Traffic Monitoring Patents (Class 348/149)
  • Patent number: 9766074
    Abstract: This document discloses, among other things, a system and method for implementing an algorithm to determine pose, velocity, acceleration or other navigation information using feature tracking data. The algorithm has computational complexity that is linear with the number of features tracked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Stergios I. Roumeliotis, Anastasios I. Mourikis
  • Patent number: 9684969
    Abstract: A detection method by which a computer to execute the following processes: The detection program causes the computer to execute a process of detecting times at which a timelike change amount temporarily decreases in a plurality of images that are sequentially taken. The detection program also causes the computer to execute a process of extracting, on the basis of the detected times, either a movement of beating time of a person included in the taken images or times at which the person included in the taken images beats time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Miho Sakai, Atsushi Oguchi
  • Patent number: 9674414
    Abstract: A camera module including a housing having an interior compartment and a lens bore extending from the interior compartment to an exterior of the housing, and a support member having a lens mount portion supporting a lens and an imager mount portion supporting an imager assembly. The support member is supported by the housing with at least a portion of the lens mount portion received in the lens bore, and the imager mount portion abuttingly engaged with a shoulder of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Hans M. Molin, Lenny T. Tan
  • Patent number: 9631941
    Abstract: An information providing system includes an obtaining portion that obtains image information captured by a moving object traveling on a road, and an information providing portion that provides the obtained image information, and additional information related to the image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Sugimoto, Teruhide Hayasida, Koichi Nakao
  • Patent number: 9604574
    Abstract: A system for estimating a driving lane of a vehicle includes a road surface marking recognizing unit configured to recognize a road surface marking of a lane in which the vehicle is driving, a lane change determining unit configured to calculate a variation in a distance between the vehicle and the recognized road surface marking at a pre-set time interval, and compare the calculated variation with a preset value to generate lane change information. The system also includes a driving lane estimating unit configured to estimate the driving lane of the vehicle on the basis of information of the lane in which the vehicle is driving and the lane change information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Jung Jo, Du Hyung Kim, Yong Kwan Ji
  • Patent number: 9558546
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object detection device has an image capturing unit, an object detection unit, a nighttime assessment unit, a luminance detection unit, a luminance peak detection unit and a controller. The image capturing unit captures images rearward of a vehicle. The object detection unit detects a presence of an object from the captured images. The nighttime assessment unit assesses if nighttime has fallen. The luminance detection unit detects a luminance of image areas from the captured image. The luminance peak detection unit detects a peak in the luminance having a luminance gradient that is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value from among the detected peaks in the luminance as a target luminance peak. The controller controls detection of the object in an image area in which the target luminance peak is detected when an assessment has been made that nighttime has fallen by the nighttime assessment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Osamu Fukata, Masayuki Takemura, Akira Utagawa, Shoji Muramatsu, Kota Irie
  • Patent number: 9489582
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and processor-readable media for video anomaly detection based upon a sparsity model. A video input can be received and two or more diverse descriptors of an event can be computed from the video input. The descriptors can be combined to form an event matrix. A sparse reconstruction of the event matrix can be performed with respect to an over complete dictionary of training events represented by the diverse descriptors. A step can then be performed to determine if the event is anomalous by computing an outlier rejection measure on the sparse reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Raja Bala, Aaron M. Burry, Vishal Monga, Xuan Mo
  • Patent number: 9491342
