IP Library Granted Patent US 12,206,992
Granted Patent B2
US 12,206,992 · App. 17/823,133 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Image capture with varied illuminations

Inventors: Ali Hassani (Ann Arbor, MI); Alexandra Taylor (Harbor Springs, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
H04N23/72H04N23/56H04N23/71H04N23/741
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,206,992
App. No.
17/823,133
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first frame of image data is captured at a first illumination intensity during a first time segment. A second frame of image data is captured at a second illumination intensity during a second time segment. The first frame and the second frame are combined and outputted as a compensated frame.

Claims (31)

1. A system, comprising a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor including instructions to:

capture a first frame of image data at a first illumination intensity during a first time segment;

capture a second frame at a second illumination intensity during a second time segment after the first time segment;

combine the first frame and the second frame to output a compensated frame; and

estimate an amount of ambient light by dividing the first time segment by the second time segment and multiplying by the second illumination intensity.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to provide the compensated frame as image data for a driver-state-monitoring system in a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to decrease the first illumination intensity and then capture a third frame during the first time segment.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to combine and output the third frame and the second frame as a compensated frame.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to capture a third frame based on an illumination intensity threshold.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to decrease the first illumination intensity based on a prior calibration of an illumination intensity threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second illumination intensity is no illumination.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to adjust a length of the first time segment or the second time segment based on a determination that there is not contrast in the compensated frame.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first time segment and the second time segment are calibrated prior to capturing the first frame to provide contrast in the compensated frame.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first illumination intensity and the second illumination intensity are calibrated prior to capturing the first frame to provide contrast in the compensated frame.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first time segment is no more than 25 milliseconds.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second time segment is no more than 8 milliseconds.

13. A method, comprising:

capturing a first frame of image data at a first illumination intensity during a first time segment;

capturing a second frame at a second illumination intensity during a second time segment after the first time segment;

combining the first frame and the second frame to output a compensated frame; and

estimating an amount of ambient light by dividing the first time segment by the second time segment and multiplying by the second illumination intensity.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising decreasing the first illumination intensity and then capturing a third frame during the first time segment.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising combining and outputting the third frame and the second frame as a second compensated frame.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second illumination intensity is no illumination.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first time segment and the second time segment are calibrated prior to capturing the first frame to provide contrast in the compensated frame.

18. A system, comprising a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor including instructions to:

capture a first frame of image data at a first illumination intensity during a first time segment;

capture a second frame at a second illumination intensity during a second time segment after the first time segment;

combine the first frame and the second frame to output a compensated frame; and

determine whether there is contrast in the compensated frame based on an illumination intensity threshold, contrast being measured between a plurality of pixels of the compensated frame.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein contrast is measured as the difference in luminance between a plurality of white pixels and a plurality of black pixels of the compensated frame.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2022
From: HASSANI, ALI; TAYLOR, ALEXANDRA
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 060937/0662 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240073538A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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