Vehicle surrounding object detection in low light conditions

Abstract

This disclosure relates to object detection in a vehicle's surrounding environment under low-light conditions. Specifically, it relates to a method executed by a vision control system for supporting object detection in a low-light environment surrounding a moving vehicle, using at least one vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device. The vision control system acquires images of the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the sides of the moving vehicle, supported by at least one first image acquisition device. The vision control system further determines the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment. Furthermore, when the lighting conditions meet an insufficient lighting criterion, the vision control system provides light output illuminating a ground area of ​​the surrounding environment, supported by at least one first light source, to facilitate object detection via the at least one first image acquisition device. This disclosure also relates to a vision control system according to the foregoing, a vehicle including such a vision control system, and a corresponding computer program product and a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a vehicle using at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device. Background Technology

[0002] More and more modern vehicles are equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to improve vehicle safety and, more generally, road safety. ADAS—which can be represented, for example, by lane departure avoidance, adaptive cruise control, ACC, collision avoidance systems, forward collision warning, etc.—are electronic systems that can assist the driver while driving. To function as intended, ADAS may rely on input from multiple data sources, such as, for example, LiDAR, radar, ultrasound, cameras, vehicle imaging, image processing, computer vision, and / or in-vehicle networks.

[0003] Furthermore, in the near future, autonomous driving systems, or automated driving systems (i.e., AD systems), will be increasingly integrated into modern vehicles. AD systems are complex combinations of various components and can be defined as systems where the perception, decision-making, and operation of a vehicle are performed by electronic devices and mechanics rather than a human driver; they can also be defined as the introduction of automation into road traffic. This includes the handling of the vehicle and its destination, as well as the perception of the surrounding environment. When an automated system can control the vehicle, it allows the human operator to relinquish all responsibility to the system. AD ​​systems typically combine various sensors to perceive the vehicle's surroundings, such as, for example, radar, LiDAR, sonar, cameras, navigation and / or positioning systems (e.g., GNSS, such as GPS), odometers, and / or inertial measurement units. Advanced control systems can interpret the sensed information from these sensors to identify appropriate navigation paths and obstacles and / or relevant signage.

[0004] In order to locate ADAS or AD-enabled vehicles with high accuracy in digital maps (such as high-definition HD maps), information about lane markings and other objects detected by the vehicle's forward, rearward, and / or side cameras can be matched with information in the digital map.

[0005] However, in low-light conditions, while the forward-facing camera may be considered to be working well because the road ahead may be illuminated by the vehicle's headlights, object detection by the rear-facing and / or side-facing cameras may be affected. Insufficient light can lead to reduced or lost object detection performance (e.g., lane marking detection), thus reducing and / or negatively impacting the functionality and availability of ADAS or AD systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of the embodiments herein is to provide a method for supporting object detection in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of a moving vehicle in an improved and / or alternative manner under low-light conditions.

[0007] This objective can be achieved through the subject matter disclosed herein. Embodiments are set forth in the appended claims, the following description, and the accompanying drawings.

[0008] The disclosed subject matter relates to a method executed by a vision control system for supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle using at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device. The vision control system acquires images of the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the sides of the moving vehicle, supported by at least one first image acquisition device. The vision control system further determines the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment. Furthermore, when the lighting conditions meet an insufficient lighting criterion, the vision control system provides light output illuminating a ground area of ​​the surrounding environment, supported by at least one first light source, to facilitate object detection via the at least one first image acquisition device.

[0009] The disclosed subject matter also relates to a vision control system for—and / or adapted to—supporting object detection via at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device under low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle. The vision control system includes a surrounding environment acquisition unit for—and / or adapted to—acquire the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the sides of the moving vehicle with the support of at least one first image acquisition device. The vision control system also includes a lighting condition determination unit for—and / or adapted to—determine the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment. Furthermore, the vision control system includes a light output providing unit for—and / or adapted to—provide light output illuminating a ground area of ​​the surrounding environment with the support of at least one first light source when the lighting conditions meet an insufficient lighting criterion, thereby facilitating object detection via at least one first image acquisition device.

[0010] Furthermore, the disclosed subject matter relates to a vehicle that includes a vision control system as described herein.

[0011] Furthermore, the disclosed subject matter relates to a computer program product comprising a computer program that includes computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or processor to perform the steps of the vision control system described herein stored on a computer-readable medium or carrier wave.

[0012] The disclosed subject matter also relates to a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium on which the computer program product described thereon is stored.