    Abstract: A camera module for use in a vision system for a vehicle includes a housing portion, a lens holding portion and a securing element. The housing portion at least partially houses circuitry of the camera module and includes a first mating surface and a first perimeter flange around the first mating surface. The lens holding portion at least partially houses a lens assembly of the camera module and includes a second mating surface and a second perimeter flange around the second mating surface. The securing element is disposed along the first and second perimeter flanges and overlaps opposite surfaces of the first and second perimeter flanges to secure the housing portion relative to the lens holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hartmut Winter, Stefan Sauer
  • Patent number: 9471845
    Abstract: A surveillance system and method includes imaging means for processing images so that objects in the foreground are detected in the background and threats are identified. In the method, the imaging means acquires images and an initial background model is constructed from those images. Pixels are classified as either background or foreground for subsequent processing stages. In some embodiments, the imaging means is fixed in location and attitude, while in other embodiments, the imaging means is mounted to a moving platform and can alter its attitude. In such mobile applications, the system exploits geo-referencing as an aid in determining information about the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Inventors: Fereydoun Maali, Monroe M. Thomas, Dilip Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 9466210
    Abstract: A stop violation detection system and method includes at least one sensor mounted to establish a light shield adjacent a first vehicle, at least one image capture device mounted to record at least one image adjacent the first vehicle, and a control unit operatively coupled with the at least one sensor and the at least one image capture device to detect breach of the light shield by a second vehicle and record the breach of the light shield by the second vehicle with the at least one image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Comtrol Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Arpin, Mark Pikkarainen
  • Patent number: 9417310
    Abstract: A system for tracking objects using an intelligent Video processing system in the context of airport surface monitoring. The system addresses airport surface monitoring operational issues such as all weather conditions, high robustness, and low false report rate. The output can be used to complement existing airport surface monitoring systems. By combining the use of multi-sensors and an adverse weather optimized system, the system is capable of producing an improved stream of information for the target object over traditional computer vision based airport surface monitoring systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Searidge Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien Meloche, Alexander Sauriol, Moodie Cheikh
  • Patent number: 9386230
    Abstract: A method, executed at a camera with a Night mode and a Day mode, determines when to switch from Night mode to Day mode using one or more of: illuminant detection (detecting the type of illuminant providing ambient light based on R/G and B/G component ratios of the ambient light), lux detection (detecting the ambient light level), and tiling (performing illuminant detection and/or lux detection for sub-regions of an image sensor array so as to detect localized/narrow beam/point light sources that only illuminate a portion of a scene or are directed at the camera lens). Based on identification of the illuminant type, switching from Night mode to Day mode is done at different lux levels for different types of illuminants. E,g. when the light is due to sunlight or incandescent light switching to Day mode is done at higher lux than when the light is from other sources of visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Bill Duran, Adrian Mircea Proca
  • Patent number: 9330570
    Abstract: An image assisted parking space availability searching and reservation method and system. An image capturing unit can be deployed onsite (e.g., parking lot, street side parking, etc.) to monitor parking spaces/spots. A parking space detection and reservation module can be configured in association with a mobile communications device to assist in the detection and selection of particular spaces. A destination street(s) can be located via a web browser installed associated with the mobile communications device. An IP address of the image-capturing unit monitoring the parking space can be obtained and a snapshot image/video of the street can be displayed. The captured video can be processed in real-time to report parking availability with respect to the street(s) and a parking space reserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Yao Rong Wang, David Cummins, Mathew Darst, Panya Chanawangsa, Orhan Bulan
  • Patent number: 9227575
