Vehicular control system with road curvature determination

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 11847836
  • Patent Number
    11,847,836
  • Date Filed
    Monday, November 14, 2022
    2 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 19, 2023
    11 months ago
Abstract
A vehicular control system includes a forward viewing camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle and viewing forward of the vehicle. Road curvature of a road along which the vehicle is traveling is determined responsive at least in part to processing of image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, speed of the vehicle is controlled by an adaptive cruise control system of the vehicle. Upon approach of the vehicle to a curve in the road along which the vehicle is traveling, speed of the vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to a reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road. Speed of the vehicle is increased by the adaptive cruise control system when the vehicle is traveling along a straighter section of road after the curve in the road.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an imaging system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to an imaging system that may display information to a driver of the vehicle and/or control an accessory in response to images captured by a camera or image capture device.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide an image capture device at a vehicle for capturing images of the scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle, such as forwardly or rearwardly or sidewardly of the vehicle. The captured images may be processed by a processing system and the system may control the headlamps of the vehicle or may provide an image display to the driver of the vehicle or may provide other information or signals, depending on the particular application of the imaging system.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an imaging system for a vehicle that is operable to identify and read traffic control signage as the vehicle travels along a road. The system may provide an information display and/or alert to a driver of the vehicle in response to the images captured by a camera or imaging device of the vehicle. The imaging system of the present invention may also process captured images and control one or more accessories in response to such processing. For example, the imaging system of the present invention may control the headlamps or may adjust or control the direction of the headlamps in response to such image processing.


According to an aspect of the present invention, an imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging device, a display device and an image processor. The imaging device has a field of view exteriorly and forward of the vehicle in its direction of travel and captures images representative of the exterior scene. The image processor processes the captured images and determines whether the captured image encompasses an image of a traffic control sign. If the image processor determines that the captured image encompasses a traffic control sign of interest, the image processor determines the numerals, characters or other information on the face of the sign. The image processor may control the display device in response to the determined characters or information and in response to a vehicle speed input that is indicative of the speed that the vehicle is traveling. The display device thus may display information to a driver of the vehicle in response to an output of the image processor and/or may generate at least one of a visible, audible or tactile/haptic signal to alert the driver that he or she has entered a different speed zone. Most preferably, the display information and/or alert differentiates and distinguishes from and is characteristic of an allowed increase in driving speed from one zone to another and a decrease in driving speed from one zone to another, whereby the driver is informed as to whether it is allowable to drive faster or is required to drive slower.


Preferably, the imaging device and the associated image processor are located within the interior cabin of the vehicle with a field of view through the vehicle windshield and, most preferably, the image processor is located at an interior rearview mirror assembly or at a windshield electronic module located at a central upper windshield location. Preferably, the imaging system can be multi-tasking, and thus may be part of or associated with other vehicle accessories or systems or may access or share components or circuitry of other vehicle accessories or systems. For example, the image processor may preferably derive further information from the processed captured images, such as a determination of location, intensity and type of oncoming headlamps or leading taillights being approached by the vehicle, rain or fog or the like present and detected within the forward field of view, a presence of obstacles or objects or vehicles in the forward field of view and/or the like, such as in connection with a headlamp control system, a precipitation sensor, an adaptive cruise control system, a lane departure warning system, a traffic lane control system and/or the like.


For example, the image processor may determine that a speed limit sign is within the captured image by analyzing the size, shape and location of a detected object. The image processor may then determine or recognize the characters or numbers or information on the face of the speed limit sign to determine the speed limit in the area through which the vehicle is traveling. The display device may display information to the driver of the vehicle in response to the determined characters and the vehicle speed. For example, if the vehicle speed is substantially greater than the posted and determined speed limit, the display device may display information to that effect or may provide a warning or alert signal to alert the driver of the excessive speed that the vehicle is traveling.


According to another aspect of the present invention, an imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging device and an image processor. The imaging device has a field of view exteriorly and forward of the vehicle in its direction of travel. The imaging device is operable to capture images representative of the exterior scene. The image processor is operable to process the captured images in accordance with an algorithm. The algorithm comprises a sign recognition routine and a character recognition routine.


The algorithm may pass to the character recognition routine after the sign recognition routine. The image processor may process the captured image to determine whether the captured image encompasses an image of a traffic control sign of interest when in the sign recognition routine. The image processor may process the captured image to determine what the characters on the face of the sign represent when in the character recognition routine. The algorithm may proceed to the character recognition routine in response to the image processor determining that the captured image encompasses an image of a traffic control sign of interest.


The imaging system may include at least one of a visible alert, an audible alert and a tactile alert to a driver of the vehicle in response to an output of the image processor. The visible alert may display information indicative of at least one of the vehicle speed, a posted speed limit and a difference between the vehicle speed and the posted speed limit.


The imaging system may be also or otherwise operable to control a headlamp setting or headlamp beam direction of the vehicle in response to detected headlamps or taillights or other objects of interest along the path of travel of the vehicle. The imaging system may detect objects of interest, such as objects that may pose a threat to the vehicle or lane markers or other objects, and may display information regarding the objects or other information to the driver of the vehicle, such as at a video display screen or laser display or heads up display or the like.


Therefore, the present invention provides an imaging system that is operable to detect and recognize and read traffic control signage along the side (and/or above) the road along which the vehicle is traveling. The imaging system may then display information to the driver of the vehicle regarding the detected and recognized signage. The imaging system may provide a warning or alert signal to the driver if an unsafe or unwanted driving condition is encountered, such as when the vehicle is traveling at a speed that is substantially over the speed limit or is approaching a turn at too high a speed or the like.


These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a vehicle embodying an imaging system in accordance with the present invention;



FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an imaging system in accordance with the present invention;



FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an interior rearview mirror assembly having a display device in accordance with the present invention;



FIG. 4 is a sectional view of another interior rearview mirror assembly having another display device in accordance with the present invention;



FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an interior rearview mirror assembly incorporating a laser display device in accordance with the present invention; and



FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an accessory module having an imaging device in accordance with the present invention.





DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system 12, which includes an imaging sensor or image capture device or camera 14, which captures images of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Imaging system 12 includes a control including an image processor 16, which receives data from imaging device 14. The image processor 16 processes the captured images or captured image data and may identify traffic control signage (such as stop signs, speed limit signs, exit signs and the like) and may identify the characters, numbers and/or information that is printed or formed or established on the faces of the signs and may generate an output signal in response to the identified characters/numbers/information. The imaging system 12 includes a display or display device 18, which may be positioned within the vehicle (such as at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle or at an accessory module (such as located at an upper portion of the windshield) of the vehicle or at an instrument panel of the vehicle or at an overhead console of the vehicle or the like) and which displays information in response to image processor 16 processing the captured images, as discussed below.


The imaging device 14 may comprise an imaging array sensor, such as a CMOS sensor or a CCD sensor or the like, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,498,620; 5,877,897; 6,396,397 and 6,313,454, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/421,281, filed Apr. 23, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,606, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment, the imaging system 12 may include a lens element or optic between the imaging device 14 and the exterior scene. The optic may comprise an asymmetric optic, which focuses a generally central portion of the scene onto the imaging device, while providing classical distortion on the periphery of the scene or field of view.


In the illustrated embodiment, the imaging device 14 is mounted at or in an accessory module or pod 20 and is arranged to have a field of view forward of the vehicle. The imaging device 14 thus may capture images of a forward scene as the vehicle is traveling forwardly along a road or street or highway or the like. Optionally, the imaging device may be positioned elsewhere, such as at or in the interior rearview mirror assembly 22, or at or in an accessory module or windshield electronics module or the like (as discussed below), without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Display 18 of imaging system 12 may be positioned in the vehicle and may be readily viewable by the driver of the vehicle. For example, display 18 may be positioned in the interior rearview mirror assembly 22 and may be viewable at the reflective element of the mirror assembly or at or around the reflective element or bezel portion, such as at the chin or eyebrow region of the mirror assembly. Optionally, the display device 18 may be at or in or associated with an accessory module or windshield electronics module or the like at or near the interior rearview mirror assembly, such as an accessory module or windshield electronics module of the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/355,454, filed Jan. 31, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,281; and Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,004,593, and/or 6,690,268; 6,250,148; 6,341,523; 6,593,565 and 6,326,613, and/or in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the display device may be at or in an overhead console (such as a console of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference) or elsewhere in the vehicle, such as in the instrument panel of the vehicle or the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Display or display device 18 may comprise any type of display element or device or screen, without affecting the scope of the present invention. For example, display device 18 may comprise a backlit display, which may be laser-etched or otherwise formed on or placed on (such as via an appliqué or the like) the surface of the reflective element of the mirror assembly (such as via removing the reflective coating of the reflective element to form a desired port or icon or character and/or such as by utilizing aspects described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,565, issued to Gallmeyer, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference) to allow light from corresponding illumination sources or elements to pass through the reflective element to illuminate the appropriate port or icon or character for viewing by the driver or occupant of the vehicle, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; and/or Ser. No. 11/029,695, filed Jan. 5, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,253,723, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the display device may comprise a video screen (such as the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), or may comprise a display on demand/transflective type of display or the like at the reflective element of the mirror assembly (where the presence of the display device or element may be substantially masked or not readily viewable unless powered, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,298; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; and/or Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference), or may comprise a heads up display that projects the display information for viewing in front of the driver of the vehicle, or may comprise any other type of display (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) or the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention. The display device may include one or more display elements, such as illumination sources, such as vacuum fluorescent (VF) elements, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light emitting diodes (LEDs), such as inorganic LEDs or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), electroluminescent (EL) elements or the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the display may comprise a video display screen that is selectively viewable, such as at or near the mirror assembly (such as a slide out display of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) or through the reflective element of the mirror assembly. For example, and with reference to FIG. 3, a mirror assembly 122 includes a reflective element 130 and a display device or element 118 positioned behind the reflective element 130 and within the mirror housing or casing 132. The reflective element 130 may comprise a fourth surface electro-optic reflective element assembly, such as a fourth surface electrochromic reflective element assembly, and has a reflective coating or paint layer 134 on the rear or fourth surface 130a of the reflective element assembly. Examples of such fourth surface reflective element assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544; 5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012; 5,117,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or 4,712,879, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the reflective element may comprise a prismatic reflective element with a reflective coating or paint layer on its rear surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the reflective coating 134 is removed or otherwise not present (such as by masking the reflective element surface during the coating process) at a display region 136. The mirror assembly 122 includes a movable reflector 138, such as a small mirror or reflective element or the like, that is selectively positionable at the display region 136 to provide a reflectant element at the display region, so that substantially the entire reflective element 130 reflects to the driver or occupant of the vehicle when the movable reflector 138 is positioned at the display region.


When it is desired to display information to the driver or occupant of the vehicle, movable reflector 138 may be selectively moved, such as by moving the reflector rearward of the rear surface of the reflective element 130 and then to a side of (or above or below) the display region 136. The display element 118 is positioned generally rearward of the display region 136 so that the display element 118 may be viewable through the display window or region when the movable reflector is removed from the display window or region. Optionally, the display element 118 may move toward the display region and may engage or contact the display region of the reflective element 130 to enhance viewing of the display information through the reflective element. When the display information is no longer desired or needed, the display element may move rearward of the reflective element and the movable reflector may move back to the initial position at the display region.


The display element may be operable to display information relating to a rear vision system of the vehicle, a navigation and/or compass system of the vehicle, a telematics system of the vehicle or any other vehicle system. The movable reflector may be selectively moved and the display element may be selectively activated and/or moved in response to a user input (such as a voice command or manual input at a button or switch or sensor or the like), or may be selectively activated and/or moved automatically, such as in response to a triggering event, such as when the vehicle is shifted into reverse for a backup system or when the vehicle approaches a waypoint for a navigational system (such as a navigational system of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/611,796, filed Sep. 21, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), or other triggering events or the like.


The display element and/or movable reflector may be moved via actuation of an electromagnetic drive motor to move the element/reflector to the appropriate location. Optionally, and particularly for applications where the mirror assembly includes compass circuitry for a compass system of the vehicle, the mirror assembly or system may include a control that may inhibit data sampling by the compass circuitry when the display element and/or movable reflector are moving. For example, the control or system may limit or inhibit data sampling by the compass circuitry when the display is activated or deactivated and/the movable reflector is moving (or when a slide out display is moving (such as a slide out display of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference). The control or system thus may interact with the compass or compass circuitry or control to reduce or limit or substantially preclude magnetic interference of the compass system during operation of the drive motor (such as an electromagnetic motor) of the movable reflector or slide out display or the like, in order to limit or substantially preclude the capturing of corrupting data that may occur during operation of the electromagnetic motor of the display or movable reflector. The control or system may be operable to limit or inhibit operation of or data collection by the compass circuitry or system during operation of other electromagnetic components of the mirror assembly or accessory module or the like.


Optionally, the display may comprise a steerable laser display positioned within an accessory module or with the interior rearview mirror assembly. For example, and with reference to FIG. 4, an interior rearview mirror assembly 222 includes a steerable laser display device 218, such as a controllable or programmable display device that is operable to project illumination in a controlled or programmed manner. The laser display device 218 may project illumination in a scanning movement, such as at about 30 frames per second, to project an image as the laser scans through multiple rows and/or columns at an image viewing area or display region. In the illustrated embodiment, the scanning display device 218 projects illumination onto an angled reflector 238, which reflects or directs the illumination through a display region 236 of the reflective element 230. The reflective element 230 may comprise a transflective electro-optic reflective element assembly, such that the display information may provide a display on demand display (such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference) that is projectable through the reflective element and viewable by the driver or occupant of the vehicle when the display element is activated, while the reflective element 230 provides sufficient reflectance in the display region when the display element is deactivated.


The laser scanning display element of the present invention thus provides a programmable display that may display text or graphics or indicia or the like. The display element provides information to the driver or occupant of the vehicle as a dynamic display. The display element also provides enhanced brightness over some known or conventional display elements and may be implemented at a lower cost than other known or conventional display elements or devices, such as multi-pixel display screens and the like.


Optionally, a variety of display types or screens can be utilized in conjunction with an interior rearview mirror assembly or windshield electronics module/accessory module of the present invention. For example, any of the liquid crystal type display or video screens (such as the types disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) can be utilized. Also, a microdisplay (such as is available from MicroVision Inc. of Bothell, WA), in which a single scanner is used to direct multiple light beams simultaneously into separate zones of an image so as to deliver a bright, high resolution, image over a wide field of view, can be used. Such a microdisplay may utilize conventional surface emitting or other types of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources to provide an economical display with sharp resolution and high image brightness. For example, multiple red, green and blue LEDs or red, blue and green laser diodes can be used to write several million red, green, and blue spots that integrate to form a single high-fidelity image in a mega pixel display image. Such scanning display technologies can utilize a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS) and other display/mechanical and electronic devices, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,714,331; 6,795,221 and 6,762,867, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and can provide increased spatial resolution. Such displays can deliver an image with a full 30-degree horizontal field of view or more. Such a microdisplay/MEMS device can, for example, be placed in the mirror housing behind the mirror reflective element in an interior (or exterior) mirror assembly such that the image is projected onto the rear of the mirror reflective element, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


If the mirror reflector of the mirror element is of the transflective (substantially reflective and at least partially transmitting to light) type, the driver or other occupant in the interior cabin of the vehicle can view the image (being back-projected onto the rear of the mirror reflective element) by viewing the mirror reflective element. This is because the front surface of the reflective element will typically reflect about 4 percent of the light incident on the reflective element toward the driver of the vehicle. Thus, if the display illumination (projected through the reflective element from behind the reflective element and within the mirror casing) does not dominate or distinguish over the reflectance off of the front surface of the mirror reflective element, the display illumination and information may appear washed out due to the reflected image that is reflecting off of the front surface of the reflective element. Such washout may be particularly noticeable during high ambient lighting or daytime lighting conditions. Because back-projected microdisplays can have a very high image brightness (due to use of very high brightness LEDs or lasers as illuminators), image wash-out during driving under high ambient lighting conditions (such as on a sunny day) is reduced using such scanning image microdisplay technology compared to use, for example, of TFT LCD displays.


Also, such MEMS technology can be used in a heads-up-display (HUD) system, such as the MicroHUD™ head-up display system available from MicroVision Inc. of Bothell, WA (and such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/029,695, filed Jan. 5, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,253,723, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference). This provides a compact heads-up display capable of meeting specific size and performance specifications. For example, MicroVision's MicroHUD™ combines a MEMS-based micro display with an optical package of lenses and mirrors to achieve a compact high-performance HUD module that reflects a virtual image off the windscreen that appears to the driver to be close to the front of the car. This laser-scanning display can outperform many miniature flat panel LCD display screens because it can be clearly viewed in the brightest conditions and also dimmed to the very low brightness levels required for safe night-time driving.