[0013] Therefore, a method is introduced to enhance the detection of objects to the sides and / or rear of a moving vehicle using one or more image acquisition devices mounted on the vehicle, during insufficient and / or inadequate lighting conditions. That is, since the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the sides of the moving vehicle is acquired with the support of at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device, one or more images and / or image data covering and / or revealing the vehicle's surrounding environment in the rearward and / or lateral directions of the moving vehicle are obtained from the image acquisition device. Furthermore, since certain lighting conditions exist in the surrounding environment, for example, based on the images and / or image data, there is an effective establishment environment for the surrounding environment in terms of light (such as ambient light), which in turn may affect the ability of the image acquisition device to detect objects in the surrounding environment. Furthermore, that is, since light output illuminating the ground area of ​​the surrounding environment is provided to facilitate object detection by at least one first image acquisition device when the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting criterion, and assuming that the established lighting conditions are insufficient to detect objects in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of a moving vehicle, additional light is emitted to illuminate the ground area and / or at least a portion thereof. Therefore, by illuminating at least a portion of the ground in the surrounding environment with the additional light, the ability of the image acquisition device to detect objects in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of a vehicle is enhanced.

[0014] Based on this, a method is provided to support object detection in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of a moving vehicle in an improved and / or alternative manner under low-light conditions.

[0015] The technical features and advantages of the above methods will be discussed in further detail below. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Various aspects of the non-limiting embodiments, including specific features and advantages, will be readily understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary vision control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary vision control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figures 3a-3b A schematic diagram of an exemplary vision control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method performed by a vision control system according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be presented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same reference numerals consistently refer to the same elements. Dashed lines in some of the boxes in the figures indicate that these elements or actions are optional rather than essential.

[0022] In the following, based on an embodiment relating to supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle using at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device, a method for enhancing the detection of objects on the sides and / or rear of the moving vehicle using the image acquisition device during insufficient and / or inadequate lighting conditions will be disclosed.

[0023] Now refer to the attached diagram, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary vision control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted, and Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of an exemplary vision control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted.

[0024] The vision control system 1 may be included in or at least partially included in the vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 includes, is equipped with, and / or is onboard at least one first onboard rear-facing and / or lateral image acquisition device 3. The one or more image acquisition devices 3—which may be distributed in any feasible manner—may be represented by any—for example known—sensor, function, and / or system suitable for acquiring images of the environment surrounding the vehicle (e.g., in the visible wavelength range, for example, represented by one or more cameras).

[0025] The exemplary vehicle 2 can be represented by any arbitrary—for example, known—manned or unmanned vehicle, such as an engine-driven or electric vehicle, like a car, truck, van, bus, and / or tractor. Furthermore, the term "vehicle" can refer to "autonomous and / or at least partially autonomous vehicle," "unmanned and / or at least partially unmanned vehicle," and / or "self-driving and / or at least partially self-driving vehicle." Therefore, vehicle 2 can include and / or be adapted to support ADAS and / or AD system 21, i.e., advanced driver assistance systems and / or automated driving systems. Such ADAS and / or AD system 21 can refer to any arbitrary ADAS and / or AD system, for example, systems known in the art and / or yet to be developed. Vehicle 2 and / or ADAS or AD system 21 may include, be equipped with and / or have onboard optional perception system 23 and / or similar systems and / or functions adapted to estimate the surrounding environment of vehicle 2, and subsequently adapted to estimate the world landscape of the surrounding environment, for example, with the support of—for example, a known—digital map 22, such as a high-definition (HD) map and / or its equivalents and / or successors. Such exemplary perception system 23 or similar systems may refer to any known systems and / or functions, for example, included in one or more electronic control modules, ECUs and / or nodes of vehicle 2 and / or ADAS or AD system 21, adapted and / or configured to interpret driving-related sensing information of vehicle 2 to identify, for example, obstacles, lanes, relevant signs, appropriate navigation paths, etc. Exemplary perception system 23 or similar systems—which may be adapted to support, for example, sensor fusion, tracking, localization, etc.—may therefore be adapted to rely on sensing information. For example, such exemplary sensing information may originate from one or more—for example, known—sensors, including those installed in and / or on-board in the vehicle 2 and adapted to sense and / or perceive the location and / or surrounding environment of the vehicle 2. For example, the sensors may be represented by one or more of the following: a positioning system, an odometer, an inertial measurement unit, radar, lidar, ultrasonic waves, an ambient detection sensor, and / or a combination thereof.

[0026] The phrase "visual control system" can refer to "visual enhancement system," "lighting provision system," "object detection support system," "positioning enhancement system," and / or simply "control system," and further, according to the example, to "visual control system of a vehicle." On the other hand, "for supporting [...] object detection" can mean "suitable for supporting [...] object detection" and / or "for enhancing and / or achieving [...] object detection," while "object detection" can mean "enhanced object detection." Furthermore, the phrase "under low light conditions" can mean "under insufficient and / or inadequate lighting conditions," "under lighting conditions insufficient for adequate object detection," and / or "under lighting conditions below a predetermined threshold," while "in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle" can mean "within the sensor range of the moving vehicle" and / or "within a predetermined distance from the moving vehicle." Additionally, according to the example, "moving vehicle" can simply refer to "vehicle." On the other hand, the phrase "by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device" can refer to "at least one first vehicle-mounted generally rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device" and / or "by at least one first image acquisition device mounted on the vehicle and pointing rearward in the longitudinal direction and / or laterally in the lateral direction of the vehicle." According to an example, the phrase "by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device" can also refer to "by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device for mapping the moving vehicle to a digital map, at least partially based on the object detection," "by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device so as to enable the moving vehicle to be located, at least partially based on the object detection, in view of the digital map," and / or "by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device associated with the vehicle's Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) or Autonomous Driving AD system." Furthermore, according to the example, the phrase "supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle by at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device" can refer to "for supporting, enhancing and / or enabling object detection in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle in low-light conditions, in the rear and / or lateral directions".

