A forward-facing vision system for a vehicle includes a forward-facing camera disposed in a windshield electronics module attached at a windshield of the vehicle and viewing through the windshield. A control includes a processor that, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects taillights of leading vehicles during nighttime conditions and, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects lane markers on a road being traveled by the vehicle. The control, responsive to lane marker detection and a determination that the vehicle is drifting out of a traffic lane, may control a steering system of the vehicle to mitigate such drifting, with the steering system manually controllable by a driver of the vehicle irrespective of control by the control. The processor, based at least in part on detection of lane markers via processing of captured image data, determines curvature of the road being traveled by the vehicle.

Vision system for vehicle

A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a lens and a CMOS photosensor array having a plurality of photosensor elements. The camera is disposed at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system. The camera one of (i) views exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and forward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) views from the windshield of the equipped vehicle into the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the photosensor array. The image processor processes captured image data to detect an object viewed by the camera. The photosensor array is operable at a plurality of exposure periods and at least one exposure period of the plurality of exposure periods is dynamically variable.

Vehicular vision system

Apparatus for mapping an object includes an illumination assembly, which includes a single transparency containing a fixed pattern of spots. A light source transilluminates the single transparency with optical radiation so as to project the pattern onto the object. An image capture assembly captures an image of the pattern that is projected onto the object using the single transparency. A processor processes the image captured by the image capture assembly so as to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) map of the object.

Depth mapping using projected patterns

A method is presented for robust tracking in highly cluttered environments. The method makes effective use of 3D depth sensing technology, resulting in illumination-invariant tracking. A few applications using tracking are presented including face tracking and hand tracking.

Visual Tracking Using Depth Data

A method for detecting direction when interfacing with a computer program is provided. The method includes capturing an image presented in front of an image capture device. The image capture device has a capture location in a coordinate space. When a person is captured in the image, the method includes identifying a human head in the image and assigning the human head a head location in the coordinate space. The method also includes identifying an object held by the person in the image and assigning the object an object location in coordinate space. The method further includes identifying a relative position in coordinate space between the head location and the object location when viewed from the capture location. The relative position includes a dimension of depth. The method may be practiced on a computer system, such as one used in the gaming field.

Methods and systems for enabling depth and direction detection when interfacing with a computer program

Apparatus for creating an image indicating distances to objects in a scene, comprising: a modulated source of radiation, having a first modulation function, which directs radiation toward a scene; a detector, which detects radiation reflected from the scene, modulated by a second modulation function, and generates, responsive to said detected modulated radiation, signals responsive to the distance to regions of the scene; a processor, which receives signals from the detector and forms an image, based on the signals, having an intensity value distribution indicative of the distance of objects from the apparatus; and a controller, which varies at least one of the first and second modulation functions, responsive to the intensity value distribution of the image formed by the processor.

Optical ranging camera

Apparatus for creating an image indicating distances to points in objects in a scene, comprising: a modulated source of radiation, having a first modulation function, which directs radiation toward a scene such that a portion of the modulated radiation is reflected from the points and reaches the apparatus; an array detector which detects radiation from the scene, modulated by a second modulation function, each element of the array detector being associated with a point in the scene, each element of the array detector generating a signal, responsive to a part of the reflected radiation reaching the apparatus, the magnitude of particular element's signal being dependent on the distance of a point in the scene, associated with that element's signal; and a processor which forms an image, having an intensity value distribution indicative of the distance of each of the points in the scene from the apparatus, based on the magnitude of the signal associated with the point; wherein the first and second modulation functions comprise repetitive pulsed modulation functions which are different from each other.

Three dimensional camera

Apparatus for creating an image indicating distances to objects in a scene, comprising: a modulated source of radiation, which directs radiation toward a scene; telecentric optics, which receive and collimate radiation reflected from the scene; a modulator, which modulates the collimated radiation; a detector which detects an image formed from the modulated collimated radiation; and a processor, which forms an image having an intensity value distribution indicative of the distance of objects from the apparatus, responsive to the intensity distribution of the detected image.

Telecentric 3d camera and method

Apparatus for creating an image indicating distances to objects in a scene, comprising: a modulated source of radiation (40), having a first modulation function (60), which directs radiation toward a scene; a detector (22), which detects radiation reflected from the scene, modulated by a second modulation function (62), and generates, responsive to said detected modulated radiation, signals responsive to the distance to regions of the scene; a processor (24), which receives signals from the detector and forms an image, based on the signals, having an intensity value distribution indicative of the distance of objects from the apparatus; and a controller (46), which varies at least one of the first and second modulation functions, responsive to the intensity value distribution of the image formed by the processor.

Improved optical ranging camera

PCT No. PCT/IL96/00025 Sec. 371 Date Dec. 19, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 19, 1997 PCT Filed Jun. 20, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/01113 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 9, 1997Apparatus for creating an image indicating distances to points in objects in a scene, comprising: a modulated source of radiation, having a first modulation function, which directs radiation toward a scene such that a portion of the modulated radiation is reflected from the points and reaches the apparatus; an array detector which detects radiation from the scene, modulated by a second modulation function, each element of the array detector being associated with a point in the scene, each element of the array detector generating a signal, responsive to a part of the reflected radiation reaching the apparatus, the magnitude of particular element's signal being dependent on the distance of a point in the scene, associated with that element's signal; and a processor which forms an image, having an intensity value distribution indicative of the distance of each of the points in the scene from the apparatus, based on the magnitude of the signal associated with the point; wherein the first and second modulation functions comprise repetitive pulsed modulation functions which are different from each other.

Gavriel I Iddan

Papers

Optical ranging camera

Three dimensional camera

Telecentric 3d camera and method

Improved optical ranging camera

Camera and method