The high-resolution MicroHUD™ display may be completely reconfigurable, enabling virtually any content to be displayed, including video or animated icons and graphics. Advantageously, such a MicroHUD™ display unit may be included at or within an interior rearview mirror assembly or a windshield electronics module/accessory module so as to project its image therefrom onto the inner surface of the windshield. This unique packaging of a HUD or projection image displayer into an interior rearview mirror assembly or a windshield electronics module/accessory module has advantages over conventional placement of such HUD projectors into the dashboard of the vehicle. These advantages include that the HUD image projector need not find space in an already crowded dashboard (where, for example, a center information cluster may want space or where HVAC ducts/components may run). Also, incorporation of the HUD projector in the likes of the mounting portion of the interior mirror assembly or into a windshield electronics module/accessory module can allow a HUD display to be provided more readily as an optional accessory for the vehicle or as a dealership option or aftermarket device. A variety of images (such as, for example, iconistic or graphical or video or textural or alphanumerical or numerical or the like) can be displayed, such as information from a side object/blind spot monitoring system, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,786, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577; and/or Ser. No. 10/209,173, filed Jul. 31, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,287, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Also, a full video image captured by the likes of a reversing camera or a forward facing night vision camera or a sidelane-monitoring camera can be displayed on/via the vehicle windshield (or elsewhere) by the likes of a MicroHUD™ device and, conceptually, thus replacing the exterior mirrors with cameras. For example, a driver sidelane video image and a passenger sidelane video image, both preferably with graphic overlays thereon, can be displayed at respective sides of the vehicle windshield via a MEMS-based display system (such as via a MicroHUD™ HUD display device) and with the image visible to the driver by viewing the vehicle windshield (such as via an optical image combiner created on the inner glass surface of the windshield and/or onto the polymeric laminating interlayer (typically a sheet of polyvinyl butyral or of silicone or the like) utilized in the laminate windshield).


Optionally, a laser emitter or laser diode or the like may be positioned within the mirror casing and behind the reflective element, and may be used to emit radiation onto a reflector (such as a microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS)) within the mirror casing that reflects the radiation toward and through the mirror reflective element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle (such as by utilizing aspects described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; and Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference).


Such a laser scanning display device may provide enhanced display characteristics for enhanced viewing of the display at the reflective element by the driver of the vehicle. Typically, in order to use a laser to back light a display area (such as an area of about two cm square or thereabouts), the laser beam may be projected through an optic that broadens the beam to the desired size, whereby the intensity of the beam is reduced. An advantage of such scanning display technologies is the intensity of the display delivered, and thus its ability to be seen even under high ambient driving conditions (such as a sunny day). For example, should a standard backlit TFT LCD display be placed behind a transflective mirror element in the likes of an interior rearview mirror assembly, the front or first surface reflection off the front glass surface (typically around 4 percent of the light incident thereon) often far exceeds the intensity of the light transmitted through the transflective mirror reflective element used. Such transflective mirrors also reflect coincident with the reflection off the front surface, and thus further exasperate the washout of the display image being transmitted/emitted through the reflective element. Even if the reflective coating is locally fully removed to create a light transmitting window, reflectivity off the front glass surface often causes display washout and inability to appropriately read what is being viewed at the display. This is particularly problematic for video display (such as for the likes of a rear backup event or side lane maneuver event or the like).


Thus, one advantage of use of such a scanning display technology (such as described in further detail below) is that the full intensity of the laser is used, but by using the movable mirror/reflector of the microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS), the narrow point-like, super high intensity beam rapidly moves across the display image dimension at a rate that is faster than the eye/brain can register, such that the eye/brain perceives a continuous (or substantially continuous) super bright image. Thus, using the concepts of the present invention as described below, a full video image can effectively be projected through or on a surface of the rearview mirror reflective element in a manner not unlike what can be seen during outdoor laser displays or the like (such as when images and video is laser written on the sides of buildings or clouds or the like). Also, multiple lasers of the same color can be focused so that their beams coincide at roughly the same point on the MEMS reflector so that the intensity of any one image element as written is correspondingly enhanced.


For example, and with reference to FIG. 5, an interior rearview mirror assembly 310 may be pivotally or adjustably mounted to an interior portion of a vehicle, such as via a double ball mounting or bracket assembly 312. For example, the bracket assembly 312 may include a mirror mount 312a that is mountable to a mounting button 313 adhered or bonded to an interior surface 311a of a vehicle windshield 311. The bracket assembly 312 may also include a mounting arm 312b that is pivotally attached to the mirror mount 312a at a first pivot joint 312c and that is pivotally attached to the mirror casing or mirror head at a second pivot joint 312d. Other means for adjustably mounting the mirror head to an interior portion of the vehicle may be implemented without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Mirror assembly 310 includes an electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element 314 supported at or in a housing or casing 318. The mirror assembly 310 includes a scanning display device 326 that is operable to display information (such as text, alphanumeric characters, icons, images, video images, or other indicia or information or the like) at the reflective element 314 for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. Advantageously, display device 326 is housed behind (to the rear of) the mirror reflective element and thus is within mirror casing 318. Thus, the automaker may acquire and install mirror assembly 310 (with the scanning display capability included) across a variety of vehicle models and lines. Reflective element 314 includes a front substrate 320 and a rear substrate 322 and an electro-optic medium 324 disposed therebetween with a seal 325 encompassing the electro-optic medium, as is known in the electro-optic mirror arts. The front substrate 320 includes a transparent conductive coating or layer 321 at its rear surface (commonly referred to as the second surface of the reflective element), while the rear substrate 322 includes a conductive coating 323 at its front or forward surface (commonly referred to as the third surface of the reflective element).


The reflective element may comprise a transflective reflective element that allows light from the display device 326 to pass therethrough for viewing by the driver of the vehicle, such as by utilizing principles described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec. 23, 2003; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filed Mar. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/563,342, filed Apr. 19, 2004; Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005; Ser. No. 60/667,049, filed Mar. 31, 2005; Ser. No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; Ser. No. 60/638,250, filed Dec. 21, 2004; Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004; and Ser. No. 60/609,642, filed Sep. 14, 2004, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, use of an elemental semiconductor mirror, such as a silicon metal mirror, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,286,965; 6,196,688; 5,535,056; 5,751,489 and 6,065,840, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, can be advantageous because such elemental semiconductor mirrors (such as can be formed by depositing a thin film of silicon) can be greater than 50% reflecting in the photopic (SAE J964a measured), while being also substantially transmitting of light (up to 20% or even more). Such silicon mirrors also have the advantage of being able to be deposited onto a flat glass substrate and to be bent into a curved (such as a convex or aspheric) curvature, which is also advantageous since many passenger-side mirrors are bent or curved.


Display device 326 comprises a scanning beam display system that includes a plurality of laser light sources or diodes 328a, 328b, 328c, a controller 330 and a microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS) 332. The display device 326 is contained within the interior casing 318 of mirror assembly 310. The controller 330 receives and/or generates image signals that control the intensity, mix and on-time of the light output by the three laser diodes 328a, 328b, 328c. The controller 330 also establishes the coordinates for the movable elements of the MEMS assembly 332 so that the individual picture elements (pixels) of the displayed image (as displayed at the display area or region 333 at the reflective element 314) are created for view by the driver or other vehicular occupant. For monochrome (one-color) systems, only one laser diode source may be used. Optionally, for full-color displays, three light sources (e.g., red, green and blue) are modulated and merged to produce an image element of the appropriate color. Under the control of controller 330, a horizontal and vertical scanner or a single micro-electromechanical scanner (MEMS) 332 directs the light beams received from laser diodes 328a, 328b, 328c, and projects them onto the rear of (and/or into the body of) mirror reflective element 314 to create the image viewed. Optics (not shown) may be included as desired to achieve the desired spatial and resolution dimensions displayed.


For example, mirrors and/or lens elements or other refractive or diffractive and/or reflective optical elements can be used to project the rapidly scanned beam or beams of light onto the rear of the mirror element (and/or into the body thereof) to create the image seen. Such a scanned-beam automotive mirror display can deliver very high resolution, very high intensity images, with the resolution being limited principally by diffraction and optical aberrations in the light sources used within the mirror casing. Optionally, the rear surface 322a of the rear substrate 322 of the reflective element 314 may include a diffuser coating or layer/combiner 334 or other diffuser means or the like, and the diffuser coating or layer or area may be over substantially the entire rear surface 322a or may be over only that portion of the rear or fourth surface rastered by light reflected off the MEMS 332 that creates the display image. Also, and optionally, diffuser coatings and/or layers/combiners may be included within the body of the mirror reflective element, such as on the third surface of the electro-optic reflective element.


Although illustrated as a transflective mirror element, the reflective coating may be locally removed from a non-transflective mirror element to create a window for viewing the display thereat or therethrough. The window region may include a diffuse coating and/or layer/combiner or the like, such as on the rear surface of the reflective element (such as if the reflective element is an electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element or a non-electro-optic or prismatic reflective element) or on the third surface (such as if the reflective element is an electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element), if desired.


The laser diodes may be rastered or scanned at a desired rate over the MEMS reflector so that a generally continuous image is created by reflection off the MEMS and onto/into and as viewed through the reflective element. In the illustrated embodiment, the laser diodes are positioned to project or emit or radiate their laser beams so that they are incident on the electromechanically moved portion of the MEMS and whereby the laser beams are reflected toward the reflective element by the MEMS reflector.


The MEMS 332 may be positioned within the casing and angled or oriented to reflect illumination or radiation from the laser diodes 328a, 328b, 328c toward the rear surface of the reflective element 314. The reflective surface of the MEMS 332 may be created on a chip, and may be adjusted to provide the desired projection or reflection angle through the reflective element 314 for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. The MEMS reflector may be electrically adjusted and/or electromechanically adjusted to provide the appropriate or desired information or icon or image for the laser beams to project onto and through the reflective element. The laser diodes 328a, 328b, 328c may comprise any laser diodes, such as, for example, laser diodes of the types commercially available from Cree Research Inc. of Durham, NC, which offers different color laser diodes, such as visible red laser diodes and/or blue laser diodes, such as gallium nitride based blue lasers, and other colors as may be desired, such as, for example, green.


Because of the high intensity illumination provided by such laser diodes, the intensity at the display region of the reflective element will be sufficient to dominate the reflection of the rearward scene off of the front surface of the front substrate of the reflective element, and thus will not appear washed out, even during high ambient lighting conditions, such as on a sunny day or the like. Optionally, the intensity of the laser diodes may be adjusted, such as via manual adjustment and/or via automatic adjustment, such as in response to the ambient light levels in the cabin of the vehicle or in the vicinity of the display. The display information may be associated with any accessory or component or feature of the interior rearview mirror assembly or of the vehicle, such as point-to-point navigational instructions, status information for various functions, such as passenger side airbag status, tire pressure status and/or the like, or compass heading or temperature information or other information or the like.


Also, a video display and/or other information display may be located at the interior mirror assembly (or at a windshield electronics module/accessory module) that utilizes a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) structure combined with thin film optics, such as is available Iridigm of San Francisco, CA under the tradename iMoD™ technology. This display technology (such as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,794,119; 6,741,377; 6,710,908; 6,680,792; 6,674,562; 6,650,455; 6,589,625; 6,574,033; 5,986,796 and 5,835,255, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) is designed to deliver lower power consumption and excellent display image quality, and can withstand extreme temperatures and can be viewed in substantially any environment, including bright sunlight.


Although shown and described as being incorporated into an electro-optic or electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly, it is envisioned that the scanning beam display system may be incorporated into a prismatic interior rearview mirror assembly or a transflective prismatic rearview mirror assembly (such as by utilizing principles described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference). Optionally, the laser scanning beam display system may be incorporated into an exterior rearview mirror assembly without affecting the scope of the present invention. For exterior rearview mirror applications, the display system may function to display blind spot detection icons or information, or turn signals or security lights or the like, at the reflective element of the exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. For example, a non-electro-optic/fixed reflectivity reflector may use an elemental semiconductor mirror, such as a silicon metal mirror, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,286,965; 6,196,688; 5,535,056; 5,751,489 and 6,065,840, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, can be advantageous because such elemental semiconductor mirrors (such as can be formed by depositing a thin film of silicon) can be greater than 50% reflecting in the photopic (SAE J964a measured), while being also substantially transmitting of light (up to 20% or even more). Such silicon mirrors also have the advantage of being able to be deposited onto a flat glass substrate and to be bent into a curved (such as a convex or aspheric) curvature, which is also advantageous since many passenger-side mirrors are bent or curved.


Optionally, the display may comprise a laser emitter or laser diode or the like, which may be positioned within the mirror casing and behind the reflective element, and may be used to emit radiation onto a reflector (such as a microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS)) within the mirror casing that reflects the radiation toward and through the mirror reflective element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle (such as by utilizing aspects described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference).


The light emitting device, such as a laser diode or light emitting diode (LED) or the like (such as described in U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), of the display may be controlled by a controller, which may modulate the intensity or on/off characteristic of the emitted light while the light emitting device or laser is rastered (or moved rapidly back and forth in generally horizontal or vertical scanning lines over a display area), in order to create the desired display via the points where the light emitting device is intensified or activated. Because the laser diode may be rastered at a high rate over substantially the entire display area but only activated/intensified at appropriate locations to form the desired display, the narrow point like, super high intensity beam (that is activated/intensified/modulated as the laser diode is rapidly moved across the display image dimension at a rate that is faster than the eye/brain can register) is perceived by the human eye/brain as a continuous (or substantially continuous) super bright image, even though only one light “dot” or beam may actually be present at a time at the display. A person viewing the display thus would see the display as the desired form or character and substantially constantly and brightly illuminated by the rastered and modulated laser diode.


Optionally, the light emitting device may be substantially constantly activated and directed/rastered toward a display window, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like, with a window established in the desired form, so that light emitted by the light emitting device (such as a laser diode, a light emitting diode (LED) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or the like) projects or shines through the display window/element, such that the display character or icon or information or video or the like is viewable at the reflective element by the driver of the vehicle. The display window may comprise a substantially transparent or translucent shape or character or icon or the like, with a darkened or substantially opaque area surrounding the window, such that light emitted by the light emitting device passes through or transmits through the window, but is substantially blocked or attenuated by the surrounding opaque area of the display. The LCD display may be operable to adjust the window and opaque regions to adjust or modulate or change or control the information being displayed by the light passing through the display. For applications where the light emitting device may be rastered at a high rate over substantially the entire display area (such as over the LCD), and with the illumination beam (such as the narrow point like, super high intensity beam of a laser emitting device) rapidly moving across the display image dimension at a rate that is faster than the eye/brain can register, the eye/brain perceives a continuous (or substantially continuous) bright image, even though only one light “dot” or beam may be present at a time through the display window. The light emitting device thus may be constantly or substantially constantly activated/energized, with the display being formed/created by the window through which the light passes as the light beam is rastered or scanned over the display device. A person viewing the display thus would see the display as the character of the display window as substantially constantly and brightly illuminated by the rastered laser diode or other light emitting device, such as an LED or OLED or the like.


Note that is desirable, and in many cases preferable, that the laser light source be only enabled when the MEMS unit is functioning and causing a rastering or the like of the reflected laser beam. This is to limit or substantially preclude or prevent the possibility of the laser beam being stationary for any prolonged period with a concomitant possibility of eye damage to viewer in the vehicle. Thus, the circuitry/software controlling activation/illumination of the laser light source can be tied to the circuitry/software controlling activation/movement of the movable reflector of the MEMS unit, such that should the system fail and the MEMS unit not move or cease rastering, then the laser source is extinguished/turned off so that danger to a viewer from laser eye burn or the like is obviated.


Optionally, a projected information display and/or virtual human machine interface (HMI) may be created at a surface of an interior mirror assembly or a windshield electronics module/accessory module utilizing a virtual data entry device system, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. US2002/0075240, published Jun. 20, 2002, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Thus, an optically generated image of a key-entry tablet or an input menu or user-actuation button/input or an icon or an informational message or the like can be projected, for example, onto a surface of the interior rearview mirror or elsewhere within the cabin of the vehicle. The projected image may include at least one input zone/user interface zone that is actuatable by an action performed thereon or thereat by a user. The system includes a sensor operative to sense the action performed on or at the at least one input zone, and to generate signals in response to the detected action. A control or processor in communication with the sensor is operable to process the signals for performing an operation associated with the at least one input zone.


For example, a template of the desired interface (such as a keyboard or input options or the like) may be projected onto an interface surface (such as the reflective element of the interior mirror assembly). The template is produced by illuminating an optical element (such as a holographic optical element) with a laser diode (such as a red laser diode or the like). Because the template functions only as a reference for the user and is not involved in the detection process, the template may optionally be printed at a desired surface, such as at a portion of the reflective element or casing of the mirror assembly (or at a casing or element of a windshield electronics module or accessory module or the like).


An infrared plane of light may be generated at and slightly spaced from and parallel to the interface surface. The light may be substantially invisible to the user and is positioned just a few millimeters away from the interface surface (such as along the first surface of the reflective element and a few millimeters toward the driver or toward the rear of the vehicle from the first surface of the reflective element). Accordingly, when a user touches a portion of the projected interface at the interface surface (for example, the first surface of the reflective element of the interior mirror assembly), light is reflected from the plane in the vicinity of the respective input or key that was “touched” and directed toward the sensor module.


The reflected light from the user interaction with the interface surface is received by or imaged onto an imaging array sensor, such as a CMOS image sensor or the like, in a sensor module. The reflected light may pass through an infrared filter before being imaged onto the CMOS sensor. The sensor control or processor or chip then may conduct a real-time determination of the location of the reflected light, and may be operable to track multiple reflection events substantially simultaneously, and can thus support both multiple inputs/keystrokes and overlapping cursor control inputs and the like. The micro-controller (which may be positioned in the sensor module) receives the positional information corresponding to the light flashes from the sensor control or processor, and interprets the events and communicates them through an appropriate interface to the appropriate external device or devices.