[0027] The vision control system 1—for example, by means of an ambient environment acquisition unit 101—is adapted and / or configured to acquire the ambient environment located behind and / or laterally of the moving vehicle 2, supported by at least one first image acquisition device 3. Thus, one or more images and / or image data covering and / or revealing the vehicle's ambient environment in the rear and / or lateral directions of the moving vehicle 2 are obtained from one or more image acquisition devices 3 mounted on the vehicle 2.

[0028] The surrounding environment captured by the image acquisition device 3 can be represented and / or corresponded to any feasible geographical area of ​​any feasible size and / or dimension within the range and / or field of view of the image acquisition device (3), in the lateral and / or rearward directions of the vehicle 2. Potential objects (4) in the surrounding environment can be represented by any feasible objects, such as static and / or dynamic objects, including other road users, buildings, structures, road markings, lane markings, etc. In the example... Figure 1 In this context, the object 4, represented by a portion of an exemplary guardrail 41 located generally on the side of the vehicle 2, is included in the surrounding environment.

[0029] The phrase “acquiring surrounding environment” can mean “obtaining the surrounding environment”, and, according to the example, further means “acquiring image data of the surrounding environment” and / or “acquiring image data from one or more images of the surrounding environment.” Furthermore, “surrounding environment located behind and / or to the side of the moving vehicle” can mean “surrounding environment located approximately behind and / or to the side of the moving vehicle,” “surrounding environment located behind the moving vehicle in the longitudinal direction and / or to the side of the moving vehicle in the lateral direction,” and / or simply “surrounding environment behind and / or to the side of the moving vehicle.” On the other hand, “surrounding environment” can mean “vehicle surrounding environment” and / or “geographical area,” while the phrase “with the support of the at least one first image acquisition device” can mean “by means of and / or utilizing the at least one first image acquisition device.”

[0030] Furthermore, the vision control system 1—for example, by means of the illumination condition determination unit 102—is adapted and / or configured to determine the illumination conditions in the surrounding environment. Therefore, there exists an effective environment for establishing the surrounding environment in terms of light—such as ambient light—which may affect the ability of the image acquisition device 3 to detect objects 4 in the surrounding environment. In the example... Figure 1 In the context of relatively dim lighting conditions, such as night and / or dusk.

[0031] The prevailing illumination conditions of the surrounding environment and / or one or more parameters and / or properties of said illumination conditions, such as brightness and / or intensity, can be determined and / or estimated in any feasible—for example, known—way, such as with the support of known light measurement sensors and / or systems. Additionally or alternatively, the illumination conditions can be determined based on image data of the surrounding environment acquired by at least one first image acquisition device 3. Thus, by processing and / or analyzing the image data, such as, for example, the brightness of one or more images of the surrounding environment and / or a portion thereof acquired by the image acquisition device 3, the prevailing illumination conditions of said surrounding environment can be accurately established and / or derived.

[0032] The phrase "determine the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment" can mean "derive the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment", "estimate the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment", "determine the dominant lighting conditions in the surrounding environment", "derive the lighting conditions effective for the surrounding environment", and / or "determine the dominant lighting conditions in at least a portion of the surrounding environment". Furthermore, throughout the disclosure, "the surrounding environment" can mean "the collected surrounding environment". On the other hand, the phrase "lighting conditions" can mean "lighting condition values", and, according to examples, further mean "ambient light lighting conditions" and / or "ambient light".

[0033] Furthermore, the vision control system 1—for example, by means of a light output providing unit 104—is adapted and / or configured to provide light output illuminating the ground area 6 of the surrounding environment, supported by at least one first light source 5, when the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting criterion, to facilitate object detection via at least one first image acquisition device 3. Therefore, assuming the established lighting conditions are insufficient for object detection in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of the moving vehicle 2, as exemplarily... Figure 1 As shown, additional light is emitted to illuminate the ground area and / or at least a portion of area 6. Therefore, as the additional light illuminates at least a portion of the ground 6 in the surrounding environment, the image acquisition device 3 detects objects 4 in the surrounding environment behind and / or to the sides of the vehicle 2—such as… Figure 1 The capabilities of the exemplary guardrail 41 have been enhanced.

