prediction of the host vehicle is used for frame-to-frame tracking of detected spots. Detected spots are classified depending on their location and frame-to-frame movement within the region-of-interest and their glare and pairing characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a driver assistance system which can identify a danger situation with reference to a comparison of measured data with predetermined limit values and which can output a warning signal when it has identified a danger situation of this type. An additional control module is provided which determines an activity state of the driver in dependence on at least one input value which permits a conclusion on actions carried out by a driver and can suppress the outputting of the warning signal in dependence on this activity state.

Abstract: Bright spots imaged by a forward-looking monochrome video camera during night-time operation of a host vehicle are detected and classified to determine the presence of leading and on-coming vehicles. A specified region-of-interest in each image frame is globally scanned to adaptively detect the bright spot contours, and search windows bounding the larger bright spot contours are locally scanned to adaptively detect individual bright spot contours that were fused in the global scan. A sensitive area within the region-of-interest is locally scanned to adaptively detect dim taillights of a leading vehicle, and path prediction of the host vehicle is used for frame-to-frame tracking of detected spots. Detected spots are classified depending on their location and frame-to-frame movement within the region-of-interest and their glare and pairing characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a driver assistance system which can identify a danger situation with reference to a comparison of measured data with predetermined limit values and which can output a warning signal when it has identified a danger situation of this type. An additional control module is provided which determines an activity state of the driver in dependence on at least one input value which permits a conclusion on actions carried out by a driver and can suppress the outputting of the warning signal in dependence on this activity state.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the detection of an obstacle located in a path of a motor vehicle, in particular a person, in which by means of a camera a first image and, with a time interval from the latter, a second image of the environment of the vehicle located in the direction of travel, are recorded, a first transformed image is generated by projection of the first recorded image out of the camera image plane into the plane of the ground, and a second transformed image is generated by projection of the second recorded image out of the camera image plane into the plane of the ground, a differential image is determined from the first and second transformed images, and by evaluation of the differential image it is determined whether an obstacle is located in the path of the vehicle.

Abstract: For detecting a change between pixel signals which chronologically follow one another, a current pixel value is first deteced and, subsequently, the difference between the detected pixel signal and a reference value is determined. Depending on the difference, it is determined whether there is a change of the detected pixel value in comparison with the preceding pixel values, the reference signal being produced from two or more pixel values preceding the detected pixel value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the interior space of a motor vehicle by means of IR radiation include at least one stationary IR transmitter and at least one stationary IR receiver arranged in a central position in the vehicle interior space. The interior space is at least temporarily irradiated. The reflected IR radiation is received by an IR camera as IR receiver. For suppression of interfering effects two images of the same object are recorded at different illumination levels. The two images are subtracted from one another with respect to their gray scale values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the interior space of a motor vehicle by means of IR radiation include at least one stationary IR transmitter and at least one stationary IR receiver arranged in a central position in the vehicle interior space. The interior space is at least temporarily irradiated. The reflected IR radiation is received by an IR camera as IR receiver. For suppression of interfering effects two images of the same object are recorded at different illumination levels. The two images are subtracted from one another with respect to their gray scale values.