The projected interface and sensor system thus may provide a keypad or input interface at the reflective element for actuation/use by the driver or occupant of the vehicle. The keypad or input interface may be projected onto or at the reflective element only when it is desired to be used, such that the reflective element is substantially unaffected by the incorporation of the interface and sensor system at the interior rearview mirror assembly. The sensor may detect the input action performed/selected by the user and the control may then control or activate/deactivate or modulate or adjust the appropriate accessory or system or device of the vehicle.


The information or input interface that is projected may provide various inputs/actions, such as, for example, inputs for a video display of the vehicle (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or 5,877,897; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; and/or Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), a communications system of the vehicle (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,524; 6,650,233; 6,243,003; 6,278,377 and/or 6,420,975, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/30877, filed Oct. 1, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), a navigational system of the vehicle (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,464, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), light sources (such as map reading lights or one or more other lights or illumination sources, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,938,321; 5,813,745; 5,820,245; 5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996; 4,646,210; 4,733,336; 4,807,096; 6,042,253 and/or 5,669,698, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) and/or the like. Optionally, different interfaces may be provided for different accessories or devices or functions, whereby the appropriate interface for a particular accessory or device or function may be selected by the user, and the desired particular function of that accessory or device may then be selected and activated or deactivated or controlled by “touching” the appropriate location at the surface (such as the first surface of the reflective element) upon which the interface keypad or input is projected.


Other types of displays or display elements or devices and controls for such displays or display elements or devices may be implemented with the imaging system of the present invention, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


The imaging system of the present invention may be utilized to identify particular traffic control signs or signage by their spectral signature as well as their geometric organization. For example, red octagons may be identified as stop signs, yellow triangles as caution signs, and the like, while black characters on a rectangular white background may be identified as a speed limit sign (in certain zones or regions or countries). These capabilities are a result of the present invention providing a significant reduction in the amount of data to be processed because the image forward of the vehicle is captured in a manner which preselects data. Preselection of data is accomplished by configuring the imaging device or sensor array, including the optics thereof, to consider the spatial, as well as the spectral, characteristics of light sources and objects in the captured images, such as via utilization of principles described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,094, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


More particularly, image processor 16 receives an input signal generated by imaging device 14 and interrogates or processes the imaging device output to detect traffic control signage in the captured image of the forward scene. The image processor 16 may identify what type of sign is in the captured image based on the geometrical shape of the sign, the size of the sign and the location of the sign relative to the vehicle or road. For example, the image processor may process the image to determine the location of the detected object or sign relative to the field of view of the imaging device or camera and, thus, relative to the vehicle and to the side of the road where such a sign is expected to be found (typically at the side of the vehicle that is opposite to the driver's side of the vehicle). The imaging processor may determine the shape, size, color and/or location of the detected sign or object via any suitable sign recognition and sign information delineation/discrimination algorithm/software utilized by the imaging system. Such software or algorithm may incorporate any suitable processing means, such as by utilizing aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,498,620; 5,877,897; 6,396,397; 6,353,392 and 6,313,454, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. For example, the image processor may process the image via an edge detection algorithm or the like, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392 and 6,313,454, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


In a preferred embodiment, the imaging device comprises an imaging array sensor that is responsive to light and that includes colored filters or a filter array at or over the pixels of the sensor, such that the pixels are spectrally responsive to different colors of light, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,498,620; 5,877,897; 6,396,397 and 6,313,454, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The filters or filter array may be selected to provide enhanced recognition of colors within a selected spectral band or bands of light. The imaging device and the imaging system thus may have enhanced recognition of certain colors that may be expected to be used on the signs or signage of interest (or may have enhanced rejection of certain spectral bands that may not be used on signage of interest).


Such traffic control signage, such as speed limit signs, exit signs, warning signs, stop signs, yield signs and/or the like, is typically regulated and various types of these signs must have certain specified, standard geometric shapes (such as a triangle for a yield sign, an octagon for a stop sign and the like), and must be at a particular height and at a particular location at or distance from the side of the road, and must have a specific type/color of lettering on a specific colored background (for example, a speed limit sign is typically a predefined shape, such as rectangular or circular, and has alphanumeric characters or letters and/or numbers that are a contrast color to a background color, such as black letters/numbers on a white background, while an exit sign typically has a different shape and/or contrast colors, such as white lettering on a green background). The imaging device is arranged at the vehicle, preferably in the interior cabin and viewing through the windshield (and thus protected from the outdoor elements, such as rain, snow, etc.), with a field of view that encompasses the expected locations of such signage along the side of roads and highways and the image processor may process the captured image to determine if the captured images encompass an object or sign that is at the expected location and that has the expected size, color and/or shape or the like. Therefore, the imaging processor 16 may readily determine what type of sign is detected by its geometric shape, size, color, text/characters and its location relative to the imaging device and the vehicle.


Preferably, the image processing algorithm or software includes a sign recognition stage or step or portion or process or routine that processes the image to determine whether the detected sign or object is of interest and, if so, what type of sign is detected. Once the sign recognition stage is satisfied, the image processing algorithm or software proceeds or passes to a character recognition stage or step or portion or process or routine, where the image is processed further to determine or recognize the characters (such as alphanumeric characters, letters, numbers or icons or indicia or the like) printed or formed or established on the face of the sign, in order to determine the information conveyed by the characters or icons or indicia on the face of the sign. The processor involved thus may only be busied with the character recognition stage once the preceding sign recognition stage has recognized and determined that a speed limit sign (or other sign or signage of interest) within the field of view. The algorithm processed by the image processor may include false signal and/or error reduction routines and protection, whereby instances of errant or unintended/false readings of items or objects other than genuine signage are reduced or suppressed.


Once the type of sign is determined, the imaging system may process the characters (which may be alphanumeric characters or numbers or letters or icons or the like) printed or formed or established on the sign, and no further processing of the sign's size or shape or color or the like need be conducted. The imaging system thus may process the images only enough to determine the type of sign and to determine the characters or information on the face of the sign if necessary, such that reduced processing may be achieved in certain circumstances where the sign type is readily identifiable. For example, a stop sign may be readily identified by its shape and color, such that no further processing may be required to determine the sign type or the characters or information on the face of the sign.


It is further envisioned that the detected color of the characters and/or background may be compared to the regulation or specified sign colors for daytime and/or nighttime lighting conditions. For example, if the vehicle is traveling during high ambient light conditions (which may be determined by processing the output of the imaging device or via a separate ambient light sensor or the like), such as during the daytime, the imaging system may determine the type of sign detected in response to matching the detected sign color to the specified or regulated colors for the sign during daytime lighting conditions, while if the vehicle is traveling during low ambient light conditions, such as below approximately 200 lux or thereabouts, such as during nighttime, the imaging system may determine the type of sign detected by matching the detected sign color to the specified or regulated colors for the sign under headlamp or auxiliary lighting conditions such as typically occur at nighttime.


In different countries or regions, and even along different types of roads or highways, the signage regulations may be different, and the imaging processor may be adjusted accordingly to adapt to the different regulations. It is further envisioned that the imaging system may be automatically adjusted or adapted to the sign regulations in effect at the current location of the vehicle. The current location of the vehicle may be determined via a vehicular navigational system or global positioning system (GPS) or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,477,464; 5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442 and/or 5,632,092, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, a user input may be provided to selectively input the location or zone or region of the vehicle to establish the appropriate setting for the imaging system. For example, a user may change from an “imperial” setting (such as used in the U.S.), where the numbers may be interpreted by the imaging system as being in miles per hour, to a “metric” setting, where the numbers may be interpreted by the imaging system as being in kilometers per hour, such as when the driver drives the vehicle from the U.S. to Canada. Optionally, if the vehicle has a global positioning system (GPS), the setting for a particular location or zone at which the vehicle is located may be automatically set to the appropriate units or setting in response to a signal from the global positioning system that is indicative of the current location or position of the vehicle. Other zones or regions may be selectively or manually input or automatically set to set or calibrate the imaging system for the particular zone or region or country in which the vehicle is traveling (where the numbers may be interpreted according to the units used in that zone or region or country and where the detected signs or objects are compared to the expected sign shapes, sizes, colors and the like of that zone or region or country).


Optionally, the expected or recognized or accepted sign size, shape, color, etc. may be looked up in a table or database or the like by the image processor, in order to determine if a detected sign or object is within the expected or specified parameters of a particular type of sign and, thus, to determine if the detected object or sign qualifies as a particular type of traffic control sign. For example, if the imaging system detects an object that is generally in the area and of the size of a traffic control sign, the system may further analyze the sign parameters in view of a table or listing or database of parameters of various signs along different types of roads or the like, in order to determine if the detected sign qualifies as one of the particular traffic control signs in the table or set of data. The imaging system thus may determine what type of sign has been detected by matching the parameters of the detected sign or object with the expected or specified parameters of one of the signs listed in the look-up table or database.


After the sign has been identified as a certain type of sign, further processing of the sign may commence to determine or read the characters or information on the face of the sign. The imaging processor 16 may further identify or read the characters on the detected sign via recognition of the shapes or geometries and arrangement of the characters on the sign, such as via utilization of the image processing and/or edge detection discussed above. For example, after the image processor has identified a detected sign as being representative of a speed limit sign, the image processor may determine what numbers are shown on the sign to determine the speed limit for the zone or area through which the vehicle is traveling. The imaging system knows that the characters “read” from the sign are for the speed limit (rather than for an exit number or a billboard advertisement or the like) based on the initial analysis of the sign's size/shape/color/location discussed above. The image processor then may generate an output to cause the display device to display information about the current speed limit as indicated by the detected sign and characters. For example, the display device may display the speed limit to the driver of the vehicle.


Optionally, the image processor 16 may receive an input signal from a vehicle speed sensor or sensing means 24, and may display the amount (such as in miles per hour or kilometers per hour or the like) that the vehicle is traveling in excess of (or under) the current speed limit. The speed sensor may comprise any type of sensor or sensing means for determining the speed of the vehicle, such as a wheel speed sensor, a global positioning system or the like. Optionally, the vehicle speed may be determined via processing of the images captured by the imaging device 14, such as via principles described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, a desirable display may comprise the actual vehicle speed shown at or near or adjacent to or side by side the actual posted and detected speed limit, in order to provide a visible display of the current speed and the posted or allowed speed limit. It is envisioned that the display may provide numbers or bars or icons or the like to indicate the vehicle speed and posted speed limit for such a display. The display may adjust the display of the speed and/or the posted speed limit (such as by increasing the intensity of the display or flashing the display or the like) if the vehicle speed is above (or below) the posted and detected speed limit by a threshold amount.


Optionally, one or both of the display elements may be highlighted or adjusted in a different manner depending on the driving condition encountered by the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle speed is within the specified threshold/tolerance of the posted speed limit, the display may be set at a particular intensity or color or the like (such as, for example, a green color), but when the vehicle speed is above the specified threshold or tolerance, the display may be adjusted to a different intensity (such as brighter) or color or the like (such as, for example, a red color). Similarly, when the vehicle speed is below the specified threshold/tolerance, the display may be adjusted to a different intensity or color or the like (such as, for example, a blue color). Other intensities or flashing or color changes or highlighting of one or more display elements may be implemented in response to the different driving/speed conditions encountered by the vehicle, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the image processor may provide an alert or warning to the driver when the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold amount over (or under) the posted (and recognized) speed limit. For example, the display device may flash or adjust the intensity of the displayed speed limit or the image processor may actuate an audible signaling device 26 to provide an audible warning, such as a beep or voice warning or the like, when the vehicle speed exceeds (or falls below) the posted and recognized speed limit by a threshold amount (such as approximately five or ten miles per hour above or below the posted limit or the like). For example, the imaging system may provide a higher pitch audible tone when the vehicle speed is above the posted speed limit (or at a threshold amount above the posted speed limit), and may provide a lower pitch audible tone when the vehicle speed is below the posted speed limit (or at a threshold amount below the posted speed limit). Other alerts or signals may be provided by the imaging system, such as tactile/haptic type alerts, such as a rumble or vibration of the seat or steering wheel or the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention. The desired threshold amount may be selectively entered by the driver, such as via a key pad, a touch pad, a voice receiver or the like, such that the imaging system may only provide such a warning when it may be desired by the particular driver of the vehicle. Optionally, it is envisioned that the operation of the vehicle may be influenced by the posted and detected speed limit, such as by a governor or the like that may limit the maximum speed of the vehicle to within a threshold amount above the posted speed limit.


Optionally, the image processor may provide an alert or warning when the detected and posted speed limit changes, such as when the vehicle moves from one speed zone (such as 55 miles per hour or the like) to another speed zone (such as 35 miles per hour or the like), so as to warn the driver to slow down (or to speed up if the later zone has a higher speed limit). For example, when a speed limit is detected that is lower (or higher) than the previously detected speed limit, the image processor may cause the display device to display the new speed limit, and may flash or otherwise change or enhance the display to draw the driver's attention to the display. Optionally, the display device may display a notice that the speed limit has changed, such as “Speed Limit Reduced—Slow Down” or the like. Optionally, the image processor may actuate an audible signaling device to provide a tone or beep or voice message to audibly communicate to the driver that the driving conditions have changed, or may actuate a tactile/haptic signaling device (or other type of signaling device) to provide a tactile or haptic signal (or other type of signal or alert) to the driver of the vehicle to communicate such changes in the driving conditions to the driver of the vehicle.


Optionally, the threshold amount over/under the posted and determined speed limit at which the alert is provided may be dynamic and thus may change depending on the determined speed limit. More particularly, the threshold amount over a posted speed limit may be greater for speed limit zones having higher speed limits, such as 55 miles per hour or above, while the threshold amount may be lower for speed limit zones having lower speed limits, such as 25 miles per hour or 35 miles per hour or less. For example, if the threshold amount is selected to be ten miles per hour over the speed limit when the speed limit is seventy miles per hour, the imaging system may dynamically adjust or reduce the threshold amount for lower speed limit zones, so that the threshold amount may be only, for example, three miles per hour for a 25 miles per hour zone. The imaging system thus may dynamically adapt to the driving conditions or speed limits or zones encountered by the vehicle, because what may be a safe and reasonable amount over a 65 miles per hour speed limit (such as five to ten miles per hour) may be much worse or less safe if applied to a slower zone, such as a 25 miles per hour zone or thereabouts.


The imaging system may also be operable to detect and recognize and read warning signs, such as at turns or hills or the like, or may detect and recognize and read other types of warning signage or the like. For example, the imaging system may detect a warning sign that indicates that a turn is approaching and that the safe speed of travel around the turn is reduced to a lower speed, such as, for example, 45 miles per hour for a turn located in a 55 miles per hour zone, or such as, for example, a reduced speed for an exit ramp off of a highway or freeway or the like. The imaging system may then display the reduced speed limit or reduced recommended speed to alert the driver of the slower speed zone and/or may then generate a warning signal or alert signal (such as a visible and/or audible and/or tactile/haptic signal) to the driver if the current vehicle speed is greater than the reduced or safe or posted speed (or substantially greater than the posted speed or at or above a threshold amount greater than the posted speed or the like). The driver may then be alerted to the potentially hazardous condition and may adjust the speed of the vehicle accordingly.


Optionally, the imaging system may be operable to detect and identify or recognize other types of signs. For example, the imaging system may be operable to detect and recognize a railroad crossing sign and to further recognize that the railroad crossing sign is activated (such as by distinguishing the flashing lights characteristic of a railroad crossing signal) due to an approaching train. The imaging system could then warn the driver that the vehicle is approaching a dangerous condition. Additionally, the imaging system may be operable to detect other signals, such as a school bus stopping signal or a pedestrian road crossing signal or the like. Optionally, the imaging system may be operable to detect road repair or road construction zone signs and may recognize such signs to distinguish when the vehicle is entering a road construction zone. The imaging system may display the reduced speed for the construction zone and/or may provide an alert to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is entering a construction zone and that the vehicle speed should be reduced accordingly. The imaging system thus may not only assist the driver in avoiding a speeding ticket, but may provide enhanced safety for the construction workers at the construction zone.


Optionally, the imaging system of the present invention may be associated with or cooperatively operable with an adaptive cruise control 28 (FIG. 2) of the vehicle, such that the cruise control speed setting may be adjusted in response to the imaging system. For example, an adaptive speed control system may reduce the set speed of the vehicle in response to the imaging system (or other forward facing vision system) detecting a curve in the road ahead of the vehicle (such as by detecting and recognizing a warning sign at or before such a curve). The vehicle speed may be reduced to an appropriate speed for traveling around the curve without the driver having to manually deactivate the cruise control. For example, the vehicle speed may be reduced to the amount of the reduced or safe limit shown on the warning sign or the like. The adaptive speed control may then resume the initial speed setting after the vehicle is through the turn or curve and is again traveling along a generally straight section of road.