[0034] Light output can be provided in any feasible manner, and accordingly, one or more light sources 5 can be represented by any feasible light source capable of illuminating the ground area 6. For example, one or more light sources 5 can be represented by—for example, known—LEDs and / or bulbs and / or any equivalents and / or successors thereof. Light output can involve emitting light from one and potentially multiple light sources 5 one at a time, simultaneously, in combination, in series, etc., and can be further represented by light, for example, stable light, pulsating light, light of different wavelengths, brightness, intensity, and / or color, etc. Furthermore, one or more light sources 5 can be distributed and / or oriented in any feasible manner such that the ground area 6 can be illuminated for, for example, to avoid disturbing and / or blinding surrounding road users. Thus, one or more light sources 5 can be positioned and / or oriented and / or demarcated relatively low such that the light provided by them is limited to a predetermined maximum angle formed with respect to the vertical direction, for example, a maximum of 60 degrees, 45 degrees, and / or 30 degrees with respect to the vertical direction. Optionally, as exemplarily Figure 1As shown, at least one first light source 5 may be included in—and / or mounted on—the vehicle 2, for example, below and / or in the lower part of the vehicle 2. Therefore, the light source 5 may, for example, be positioned on the lower side of the vehicle 2—and / or substantially on the lower side and / or along the exterior of the vehicle 2 within a predetermined vertical distance from said lower side, such as, for example, within 0.3 meters, 0.2 meters, and / or 0.1 meters—thereby being able to provide light output illuminating the ground area 6 while avoiding disturbing and / or blinding surrounding road users. In the exemplary embodiment... Figure 1 In the example, one or more light sources 5 are represented by three light sources 51, 52, and 53, which respectively illuminate the first ground area 61, the second ground area 62, and the third ground area 63.

[0035] The illuminated ground area 6 can be set, shaped, and / or limited to any feasible size and / or dimension, for example, comprising multiple, for example, separate sub-areas, and can be further represented by, for example, one or more generally elliptical or circular shapes (e.g., ranging from less than one meter to tens of meters). Ground area 6 can further extend beyond and / or form part of the surrounding environment. Furthermore, ground area 6 can move its geographic location as vehicle 2 moves, for example, such that the position of ground area 4 is fixed relative to vehicle 2.

[0036] The insufficient illumination criterion can be represented by any feasible criterion indicating insufficient illumination conditions for object detection in the acquired surrounding environment. Therefore, the insufficient illumination criterion can be represented by at least one criterion, for example, a threshold specifying under what conditions and / or at what levels of illumination conditions—such as ambient light conditions—are considered insufficient for object detection in said surrounding environment (e.g., for example, during dusk and / or nighttime). On the other hand, the duration of light output can be any feasible time range, for example, from milliseconds to minutes or even hours. Additionally or alternatively, the provision of light output can end once determined illumination conditions for which the insufficient illumination criterion is no longer met for the acquired surrounding environment are established.

[0037] The phrase “provide light output to illuminate a ground area” can mean “to emit, transmit, signal, deliver, and / or initiate light output to illuminate a ground area,” “to provide light output to illuminate a ground area continuously and / or intermittently,” and / or “to illuminate a ground area,” and, according to an example, further means “to provide light output to illuminate a ground area in the visible wavelength range” and / or “to provide visible light output to illuminate a ground area.” Furthermore, “ground area” can mean “at least one first ground area” and / or “a ground area comprising one or more sub-areas,” while “illuminate a ground area” can mean “illuminate a ground area at least partially and / or to some extent.” On the other hand, the phrase “ground area of ​​the surrounding environment” can mean “a ground area at least partially included in the surrounding environment” and / or “a ground area at least partially overlapping with the surrounding environment.” According to an example, the phrase “light output to illuminate a ground area of ​​the surrounding environment” can mean “light output illuminating a ground area of ​​the surrounding environment located within a predetermined lateral distance from the vehicle.” This predeterminable lateral distance, i.e., the horizontal distance, can be, for example, represented by 25 meters, 15 meters, and / or 5 meters. Furthermore, the phrase "to facilitate object detection via the at least one first image acquisition device" can mean "to support, enhance, improve, and / or achieve object detection via the at least one first image acquisition device," and, according to an example, further means "the light output facilitates object detection via the at least one first image acquisition device." Additionally, the phrase "with the support of at least one first light source" can mean "by means of and / or utilizing at least one first light source," and "light source" can mean "a light source suitable for emitting light," and, according to an example, further means "a light source suitable for emitting visible light" and / or "a light source suitable for emitting light within the visible light range." The phrase "when the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting criterion" can mean "possibly, if, and / or assumed that the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting criterion," while "insufficient lighting criterion" can mean "one or more insufficient lighting thresholds," "predeterminable insufficient lighting criterion," and / or "lighting criterion representing insufficient lighting conditions for object detection in the surrounding environment," and / or "lighting criterion representing sufficient and / or satisfactory insufficient lighting conditions for object detection in the surrounding environment." Furthermore, according to the example, "insufficient lighting criterion" can mean "ambient light insufficient criterion."

