IP Library Granted Patent US 11,694,308
Granted Patent B2
US 11,694,308 · App. 17/308,911 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Images for perception modules of autonomous vehicles

Inventors: Pengfei Chen (San Diego, CA); Nan Yu (San Diego, CA); Naiyan Wang (Beijing, CN); Xiaodi Hou (San Diego, CA)
Assignees: TUSIMPLE, INC.; BEIJING TUSEN WEILAI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
G06T5/002B60W40/02G06T5/004G06T5/009H04N25/13B60W2420/42G06T2207/10024
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,694,308
App. No.
17/308,911
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for processing an image. In one aspect a method includes receiving an image from a sensor array including an x-y array of pixels, each pixel in the x-y array of pixels having a value selected from one of three primary colors, based on a corresponding x-y value in a mask pattern. The method may further include generating a preprocessed image by performing preprocessing on the image. The method may further include performing perception on the preprocessed image to determine one or more outlines of physical objects.

Claims (29)

1. A method for processing an image, comprising:

receiving an image including an array of pixels from a sensor, each pixel in the array of pixels having a value selected from one of three primary colors based on a corresponding position value in a mask pattern;

generating a preprocessed image by performing preprocessing on the image, wherein the preprocessing excludes a reduction of salt and pepper noise, or another reduction of Gaussian noise; and

performing perception on the preprocessed image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mask pattern is a Bayer pattern.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the Bayer pattern is a red-green-green-blue pattern assigned to a 2-pixel by 2-pixel array repeated across a raw image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mask pattern includes a greater number of green pixel values than both red and blue.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mask pattern is selected such that a value of every other pixel along a row in a reduced image corresponds to green value of a raw image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mask pattern is selected such that a value of every other pixel along a column in a reduced image corresponds to a green value of a raw image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, each position value in the mask pattern is from one of three possible values.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is generated using one or more color-selective filters.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preprocessing is performed on the image from the sensor without human perception image enhancement.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the human perception image enhancement includes one or more of de-mosaicing, white balancing, and noise reduction.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preprocessing excludes scaling for white balancing.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preprocessing excludes reconstruction of a full color image from incomplete color samples output from the sensor overlaid with a color filter for de-mosaicing.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor and memory including executable instructions that when executed perform operations comprising:

receiving an image including an array of pixels from a sensor, each pixel in the array of pixels having a value selected from one of three primary colors based on a corresponding position value in a mask pattern;

generating a preprocessed image by performing preprocessing on the image, wherein the preprocessing excludes a reduction of salt and pepper noise, or another reduction of Gaussian noise; and

performing perception of the preprocessed image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the mask pattern is a Bayer pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the Bayer pattern is a red-green-green-blue pattern assigned to a 2-pixel by 2-pixel array repeated across a raw image.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the mask pattern includes a greater number of green pixel values than both red and blue.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor selects the mask pattern such that a value of every other pixel along a row in a reduced image corresponds to a green value of a raw image.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method comprising:

receiving an image including an array of pixels from a sensor, each pixel in the array of pixels having a value selected from one of three primary colors based on a corresponding position value in a mask pattern; and

performing perception on a preprocessed image that excludes a reduction of salt and pepper noise, or another reduction of Gaussian noise.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein preprocessing is performed on the image from the sensor without human perception image enhancement.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the perception on the preprocessed image determines one or more outlines of objects.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2025
From: TUSIMPLE, INC.
To: CREATEAI, INC.
Reel/Frame 073832/0485 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: TUSIMPLE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066277/0378 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE WANG, NAIYAN IS ASSIGNING TO BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 056149 FRAME 0411. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: WANG, NAIYAN
To: BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066377/0495 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 4, 2021
From: TUSIMPLE
To: TUSIMPLE, INC.
Reel/Frame 057710/0558 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2021
From: CHEN, PENGFEI; YU, NAN; HOU, XIAODI
To: TUSIMPLE
Reel/Frame 056149/0371 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2021
From: WANG, NAIYAN
To: BEIJING TUSEN WEILAI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056149/0411 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16381707 · Apr 11, 2019
Provisional Application 62656924 · Apr 12, 2018
Related Publication 20210256664A1 · Aug 19, 2021