Optionally, the adaptive speed control may adjust the speed setting of the vehicle in response to the imaging system recognizing and identifying a change in speed limit. For example, if the vehicle is initially traveling at seventy miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone, and the imaging system detects a reduced speed limit to 45 miles per hour, the adaptive speed control may reduce the speed setting to fifty miles per hour or thereabouts. The imaging system may also provide the alert or warning to the driver when the speed limit change is detected, as discussed above. The adaptive speed control may be any type of adaptive speed control, and may utilize aspects of the controls of the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Although described above as being operable to determine the speed limit or reduced speed posted on a sign detected by the imaging system, the imaging system of the present invention may also process the captured images to determine characters on other types of signs as well, such as exit signs or the like. For example, the imaging system may be associated with or in communication with a navigational system, and may signal to the driver that the exit sign for a desired exit is approaching to limit or substantially preclude the possibility that the driver may miss the desired or targeted exit. The navigational system may comprise any type of navigational system, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,477,464; 5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442 and/or 5,632,092, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US04/015424, filed May 18, 2004, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the imaging system may be operable to utilize data or information pertaining to a lane change and/or an exit sign or the like, and an adaptive cruise control system may adjust the speed of the vehicle or the acceleration of the vehicle in response to such lane divergent information and/or exit ramp information. For example, the imaging system may detect an exit sign along a freeway or the like, and may detect a lane change by the subject vehicle onto the exit ramp. The adaptive cruise control system may receive an input that is indicative of such detections and/or image processing, and may adjust the speed of the vehicle accordingly. For example, the adaptive cruise control system may decrease the speed of the vehicle and/or may inhibit acceleration of the vehicle in response to such detections/image processing, in order to limit or substantially preclude potentially hazardous conditions where the vehicle may accelerate to an unsafe speed on the exit ramp.


As discussed above, the imaging device and/or the display device may be positioned at or in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. For example, the imaging device and/or the display device and/or the image processor may be positioned within a prismatic mirror assembly, such as a prismatic mirror assembly utilizing aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870; 5,327,288; 4,948,242; 4,826,289; 4,436,371 and 4,435,042, and PCT Pat. Application No. PCT/US04/015424, filed May 18, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the prismatic reflective element may comprise a conventional prismatic reflective element or prism or may comprise a prismatic reflective element of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/709,434, filed May 5, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,756; and Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Alternately, for example, the interior rearview mirror assembly may comprise an electro-optic or electrochromic mirror assembly, which may utilize some of the principles described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544; 5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012; 5,117,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or 4,712,879, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and/or as described in the following publications: N. R. Lynam, “Electrochromic Automotive Day/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987); N. R. Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series 900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications of Chromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devices for Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS., Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are hereby incorporated by reference herein; and/or as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The mirror assembly may include one or more other displays, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and/or display-on-demand transflective type displays, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003; PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the imaging device and/or display device and/or image processor may be positioned, for example, in or at or near an accessory module or windshield electronics module or console, such as the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/355,454, filed Jan. 31, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,281; and Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,004,593, and/or 6,690,268; 6,250,148; 6,341,523; 6,593,565 and 6,326,613, and/or in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference). Optionally, the imaging device may be positioned elsewhere in or at the vehicle, such as at or in the headliner of the vehicle or elsewhere at or in the vehicle, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the accessory module may include other accessories or circuitry therein, or may be associated with other accessories or circuitry of the interior rearview mirror assembly and/or of the vehicle. For example, the accessory module or mirror assembly may be associated with a proximity sensing device or antenna positioned along the interior surface of the windshield. The sensing device may detect the presence of an object, such as a raindrop or water droplets, at the exterior surface of the windshield and, thus, may function as a rain sensing device or rain sensor for sensing precipitation at the exterior surface of the windshield. The proximity sensing device may be positioned at an area of the windshield that is swept by the windshield wiper to clean the area.


The sensing device or antenna may detect the presence of moisture or precipitation when rain drops or condensation or the like are within its range of detection, and may generate an output signal in response to such a detection. The control may process the signals received from the sensing device to determine if an object indicative of rain drops or precipitation is detected or sensed at the windshield. The control may then actuate the windshield wipers of the vehicle in response to such indication. Optionally, the sensing device may sense the presence of objects, such as moisture, at the interior surface of the windshield and the control may process the signals to determine if the detected object is indicative of moisture at the windshield surface.


The control may actuate or control a blower motor or a control setting of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle to defog the windshield and/or may close a sunroof or window of the vehicle when the control detects moisture on the surface of the windshield, such as by utilizing aspects of the rain sensors described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,516,664; 6,320,176; 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,341,523 and 6,250,148; and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/355,454, filed Jan. 31, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,281; and Ser. No. 10/348,514, filed Jan. 21, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,736, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The proximity sensor may utilize the principles described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,222; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/956,749, filed Oct. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,446,924; and/or Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the proximity sensor may comprise a substantially transparent antenna or substantially transparent metallized antenna or substantially transparent conductor, such as a wire or wires embedded in the windshield or a conductive coating (such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like) on a window or panel surface, such as the interior surface of the windshield. The proximity sensor of the present invention thus may provide or span or interrogate a larger sensing area without obstructing the field of view of the driver or occupant of the vehicle. Optionally, the proximity sensor may comprise multiple sensors or sensing elements or a multi-element sensing array or matrix that is operable to interrogate the windshield surface over a large area of the windshield. By interrogating a large area of the windshield, the rain sensing system of the present invention may sample multiple small segments of the whole sensing area. Such samplings may enhance the system's ability to discern between large raindrops on the windshield and small raindrops or mist on the windshield and other non-precipitation items, such as dirt or dust or the like, on the windshield.


Optionally, the antenna or proximity sensor or sensors or sensing elements may be incorporated into or attached to or associated with a windshield electronics module or accessory module positioned generally at or against the interior surface of the windshield. For example, the sensing element or elements may be attached to or positioned at or molded in the wall of the module that opposes and/or engages the interior surface of the windshield. The sensing element or elements may be electrically connected to rain sensor or control circuitry within the accessory module or elsewhere within the vehicle, such as at an interior rearview mirror assembly or overhead console or instrument panel of the vehicle.


Alternately, the sensing element or elements may be attached to the interior surface of the windshield, such as via an adhesive, such as via an adhesive tape such as a double sided adhesive tape or the like. The sensing element or elements thus may be positioned along the windshield surface without having to press the sensing element against the windshield surface to optically couple the sensing element to the windshield surface, as is often required in connection with many known rain sensing imaging devices.


The sensing element or elements of the present invention thus may be readily attached to the windshield surface, or may be formed on the windshield surface or may be embedded into the windshield, or may be incorporated into a windshield electronics module or accessory module at the windshield, without having to press the sensing element against the windshield surface. The sensing element or elements may be substantially transparent or not readily discernible by a driver or occupant of the vehicle, so that the sensing elements may cover and/or interrogate a large area of the windshield to provide enhanced sensing capabilities, without obstructing the field of view of the driver or occupant of the vehicle. The sensing element or elements may be implemented in conjunction with a rain sensor control that is operable to process signals from the sensing elements and to control a windshield wiper of the vehicle or a blower of the vehicle or an HVAC system of the vehicle or a defogger of the vehicle or a window or sunroof of the vehicle (such as to close the window or sunroof when rain is detected) or the like, in response to the signal processing.


Optionally, the accessory module and/or the interior rearview mirror assembly may include a forward facing braking indicator that is actuatable in response to a braking of the subject vehicle. The forward facing braking indicator may be viewable by a driver or occupant of a leading vehicle and may indicate to the driver or occupant of the leading vehicle that the subject vehicle approaching them is braking. The indicator may be in communication with a brake system of the vehicle, such as to a brake switch at the brake pedal or the like, and thus may indicate when the brakes are applied by the driver of the subject vehicle. The indicator may be operable in conjunction with the brake system and/or independently of the brake system (such as in response to a deceleration sensor or the like), and may utilize the principles described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,124,647; 6,291,906 and 6,411,204, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


The indicator thus alerts the other drivers or people in front of the subject vehicle that the vehicle is braking and, thus, may be highly useful at intersections with two, three or four way stops or the like. The indicator may be at or near or associated with an accessory module or windshield electronics module or console or interior rearview mirror assembly or the like of the vehicle and may be readily viewable and discernible by a person outside of and forwardly of the subject vehicle. The control may adjust or modulate the indicator to enhance the viewability or discernibility of the indicator, such as flashing or increasing the intensity of the indicator, such as in response to rapid or hard braking or the like of the subject vehicle or in response to a proximity or distance sensor detecting that the subject vehicle is within a threshold distance of another vehicle and/or is approaching the other vehicle at or above a threshold speed, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,124,647; 6,291,906 and 6,411,204, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the imaging device may be associated with an accessory control system, such as a headlamp control system or the like. The imaging device may capture images of the field of view forwardly of the vehicle and the control may process the images and adjust a headlamp setting in response to such processing. Examples of such automatic headlamp control systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023 and 6,559,435, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/421,281, filed Apr. 23, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,606.


Optionally, the headlamp control may adjust a direction of the headlamps in response to such image processing. For example, the control may process the captured images to identify headlamps of oncoming vehicles and/or taillights of leading vehicles and may adjust the downward angle of the headlamps in response to such identification. The headlamps may be adjusted based on the identification of the headlamps or taillights and a predetermined or learned knowledge of the location of headlamps or taillights on vehicles, in order to adjust the headlamps to a desired or appropriate downward angle.


Optionally, the headlamps may be adjusted to compensate for vehicle loading so that the headlamps are directed in a desired direction regardless of the forward pitch or angle of the vehicle. For example, a forward (or rearward) edge of the low headlamp beam in front of the vehicle (such as at the road surface in front of the vehicle) may be identified and, based on the location of the detected edge or distance to the detected edge, the control may determine the loading angle or pitch of the vehicle. The control may then raise or lower the headlamp angle accordingly, so that the headlamp angle is set to approximately the desired direction regardless of the pitch or angle of the vehicle.


Optionally, the control may be operable to process the captured images to determine undulations in the road on which the vehicle is traveling and may utilize the processed information to determine the angle of the vehicle and the valleys and peaks in the road. The control may then adjust the headlamp beam angle and/or direction according to the detected undulations in the road. The control may be operable in conjunction with a forward facing imaging device and/or a rearward facing imaging device and may be operable in conjunction with or may be incorporated in a lane change assist system or lane departure warning system or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577; and Ser. No. 10/209,173, filed Jul. 31, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,287, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the control may process the captured images to detect headlamps of oncoming vehicles and to steer or direct the headlamp beams at least partially away from the detected oncoming vehicle. For example, the control may determine that an oncoming vehicle is approaching the subject vehicle in a lane that is to the left of the subject vehicle, and may steer the headlamp beams inboard or to the right to limit or reduce directing the headlamps into the eyes of the driver of the oncoming vehicle. The control thus may steer the headlamp beams inboard (or may steer the outboard or left headlamp beam inboard while keeping the right or opposite headlamp beam at the initial direction) when oncoming traffic is detected to limit glare to the drivers of the oncoming vehicles. In situations where the oncoming traffic is located to the right of the subject vehicle, the control may steer the headlamp beams (or the right headlamp beam while keeping the left or opposite headlamp beam unchanged) inboard or to the left to limit the glare to the drivers of the oncoming vehicle or vehicles. The steering of the headlamp beam or beams may be done in conjunction with the switching of the beams to a low beam setting, or may be done independently of the high/low beam setting of the headlamps.


Optionally, the control may process the captured images and may control or adjust a louver or filter or the like to direct the headlamp beams in a desired or appropriate direction. For example, a louver or baffle or slats or the like may be positioned in front of the headlamps, and the slats of the louver may be angled and adjusted to adjust the amount of light that passes through the louver. The louver slats thus may adjusted to an increased angle, such as a downward angle, relative to the headlamps to reduce the amount of light that passes through the louver (and thus that is visible in front of the vehicle) and thus to reduce the range of the headlamps. The louver control thus controls or adjusts the visible intensity and range of the headlamps, and may be operable to do this in response to a detection of oncoming traffic or a detection of leading traffic or any other input or detection, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the control may be operable to process the captured images to detect objects in front of the vehicle or forwardly of the vehicle and may control or adjust the display to indicate that an object is detected. For example, and particularly during nighttime driving conditions, the control may process the captured images captured by the forward facing imaging device to detect objects of interest that are in the forward field of view of the imaging device. The imaging device may utilize night vision principles, and may be operable in connection with an auxiliary light source or infrared radiation source to enhance the night vision capabilities of the imaging device. When an object of interest is detected, the control may process the image to extract the object data and may determine a distance to and location of the detected object relative to the vehicle and the projected path of the vehicle to further determine if the object is a threat to the subject vehicle, such as an animal moving toward or standing in the road ahead of the vehicle but not yet viewable/discernible to the driver of the vehicle.


If the detected object is also determined to be a threat or danger to the vehicle, such as a deer at the side of the road or on the road ahead of the vehicle but not yet viewable/discernible by the driver of the vehicle, the control may adjust or actuate or control a display device or element to display the detected object to the driver or may otherwise alert the driver of the potentially hazardous condition ahead. Optionally, the control may extract the object data or image data of the object (without the image data of the rest of the captured image) and may present the object image to the driver, or may identify the object and present an icon or indicia or message that indicates to the driver what the particular detected object is that is ahead of the vehicle. The control may control a display at the interior rearview mirror assembly or at an accessory module or the like, or may control a heads up display (HUD) that is operable to display the object or indicia in front of the driver and in the driver's field of view, so that the driver is aware of the detected object. Preferably, the control may display only the detected object (such as an image of a detected deer that is extracted from the captured image) at a location in the driver's field of view that generally or substantially corresponds to the location at which the object is actually positioned in front of the vehicle. Because the other image data is not projected or displayed, the driver is only notified of or alerted to the particular detected object or objects which the control determines present a hazardous condition (such as in response to the size of the object, the location of the object, the speed of the vehicle and/or the object, the direction of travel of the vehicle and/or the object, and/or the like).


In order to properly position the image of the object in the driver's field of view, such as via a heads up display, the control may also be operable in conjunction with an occupant detection system or cabin imaging system or the like that is operable to detect and determine the head position of the driver of the vehicle. The cabin imaging system thus may detect the head position of the driver, and the control may determine the appropriate location for the object image in the heads up display in accordance with the driver's head position.


Optionally, the control may be operable in conjunction with or may be incorporated into a lane departure warning system or the like, and may detect and identify lane markers along the road lane in front of the vehicle. The imaging device may be operable to detect or capture images of the lane markers in situations where the driver may not readily do so, such as in darkened or nighttime conditions or when there is glare on the road surface. The control may identify the lane markers in the captured images and may extract (via image processing) the lane marker data from the captured images or captured image data, and may project the lane marker images via a heads up display so that the driver may view the lane markers in the heads up display, where the lane marker image in the heads up display in the driver's field of view substantially corresponds to the actual location of the lane markers on the road surface.


In order to properly position the image of the lane markers in the driver's field of view, the control may be operable in conjunction with an occupant detection system or cabin imaging system as described above to determine the driver's head location. It is further envisioned that the control may adjust the display of the lane markers to indicate a lane drift or departure by the vehicle. For example, the lane marker images may be flashed or enhanced, such as by increasing the intensity or changing the color of the lane marker images, when such a lane drift is detected. The driver of the vehicle thus may be alerted to a lane change or drift or departure by adjusting the heads up display of the lane markers to draw the driver's attention to the lane markers without providing other unnecessary information to the driver. The lane departure warning system may utilize the principles described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577; and Ser. No. 10/209,173, filed Jul. 31, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,287; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the imaging device may be selectively operable to provide a forward facing field of view and a rearward facing field of view or cabin viewing field of view. For example, and with reference to FIG. 6, a forward facing imaging device 414 may be positioned within an accessory module or pod 420 and may be directed generally forwardly to provide a forward field of view through the windshield 421 of the vehicle. The accessory module 420 may include a movable reflector 438 that may be selectively moved relative to the imaging device 414, such as along the windshield and in front of the imaging device as shown in FIG. 6, to reflect an image of the cabin of the vehicle to the imaging plane or array of the imaging device. The accessory module may include a window or opening 420a at the windshield or toward the windshield for receiving images of the scene forwardly of the vehicle therethrough, and may also include a window or opening 420b along a lower or rearward side or portion of the module for receiving images of the scene occurring within the vehicle cabin therethrough. Although shown in FIG. 6 as reflecting an image from generally below the module to the imaging device, clearly, the angle of the movable reflector may be adjusted or selected to provide a more rearwardly directed field of view, depending on the application of the imaging system. For example, the angle may be selected to provide a generally rearward field of view for use with a backup aid or rear vision system, or the angle may be selected to reflect images from one side of the module, such as for use with an occupant detection system or a head position detection system or the like.


The movable reflector 438 may be selectively moved between a removed position (as shown in FIG. 6), where the imaging device has a forward field of view and is operable to capture images of the scene occurring forwardly of the vehicle (such as for headlamp control, rain sensing, object detection and the like), and a reflecting position (as shown in phantom in FIG. 6), where the imaging device receives the reflected image of a rearward view or of the cabin of the vehicle (such as for a backup aid or reverse imaging system or a cabin monitoring system or head position sensing system or the like). The movable reflector may be slidably moved along a portion of the accessory module or may be pivoted or otherwise moved between the removed position and reflecting position. The movable reflector may be moved between the positions automatically, such as in response to activation of a forward imaging system or a cabin imaging system or a backup aid, or may switch between the positions to provide the desired or appropriate head location data for use in conjunction with a forward imaging system and display, such as described above. Alternately, it is envisioned that the imaging device may be selectively movable to be directed forwardly through the windshield or toward a stationary reflector for capturing images of the cabin or rearward of the mirror assembly or accessory module, without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the imaging system may be operable to determine the temperature at the imaging device, in order to determine or approximate the operating temperature of the imaging device. Although it is known to monitor the operating temperature of an imaging device in order to manage or allow for thermal shutdown of the imaging device to avoid overheating of the device, such systems or devices typically include separate temperature sensors positioned at or nearby the imaging sensor to determine the surrounding temperature. According to an aspect of the present invention, the imaging device, which comprises an imaging array having an array of photo-sensing pixels, may be operable to approximate the operating temperature based on the dark current of some of the pixels of the imaging array. More particularly, one or more pixels of the imaging array may be masked so that little or no light reaches the pixel. Because the changes in dark current (the current through the pixel when no light is received by the pixel) is generally proportionate to the changes in temperature of the pixel, a measurement of the dark current, in conjunction with a precalculation and/or relationship of the dark current and temperature, may provide an indication or approximation of the temperature at the pixelated array.