[0038] Optionally, the vision control system 1 may—for example, by means of an optional positioning unit 105—be adapted and / or configured to locate the vehicle 2, at least in part, based on objects 4 detected in the ground area 6 acquired with the support of at least one first image acquisition device 3, in view of the digital map 22. Thus, at least a portion of the ground 6 in the surrounding environment is illuminated by additionally provided light, and subsequently, the image acquisition device 3 detects objects 4 in the surrounding environment—such as… Figure 1 The exemplary guardrail 41 has improved capabilities, providing support for enhanced mapping (i.e., the localization of vehicle 2 to digital map 22). Subsequently, performance degradation and / or loss associated with object detection behind and / or to the sides of vehicle 2—e.g., lane marking detection—due to insufficient light can be avoided, thereby preventing a reduction in the functional availability of the potential ADAS or AD system 21 of vehicle 2 and / or a negative impact on the functionality of the potential ADAS or AD system 21 of vehicle 2.

[0039] The location of vehicle 2 by digital map 22 can be based at least in part on the detected object 4, as can be achieved in any feasible—for example, known—way, such as as described in conjunction with the exemplary optional perception system 23 above. Therefore, the location of vehicle 2 by digital map 21 can be based on other sensing information besides the detected object 4 in the ground area 6 acquired with the support of one or more image acquisition devices 3. The phrase “when the light output is provided” can mean “the subsequent provision of the light source,” while “the location of the vehicle by digital map [...]” can mean “mapping [...] the vehicle onto the digital map.” Furthermore, “at least in part on the detected object in the ground area” can, by example, simply mean “based on the detected object in the ground area.” On the other hand, “digital map” can, by example, mean “high-definition HD map and / or its equivalents or successors.”

[0040] Further optionally, one or more characteristics of the light output can be based on illumination conditions. Therefore, the nature and / or properties of the light output can depend on the illumination conditions—and / or their characteristics—determined to be effective in the surrounding environment being sampled. Thus, the light output can vary with illumination conditions and be adjusted accordingly in a suitable and / or preferred manner, such as, for example, providing lower brightness and / or intensity—and / or a larger ground area size 6—during nighttime illumination conditions than during twilight illumination conditions. The phrase "based on one or more characteristics of the illumination conditions" can mean "based on one or more properties and / or attributes of the illumination conditions," and further means "depending on one or more characteristics of the illumination conditions" and / or "one or more characteristics that vary with illumination conditions." Furthermore, "based on the illumination conditions" can mean "based on the characteristics, properties, and / or attributes of the illumination conditions."

[0041] Alternatively, the vision control system 1 may—for example, by means of an optional context condition determination unit 103—be adapted and / or configured to determine context conditions, such as object detection conditions, vehicle location conditions, and / or surrounding road user conditions. Providing light output may include providing the light output when the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination criterion and when the context conditions meet the light provision qualification criterion. Thus, a general situation arises that relates to, for example, the confidence and / or criticality of object detection and / or the location of the vehicle 2 based on the digital map 22, and / or to one or more other detected road users, which may in turn affect the relevance and / or inappropriateness of the provided light output that may be considered. Therefore, here, light output is provided only when the context conditions meet the light provision qualification criterion, in addition to illumination conditions that meet the insufficient illumination criterion. Therefore, considering the contextual circumstances, such as the confidence and / or criticality of object detection and / or the vehicle location of digital map 22—which may imply the importance of enhanced object detection and subsequently providing light output in the surrounding environment—and / or, for example, other road users near vehicle 2—this may imply that providing light output is not appropriate, for example, due to the risk of interference and / or blinding the other road users.

[0042] Contextual conditions can originate from any feasible system and / or function, such as, for example, from the exemplary optional perception system 23 discussed above and / or known ambient environment detection sensors—and / or associated with—the exemplary optional perception system 23 discussed above and / or known ambient environment detection sensors. Additionally or alternatively, contextual conditions can be determined by the vision control system 1. Furthermore, contextual conditions can be represented by any conditions deemed to affect the relevance and / or unsuitability of providing light output. On the other hand, light provision eligibility criteria can be represented by any feasible criteria representing eligibility conditions for enhanced object detection in the ambient environment. Thus, light provision eligibility criteria can be represented by at least one criterion, for example, a threshold specifying under what conditions and / or at which level of contextual conditions—such as, for example, the aforementioned object detection conditions, vehicle positioning conditions, and / or ambient road user conditions—are deemed eligible to provide light output. For example, light provision eligibility criteria may include one or more of the following: object detection confidence threshold, object detection criticality threshold, vehicle location confidence threshold, vehicle location criticality threshold, surrounding road user distance threshold, type of surrounding road user, number of surrounding road users, etc. Therefore, for example, light output may be provided when—other than the lighting conditions that satisfy the insufficient illumination criterion—object detection and / or vehicle location confidence is relatively low (e.g., below the confidence threshold) and / or object detection and / or vehicle location criticality is relatively high (e.g., above the criticality threshold), and / or no light output may be provided when detected surrounding road users are relatively close to vehicle 2, such as closer than a minimum distance threshold.

