Control system for an autonomous vehicle and a method for generating a control signal and autonomous vehicle equipped with such control system
The invention relates to a control system for an autonomous vehicle, a method and an autonomous vehicle. The system comprises an image capturing means capable of capturing at least a first image of the environment of the vehicle and a second image of the environment, wherein the images are captured in a close time relationship but with different image capturing parameters. A processing means configured to obtain and process the images captured with different image capturing parameters separately and taking into consideration a first intensity threshold when processing the first image and a second, different intensity threshold when processing the second image. A control means for generating and outputting a control signal on the basis of a result of the at least one of the processed images.
1. Control system for an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:
an image capturing means for capturing at least a first image of the environment of the vehicle and a second image of the environment, wherein the images are captured in a close time relationship but with different image capturing parameters, a processing means 8 configured to obtain and process the images captured with different image capturing parameters separately and taking into consideration a first intensity threshold when processing the first image and a second, different intensity threshold when processing the second image, and a control means for generating and outputting a control signal on the basis of a result of the at least one of the processed images.
2. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the image capturing means is a stereo camera.
3. Control system according to claim 2 , wherein
the system comprises a camera controller for applying a first parameter set to one camera of the stereo camera and a second parameter set to the other camera of the stereo camera.
4. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the system is configured to capture two images using a bracketing technique.
5. Control system according to claim 4 , wherein
the system comprises a camera controller which is configured to set parameters for image capturing such that the image capturing means captures images of high intensity and low intensity in an alternative fashion.
6. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing means is configured to perform as image processing grass segmentation in order to determine obstacles on a lawn.
7. Control system according to claim 6 , wherein
the first image is a low intensity image and obstacles that are determined in the first image and for which a number of corresponding pixels have an intensity value that is below the first threshold are ignored in further processing.
8. Control system according to claim 6 , wherein
the second image is a high intensity image and obstacles that are determined in the second image and for which a number of corresponding pixels have an intensity value that exceeds the second threshold are ignored in further processing.
9. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control signal includes commands for controlling a movement means.
10. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing means is configured to start processing as soon as it obtained an image.
11. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the image capturing parameters include at least exposure or gain.
12. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing means is configured to combine the processed first image and the processed second image.
13. An autonomous vehicle equipped with movement means and the control system according to claim 1 .
14. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the autonomous vehicle is a service robot.
15. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the autonomous vehicle is a lawn mower.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein
the two images are captured using a bracketing technique.
17. A method for generating a control signal for controlling a movement of an autonomous vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
capturing at least a first image of the environment of the vehicle and a second image of the environment in a close time relationship using different image capturing parameters;
processing these images separately and taking into consideration a first intensity threshold when processing the first image and a second, different intensity threshold when processing the second image; and
generating and outputting a control signal on the basis of a result of the at least one of the processed images.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
a first parameter set is applied to one camera of a stereo camera and a second parameter set is applied to the other camera of the stereo camera.
19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
high intensity and low intensity images are captured in an alternative fashion.
20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
an obstacle detection is performed on the basis of the processed images.
21. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
the first image is a low intensity image and obstacles that are determined in the first image and for which a number of corresponding pixels have an intensity value that is below the first threshold are ignored in further processing.
22. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
the second image is a high intensity image and obstacles that are determined in the second image and for which a number of corresponding pixels have an intensity value that exceeds the second threshold are ignored in further processing.
23. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
the processing of an image is started as soon as it is obtained by a processing means.
24. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
the first processed image and the second processed image are combined before the control signal is generated an generation of the control signal is based on the combined first processed and second processed image.