The control of the imaging system thus may be operable to shut down the imaging array sensor or shut down other electronic components of the control system or imaging system in response to the calculated or approximated or estimated temperature being greater than a predetermined threshold that is indicative of a temperature threshold for safe or effective operation of the imaging device and system. Optionally, the control may be operable to correct or adjust the sensor or system in response to detection or calculation of a threshold temperature, in order to correct or compensate for the increased temperature at the imaging sensor to enhance the performance of the imaging system or control system.


Optionally, the accessory module and/or interior rearview mirror assembly or system of the vehicle may include a hands free phone system, and thus may include the interface driver, microphone or microphones, user inputs, speech recognition system and/or the like. An example of such a system is described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The audio signal from the system of the module or mirror assembly is preferably linked to the radio head, such as to a plug or connector at the radio head that accepts external audio signals and mute signals. The system thus may mute the audio and effectively take over the speakers when the phone is in use. This connection to the vehicle audio or radio or speaker system may utilize a communication link, such as a BLUETOOTH® communication protocol or link or the like. The signals from the mobile or cellular phone to the mirror assembly or accessory module may be communicated via a BLUETOOTH® link, while the signals from the mirror assembly or accessory module to the radio head may also be communicated via a BLUETOOTH® link. The mirror assembly or accessory module may also include a display, such as a transflective or display on demand display, to display at least some of the phone information, such as the number dialed, the incoming number, the status of the call, strength of signal, phone book, messages, and/or the like. Although described as utilizing a BLUETOOTH® communication link or protocol, other communication protocols or links may be implemented, such as other short/restricted range radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) communication protocol or link.


Optionally, a communication link between an accessory module or windshield electronics module and the interior rearview mirror assembly may be provided wirelessly and/or along and/or through the mounting arm of the mirror assembly. For example (and as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference), the communication link may be via an infrared transmitter and receiver at the respective module and mirror assembly. Optionally (and as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/964,512, filed Oct. 13, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,341, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference), the communication link may be a two way link with the signals being communicated along the same wiring. Optionally, the mounting arm of the mounting assembly may include a passageway therethrough for routing an accessory wiring or the like through the arm to provide electrical communication between the circuitry or accessory of the mirror assembly and the circuitry or accessories or power source of the accessory module or of the vehicle. For example, the mounting assembly may utilize principles described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/032,401, filed Dec. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. Publication No. US2002/0088916, published Jul. 11, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,709; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; Ser. No. 60/638,250, filed Dec. 21, 2004; Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004, and Ser. No. 60/609,642, filed Sep. 14, 2004, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, or may utilize electrical connection principles of the type described in International Publication No. WO 2003/095269, published Nov. 20, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the mounting arm passageway may allow for infrared or visible light to be transmitted along the tube or arm to communicate signals to or from the mirror assembly. In such applications, the arm or mounting assembly may include reflectors or mirrored surfaces to guide and reflect the light between the source and receiver, and may adjust the reflectors to accommodate adjustment of the mirror head assembly relative to the mounting base. The mounting arm thus may provide a light conduit or path or pipe for light signals to be communicated or guided or directed to provide communication between the accessory module or pod and the interior rearview mirror assembly. Other means for providing electrical power and/or control to the circuitry and/or accessories of the mirror assembly may be implemented without affecting the scope of the present invention.


Optionally, the vehicle or the rearview mirror assembly or accessory module of the vehicle may include a communication system or interface system that is operable to communicate with a remote or external control or base or center of a telematic system, such as ONSTAR®, TELEAID™, RESCU® or the like, or with any other remote computerized server or database or information provider or the like. The data captured by an imaging device of the vehicle (such as a rearward facing imaging device or a cabin monitoring imaging device or a forward facing imaging device or another vehicle-based imaging device or camera) may be communicated to the communication system (the communication system may be at the camera device or the signals may be communicated to the communication system remote from the camera, such as via vehicle wiring or via a local wireless communication or the like), whereby the communication system may communicate the image data to the external control of the telematic system. The image data may be processed by the processor at the external control and a signal indicative of such image processing may be communicated from the external control to the communication system of the vehicle, where the appropriate information may be displayed or otherwise communicated or conveyed to the driver or occupant of the vehicle.


In some known imaging systems for vehicles, image data is communicated from the vehicle camera to a microprocessor in the vehicle where the image data is processed. Such a system typically requires connection of the camera and microprocessor and display or alert device via wires or local wireless connections and requires in vehicle processing and connections. Such a system is typically not conducive for sharing information gathered from the image processing with other systems or devices or vehicles.


The communication system of the present invention receives the image data and uploads the image data to the external control for processing. Optionally, the vehicle communication system may conduct a data compression routine to compress the image data prior to uploading the data to the external control. For example, the vehicle communication system may compress the data and upload the compressed data using “burst” technology (where compressed data are transmitted or communicated to a satellite or the like in short (such as, for example, about twelve milliseconds or thereabouts) signals or bursts) to convey large amounts of data to the external control. The external control may then process the image data and extract the desired or relevant information from the image data and may communicate a signal back to the vehicle that is indicative of the extracted information.


The communication system and telematic system of the present invention thus may harness the processing power of the external control, which may be substantially greater than the processing power of a vehicle-based microprocessor. The external control may receive the image data and may recognize that the data is being communicated from a particular vehicle. In applications where the vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS), the external control may receive and process the image data and may receive an input that is indicative of the vehicle location. The external control thus may process the image data and location data to extract information and provide an output that may be relevant to the location of the vehicle. For example, the external control may process the image data and may determine the speed limit signage information in the appropriate units based on the vehicle location, such as described above.


The external control may also receive location data from other vehicles and thus may know the location of other vehicles relative to the subject vehicle. For example, if the vehicle-based imaging device is for an adaptive cruise control system, the external control may receive the forward viewing image data and may receive data indicative of the vehicle location. The external control may also receive location data from other vehicles and thus may know the relative location and movements of other vehicles. If, for example, the subject vehicle is approaching a curve in the road and another vehicle is approaching in the opposite direction from around the curve, the external control may communicate a signal to the subject vehicle that is indicative of the location of the other vehicle. For example, the external control may provide a signal to the vehicle whereby an alert or warning or display device of the vehicle operates to alert or warn the driver of the subject vehicle as to the location of the approaching vehicle, in order to reduce or avoid vehicle collisions.


Optionally, the imaging system of the vehicle may be associated with an adaptive front lighting (AFL) system. The imaging system may also be associated with a lane departure warning system or side object detection system or lane change assist system or the like. The imaging device of the imaging system may be a forward facing imaging device or camera that is operable to capture images of a forward field of view. The control or microprocessor (or external control of a telematic system or the like) may process the image data to identify lane markers and other objects of interest in the forward field of view, such as by utilizing the principles described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,786, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577; and/or Ser. No. 10/209,173, filed Jul. 31, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,287, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


For example, the lane departure warning system may process the image data to detect the lane markers along the road surface in front of the vehicle. The lane departure warning system may detect a curvature in the road as the lane markers (or other characteristics, such as a curb or shoulder of the road) curve in front of the vehicle (such as by utilizing principles described in U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference). Such road curvature information extracted from the image data may be used as an input or feed signal to the headlamp control system, which may adjust or control the headlamps to direct the headlamp beam toward one side or the other of the vehicle, in order to generally follow the curve of the road in front of the vehicle and, thus, to generally follow the anticipated path of the vehicle.


Typically, a lane departure warning system is interested in and may principally monitor the near field of view of the imaging device, such as, for example, about ten to twenty feet in front of the vehicle, while an intelligent headlamp control system and/or an adaptive front lighting system may principally monitor a further or far field of view of the imaging device. The processor thus may process different areas of the captured image data for the different applications. For example, the processor may process the captured image data in a frame-by-frame manner, and may process different areas of the image to extract different information for some of the frames (such as by utilizing the principles described in U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; and/or Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference).


Thus, if the imaging device captures frames at a rate of about thirty frames per second (or other frame rate depending on the particular application and system capabilities and the like), the processor may process different frames for different functions or systems or the processor may selectively process a given frame or frames for more than one functionality or feature. For example, every third frame may be processed for the lane departure warning system, while every fifth frame may be processed for the adaptive front lighting system, while every second frame may be processed for the intelligent headlamp control system. Alternatively, any one frame or sets of frames may be processed for intelligent headlamp control only, while other frames or sets of frames may be processed for lane departure warning and/or adaptive front lighting. The microprocessor thus may process different portions or areas of the image data for different functions or systems of the vehicle. The less relevant image data from the particular sets of frames thus may be processed less by the microprocessor so that the microprocessor has reduced or focused processing of the image data sets that is focused on the particular area of the image data that is relevant to the particular system or function for that particular frame or set of frames. Optionally, different processors may process the image data or may process different frames of image data captured by the imaging device or camera. Optionally, the reduced processed frame data may accumulate over several frames to provide a history and/or content/background for a given functionality, such as for an adaptive front lighting system.


Thus, a single camera and optical system can provide at least triple functionality, such as intelligent headlamp control, lane departure warning, and adaptive front lighting. For example, the image data captured by a single forward facing camera and associated lens and optical system can be processed and the information extracted can be used to control the headlamps on/off or high beam/low beam settings, to detect and monitor lane markers, and to provide an input or feed to a headlamp controller that may adjust or redirect the headlamp beam for an adaptive front lighting system.


Desirably, the system may intelligently process the image data and harness the processing power and frame rate to provide enhanced dynamic processing of image data depending on the particular lighting conditions. For example, the system may bias the processing toward extracting information from the image data for the headlamp control when the ambient lighting conditions are reduced, such as at nighttime, and may bias the processing toward extracting information from the image data for the lane departure warning system when the ambient lighting conditions are increased, such as during daytime or other conditions when it is less likely that headlamp control is needed. The processor or imaging system thus provides dynamic processing of the captured image data to enhance the performance of the associated headlamp control function, adaptive front lighting function and lane departure warning function.


Optionally, a rearview mirror and/or accessory module or windshield electronics module of a vehicle may include or may be associated with a storage medium for storing digital data or the like. For example, the mirror or module may include circuitry or accessories to record data (such as music from an iPod or MP3 player or the like) to a memory card and/or disc or other storage medium, such as a mini hard drive, or the like. For example, the rearview mirror assembly or accessory module may include a hard disc drive (HDD) electronic mass storage device, such as a HDD microdrive, such as a one-inch (or smaller) HDD, such as the types developed by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Inc. (HGST) of the United States, Hoya Corp. of Japan, and Seagate Technology LLC, and such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The data that is stored in the storage medium may then be “played” by the system and streamed through the speakers of the vehicle to play the music or playback the recording or the like that is stored in the storage medium. Optionally, the memory or storage medium may be removed from the mirror or accessory module and plugged into or connected to the iPod or MP3 player or the like (and vice versa), in order to playback the music or information stored on the storage medium with the different playback devices.


Optionally, the driver or other occupant of the vehicle may bring his or her digital audio player (such as an iPod or similar MP3 or other device) and dock at an interior mirror location (such as at a video slide-out mirror) or at a windshield electronics module (WEM) location (such as is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,428,172; 6,501,387 and 6,329,925, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference). Information relating to the audio device (such as track number or song title or index or the like) may be displayed at the interior mirror assembly (such as using display-on-demand transflective mirror reflector technology as described herein), or may be displayed on a video slide-out mirror screen (such as disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) or may be displayed at a WEM. Also, controls to operate the consumer portable device, such as an iPod or the like, may be included at the interior mirror assembly and/or at a WEM. While docking has the added advantage of providing electrical current from the vehicle battery/ignition system to recharge the portable device, such as an iPod or similar MP3 player, the iPod device optionally need not dock and can be in wireless communication with the interior mirror and/or WEM via a short range wireless communication protocol, such as BLUETOOTH® or the like. Of course, if desired, wired connection can also be used.


Optionally, a docking station can be provided other than at the interior mirror or WEM. For example, an iPod or a similar audio device or a video playback device (such as a DVD player) can dock at a docking cradle located between the front seats and can be in wireless communication (such as via BLUETOOTH®) and/or optionally can be in wired communication with the interior mirror and/or WEM, where the aforementioned displays and/or controls may be readily available to the driver or other occupant of the vehicle. The music or other audio or data files stored on the iPod or similar MP3 player or data storage device may be played via the audio system of the vehicle, and the driver or other front seat occupant can readily access the displays/controls at the interior mirror or WEM location.


Optionally, the data may be automatically recorded and stored on the storage medium incorporated into an interior mirror assembly and/or a WEM and/or an exterior mirror assembly or may be selectively stored on the storage medium. For example, a user may connect or plug in their iPod or MP3 player or cellular telephone or portable telephone or the like into a receiver or socket (such as at an interior mirror or at a WEM) and the data may be transferred or streamed onto the storage medium of that vehicular location so that the recording may be played back through the vehicle speakers of the vehicle audio system. Optionally, the data transfer may be accomplished wirelessly, such as via an IR and/or an RF wireless link. Optionally, the user may selectively record information or music from radio signals (such as signals broadcast to an AM/FM radio of the vehicle or to an XM satellite radio or the like), or the user may selectively record information or music from wireless INTERNET signals or the like (such as from a music download website or the like) where the transmitted or broadcast information may be transferred or streamed to the storage medium or disc or the like of the mirror assembly or accessory module of the vehicle. Optionally, the stored data or information or music may be transferred or streamed from the storage medium of the mirror or WEM to a portable device, such as an iPod or MP3 player or cellular telephone or portable telephone or the like for playback at a different time and remote from the vehicle.


Optionally, the recording or playback system of the vehicle may be voice activated, such that a user may provide a voice command to record or playback a particular track. For example, a user may select a specific track or tracks stored on a storage medium (such as the storage medium of the mirror or accessory module or the like or a storage medium of an MP3 player or iPod device or the like), and the track or tracks may be played accordingly. The system of the present invention thus may provide for voice activation of an MP3 player, such as via, preferably, a microphone or microphones located at the interior mirror assembly or at a WEM or the like, when the player is plugged into or connected to or in communication with the recording and/or playback system of the present invention.


It is further envisioned that the recording and/or playback system of the present invention may provide delayed playback of a recording that is made generally at the same time that it is being played back. For example, it may be desirable to remove commercial content from a radio (such as satellite radio or XM radio) transmission, since some satellite radio transmissions or broadcasts or signals or outputs now may include commercial content. If desired, the recording and/or playback system of the present invention could selectively record a transmission and begin playing the transmission back with a time delay. While the system plays the delayed output, the system may identify and remove commercial content (or other undesirable content) and continue playing the output without interruption. The user thus may select a record and play mode and hear substantially continuous output without the commercial content or otherwise undesired content.


Although shown and described as being positioned so as to have a forward field of view, it is also envisioned that the imaging device may be directed to have a field of view generally rearwardly or sidewardly of the vehicle to capture images of a rearward or sideward scene, without affecting the scope of the present invention. For example, the imaging device may be positioned at a rearward portion of the vehicle and/or may be used in connection with a rear vision system or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,760,962; 5,670,935; 6,201,642 and/or 6,717,610, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/010,862, filed Dec. 6, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,757,109; Ser. No. 10/418,486, filed Apr. 18, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Optionally, the imaging device may be positioned at or near or at least partially within a door handle of a side door of the vehicle. The imaging device thus may provide a sideward field of view, such as for a side object detection system or lane change assist system or for a security system or the like.


The imaging device of the imaging system of the present invention thus is operable to capture multiple images or frames of the scene as the vehicle travels along the road, and may detect and recognize various street and/or traffic signs via processing of the captured images. If a detected sign is determined to be a speed limit sign or other traffic control sign of interest (such as a warning sign or the like), the imaging system may be operable to further process the images to determine or recognize the speed limit numbers on a speed limit sign and to provide an alert or warning signal to the driver of the vehicle if the vehicle exceeds the posted and recognized speed limit by a predetermined amount. The imaging system may have an interface (such as a user actuatable input or button, a voice receiver, a touch screen and/or the like) that would set a personal threshold for over-speed warning. The imaging device and/or imaging system may be multi-tasking and, thus, may be operable to detect headlamps and taillights and/or precipitation and/or objects and/or the like for or in connection with other accessories or systems, such as a headlamp control system, a precipitation sensor system, an adaptive speed control system, a lane departure warning system, a traffic lane control system and/or the like.


Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law.