[0043] The phrase “determine context conditions” can refer to “derive context conditions,” “estimate context conditions,” and / or “determine primary context conditions.” Furthermore, “context conditions” can refer to “context condition values,” and, according to examples, further refer to “context conditions including object detection conditions, vehicle location conditions, and / or surrounding road user conditions.” On the other hand, the phrase “when the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination criterion and the context conditions meet the light provision qualification criterion” can refer to “if possible and / or assumed that the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination criterion and if possible and / or assumed that the context conditions meet the light provision qualification criterion.” Furthermore, “light provision qualification criterion” can refer to “one or more light provision qualification thresholds,” “predeterminable light provision qualification criteria,” and / or “light provision qualification criteria representing qualification conditions for enhanced object detection in the surrounding environment.” Additionally, “light provision qualification criteria” can also, according to examples, refer to “object detection confidence and / or criticality criteria, vehicle location confidence and / or criticality criteria, and / or surrounding road user criteria.”

[0044] Alternatively, one or more characteristics of the light output may be based on contextual conditions—additionally or alternatively—based on illumination conditions. Therefore, the nature and / or attributes of the light output may depend on the determined primary optional contextual conditions and / or their characteristics. Thus, the light output may vary with changing contextual conditions and be adjusted accordingly in a suitable and / or preferred manner, such as, for example, having higher, for instance, brightness and / or intensity and / or a larger ground area 6 size, e.g., during relatively low object detection and / or vehicle positioning confidence and / or relatively high object detection and / or vehicle positioning criticality, and / or having lower, for instance, brightness and / or intensity and / or a smaller ground area 6 size, e.g., during the detection of the presence of surrounding road users. The phrase “one or more characteristics based on the contextual conditions” may mean “one or more properties and / or attributes based on the contextual conditions,” and further mean “one or more characteristics depending on the contextual conditions” and / or “one or more characteristics that vary with changing contextual conditions.” Furthermore, “based on the contextual conditions” may mean “the characteristics, properties, and / or attributes based on the contextual conditions.”

[0045] like Figure 2As further shown, the vision control system 1 includes an ambient environment acquisition unit 101, a lighting condition determination unit 102, an optional context condition determination unit 103, a light output provision unit 104, and an optional positioning unit 105, all of which have been described in detail above. Furthermore, the embodiments described herein for supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the ambient environment of the moving vehicle 2 using at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device 3 can be implemented by one or more processors (such as processor 106, denoted herein as a CPU) together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code can also be provided as a computer program product, for example, executing the embodiments herein when loaded into the vision control system 1 in the form of a data carrier carrying the computer program code. One such carrier can be in the form of a CD-ROM and / or a hard disk drive; however, other data carriers are also feasible. The computer program code can also be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the vision control system 1. The vision control system 1 may also include memory 107, which includes one or more memory units. Memory 107 may be arranged to store, for example, information, and further, data, configurations, schedules, and applications to execute the methods described herein when executed in the vision control system 1. For example, computer program code may be implemented in firmware of the embedded processor 106 stored in flash memory 107, and / or downloaded wirelessly, for example, from an external server. Furthermore, the ambient environment acquisition unit 101, the illumination condition determination unit 102, the optional context condition determination unit 103, the light output providing unit 104, the optional positioning unit 105, the optional processor 106, and / or the optional memory 107 may be at least partially included in, for example, an optional ADAS or ADS system 21 and / or one or more nodes 108 associated with the optional ADAS or ADS system 21, for example, in the ECU of the vehicle 2. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the aforementioned units 101-105, as well as any other units, interfaces, systems, controllers, modules, devices, elements, features, etc., described herein, may refer to, include, contain, comprise, or be implemented in or by a combination of analog and digital circuitry and / or one or more processors, and / or implemented in or by such combination, one or more processors configured with software and / or firmware, for example, stored in memory (such as memory 107), which, when executed by one or more processors (such as processor 106), performs as described herein. One or more of these processors, along with other digital hardware, may be included in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed across several separate components, either individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0046] In addition to the digital map 22, image acquisition device 3, light source 5, and sensing system 23 already described, Figure 2 Optional request signal 8 is also described, which will be combined with Figures 3a-3b It will be described in more detail below.

[0047] Further, optionally, a schematic diagram of an exemplary vision control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figures 3a-3b As illustrated, at least one first light source 5, 54, 55, 56 may be included in entity 7 located within a predetermined distance from vehicle 2, for example, as Figure 3a The entity 7 in the auxiliary vehicle 71, as illustrated in the example, and / or as shown in the example, are examples of entities 7 and / or ... as shown in the example. Figure 3b Entity 7 is illustrated in infrastructure 72. Providing light output may include providing the light output based on a request signal 8 transmitted to entity 7, indicating the surrounding environment. Thus, the light output illuminating ground areas 6, 64, 65, 66 of the surrounding environment collected at the rear and / or sides of vehicle 2 may be provided with the support of one or more light sources 54, 55, 56 included in entity 7 near vehicle 2, rather than—or otherwise—in the presence of light sources such as… Figure 1 Provided with the support of one or more light sources 51, 52, 53 mounted on the vehicle 2 shown. (Example) Figure 3a In the example, the object 4, represented by a portion of the exemplary road marking 42 located generally on the side of the vehicle 2, is included in the surrounding environment, while in the exemplary Figure 3b In the context of the vehicle 2, the object 4, represented by a portion of the guardrail 43 located approximately on the side of the vehicle 2, is included in the surrounding environment.

