Vehicle Target Feature Tracking Using Motion-Predicted Bounding Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image processing for automated vehicle systems requires significant processing time and capability to track target features, affecting the efficiency of driver assist systems, especially in tasks like trailer hitching, where real-time performance is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A method involving identifying a feature in an initial image, generating a bounding box around it, and updating its location in subsequent images based on vehicle motion information, which includes speed and direction, to efficiently track the feature and communicate its location to the driver assist system, thereby reducing processing time by predicting the feature's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image processing algorithms are used to find and track target features in subsequent images, then tracking accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational capability requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting the target feature location in subsequent images based on vehicle motion information before actual image processing occurs. This allows the image processing algorithm to focus only on a small region around the predicted location rather than searching the entire image, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining tracking accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating computational resources on a specific local region (bounding box) around the predicted target feature location. Instead of processing the entire image uniformly, the system applies image processing algorithms only to the relevant local area, reducing overall processing time while preserving tracking precision
2Reliability
If full image processing is performed on each subsequent image to track the feature, then feature detection reliability is improved, but system productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vehicle motion information to preliminarily determine the expected location of the target feature in subsequent images. This preliminary action enables the system to maintain high feature detection reliability by focusing processing on the correct region while dramatically improving system productivity through reduced computational scope
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and utilizes vehicle motion information as a separate input to predict target feature location. By taking out the motion compensation function and performing it separately before image processing, the system maintains reliable feature detection while improving overall productivity by avoiding redundant processing of irrelevant image regions
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle driver assist system provides for the location of a target feature in an initial image and updates the location of that target feature based on information indicative of vehicle dynamic operation. The system predicts a relative position of the target feature within subsequent images such that only a portion of subsequent images need by analyzed and searched.