Claims
  • 1. A vehicular control system, the vehicular control system comprising: a forward viewing camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular control system, the forward viewing camera viewing forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, wherein the forward viewing camera is operable to capture image data;wherein the forward viewing camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array sensor;an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein road curvature of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, lane markers on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling are detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to detection of lane markers on the road, a traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, another vehicle that is present on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and forward of the equipped vehicle is detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, upon approach of the equipped vehicle to a curve in the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, speed of the equipped vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to a reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road at least in part responsive to at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera and (b) data relevant to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is increased by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle is traveling along a straighter section of road after the curve in the road;wherein the forward viewing camera captures image data for a plurality of driving assist systems of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the plurality of driving assist systems includes a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the plurality of driving assist systems further includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) an intelligent headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system determines whether the detected other vehicle is in a traffic lane to the right of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling or is in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling; andwherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system determines that the detected other vehicle is traveling in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and is an oncoming vehicle.
  • 2. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the forward viewing camera is housed in a windshield electronics module disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle.
  • 3. The vehicular control system of claim 2, wherein the windshield electronics module houses the image processor.
  • 4. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a spectral characteristic of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 5. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a curb of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 6. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving assist systems includes the traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a traffic sign ahead of the equipped vehicle is recognized.
  • 7. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein the traffic sign comprises a speed control sign for a portion of the road being travelled by the equipped vehicle.
  • 8. The vehicular control system of claim 7, wherein the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle controls speed of the equipped vehicle to be at or below a speed level indicated on the speed control sign.
  • 9. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein the traffic sign comprises a stop sign ahead of the equipped vehicle.
  • 10. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein the traffic sign comprises a road construction zone sign.
  • 11. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted that the road construction zone sign is recognized.
  • 12. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein the traffic sign comprises a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 13. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein the traffic sign comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a speed limit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a freeway exit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a stop sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle and (v) a yield sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 14. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a character of a traffic sign present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 15. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, upon approach of the equipped vehicle to the curve in the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, speed of the equipped vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to the reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road at least in part responsive to data relevant to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle is determined by a global positioning system.
  • 16. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a road shoulder of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 17. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) a spectral characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (b) a spatial characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (c) size of an object present forward of the vehicle and (d) location of an object present forward of the vehicle relative to the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined.
  • 18. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, location of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 19. A vehicular control system, the vehicular control system comprising: a forward viewing camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular control system, the forward viewing camera viewing forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, wherein the forward viewing camera is operable to capture image data;wherein the forward viewing camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array sensor;an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein road curvature of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, lane markers on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling are detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to detection of lane markers on the road, a traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a pedestrian that is present on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and forward of the equipped vehicle is detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, upon approach of the equipped vehicle to a curve in the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, speed of the equipped vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to a reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road at least in part responsive to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is increased by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle is traveling along a straighter section of road after the curve in the road;wherein the forward viewing camera captures image data for a plurality of driving assist systems of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the plurality of driving assist systems includes an intelligent headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the plurality of driving assist systems further includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system (i) detects another vehicle that is present on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and forward of the equipped vehicle, and (ii) determines whether the detected other vehicle is in a traffic lane to the right of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling or is in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling; andwherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system determines that the detected other vehicle is traveling in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and is an oncoming vehicle.
  • 20. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein the forward viewing camera is housed in a windshield electronics module disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle.
  • 21. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the windshield electronics module houses the image processor.
  • 22. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a spectral characteristic of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 23. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a curb of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 24. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of driving assist systems includes the traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a traffic sign ahead of the equipped vehicle is recognized.
  • 25. The vehicular control system of claim 24, wherein the traffic sign comprises a speed control sign for a portion of the road being travelled by the equipped vehicle.
  • 26. The vehicular control system of claim 25, wherein the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle controls speed of the equipped vehicle to be at or below a speed level indicated on the speed control sign.
  • 27. The vehicular control system of claim 24, wherein the traffic sign comprises a stop sign ahead of the equipped vehicle.
  • 28. The vehicular control system of claim 24, wherein the traffic sign comprises a road construction zone sign.
  • 29. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted that the road construction zone sign is recognized.
  • 30. The vehicular control system of claim 24, wherein the traffic sign comprises a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 31. The vehicular control system of claim 24, wherein the traffic sign comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a speed limit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a freeway exit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a stop sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle and (v) a yield sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 32. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a character of a traffic sign present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 33. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, upon approach of the equipped vehicle to the curve in the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, speed of the equipped vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to the reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road in part responsive to data relevant to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle is determined by a global positioning system.
  • 34. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a road shoulder of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 35. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) a spectral characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (b) a spatial characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (c) size of an object present forward of the vehicle and (d) location of an object present forward of the vehicle relative to the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined.
  • 36. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, location of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 37. A vehicular control system, the vehicular control system comprising: a forward viewing camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular control system, the forward viewing camera viewing forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, wherein the forward viewing camera is operable to capture image data;wherein the forward viewing camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array sensor;an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein road curvature of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, lane markers on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling are detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to detection of lane markers on the road, a traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a pedestrian that is present on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and forward of the equipped vehicle is detected;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, speed of the equipped vehicle is controlled by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, upon approach of the equipped vehicle to a curve in the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, speed of the equipped vehicle is reduced by the adaptive cruise control system to a reduced speed for traveling around the curve in the road at least in part responsive to data relevant to a current geographical location of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle is determined by a global positioning system;wherein speed of the equipped vehicle is increased by the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle is traveling along a straighter section of road after the curve in the road;wherein the forward viewing camera captures image data for a plurality of driving assist systems of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the plurality of driving assist systems includes (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle and (iii) an intelligent headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system (i) detects another vehicle that is present on the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and forward of the equipped vehicle, and (ii) determines whether the detected other vehicle is in a traffic lane to the right of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling or is in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling; andwherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, the vehicular control system determines that the detected other vehicle is traveling in a traffic lane to the left of the determined traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling and is an oncoming vehicle.
  • 38. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein the forward viewing camera is housed in a windshield electronics module disposed at the windshield of the equipped vehicle.
  • 39. The vehicular control system of claim 38, wherein the windshield electronics module houses the image processor.
  • 40. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a spectral characteristic of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 41. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a curb of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 42. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a traffic sign ahead of the equipped vehicle is recognized.
  • 43. The vehicular control system of claim 42, wherein the traffic sign comprises a speed control sign for a portion of the road being travelled by the equipped vehicle.
  • 44. The vehicular control system of claim 43, wherein the adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle controls speed of the equipped vehicle to be at or below a speed level indicated on the speed control sign.
  • 45. The vehicular control system of claim 42, wherein the traffic sign comprises a stop sign ahead of the equipped vehicle.
  • 46. The vehicular control system of claim 42, wherein the traffic sign comprises a road construction zone sign.
  • 47. The vehicular control system of claim 46, wherein a driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted that the road construction zone sign is recognized.
  • 48. The vehicular control system of claim 42, wherein the traffic sign comprises a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 49. The vehicular control system of claim 42, wherein the traffic sign comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a speed limit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a freeway exit sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a warning sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a stop sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle and (v) a yield sign present exterior of the equipped vehicle.
  • 50. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a character of a traffic sign present forward of the vehicle is determined.
  • 51. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, a road shoulder of the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is detected.
  • 52. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) a spectral characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (b) a spatial characteristic of an object present forward of the vehicle is determined, (c) size of an object present forward of the vehicle and (d) location of an object present forward of the vehicle relative to the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling is determined.
  • 53. The vehicular control system of claim 37, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, location of an object that is present forward of the vehicle is determined.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/947,459, filed Aug. 3, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,503,253, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/665,068, filed Oct. 28, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,735,695, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/413,688, filed May 16, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,462,426, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/252,870, filed Jan. 21, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,306,190, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/166,338, filed Oct. 22, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,187,615, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/025,023, filed Jul. 2, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,110,860, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/953,648, filed Apr. 16, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,015,452, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/675,921, filed Aug. 14, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,948,904, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/463,296, filed Mar. 20, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,736,435, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/249,557, filed Aug. 29, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,609,289, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/942,089, filed Nov. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,428,192, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/678,146, filed Apr. 3, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,191,634, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/467,296, filed Aug. 25, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,008,369, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/082,577, filed Nov. 18, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,818,042, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/689,796, filed Nov. 30, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,593,521, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/335,125, filed Dec. 22, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,325,986, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/107,318, filed May 13, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,090,153, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/979,499, filed Dec. 28, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,949,152, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/856,737, filed Aug. 16, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,873,187, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/606,476, filed Oct. 27, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,329, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/429,605, filed Apr. 24, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,616,781, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/105,757, filed Apr. 14, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,526,103, which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005, Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005, Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004, and Ser. No. 60/562,480, filed Apr. 15, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