    Abstract: In a process for operating a vehicle having an outside mirror on which a camera is arranged and which is swivelable by a swiveling device between a first end position and a second end position, first picture data and second picture data of a first picture and of a second picture captured by the camera are provided. As a function of the first and second picture data, it is determined whether an object is imaged in both pictures. If an object is imaged in both pictures, as a function of the first and second picture data, a distance from the object relative to a reference point with respect to the camera is determined. As a function of the determined distance, the swiveling device is triggered such that it contributes to the fact that the distance is greater than or equal to a predefined minimum distance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Guenter Bauer, Thomas Reicher
  • Patent number: 9229133
    Abstract: A method, an apparatus and an article of manufacture for forecasting a meteorological parameter. The method includes analyzing geographically distributed sensor network data to assess spatial and temporal variation of a meteorological parameter in real-time, correlating at least two portions of data from the sensor network to identify a temporal and spatial evolution of the meteorological parameter, and forecasting the meteorological parameter based on the temporal and spatial evolution of the meteorological parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Supratik Guha, Hendrik Hamann, Levente Klein
  • Patent number: 9202358
    Abstract: A method and system of video surveillance by using existing street light, traffic light and other household or outdoor light assemblies. A video camera is mounted in the light assembly and is powered through power lines of the light assembly. A converter is used to convert images captured by the video camera into Internet Protocol (IP) video data. A combiner then combines the IP video data into the power stream for transmission through the power lines. Both the converter and the combiner are housed in the light assembly. The IP video data travels through the power lines and is separated from the power stream at a collection point. The separated IP video data is transmitted wirelessly or through existing cables over the Internet for viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Inventor: Wen Miao
  • Patent number: 9195908
    Abstract: Methods, systems and processor-readable media for determining, post training, which locations of a classifier window are most significant in discriminating between class and non-class objects. The important locations can be determined by calculating the mean and standard deviation of every pixel location in the classifier context for both the positive and negative samples of the classifier. Using a combination of t-scores and mean differences, the importance of all pixel locations in the classifier score can be rank ordered. A sufficient number of pixel locations can then be selected to achieve a detection rate close enough to the full classifier for a particular application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Schweid, Aaron Michael Burry, Vladimir Kozitsky
  • Patent number: 9185291
    Abstract: A dual-aperture zoom digital camera operable in both still and video modes. The camera includes Wide and Tele imaging sections with respective lens/sensor combinations and image signal processors and a camera controller operatively coupled to the Wide and Tele imaging sections. The Wide and Tele imaging sections provide respective image data. The controller is configured to combine in still mode at least some of the Wide and Tele image data to provide a fused output image from a particular point of view, and to provide without fusion continuous zoom video mode output images, each output image having a given output resolution, wherein the video mode output images are provided with a smooth transition when switching between a lower zoom factor (ZF) value and a higher ZF value or vice versa, and wherein at the lower ZF the output resolution is determined by the Wide sensor while at the higher ZF value the output resolution is determined by the Tele sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Ephraim Goldenberg, Oded Gigushinski, Noy Cohen
  • Patent number: 9171228
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for estimating the resemblance between two images of optionally different modalities. More particularly, the invention makes it possible to characterize a similarity between two binary images according to a formula that allows registration of images acquired in the fields of teledetection, medical imaging, and industrial vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSITE D' AIX-MARSEILLE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Constantin Mavromatis, Christophe Palmann, Jean Sequeira
  • Patent number: 9152865
    Abstract: A traffic management apparatus and system performs data processing functions on images in a video data stream to analyze differences between portions of the images and account for movement of a camera at a traffic intersection or other such environment. The traffic management apparatus and system is configured to be placed on a span wire or other non-fixed position at or near the traffic intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: ITERIS, INC.
