Vehicle Turn Signal Detection Using Pose-Aware Video Classification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing perception systems struggle to accurately detect and classify turn signals on vehicles and other objects due to variations in signal position, color, size, and blinking frequency, which affects the prediction of their intended movements.

Innovation Solution

A system using a computer-implemented method to process video sequences with a classifier that determines the state and class of turn signals by generating an image stack, applying algorithms like Mask R-CNN for object detection, and employing a convolutional neural network (CNN) for classification, while considering the object's pose to predict its movement direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional video camera detection methods are used to identify turn signals, then the system can capture general video data, but the detection accuracy deteriorates due to variations in signal position, color, size, and blinking frequency across different vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturn signal detection accuracyVSAvoidadaptability to different vehicle configurations
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts detection parameters including color thresholds, signal size ranges, and blinking frequency windows based on the detected vehicle type and configuration. This allows the same detection algorithm to adapt to different vehicle models, positions of turn signals, and environmental lighting conditions, resolving the contradiction between maintaining high detection accuracy and adapting to vehicle diversity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The detection system employs dynamic parameter adjustment where detection thresholds and parameters are not fixed but are modified in real-time based on the specific vehicle being observed. The system learns and adapts to different vehicle configurations, making the detection process flexible rather than rigid, thereby achieving both precision and versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the system processes high-resolution video data with detailed analysis, then detection accuracy improves, but computational complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturn signal classification accuracyVSAvoidcomputational processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detection system divides the video processing task into distinct segments: initial frame analysis to identify potential turn signal regions, followed by focused classification only on those segmented regions. This segmentation approach allows high accuracy in classification while reducing overall computational complexity by avoiding full-frame processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies full analytical processing only to portions of the video data that contain potential turn signals, rather than processing every pixel uniformly. By concentrating computational resources on relevant regions identified through preliminary detection, the system achieves high classification accuracy without the excessive computational burden of processing entire high-resolution frames

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If the system uses simple detection algorithms, then processing speed is maintained, but the ability to detect small turn signals at various blinking frequencies deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo processing throughputVSAvoidturn signal detection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic sampling of video frames at strategically selected intervals rather than continuous processing. By sampling at key moments when turn signal transitions are likely to occur and using temporal interpolation, the system maintains high detection reliability for blinking signals while preserving video processing throughput through reduced computational load

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4004812B1Using captured video data to identify active turn signals on a vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA INVESTMENTS LLC
  • EP4004812B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4004812B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4004812B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system uses video of a vehicle or other object to detect and classify an active turn sign on the object. The system generates an image stack by scaling and shifting a set of digital image frames from the video to a fixed scale, yielding a sequence of images over a time period. The system processes the image stack with a classifier to determine a pose of the object, as well as the state and class of each visible turn signals on the object. When the system determines that a turn signal is active, the system will predict an action that the object will take based on the class of that signal.