US Referenced Citations (1118)
Number Name Date Kind
1472509 Bitter Oct 1923 A
2074251 Braun Mar 1937 A
2148119 Grist Feb 1939 A
2240843 Gillespie May 1941 A
2317400 Paulus et al. Apr 1943 A
2331144 Sitter Oct 1943 A
2339291 Paulus et al. Jan 1944 A
2424288 Severy Jul 1947 A
2598420 Onksen, Jr. May 1952 A
2632040 Rabinow Mar 1953 A
2750583 McCullough Jun 1956 A
2762932 Falge et al. Sep 1956 A
2855523 Berger Oct 1958 A
2856146 Lehder Oct 1958 A
2863064 Rabinow Dec 1958 A
2892094 Lehovec Jun 1959 A
2907920 McIlvaine Oct 1959 A
2912593 Deuth Nov 1959 A
2934676 Miller et al. Apr 1960 A
2959709 Vanaman Nov 1960 A
3008532 Reed Nov 1961 A
3069654 Hough Dec 1962 A
3085646 Paifve Apr 1963 A
3158835 Hipkins Nov 1964 A
3172496 Rabinow Mar 1965 A
3179845 Kulwiec Apr 1965 A
3201750 Morin Aug 1965 A
3208070 Boicey Sep 1965 A
3249761 Baumanns May 1966 A
3271577 Miller et al. Sep 1966 A
3325680 Amacher Jun 1967 A
3367616 Bausch Feb 1968 A
3411843 Moller Nov 1968 A
3486066 Jones et al. Dec 1969 A
3515472 Schwitzgebel Jun 1970 A
3572428 Monaco Mar 1971 A
3623671 Hargroves Nov 1971 A
3673560 Barsh et al. Jun 1972 A
3680951 Jordan et al. Aug 1972 A
3689695 Rosenfield et al. Sep 1972 A
3708668 Tilley Jan 1973 A
3751711 Schick Aug 1973 A
3876940 Wickord et al. Apr 1975 A
3971065 Bayer Jul 1976 A
3985424 Steinacher Oct 1976 A
3986022 Hyatt Oct 1976 A
4003445 De Bruine Jan 1977 A
4037134 Loper Jul 1977 A
4044853 Melke Aug 1977 A
4049961 Marcy Sep 1977 A
4058796 Oishi et al. Nov 1977 A
4093364 Miller Jun 1978 A
4127778 Leitz Nov 1978 A
4139801 Linares Feb 1979 A
4143264 Gilbert et al. Mar 1979 A
4200361 Malvano et al. Apr 1980 A
4209853 Hyatt Jun 1980 A
4214266 Myers Jul 1980 A
4218698 Bart et al. Aug 1980 A
4236099 Rosenblum Nov 1980 A
4238778 Ohsumi Dec 1980 A
4243196 Toda et al. Jan 1981 A
4247870 Gabel et al. Jan 1981 A
4249160 Chilvers Feb 1981 A
4254931 Aikens et al. Mar 1981 A
4257703 Goodrich Mar 1981 A
4277804 Robison Jul 1981 A
4278142 Kono Jul 1981 A
4281898 Ochiai et al. Aug 1981 A
4288814 Talley et al. Sep 1981 A
RE30835 Giglia Dec 1981 E
4348652 Barnes et al. Sep 1982 A
4348653 Tsuzuki et al. Sep 1982 A
4355271 Noack Oct 1982 A
4357558 Massoni et al. Nov 1982 A
4357594 Ehrlich et al. Nov 1982 A
4381888 Momiyama May 1983 A
4389537 Tsunoda et al. Jun 1983 A
4389639 Torii et al. Jun 1983 A
4390742 Wideman Jun 1983 A
4390895 Sato et al. Jun 1983 A
4401181 Schwarz Aug 1983 A
4403208 Hodgson et al. Sep 1983 A
4420238 Felix Dec 1983 A
4431896 Lodetti Feb 1984 A
4441125 Parkinson Apr 1984 A
4443057 Bauer et al. Apr 1984 A
4460831 Oettinger et al. Jul 1984 A
4464789 Sternberg Aug 1984 A
4471228 Nishizawa et al. Sep 1984 A
4481450 Watanabe et al. Nov 1984 A
4483011 Brown Nov 1984 A
4485402 Searby Nov 1984 A
4491390 Tong-Shen Jan 1985 A
4495589 Hirzel Jan 1985 A
4512637 Ballmer Apr 1985 A
4521804 Bendell Jun 1985 A
4529275 Ballmer Jul 1985 A
4532550 Bendell et al. Jul 1985 A
4538181 Taylor Aug 1985 A
4546551 Franks Oct 1985 A
4549208 Kamejima et al. Oct 1985 A
4564833 Seko et al. Jan 1986 A
4566032 Hirooka et al. Jan 1986 A
4571082 Downs Feb 1986 A
4572619 Reininger et al. Feb 1986 A
4580875 Bechtel et al. Apr 1986 A
4587522 Warren May 1986 A
4588041 Tsuchihashi May 1986 A
4599544 Martin Jul 1986 A
4600913 Caine Jul 1986 A
4601053 Grumet Jul 1986 A
4603946 Kato et al. Aug 1986 A
4614415 Hyatt Sep 1986 A
4620141 McCumber et al. Oct 1986 A
4623222 Itoh et al. Nov 1986 A
4625329 Ishikawa et al. Nov 1986 A
4626850 Chey Dec 1986 A
4629941 Ellis et al. Dec 1986 A
4630109 Barton Dec 1986 A
4632509 Ohmi et al. Dec 1986 A
4638287 Umebayashi et al. Jan 1987 A
4645320 Muelling et al. Feb 1987 A
4645975 Meitzler et al. Feb 1987 A
4647161 Muller Mar 1987 A
4647975 Alston et al. Mar 1987 A
4653316 Fukuhara Mar 1987 A
4665321 Chang et al. May 1987 A
4669825 Itoh et al. Jun 1987 A
4671614 Catalano Jun 1987 A
4671615 Fukada et al. Jun 1987 A
4672457 Hyatt Jun 1987 A
4676601 Itoh et al. Jun 1987 A
4679077 Yuasa et al. Jul 1987 A
4681431 Sims et al. Jul 1987 A
4688085 Maide Aug 1987 A
4690508 Jacob Sep 1987 A
4692798 Seko et al. Sep 1987 A
4693788 Berg et al. Sep 1987 A
4697883 Suzuki et al. Oct 1987 A
4699484 Howell et al. Oct 1987 A
4701022 Jacob Oct 1987 A
4701613 Watanabe et al. Oct 1987 A
4713685 Nishimura et al. Dec 1987 A
4717830 Botts Jan 1988 A
4727290 Smith et al. Feb 1988 A
4728804 Norsworthy Mar 1988 A
4731669 Hayashi et al. Mar 1988 A
4731769 Schaefer et al. Mar 1988 A
4741603 Miyagi et al. May 1988 A
4755664 Holmes et al. Jul 1988 A
4758883 Kawahara et al. Jul 1988 A
4768135 Kretschmer et al. Aug 1988 A
4772942 Tuck Sep 1988 A
4779095 Guerreri Oct 1988 A
4785280 Fubini et al. Nov 1988 A
4789904 Peterson Dec 1988 A
4793690 Gahan et al. Dec 1988 A
4799267 Kamejima et al. Jan 1989 A
4805015 Copeland Feb 1989 A
4816828 Feher Mar 1989 A
4817948 Simonelli Apr 1989 A
4820933 Hong et al. Apr 1989 A
4825232 Howdle Apr 1989 A
4833469 David May 1989 A
4833534 Paff et al. May 1989 A
4838650 Stewart et al. Jun 1989 A
4839749 Franklin Jun 1989 A
4841348 Shizukuishi et al. Jun 1989 A
4843463 Michetti Jun 1989 A
4847489 Dietrich Jul 1989 A
4849731 Melocik Jul 1989 A
4855822 Narendra et al. Aug 1989 A
4859031 Berman et al. Aug 1989 A
4862037 Farber et al. Aug 1989 A
4863130 Marks, Jr. Sep 1989 A
4867561 Fujii et al. Sep 1989 A
4870264 Beha Sep 1989 A
4871917 O'Farrell et al. Oct 1989 A
4872051 Dye Oct 1989 A
4881019 Shiraishi et al. Nov 1989 A
4882466 Friel Nov 1989 A
4882565 Gallmeyer Nov 1989 A
4883349 Mittelhauser Nov 1989 A
4884055 Memmola Nov 1989 A
4886960 Molyneux et al. Dec 1989 A
4891559 Matsumoto et al. Jan 1990 A
4892345 Rachael, III Jan 1990 A
4895790 Swanson et al. Jan 1990 A
4896030 Miyaji Jan 1990 A
4899296 Khattak Feb 1990 A
4900133 Berman Feb 1990 A
4905151 Weiman et al. Feb 1990 A
4906940 Greene et al. Mar 1990 A
4907870 Brucker Mar 1990 A
4910591 Petrossian et al. Mar 1990 A
4916374 Schierbeek et al. Apr 1990 A
4917477 Bechtel et al. Apr 1990 A
4926346 Yokoyama May 1990 A
4930742 Schofield et al. Jun 1990 A
4931937 Kakinami et al. Jun 1990 A
4936533 Adams et al. Jun 1990 A
4937796 Tendler Jun 1990 A
4948246 Shigematsu Aug 1990 A
4949186 Peterson Aug 1990 A
4953305 Van Lente et al. Sep 1990 A
4954962 Evans, Jr. et al. Sep 1990 A
4956591 Schierbeek et al. Sep 1990 A
4961625 Wood et al. Oct 1990 A
4963788 King et al. Oct 1990 A
4966441 Conner Oct 1990 A
4967319 Seko Oct 1990 A
4970509 Kissinger, Sr. Nov 1990 A
4970589 Hanson et al. Nov 1990 A
4970653 Kenue Nov 1990 A
4971405 Hwang Nov 1990 A
4971430 Lynas Nov 1990 A
4974078 Tsai Nov 1990 A
4975703 Delisle et al. Dec 1990 A
4985847 Shioya et al. Jan 1991 A
4987357 Masaki Jan 1991 A
4987410 Berman et al. Jan 1991 A
4991054 Walters Feb 1991 A
5001558 Burley et al. Mar 1991 A
5003288 Wilhelm Mar 1991 A
5003339 Kikuchi et al. Mar 1991 A
5008739 D'Luna et al. Apr 1991 A
5008946 Ando Apr 1991 A
5012082 Watanabe Apr 1991 A
5012092 Kobayashi et al. Apr 1991 A
5012335 Cohodar Apr 1991 A
5016977 Baude et al. May 1991 A
5020114 Fujioka et al. May 1991 A
5027001 Torbert Jun 1991 A
5027104 Reid Jun 1991 A
5027200 Petrossian et al. Jun 1991 A
5031101 Kamimura et al. Jul 1991 A
5036437 Macks Jul 1991 A
5044706 Chen Sep 1991 A
5044956 Behensky et al. Sep 1991 A
5050966 Berman Sep 1991 A
5051906 Evans, Jr. et al. Sep 1991 A
5059877 Teder Oct 1991 A
5059947 Chen Oct 1991 A
5064274 Alten Nov 1991 A
5075768 Wirtz et al. Dec 1991 A
5080207 Horneffer Jan 1992 A
5080309 Vins Jan 1992 A
5081585 Kurami et al. Jan 1992 A
5086253 Lawler Feb 1992 A
5086510 Guenther et al. Feb 1992 A
5087969 Kamada et al. Feb 1992 A
5096287 Kakinami et al. Mar 1992 A
5097362 Lynas Mar 1992 A
5100093 Rawlinson Mar 1992 A
5101351 Hattori Mar 1992 A
5111289 Ucas et al. May 1992 A
5113721 Polly May 1992 A
5115398 De Jong May 1992 A
5121200 Choi Jun 1992 A
5122957 Hattori Jun 1992 A
5124549 Michaels et al. Jun 1992 A
5128769 Arai et al. Jul 1992 A
5130709 Toyama et al. Jul 1992 A
5133605 Nakamura Jul 1992 A
5137238 Hutten Aug 1992 A
5139327 Tanaka Aug 1992 A
5144685 Nasar et al. Sep 1992 A
5146340 Dickerson et al. Sep 1992 A
5148014 Lynam et al. Sep 1992 A
5153760 Ahmed Oct 1992 A
5155426 Kurami Oct 1992 A
5155775 Brown Oct 1992 A
5159557 Ogawa Oct 1992 A
5160780 Ono et al. Nov 1992 A
5160971 Koshizawa Nov 1992 A
5161632 Asayama Nov 1992 A
5162841 Terashita Nov 1992 A
5162861 Tamburino et al. Nov 1992 A
5163002 Kurami Nov 1992 A
5165108 Asayama Nov 1992 A
5166681 Bottesch et al. Nov 1992 A
5168378 Black Dec 1992 A
5170374 Shimohigashi et al. Dec 1992 A
5172235 Wilm et al. Dec 1992 A
5172317 Asanuma et al. Dec 1992 A
5173881 Sindle Dec 1992 A
5177462 Kajiwara Jan 1993 A
5177606 Koshizawa Jan 1993 A
5177685 Davis et al. Jan 1993 A
5182502 Slotkowski et al. Jan 1993 A
5184956 Langlais et al. Feb 1993 A
5185812 Yamashita et al. Feb 1993 A
5187383 Taccetta et al. Feb 1993 A
5189561 Hong Feb 1993 A
5193000 Lipton et al. Mar 1993 A
5193029 Schofield et al. Mar 1993 A
5193894 Lietar et al. Mar 1993 A
5204536 Vardi Apr 1993 A
5204778 Bechtel Apr 1993 A
5208701 Maeda May 1993 A
5208750 Kurami et al. May 1993 A
5212468 Adell May 1993 A
5214408 Asayama May 1993 A
5216408 Shirakawa Jun 1993 A
5218414 Kajiwara Jun 1993 A
5220508 Ninomiya et al. Jun 1993 A
5223907 Asayama Jun 1993 A
5225827 Persson Jul 1993 A
5229941 Hattori Jul 1993 A
5230400 Kakinami et al. Jul 1993 A
5231379 Wood et al. Jul 1993 A
5233527 Shinnosuke Aug 1993 A
5234070 Noah et al. Aug 1993 A
5235178 Hegyi Aug 1993 A
5237249 Levers Aug 1993 A
5243524 Ishida et al. Sep 1993 A
5245422 Borcherts et al. Sep 1993 A
5246193 Faidley Sep 1993 A
5249126 Hattori Sep 1993 A
5249128 Markandey et al. Sep 1993 A
5249157 Taylor Sep 1993 A
5251680 Minezawa et al. Oct 1993 A
5253050 Karasudani Oct 1993 A
5253109 O'Farrell et al. Oct 1993 A
5265172 Markandey et al. Nov 1993 A
5266873 Arditi et al. Nov 1993 A
5267160 Ito et al. Nov 1993 A
5276389 Levers Jan 1994 A
5285060 Larson et al. Feb 1994 A
5289182 Brillard et al. Feb 1994 A
5289321 Secor Feb 1994 A
5291424 Asayama et al. Mar 1994 A
5293162 Bachalo Mar 1994 A
5298732 Chen et al. Mar 1994 A
5301115 Nouso Apr 1994 A
5302956 Asbury et al. Apr 1994 A
5304980 Maekawa Apr 1994 A
5305012 Faris Apr 1994 A
5307136 Saneyoshi Apr 1994 A
5307419 Tsujino et al. Apr 1994 A
5309137 Kajiwara May 1994 A
5313072 Vachss May 1994 A
5318143 Parker et al. Jun 1994 A
5321556 Joe Jun 1994 A
5325096 Pakett Jun 1994 A
5325386 Jewell et al. Jun 1994 A
5327288 Wellington et al. Jul 1994 A
5329206 Slotkowski et al. Jul 1994 A
5331312 Kudoh Jul 1994 A
5336980 Levers Aug 1994 A
5341437 Nakayama Aug 1994 A
5343206 Ansaldi et al. Aug 1994 A
5345266 Denyer Sep 1994 A
5347456 Zhang et al. Sep 1994 A
5351044 Mathur et al. Sep 1994 A
D351370 Lawlor et al. Oct 1994 S
5355118 Fukuhara Oct 1994 A
5359666 Nakayama et al. Oct 1994 A
5367457 Ishida Nov 1994 A
5369590 Karasudani Nov 1994 A
5371535 Takizawa Dec 1994 A
5373911 Yasui Dec 1994 A
5374852 Parkes Dec 1994 A
5379196 Kobayashi et al. Jan 1995 A
5379353 Hasegawa et al. Jan 1995 A
5381338 Wysocki et al. Jan 1995 A
5386285 Asayama Jan 1995 A
5388048 Yavnayi et al. Feb 1995 A
5394333 Kao Feb 1995 A
5398041 Hyatt Mar 1995 A
5406395 Wilson et al. Apr 1995 A
5406414 O'Farrell et al. Apr 1995 A
5408330 Squicciarini et al. Apr 1995 A
5408346 Trissel et al. Apr 1995 A
5410346 Saneyoshi et al. Apr 1995 A
5414257 Stanton May 1995 A
5414439 Groves et al. May 1995 A
5414461 Kishi et al. May 1995 A
5416313 Arson et al. May 1995 A
5416478 Morinaga May 1995 A
5416711 Gran et al. May 1995 A
5424952 Asayama Jun 1995 A
5426294 Kobayashi et al. Jun 1995 A
5430431 Nelson Jul 1995 A
5430450 Holmes Jul 1995 A
5434407 Bauer et al. Jul 1995 A
5434927 Brady et al. Jul 1995 A
5436839 Dausch et al. Jul 1995 A
5440428 Hegg et al. Aug 1995 A
5444478 Lelong et al. Aug 1995 A
5448180 Kienzler et al. Sep 1995 A
5450057 Watanabe Sep 1995 A
5451822 Bechtel et al. Sep 1995 A
5457493 Leddy et al. Oct 1995 A
5459660 Berra Oct 1995 A
5461357 Yoshioka et al. Oct 1995 A
5461361 Moore Oct 1995 A
5465079 Bouchard et al. Nov 1995 A
5467284 Yoshioka et al. Nov 1995 A
5469298 Suman et al. Nov 1995 A
5471515 Fossum et al. Nov 1995 A
5473515 Liu Dec 1995 A
5475366 Van Lente et al. Dec 1995 A
5475494 Nishida et al. Dec 1995 A
5481257 Brubaker et al. Jan 1996 A
5482133 Wata et al. Jan 1996 A
5483060 Sugiura et al. Jan 1996 A
5483168 Reid Jan 1996 A
5483453 Uemura et al. Jan 1996 A
5487116 Nakano et al. Jan 1996 A
5488496 Pine Jan 1996 A
5493269 Durley et al. Feb 1996 A
5493392 Blackmon et al. Feb 1996 A
5498866 Bendicks et al. Mar 1996 A
5500766 Stonecypher Mar 1996 A
5508592 Lapatovich et al. Apr 1996 A
5510983 Lino Apr 1996 A
5515448 Nishitani May 1996 A
5521633 Nakajima et al. May 1996 A
5528698 Kamei et al. Jun 1996 A
5529138 Shaw et al. Jun 1996 A
5530240 Larson et al. Jun 1996 A
5530330 Baiden et al. Jun 1996 A
5530420 Tsuchiya et al. Jun 1996 A
5530771 Maekawa Jun 1996 A
5535144 Kise Jul 1996 A
5535314 Alves et al. Jul 1996 A
5537003 Bechtel et al. Jul 1996 A
5539397 Asanuma et al. Jul 1996 A
5541590 Nishio Jul 1996 A
5545960 Ishikawa Aug 1996 A
5550677 Schofield et al. Aug 1996 A
5555136 Waldmann et al. Sep 1996 A
5555312 Shima et al. Sep 1996 A
5555503 Kyrtsos et al. Sep 1996 A
5555555 Sato et al. Sep 1996 A
5558123 Castel et al. Sep 1996 A
5559695 Daily Sep 1996 A
5562336 Gotou Oct 1996 A
5566224 ul Azam et al. Oct 1996 A
5568027 Teder Oct 1996 A
5568316 Schrenk et al. Oct 1996 A
5572315 Krell Nov 1996 A
5574443 Hsieh Nov 1996 A
5576687 Blank et al. Nov 1996 A
5581464 Woll et al. Dec 1996 A
5582383 Mertens et al. Dec 1996 A
5588123 Oibl Dec 1996 A
5594222 Caldwell Jan 1997 A
5596319 Spry Jan 1997 A
5596382 Bamford Jan 1997 A
5598164 Reppas et al. Jan 1997 A
5602457 Anderson et al. Feb 1997 A
5612686 Takano et al. Mar 1997 A
5612883 Shaffer et al. Mar 1997 A
5614788 Mullins Mar 1997 A
5614885 Van Lente et al. Mar 1997 A
5615857 Hook Apr 1997 A
5619370 Guinosso Apr 1997 A
5627586 Yamasaki May 1997 A
5633944 Guibert et al. May 1997 A
5634709 Wama Jun 1997 A
5638116 Shimoura et al. Jun 1997 A
5642299 Hardin et al. Jun 1997 A
5646612 Byon Jul 1997 A
5648835 Uzawa Jul 1997 A
5650944 Kise Jul 1997 A
5660454 Mori et al. Aug 1997 A
5661303 Teder Aug 1997 A
5666028 Bechtel et al. Sep 1997 A
5667896 Carter et al. Sep 1997 A
5668663 Varaprasad et al. Sep 1997 A
5670935 Schofield et al. Sep 1997 A
5673019 Dantoni Sep 1997 A
5675489 Pomerleau Oct 1997 A
5676484 Chamberlin et al. Oct 1997 A
5677851 Kingdon et al. Oct 1997 A
5677979 Squicciarini et al. Oct 1997 A
5680263 Zimmermann et al. Oct 1997 A