    Inventors: Dilip Swaminathan, Shashank Shivakumar, Robert J. Hwang, Yan Gao, Wing Lam, Todd W. Kreter, Michael T. Whiting
  • Patent number: 9135824
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method for providing a red light violator warning. The method includes detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at an intersection. Based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, the method includes broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation and determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle. Based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, the method further includes transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Collar
  • Publication number: 20150145951
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for increasing navigation guidance efficiency using a camera image, and to a method for same. The navigation guidance apparatus includes an image obtaining unit that collects external images which are images in the moving direction of a vehicle and captured through a wide-angle lens camera; an image processing unit that processes the collected external images and obtains guidance images related to the guidance points; and an image displaying unit that displays the obtained guidance images on a navigation map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Suk Pil Ko
  • Publication number: 20150146001
    Abstract: A traffic safety system is provided for controlling the entry of motorists onto one way roads. The system has a motion detection unit which identifies the presence of motor vehicles travelling the wrong direction on one way roads, highway exit ramps and entrance ramps. Upon detection of a vehicle, the system activates audible and visual warnings. If the motorist does not stop moving, a barrier will deploy and a camera unit will photograph the license plate of the vehicle before transmitting same to local authorities. Additionally, a set of warming indicators positioned at a far end of the road are provided, which illuminate when the system is deployed, notifying travelers of a road blockage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Tony D. White
  • Publication number: 20150124099
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a vehicle of interest utilizing one or more traffic image-capturing units and a centralized server. A request from an authority to detect a vehicle of interest with respect to an incident can be verified based on particular criteria. One or more of the image-capturing units can be selected along with location information stored in a database in order to enable a search. A notification can be sent to the authority upon identification of the vehicle of interest by the image-capturing unit(s). An area or radius of search can be calculated to alert one or more other image-capturing units for use in tracking the vehicle of interest. Data regarding the vehicle of interest can then be transmitted to an incident management module to dynamically update details regarding detection of the vehicle of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene Evanitsky, Joseph Martin St. Germaine
  • Patent number: 9025026
    Abstract: Provided is a monitoring camera apparatus that can pick up, when an image of a signal lamp of a traffic signal is picked up by a monitoring camera at night, an image of an image pickup region other than the signal lamp bright without saturating a red signal lamp. The monitoring camera apparatus includes signal controlling means including RGB ratio detecting means for detecting lighting, lighting/extinguishing times, the shape and the number, or signal lamp control signals of signal lamps of a traffic signal in the image pickup region and detecting ratios of RGB signals of the signal lamps, gain controlling means for controlling a gain of the RGB signals, and color mixture controlling means for controlling color mixtures of respective signal lamp colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Jai Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Kenji Kakinoki, Takami Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9019373
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes an indicating unit configured to indicate an object to be monitored; a camera to acquire time-series images; a predicting unit configured to predict the position of destination of the characteristic points belonging to a first aggregation including characteristic points having an amount of movement larger than a reference amount of movement set in advance; a detecting unit configured to detect the position of center of gravity of the changed area; a determining unit configured to determine the positions of destination as an indicating position when representative amount of movement is larger than a first threshold value and determine the position of center of gravity as the indicating position when the representative amount of movement is smaller than the first threshold value; and a control unit configured to control the indicating unit to cause the indicating unit to indicate the indicating position are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tasaki, Daisuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9019379
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a license plate image-pickup device and an image exposure adjustment method thereof. The license plate image-pickup device comprises an image-sensing module, a recognition module and a processing module. The license plate image-pickup device takes a scene. The image-sensing module senses the scene to produce an image. The recognition module detects a vehicle object. The processing module adjusts the exposure of the vehicle object to produce an exposure adjusted vehicle object, and then the recognition module detects a license plate object from the exposure adjusted vehicle object, and the processing module adjusts the exposure of the license plate object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Altek Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Yan Chang, Tai-Chang Yang, Chia-Chun Hsieh, Shan-Lung Chao, Hsin-Te Wang, Hong-Long Chou
  • Patent number: 9019380
