Virtual Road Sign Overlay for Occlusion Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle drivers often face difficulties in reading road signs due to obstructions, such as overgrown vegetation or other vehicles, which can lead to safety hazards and inconsistent driving speeds, as these signs provide crucial information like speed limits and directions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a camera to detect the obstruction of road signs and generates a virtual representation of the sign for display on a head-up display, ensuring the driver can access the information even when the sign is partially or fully obscured.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If drivers rely on direct visual observation of road signs, then they can obtain road information, but the information may be lost when signs are occluded by vegetation or other vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of road signs using a camera before the vehicle reaches them. The processor identifies signs in advance and determines their locations, storing this information for later use when the vehicle approaches and the signs may become occluded.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of the road sign information and displays it on a head-up display (HUD) overlaying the driver's field of view. This virtual representation allows the driver to access road sign information without directly viewing the physical sign, which may be occluded by vegetation or other vehicles.
2Loss of information
If drivers slow down or speed up to maintain visibility of road signs, then they can read the signs, but this causes inconsistent driving speed and hazards to other road users
Solution Approach 1:
The head-up display acts as an intermediary between the road sign and the driver. It presents the road sign information in a processed, virtual format that is always visible in the driver's field of view, eliminating the need for the driver to adjust speed to maintain visibility of the physical sign.
3Productivity
If the camera field of view is limited, then the system can process images efficiently, but road signs may be outside the field of view and undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the camera's field of view based on the vehicle's location and upcoming road features. The processor determines when to widen or narrow the field of view to capture road signs at different distances and positions, optimizing both detection coverage and processing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system and method of displaying a representation of a road sign. The method comprises receiving information associated with the road sign, the information associated with the road sign comprising a front face of the road sign and a location of the road sign in a road system; receiving an image from a camera, the road sign being within the field of view of the camera; determining, using the image, an amount of the road sign that is obstructed; generating, in dependence on the amount obstructed, the representation of the road sign using the information associated with the road sign; and outputting the representation of the road sign for display.