GRRB Filter Array for Vehicle Taillight Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging systems in vehicles face challenges in accurately detecting taillights of other vehicles, especially at a distance, due to the limited sensitivity of Bayer filter arrays which often result in incomplete illumination of red pixels, leading to unreliable identification of taillights.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a GRRB filter array in image sensors, which increases the sensitivity to red light and allows for more accurate detection of taillights by ensuring a larger portion of the light strikes red pixels, combined with a GRRB color metric for reliable differentiation between headlamps and taillights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional RGGB filter array is used in the image sensor, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but the measurement precision of red light detection deteriorates, leading to unreliable taillight identification at distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the color filter parameters from the conventional RGGB arrangement to a GRRB arrangement, specifically increasing the proportion of green and red filters while reducing blue filters. This parameter change optimizes the filter array for red light detection, enabling reliable taillight identification at greater distances by improving the signal strength from red light sources.
2Reliability
If the RGGB filter array is used, then the manufacturing cost is lower, but the reliability of taillight detection at greater distances deteriorates due to incomplete illumination of red pixels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the filter array parameters by rearranging the color filter pattern from RGGB to GRRB, which increases the density of red and green filters. This change improves taillight detection reliability by ensuring more complete capture of red light signals, while the filter array structure remains compatible with standard manufacturing processes.
3Measurement precision
If a standard color filter array is used, then the device simplicity is maintained, but the measurement precision of distant light sources deteriorates, causing crossover errors between headlamp and taillight classification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the color filter parameters by increasing the proportion of green and red filters in the GRRB arrangement, which enhances the signal strength from distant red light sources like taillights. This parameter optimization improves the ability to discriminate between headlamps and taillights at distance, reducing classification errors while maintaining a relatively simple filter array structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The GRRB filter array and color metric significantly improve the accuracy of taillight detection, reducing crossover errors and light dropout, enabling reliable imaging of taillights at greater distances compared to conventional RGGB filter arrays.
Implementation Method 1
filtering light received from the scene with a GRRB filter array integrated into the image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided to image an external scene by employing a custom image sensor. The custom image sensor may use a GRRB array to filter the images of oncoming and preceding vehicle taillights captured by a vehicle camera. The method and system may also calculate a GRRB color metric for use in the custom image sensor by performing interpolation on a number of color channels, summing the brightness values for each of the color channels interpolated, normalizing each of the brightness values, and converting the normalized brightness values from an RGB scale to a linear scale of non-red to red.