    Abstract: In general, embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles. For example, in one embodiment, this may include receiving an indication that a school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position. After receiving an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, an area proximate the school bus can be monitored to detect possible traffic violations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher T. Schenken, Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9013576
    Abstract: An aerial photographing image pickup method comprises a step of making a flying object fly meanderingly, a step of taking the image at each vertex where a direction is changed in the meandering flight, a step of extracting feature points from a common overlay portion of the images taken from at least three adjacent vertices, a step of determining two images of two vertices in the images as one set and acquiring positional information of the two vertices by a GPS device for each set regarding at least two sets, a step of performing photogrammetry of the measuring points corresponding to the feature points based on positional information and based on the feature points of the two images and a step of determining the feature points when the surveying results of the measuring points coincide with each other in at least the two sets as tie points for image combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCON
    Inventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kazuki Osaragi, Tetsuji Anai, Hitoshi Otani
  • Patent number: 9013579
    Abstract: A vehicle surrounding-area monitoring apparatus that, when recognizing an obstacle, allows for easy determination of the positional relationship between the obstacle and scenery included in a video image of the area surrounding the vehicle, generates a narrow view-field region that is a part of the video image as a notable video image, and if an obstacle region that is a region of the recognized obstacle in the video image is located outside of the narrow view-field region and if the obstacle region is contained in an image region that is partially overlapping with the narrow view-field region and is a part of the video image, generates the image region as a notable obstacle image so as to generate a surrounding-area monitoring display image comprised of the notable video image and the notable obstacle image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keigo Ikeda, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Takashi Kato, Masaki Katagiri
  • Patent number: 9007438
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a method which combines structured illumination in the SWIR wavelength range with the detection capabilities of NIR to generate a 3D image of a scene for accurate vehicle occupancy determination. In one embodiment, structured light is projected through a customized optical element comprising a patterned grid. Wavelengths of the received structured pattern are shifted to a CCD detectable range. The shifted light comprises an image in a structured pattern. The wavelength-shifted light is detected using an infrared detector operating in the NIR. For each pixel in the detected patterned image, an amount of distortion caused by 3D surface variation at this pixel location is determined. The distortion is converted to a depth value. The process repeats for all pixels. A 3D image is constructed using each pixel's depth value. The number of occupants in the vehicle is determined from the constructed 3D image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Lalit Keshav Mestha, Yonghui Zhao
  • Publication number: 20150097957
    Abstract: A traffic surveillance system adapted to track and register vehicles passing a surveillance zone is described herein. The system comprises a carrying structure and a traffic surveillance device that is adapted to be mounted upon the carrying structure and comprises at least a vehicle identity registration device and a vehicle tracking device. The surveillance zone comprises gateway zones and at least one interconnecting zone. The interconnecting zone connects at least two gateway zones with each other. The vehicle identity registration device is arranged such upon the carrying structure that it defines the gateway zones in that it is adapted to record a passage of a vehicle into or out from the surveillance zone through the gateway zones and the vehicle tracking device is arranged such upon the carrying structure that it defines an essentially arc shaped interconnecting zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Björn Crona
  • Patent number: 8995040
    Abstract: An exterior mirror assembly with an optical display is suggested, whereby a light opening (2) is provided on the exterior mirror assembly for the passage of light of a warning display. The optical display comprieses of a display housing (4), into which an active illuminated display element (10) is mounted as a light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Daniel Fritz
  • Patent number: 8988252
    Abstract: Information on a traffic event, such as a traffic accident, may be provided to a vehicle equipped with a system for performing a wireless data communication with a traffic event center. The system can determine automatically if the vehicle approaches the traffic event by receiving corresponding information in a wireless data transmission, or by a determination based on the vehicle's current position and a location of the traffic event received in a wireless data transmission. If it is determined by the system that the vehicle has approached a traffic event, the system can automatically acquire image data of the vehicle environment, and transmit the acquired image data to the traffic event center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Kay-Ulrich Scholl, Andreas Stiegler, Heiko Oehring
  • Patent number: 8982215
    Abstract: Tracking use of a destination location is disclosed. A first unique identifier of a first vehicle is received based on a sensor located within the first vehicle. A first location of the first vehicle is determined based on a first vehicle image taken at a second time. A second location of the first vehicle is determined based on a second vehicle image taken at a third time. Finally, it is indicated that the first vehicle began use of the destination location at the second time and that the first vehicle completed use of the destination location at the third time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven David Nerayoff, Thompson S. Wong
