Driving Assistance via Traffic Mirror Reflection Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driving assistance systems face challenges in predicting potential hazards at obstructed or restricted viewpoints, such as intersections, due to insufficient data recording and limited view areas, which hinders effective warning and control of vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing traffic mirrors to detect and recognize objects, calculating object sizes through image processing and deep learning, and determining potential hazards by analyzing size changes and object positions, generating driving assist information to prevent accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If driving recorders are used to record driving situations for hazard prediction, then safety is improved, but the recordable area becomes narrower and data becomes insufficient at obstructed viewpoints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces traffic mirrors as intermediary devices to extend the observable area. The camera captures images of the traffic mirror which reflects scenes from obstructed areas, enabling the system to indirectly observe regions that would otherwise be invisible to direct recording.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from direct line-of-sight recording to indirect recording via reflection. By capturing the reflected image in the traffic mirror, the system accesses a different spatial dimension (the reflected view) to obtain data from areas obstructed from the direct viewpoint.
2Reliability
If driving recorders directly record unusual events, then hazard prediction is enabled, but sufficient data cannot be recorded because unusual events occur in short periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures images through the traffic mirror at regular intervals, ensuring that data is recorded continuously rather than only when unusual events are detected. This continuous recording ensures that sufficient data is accumulated even for rare events that occur briefly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary recording of the driving situation through the traffic mirror before unusual events occur. By continuously capturing baseline data of the reflected scene, the system builds up a repository of normal conditions that can be compared against unusual events when they happen.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the view from the vehicle is obstructed at intersections, then traffic accidents are more likely, but the recordable area by driving recorders becomes narrower
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic mirror serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between the obstructed viewpoint and the hidden area. The camera records the mirror's reflection, which contains information from areas that are physically obstructed from direct view, thereby expanding the effective viewable area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy of the obstructed area through the traffic mirror reflection. Instead of directly observing the hidden region, the system captures a reflected copy of that region in the mirror, which can then be analyzed for hazard detection.
Data Source
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AI summary
An information processing apparatus capable of assisting safe driving of a vehicle at a place such as an intersection where the view from the vehicle is obstructed or restricted is provided. An obtaining unit obtains map information or image information representing an image captured by an image capturing apparatus mounted in a vehicle. And a detection processing unit detects a traffic mirror located near the vehicle on the basis of the map information or the image information. The determining unit determines characteristics of an installed place of the detected traffic mirror on the basis of the map information or the image information. Further a generating unit generates driving assist information on the basis of the determined characteristics, and an output unit outputs the generated driving assist information.