[0048] Entity 7 can refer to any feasible dynamic or static structure or object that includes, is equipped with, and / or has onboard one or more light sources 54, 55, 56, adapted to provide light output illuminating ground areas 64, 65, 66 based on a received request signal 8 instructing the acquisition of the surrounding environment. Thus, entity 7 can be represented, for example, by an auxiliary vehicle 71, which can be represented by any arbitrary manned or unmanned vehicle (e.g., engine-driven or electric vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, vans, buses, and / or tractors) traveling in the same or opposite direction of travel as vehicle 2. Alternatively, entity 7 can be represented by infrastructure 72, such as a static structure, located near a road and / or road network. If at least one first light source 54 is included in the auxiliary vehicle 71, the at least one first light source 54 can be represented by a known LED matrix headlight of the auxiliary vehicle 71 that can provide light output. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one first light source 54 may, for example, be located below and / or in the lower part of the auxiliary vehicle 71, such as, positioned on the lower side of the auxiliary vehicle 71—and / or substantially on the lower side of the auxiliary vehicle 71 and / or along the exterior within a predetermined vertical distance from said lower side, such as, for example, within 0.3 meters, 0.2 meters, and / or 0.1 meters therefrom—thereby providing light output that illuminates the ground areas 64, 65, 66 while avoiding disturbing and / or blinding surrounding road users. Alternatively, if the infrastructure 72 includes at least one first light source 55, 56, the at least one first light source 55, 56 may be positioned at any feasible height and / or at any feasible distance from the road along which the vehicle 2 may travel. The predetermined distance from the vehicle 2 (in which entity 7 needs to be located) may be represented by any feasible distance, such as, for example, a distance that satisfactorily illuminates the ground areas 64, 65, 66. Furthermore, the request signal 8 indicating the surrounding environment can be transmitted in any feasible wireless—e.g., known—method, and further in any feasible format that entity 7—or its associated systems and / or functions—may be able to interpret.

[0049] The phrase "for example, in an auxiliary vehicle and / or in infrastructure" can refer to "the entity including the auxiliary vehicle and / or infrastructure," while "transmitted request signal" can refer to "a request signal transmitted digitally and / or wirelessly." Furthermore, "request signal" can refer to "a request message," and "a request signal indicating the surrounding environment" can refer to "a request signal indicating at least a portion of the surrounding environment" and / or "a request signal including instructions and / or causing the entity to receive support from one or more of the at least one first light source illuminating a ground area and / or at least a portion of the surrounding environment."

[0050] It can be noted that the light output can be provided simultaneously by one or more of the exemplary light sources 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, and 56.

[0051] Figure 4 This is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method performed by a vision control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method supports object detection using at least one first vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral image acquisition device 3 in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle 2. Exemplary methods that can be repeated continuously include... Figure 1 Figure 3 supports one or more of the following actions discussed below. Furthermore, actions can be performed in any suitable order and / or one or more actions can be performed simultaneously and / or in an alternating order where applicable. For example, action 1002 and optional action 1003 can be performed simultaneously and / or in an alternating order.

[0052] Action 1001

[0053] In action 1001, the vision control system 1, supported by at least one first image acquisition device 3—for example, supported by an ambient environment acquisition unit 101—acquires the ambient environment located behind and / or to the side of the moving vehicle 2.

[0054] Action 1002

[0055] In action 1002, the vision control system 1 determines—for example, with the support of the illumination condition determination unit 102—the illumination conditions in the surrounding environment.

[0056] Action 1003

[0057] In optional action 1003, the vision control system 1 can determine—for example, with the support of optional situation condition determination unit 103—situation conditions, such as object detection conditions, vehicle positioning conditions and / or surrounding road user conditions.

[0058] Action 1004

[0059] In action 1004, when the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting standard, the vision control system 1 provides light output—for example, with the support of a light output providing unit 104—to illuminate the ground area 6 of the surrounding environment, in order to facilitate object detection through at least one first image acquisition device 3.

[0060] Optionally, if action 1004 follows optional action 1003 which determines context conditions, then action 1004 which provides light output may include—and / or light output providing unit 104 may be adapted and / or configured to—provide light output illuminating ground area 6 of the surrounding environment when illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination criterion and when context conditions meet the light providing qualification criterion, to facilitate object detection by the at least one first image acquisition device 3.

[0061] Further optionally, the action 1004 of providing light output may include—and / or the light output providing unit 104 may be adapted and / or configured to—provide light output having one or more characteristics based on illumination conditions and / or context conditions.

[0062] Alternatively, the action 1004 provided with the support of at least one first light source 5 may include—and / or the light output providing unit 104 may be adapted and / or configured to—provide with the support of at least one first light source 51, 52, 53 included in the vehicle 2, for example, below and / or in the lower part of the vehicle 2.