  • Patent number: 8982213
    Abstract: Tracking use of a destination location is disclosed. Based on a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle at a first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on a sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle is occupying the destination location at the first time. Next, based on a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle at a second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time. Finally, it is indicated that the first vehicle began use of the destination location at the first time and that the first vehicle completed use of the destination location at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven David Nerayoff, Thompson S. Wong
  • Patent number: 8982214
    Abstract: Tracking use of a destination location is disclosed. Based on a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle, a first unique identifier of the first vehicle is determined. Next, based on a first location of the first vehicle received based on a sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle is occupying the destination location at a second time. Next, based on a second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle has left the destination location at a third time. Finally, it is indicated that the first vehicle began use of the destination location at the second time and that the first vehicle completed use of the destination location at the third time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven David Nerayoff, Thompson S. Wong
  • Patent number: 8970701
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting a traffic signal violation. In one embodiment a system includes a video image capture device, an image rectifier, and a vehicle position predictor. The image rectifier is configured to provide a rectified image by applying a rectification function an image captured by the video image capture device. The vehicle position predictor is configured to provide a prediction, based on the rectified image, of whether a vehicle approaching an intersection will enter the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mesa Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuanwei Lao
  • Publication number: 20150054958
    Abstract: A vehicle safety control apparatus using cameras includes a first camera configured to photograph a current object at at least one of a narrow angle and a straight angle during running, a second camera configured to photograph the current object at a wide angle during the running, an image processing unit configured to perform image processing on first current object image data captured by the first camera and second current object image data captured by the second camera, a recognition unit configured to recognize the first and second current object image data on which the image processing unit has performed the image processing, a storage unit configured to cause the recognized data to match preset reference object-specific data and separately store the data matching the preset reference object-specific data; and a control unit configured to receive the recognized data and deliver a storage command to the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Myung-Woo KIM
  • Publication number: 20150054957
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable medium is disclosed for determining a sequence order for vehicles in one or more image frames from an operational video, the operational video acquired from a fixed video camera comprising a field of view associated with a vehicle merge area where upstream traffic from a first lane and upstream traffic from a second lane merge to a single lane. The method can include obtaining operational video from a fixed video camera; detecting, within a region of interest (ROI) of the one or more image frames from the operational video, a first area and a second area in the vehicle merge area using a trained classifier that is trained to detect the first area and the second area; and determining the sequence order of the vehicles based on the first area and the second area that are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Gross, Aaron Michael Burry, Peter Paul
  • Patent number: 8964058
    Abstract: An on-board camera system includes an imaging unit configured to capture an image around a vehicle, a wide-angle image generation unit configured to generate a wide-angle image of a desired size by performing reduction processing of the image obtained by the imaging unit, a standard image generation unit configured to generate a standard image of the desired size by extracting an image of a predetermined region from the image obtained by the imaging unit such that an optical axis of the image and the image size are the same as those of the wide-angle image, and an application processing unit configured to execute application processing using each of the wide-angle image and the standard image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Elesys Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Otuka
  • Patent number: 8964035
    Abstract: A method for calibrating the image (3I, 3II) of a camera (1), and, in particular, a traffic-monitoring camera, with respect to its viewing space, such that the camera projection parameters (mk1) of a camera projection of the viewing space onto the image are determined, includes the steps of providing a movable carrier (4) with at least four markings that can be viewed by the camera (1) and that span a volume and that form known first world points (wi) in the viewing space, recording a first image (3I) of the viewing space, shifting the carrier (4) in the viewing space by an unknown offset (v) in order to obtain second world points (wi) dependent on this offset in the viewing space, recording a second image (3II) of the viewing space, detecting the markings in the first image (3I) as first image points (pi) and in the second image (3II) as second image points (pi), and determining the camera projection parameters (mk1), while also determining the offset (v), from the known first world points, the second world
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG
    Inventors: Peter Kahler, Christian Janner, Maike Löhndorf
  • Patent number: 8957788
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a video camera and video processing alert system for detecting a vehicle in reverse. According to one exemplary embodiment, the system operates according to the following guidelines or steps: (1) Acquire video containing features relevant to reverse detection, (2) Identify feature(s) within the video frame that are relevant to a vehicle in reverse, (3) Examine identified features to extract the evidence of vehicle backing up for a current frame, (4) Apply temporal filtering on the frame-to-frame evidence, (5) Use filtered evidence for decision on triggering the alarm, (6) Triggering an alarm if indicated by the decision. The system can be implemented with relative low cost and complexity, due to the affordability of video cameras, and the fact that many drive-through locations have existing video capture infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Loce, Wencheng Wu, Edgar A. Bernal, Thomas F. Wade
  • Patent number: 8953044
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that include a video-based analysis system that detects, tracks and archives vehicles in video stream data at multiple resolutions. The system includes an image capturing device that captures video stream data having video at a first high resolution. A vehicle detection module detects at least one vehicle within the video. A vehicle analysis module is configured to analyze the video and to extract one or more key vehicle features from the video to enable identification of a vehicle of interest (VOI) according to a set of predetermined criteria. A subsampling module creates a reduced resolution video stream in a second subsampled resolution that is lower than the first high resolution while maintaining the one or more extracted key features within the reduced resolution video stream in the first high resolution, and archives the reduced resolution video stream into a video database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Wencheng Wu, Edgar A. Bernal, Robert P. Loce, Martin E. Hoover
  • Patent number: 8953011
    Abstract: A display device for visually depicting legally-prescribed fields of view of a commercial vehicle in a driver's cab of the commercial vehicle includes at least one display unit. The display device permanently and in real time displays at least two fields of view, which are legally-prescribed to be permanently displayed during operation of the vehicle, on the display unit in the driver's cab in a common image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: MEKRA Lang GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Lang, Stefan Bauer
  • Patent number: 8947532
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the environment of a motor vehicle, includes imaging devices for taking a sequence of images, which sequence contains images of at least a part of the environment of the motor vehicle. A display unit reproduces at least one image detail of the image sequence in the vehicle interior. A device automatically changes the detail of the environment shown by the reproduction of the image detail by the display unit. One or more devices for determining at least one earlier position of the motor vehicle is provided, wherein the environmental detail can be automatically adapted as a function of the earlier position of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alexander Augst
  • Patent number: 8947527
    Abstract: Zoom illumination system for use with closed circuit TV cameras in applications requiring long distance illumination, such as surveillance and night vision. The system includes multiple strings of LEDs, which may have additional lenses, with each LED string capable of providing illumination for a predetermined viewing angle. The LED strings can be switched on and off to provide illumination as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventors: Valdis Postovalov, Dmitry Postovalov
  • Patent number: 8941733
    Abstract: Video surveillance systems are used to monitor public places, streets, buildings, cities and other premises or surroundings and comprise a multitude of cameras which are monitoring relevant points in the surroundings. One of the problems of surveillance systems is, that the multitude of cameras produce a large amount of video data to be monitored, which requires a lot of human observers resulting in high personnel costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rob Albers, Egbert Jaspers, Rob Wijnhoven
  • Patent number: 8928754
    Abstract: A computing system displays current real-time images of an area monitored by a camera. The computing system includes a motion detection unit. The motion detection unit determines a number of varied pixels in the real-time image compared with a previous image, and to determine a ratio of pixels of the number of the varied pixels to a total number of pixels in the real-time image. If the ratio is greater than a predefined number, the computing system increments an abnormal pixel count by one. If the abnormal pixel count is greater than a maximum abnormal pixel number, the computing system starts an alarm device connected to the computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jyun-Hao Huang
  • Publication number: 20150002674
    Abstract: One exemplary illustration of a vehicle video recording system may include an on-vehicle camera generating a video signal indicative of video data, at least one sensor, a RAM device and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera, the sensor and the RAM device. The controller may determine a recording duration based on sensor data received from the sensor. Further, the controller may store the video data and the associated sensor data to the RAM device for the recording duration. The controller may transfer video data and associated sensor data from the RAM device to a storage device in response to receiving a save-event signal from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Kleve, Brian Wolski, Anthony Gerald King