[0063] Additionally or alternatively, optionally, the action 1004 provided in support of at least one first light source 5 may include—and / or the light output providing unit 104 may be adapted and / or configured to—provide in support of at least one first light source 54, 55, 56 in an entity 7 located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle 2, for example, in an auxiliary vehicle 71 and / or infrastructure 72. The action 1004 of providing light output includes—and / or the light output providing unit 104 may be adapted and / or configured to—provide light output based on a request signal 8 transmitted to the entity 7, indicating the surrounding environment.

[0064] Action 1005

[0065] In optional action 1005, the vision control system 1 may—for example, with the support of optional positioning unit 105—locate the vehicle, at least in part, based on objects 4 detected in ground area 6 acquired with the support of at least one first image acquisition device 3, given the digital map 22, when providing light output.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the dimensions of certain features may be enlarged for clarity. The focus is on illustrating the principles of the embodiments described herein. Additionally, in the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality.

Claims

1. A method executed by a vision control system (1) for supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle (2) via at least one vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral first image acquisition device (3), the method comprising the steps of: With the support of at least one first image acquisition device (3), the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the side of the mobile vehicle (2) is acquired (1001); Determine (1002) the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment; as well as When the lighting conditions meet the insufficient lighting standard, a light output (1004) illuminating the ground area (6) of the surrounding environment is provided (1004) with the support of at least one first light source (5) to facilitate object detection by the at least one first image acquisition device (3), wherein the provision (1004) with the support of at least one first light source (5) includes the provision with the support of at least one first light source (54, 55, 56) included in an entity (7) located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle (2), and the provision (1004) further includes the provision of the light output based on a request signal (8) transmitted to the entity (7) indicating the surrounding environment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The entity (7) includes auxiliary vehicles (71) and / or infrastructure (72).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step: When the light output is provided (1004), it is based at least in part on objects (4) detected in the ground area (6) acquired with the support of the at least one first image acquisition device (3), and the vehicle (2) is located (1005) in view of the digital map (22).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the following step: Determine the (1003) situational conditions; The provision of (1004) light output includes providing light output to illuminate the ground area (6) of the surrounding environment when the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination standard and when the situation conditions meet the light provision qualification standard.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The contextual conditions include object detection conditions, vehicle location conditions, and / or surrounding road user conditions.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The provision of (1004) light output includes providing light output having one or more characteristics based on the illumination conditions and / or the context conditions.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The provision (1004) supported by at least one first light source (5) includes the provision supported by at least one first light source (51, 52, 53) included in the vehicle (2).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one first light source (51, 52, 53) is located below and / or in the lower part of the vehicle (2).

9. A vision control system (1) for supporting object detection in low-light conditions in the surrounding environment of a moving vehicle (2) via at least one vehicle-mounted rearward and / or lateral first image acquisition device (3), the vision control system (1) comprising: A surrounding environment acquisition unit (101) is used to acquire (1001) the surrounding environment located behind and / or to the side of the moving vehicle (2) with the support of the at least one first image acquisition device (3); Lighting condition determination unit (102), which is used to determine the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment (1002); as well as A light output providing unit (104) is configured to provide (1004) light output illuminating a ground area (6) of the surrounding environment, supported by at least one first light source (5), when the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination standard, to facilitate object detection by the at least one first image acquisition device (3), wherein the light output providing unit (104) is adapted to provide light output supported by at least one first light source (54, 55, 56) included in an entity (7) located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle (2), and the light output providing unit (104) is adapted to provide the light output based on a request signal (8) transmitted to the entity (7) indicating the surrounding environment.

10. The vision control system (1) according to claim 9, wherein, The entity (7) includes auxiliary vehicles (71) and / or infrastructure (72).

11. The vision control system (1) according to claim 9 further includes: The positioning unit (105), when providing the light output (1004), is based at least in part on objects (4) detected in the ground area (6) acquired with the support of the at least one first image acquisition device (3), and the vehicle (2) is located (1005) in view of the digital map (22).

12. The vision control system (1) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising: The context condition determination unit (103) is used to determine the (1003) context conditions; The light output providing unit (104) is adapted to provide light output to illuminate the ground area (6) of the surrounding environment when the illumination conditions meet the insufficient illumination standard and when the situation conditions meet the light providing qualification standard.

13. The vision control system (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The contextual conditions include object detection conditions, vehicle location conditions, and / or surrounding road user conditions.

14. The vision control system (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The light output providing unit (104) is adapted to provide light output having one or more characteristics based on the illumination conditions and / or the context conditions.

15. The vision control system (1) according to claim 9, wherein, The light output providing unit (104) is adapted to provide light output in support of at least one first light source (51, 52, 53) included in the vehicle (2).

16. The vision control system (1) according to claim 15, wherein, The at least one first light source (51, 52, 53) is located below and / or in the lower part of the vehicle (2).

17. A vehicle (2) comprising a vision control system (1) according to any one of claims 9-16.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer program including computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or processor to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-8 stored on a computer-readable medium or carrier.

19. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program product according to claim 18.

Images