D388107 Huckins Dec 1997 S
5699044 Van Lente et al. Dec 1997 A
5699057 Ikeda et al. Dec 1997 A
5699149 Kuroda et al. Dec 1997 A
5706355 Raboisson et al. Jan 1998 A
5707129 Kobayashi Jan 1998 A
5708410 Blank et al. Jan 1998 A
5710633 Klappenbach et al. Jan 1998 A
5715093 Schierbeek et al. Feb 1998 A
5724187 Varaprasad et al. Mar 1998 A
5724316 Brunts Mar 1998 A
5737226 Olson et al. Apr 1998 A
5757949 Kinoshita et al. May 1998 A
5760826 Nayar Jun 1998 A
5760828 Cortes Jun 1998 A
5760931 Saburi et al. Jun 1998 A
5760962 Schofield et al. Jun 1998 A
5761094 Olson et al. Jun 1998 A
5764139 Nojima et al. Jun 1998 A
5765116 Wilson-Jones et al. Jun 1998 A
5765940 Levy et al. Jun 1998 A
5781105 Bitar et al. Jul 1998 A
5781437 Wiemer et al. Jul 1998 A
5786772 Schofield et al. Jul 1998 A
5790403 Nakayama Aug 1998 A
5790973 Blaker et al. Aug 1998 A
5793308 Rosinski et al. Aug 1998 A
5793420 Schmidt Aug 1998 A
5796094 Schofield et al. Aug 1998 A
5798575 O'Farrell et al. Aug 1998 A
5808589 Fergason Sep 1998 A
5811888 Hsieh Sep 1998 A
5820097 Spooner Oct 1998 A
5835255 Miles Nov 1998 A
5835613 Breed et al. Nov 1998 A
5835614 Aoyama et al. Nov 1998 A
5837994 Stam et al. Nov 1998 A
5841126 Fossum et al. Nov 1998 A
5844505 Van Ryzin Dec 1998 A
5844682 Kiyomoto et al. Dec 1998 A
5845000 Breed et al. Dec 1998 A
5847755 Wixson et al. Dec 1998 A
5848802 Breed et al. Dec 1998 A
5850176 Kinoshita et al. Dec 1998 A
5850254 Takano et al. Dec 1998 A
5867591 Onda Feb 1999 A
5877707 Kowalick Mar 1999 A
5877897 Schofield et al. Mar 1999 A
5878370 Olson Mar 1999 A
5883193 Karim Mar 1999 A
5883684 Millikan et al. Mar 1999 A
5884212 Lion Mar 1999 A
5890021 Onoda Mar 1999 A
5890083 Franke et al. Mar 1999 A
5896085 Mori et al. Apr 1999 A
5899956 Chan May 1999 A
5904725 Isaka et al. May 1999 A
5905457 Rashid May 1999 A
5912534 Benedict Jun 1999 A
5914815 Bos Jun 1999 A
5920367 Kajimoto et al. Jul 1999 A
5922036 Yasui et al. Jul 1999 A
5929784 Kawaziri et al. Jul 1999 A
5929786 Schofield et al. Jul 1999 A
5938320 Crandall Aug 1999 A
5938810 De Vries, Jr et al. Aug 1999 A
5940120 Frankhouse et al. Aug 1999 A
5942853 Piscart Aug 1999 A
5949331 Schofield et al. Sep 1999 A
5956181 Lin Sep 1999 A
5959367 O'Farrell et al. Sep 1999 A
5959555 Furuta Sep 1999 A
5961571 Gorr et al. Oct 1999 A
5963247 Banitt Oct 1999 A
5964822 Alland et al. Oct 1999 A
5971552 O'Farrell et al. Oct 1999 A
5982288 Sawatari et al. Nov 1999 A
5986796 Miles Nov 1999 A
5990469 Bechtel et al. Nov 1999 A
5990649 Nagao et al. Nov 1999 A
5991427 Kakinami et al. Nov 1999 A
6001486 Varaprasad et al. Dec 1999 A
6009336 Harris et al. Dec 1999 A
6020704 Buschur Feb 2000 A
6028537 Suman et al. Feb 2000 A
6031484 Bullinger et al. Feb 2000 A
6037860 Zander et al. Mar 2000 A
6037975 Aoyama Mar 2000 A
6049171 Stam et al. Apr 2000 A
6052124 Stein et al. Apr 2000 A
6057754 Kinoshita et al. May 2000 A
6066933 Ponziana May 2000 A
6084519 Coulling et al. Jul 2000 A
6087953 DeLine et al. Jul 2000 A
6091833 Yasui et al. Jul 2000 A
6094198 Shashua Jul 2000 A
6097023 Schofield et al. Aug 2000 A
6097024 Stam et al. Aug 2000 A
6100811 Hsu et al. Aug 2000 A
6107939 Sorden Aug 2000 A
6122597 Saneyoshi et al. Sep 2000 A
6124647 Marcus et al. Sep 2000 A
6124886 DeLine et al. Sep 2000 A
6139172 Bos et al. Oct 2000 A
6140980 Spitzer et al. Oct 2000 A
6144022 Tenenbaum et al. Nov 2000 A
6144158 Beam Nov 2000 A
6150014 Chu et al. Nov 2000 A
6150930 Cooper Nov 2000 A
6151065 Steed et al. Nov 2000 A
6151539 Bergholz et al. Nov 2000 A
6158655 DeVries, Jr. et al. Dec 2000 A
6166628 Andreas Dec 2000 A
6170955 Campbell et al. Jan 2001 B1
6172613 DeLine et al. Jan 2001 B1
6175164 O'Farrell et al. Jan 2001 B1
6175300 Kendrick Jan 2001 B1
6176590 Prevost et al. Jan 2001 B1
6188939 Morgan et al. Feb 2001 B1
6198409 Schofield et al. Mar 2001 B1
6201642 Bos Mar 2001 B1
6211907 Scaman et al. Apr 2001 B1
6218934 Regan Apr 2001 B1
6219444 Shashua et al. Apr 2001 B1
6222447 Schofield et al. Apr 2001 B1
6226061 Tagusa May 2001 B1
6229319 Johnson May 2001 B1
6243003 DeLine et al. Jun 2001 B1
6247819 Turnbull et al. Jun 2001 B1
6250148 Fynam Jun 2001 B1
6259412 Duroux Jul 2001 B1
6259423 Tokito et al. Jul 2001 B1
6266082 Yonezawa et al. Jul 2001 B1
6266442 Laumeyer Jul 2001 B1
6278377 DeLine et al. Aug 2001 B1
6281804 Haller et al. Aug 2001 B1
6285393 Shimoura et al. Sep 2001 B1
6285778 Nakajima et al. Sep 2001 B1
6291905 Drummond et al. Sep 2001 B1
6291906 Marcus et al. Sep 2001 B1
6292752 Franke et al. Sep 2001 B1
6294989 Schofield et al. Sep 2001 B1
6297781 Turnbull et al. Oct 2001 B1
6302545 Schofield et al. Oct 2001 B1
6310611 Caldwell Oct 2001 B1
6311119 Sawamoto et al. Oct 2001 B2
6313454 Bos et al. Nov 2001 B1
6315421 Apfelbeck et al. Nov 2001 B1
6317057 Lee Nov 2001 B1
6318870 Spooner et al. Nov 2001 B1
6320176 Schofield et al. Nov 2001 B1
6320282 Caldwell Nov 2001 B1
6324450 Iwama Nov 2001 B1
6326613 Heslin et al. Dec 2001 B1
6329925 Skiver et al. Dec 2001 B1
6333759 Mazzilli Dec 2001 B1
6341523 Lynam Jan 2002 B2
6353392 Schofield et al. Mar 2002 B1
6359392 He Mar 2002 B1
6362729 Hellmann et al. Mar 2002 B1
6366213 DeLine et al. Apr 2002 B2
6366236 Farmer et al. Apr 2002 B1
6370329 Teuchert Apr 2002 B1
6388565 Bernhard et al. May 2002 B1
6388580 Graham May 2002 B1
6389340 Rayner May 2002 B1
6392218 Kuehnle May 2002 B1
6396397 Bos et al. May 2002 B1
6396408 Drummond et al. May 2002 B2
6411204 Bloomfield et al. Jun 2002 B1
6411328 Franke et al. Jun 2002 B1
6420975 DeLine Jul 2002 B1
6424273 Gutta et al. Jul 2002 B1
6428172 Hutzel et al. Aug 2002 B1
6429594 Stam et al. Aug 2002 B1
6430303 Naoi et al. Aug 2002 B1
6433676 DeLine et al. Aug 2002 B2
6433817 Guerra Aug 2002 B1
6441748 Takagi et al. Aug 2002 B1
6442465 Breed et al. Aug 2002 B2
6445287 Schofield et al. Sep 2002 B1
6445809 Sasaki et al. Sep 2002 B1
6449540 Rayner Sep 2002 B1
6452148 Bendicks et al. Sep 2002 B1
6466136 DeLine et al. Oct 2002 B2
6466684 Sasaki et al. Oct 2002 B1
6469739 Bechtel et al. Oct 2002 B1
6472977 Pochmuller Oct 2002 B1
6472979 Schofield et al. Oct 2002 B2
6477260 Shimomura Nov 2002 B1
6477464 McCarthy et al. Nov 2002 B2
6483438 DeLine et al. Nov 2002 B2
6485155 Duroux et al. Nov 2002 B1
6497503 Dassanayake et al. Dec 2002 B1
6498620 Schofield et al. Dec 2002 B2
6509832 Bauer et al. Jan 2003 B1
6513252 Schierbeek et al. Feb 2003 B1
6515378 Drummond et al. Feb 2003 B2
6516272 Lin Feb 2003 B2
6516664 Lynam Feb 2003 B2
6523964 Schofield et al. Feb 2003 B2
6534884 Marcus et al. Mar 2003 B2
6535242 Strumolo et al. Mar 2003 B1
6539306 Turnbull Mar 2003 B2
6540193 DeLine Apr 2003 B1
6547133 Devries, Jr. et al. Apr 2003 B1
6553130 Lemelson et al. Apr 2003 B1
6559435 Schofield et al. May 2003 B2
6570998 Ohtsuka et al. May 2003 B1
6574033 Chui et al. Jun 2003 B1
6577334 Kawai et al. Jun 2003 B1
6578017 Ebersole et al. Jun 2003 B1
6587573 Stam et al. Jul 2003 B1
6587968 Leyva Jul 2003 B1
6589625 Kothari et al. Jul 2003 B1
6593011 Liu et al. Jul 2003 B2
6593565 Heslin et al. Jul 2003 B2
6593698 Stam et al. Jul 2003 B2
6593960 Sugimoto et al. Jul 2003 B1
6594583 Ogura et al. Jul 2003 B2
6611202 Schofield et al. Aug 2003 B2
6611610 Stam et al. Aug 2003 B1
6614579 Roberts et al. Sep 2003 B2
6617564 Ockerse et al. Sep 2003 B2
6627918 Getz et al. Sep 2003 B2
6631316 Stam et al. Oct 2003 B2
6631994 Suzuki et al. Oct 2003 B2
6636258 Strumolo Oct 2003 B2
6648477 Hutzel et al. Nov 2003 B2
6650233 DeLine et al. Nov 2003 B2
6650455 Miles Nov 2003 B2
6653614 Stam et al. Nov 2003 B2
6672731 Schnell et al. Jan 2004 B2
6674562 Miles Jan 2004 B1
6674878 Retterath et al. Jan 2004 B2
6678056 Downs Jan 2004 B2
6678590 Burchfiel Jan 2004 B1
6678614 McCarthy et al. Jan 2004 B2
6680792 Miles Jan 2004 B2
6681163 Stam et al. Jan 2004 B2
6690268 Schofield et al. Feb 2004 B2
6700605 Toyoda et al. Mar 2004 B1
6703925 Steffel Mar 2004 B2
6704621 Stein et al. Mar 2004 B1
6710908 Miles et al. Mar 2004 B2
6711474 Treyz et al. Mar 2004 B1
6714331 Lewis et al. Mar 2004 B2
6717524 DeLine et al. Apr 2004 B2
6717610 Bos et al. Apr 2004 B1
6728393 Stam et al. Apr 2004 B2
6728623 Takenaga et al. Apr 2004 B2
6735506 Breed et al. May 2004 B2
6738088 Uskolovsky et al. May 2004 B1
6741377 Miles May 2004 B2
6744353 Sjonell Jun 2004 B2
6754367 Ito et al. Jun 2004 B1
6757109 Bos Jun 2004 B2
6762867 Lippert et al. Jul 2004 B2
6764210 Akiyama Jul 2004 B2
6765480 Tseng Jul 2004 B2
6774988 Stam et al. Aug 2004 B2
6784828 Delcheccolo et al. Aug 2004 B2
6794119 Miles Sep 2004 B2
6795221 Urey Sep 2004 B1
6801127 Mizusawa et al. Oct 2004 B2
6801244 Takeda et al. Oct 2004 B2
6802617 Schofield et al. Oct 2004 B2
6806452 Bos et al. Oct 2004 B2
6807287 Hermans Oct 2004 B1
6811330 Tozawa Nov 2004 B1
6812463 Okada Nov 2004 B2
6813545 Stromme Nov 2004 B2
6819231 Berberich et al. Nov 2004 B2
6819779 Nichani Nov 2004 B1
6822563 Bos et al. Nov 2004 B2
6823241 Shirato et al. Nov 2004 B2
6823261 Sekiguchi Nov 2004 B2
6824281 Schofield et al. Nov 2004 B2
6831261 Schofield et al. Dec 2004 B2
6838980 Gloger et al. Jan 2005 B2
6842189 Park Jan 2005 B2
6847487 Burgner Jan 2005 B2
6850629 Jeon Feb 2005 B2
6853738 Nishigaki et al. Feb 2005 B1
6859148 Miller et al. Feb 2005 B2
6861809 Stam Mar 2005 B2
6864930 Matsushita et al. Mar 2005 B2
6873253 Veziris Mar 2005 B2
6882287 Schofield Apr 2005 B2
6888447 Hori et al. May 2005 B2
6889161 Winner et al. May 2005 B2
6891563 Schofield et al. May 2005 B2
6898518 Padmanabhan May 2005 B2
6906620 Nakai et al. Jun 2005 B2
6906639 Lemelson et al. Jun 2005 B2
6909753 Meehan et al. Jun 2005 B2
6914521 Rothkop Jul 2005 B2
6928180 Stam et al. Aug 2005 B2
6932669 Lee et al. Aug 2005 B2
6933837 Gunderson et al. Aug 2005 B2
6940423 Takagi et al. Sep 2005 B2
6950035 Tanaka et al. Sep 2005 B2
6953253 Schofield et al. Oct 2005 B2
6956469 Hirvonen et al. Oct 2005 B2
6959994 Fujikawa et al. Nov 2005 B2
6961178 Sugino et al. Nov 2005 B2
6961661 Sekiguchi Nov 2005 B2
6963661 Hattori et al. Nov 2005 B1
6967569 Weber et al. Nov 2005 B2
6968736 Lynam Nov 2005 B2
6975775 Rykowski et al. Dec 2005 B2
6980092 Turnbull et al. Dec 2005 B2
6989736 Berberich et al. Jan 2006 B2
6990397 Albou et al. Jan 2006 B2
6995687 Lang et al. Feb 2006 B2
7004593 Weller et al. Feb 2006 B2
7004606 Schofield Feb 2006 B2
7005974 McMahon et al. Feb 2006 B2
7012507 DeLine et al. Mar 2006 B2
7012727 Hutzel et al. Mar 2006 B2
7023331 Kodama Apr 2006 B2
7027387 Reinold et al. Apr 2006 B2
7027615 Chen Apr 2006 B2
7030738 Ishii Apr 2006 B2
7030775 Sekiguchi Apr 2006 B2
7030778 Ra Apr 2006 B2
7038577 Pawlicki et al. May 2006 B2
7046448 Burgner May 2006 B2
7057505 Iwamoto Jun 2006 B2
7057681 Hinata et al. Jun 2006 B2
7062300 Kim Jun 2006 B1
7065432 Moisel et al. Jun 2006 B2
7068289 Satoh et al. Jun 2006 B2
7068844 Javidi et al. Jun 2006 B1
7085633 Nishira et al. Aug 2006 B2
7085637 Breed et al. Aug 2006 B2
7091837 Nakai et al. Aug 2006 B2
7092548 Aumeyer et al. Aug 2006 B2
7095432 Nakayama et al. Aug 2006 B2
7106213 White Sep 2006 B2
7110021 Nobori et al. Sep 2006 B2
7110156 Lawlor et al. Sep 2006 B2
7113867 Stein Sep 2006 B1
7116246 Winter et al. Oct 2006 B2
7121028 Shoen et al. Oct 2006 B2
7123168 Schofield Oct 2006 B2
7133661 Hatae et al. Nov 2006 B2
7149613 Stam et al. Dec 2006 B2
7151996 Stein Dec 2006 B2
7167796 Taylor et al. Jan 2007 B2
7171027 Satoh Jan 2007 B2
7184585 Hamza et al. Feb 2007 B2
7187498 Bengoechea et al. Mar 2007 B2
7188963 Schofield et al. Mar 2007 B2
7195381 Lynam et al. Mar 2007 B2
7202776 Breed Apr 2007 B2
7202987 Varaprasad et al. Apr 2007 B2
7205904 Schofield Apr 2007 B2
7221363 Roberts et al. May 2007 B2
7227459 Bos et al. Jun 2007 B2
7227611 Hull et al. Jun 2007 B2
7235918 McCullough et al. Jun 2007 B2
7248283 Takagi et al. Jul 2007 B2
7248344 Morcom Jul 2007 B2
7249860 Kulas et al. Jul 2007 B2
7253723 Lindahl et al. Aug 2007 B2
7255451 McCabe et al. Aug 2007 B2
7271951 Weber et al. Sep 2007 B2
7304661 Ishikura Dec 2007 B2
7311406 Schofield et al. Dec 2007 B2
7325934 Schofield et al. Feb 2008 B2
7325935 Schofield et al. Feb 2008 B2
7337055 Matsumoto et al. Feb 2008 B2
7338177 Lynam Mar 2008 B2
7339149 Schofield et al. Mar 2008 B1
7344261 Schofield et al. Mar 2008 B2
7355524 Schofield Apr 2008 B2
7360932 Uken et al. Apr 2008 B2
7362883 Otsuka et al. Apr 2008 B2
7370983 DeWind et al. May 2008 B2
7375803 Bamji May 2008 B1
7380948 Schofield et al. Jun 2008 B2
7388182 Schofield et al. Jun 2008 B2
7402786 Schofield et al. Jul 2008 B2
7403659 Das et al. Jul 2008 B2
7420756 Lynam Sep 2008 B2
7423248 Schofield et al. Sep 2008 B2
7423821 Bechtel et al. Sep 2008 B2
7425076 Schofield et al. Sep 2008 B2
7429998 Kawauchi et al. Sep 2008 B2
7432248 Roberts et al. Oct 2008 B2
7432967 Bechtel et al. Oct 2008 B2
7446924 Schofield et al. Nov 2008 B2
7459664 Schofield et al. Dec 2008 B2
7460007 Schofield et al. Dec 2008 B2
7463138 Pawlicki et al. Dec 2008 B2
7468652 DeLine et al. Dec 2008 B2
7474963 Taylor et al. Jan 2009 B2
7480149 DeWard et al. Jan 2009 B2
7489374 Utsumi et al. Feb 2009 B2
7495719 Adachi et al. Feb 2009 B2
7525604 Xue Apr 2009 B2
7526103 Schofield et al. Apr 2009 B2
7533998 Schofield et al. May 2009 B2
7541743 Salmeen et al. Jun 2009 B2
7545429 Travis Jun 2009 B2
7548291 Lee et al. Jun 2009 B2
7551103 Schofield Jun 2009 B2
7561181 Schofield et al. Jul 2009 B2
7566639 Kohda Jul 2009 B2
7566851 Stein et al. Jul 2009 B2
7567291 Bechtel et al. Jul 2009 B2
7605856 Imoto Oct 2009 B2
7613327 Stam et al. Nov 2009 B2
7616781 Schofield et al. Nov 2009 B2
7619508 Lynam et al. Nov 2009 B2
7629996 Rademacher et al. Dec 2009 B2
7633383 Dunsmoir et al. Dec 2009 B2
7639149 Katoh Dec 2009 B2
7650030 Shan et al. Jan 2010 B2
7653215 Stam Jan 2010 B2
7655894 Schofield et al. Feb 2010 B2
7663798 Tonar et al. Feb 2010 B2
7676087 Dhua et al. Mar 2010 B2
7679498 Pawlicki et al. Mar 2010 B2
7683326 Stam et al. Mar 2010 B2
7702133 Muramatsu et al. Apr 2010 B2
7719408 DeWard et al. May 2010 B2
7720580 Higgins-Luthman May 2010 B2
7724434 Cross et al. May 2010 B2
7731403 Lynam et al. Jun 2010 B2
7742864 Sekiguchi Jun 2010 B2
7786898 Stein et al. Aug 2010 B2
7791694 Molsen et al. Sep 2010 B2
7792329 Schofield et al. Sep 2010 B2
7825600 Stam et al. Nov 2010 B2
7842154 Lynam Nov 2010 B2
7843451 Lafon Nov 2010 B2
7854514 Conner et al. Dec 2010 B2
7855755 Weller et al. Dec 2010 B2
7855778 Yung et al. Dec 2010 B2
7859565 Schofield et al. Dec 2010 B2
7873187 Schofield et al. Jan 2011 B2
7877175 Higgins-Luthman Jan 2011 B2
7881496 Camilleri et al. Feb 2011 B2
7903335 Nieuwkerk et al. Mar 2011 B2
7914187 Higgins-Luthman et al. Mar 2011 B2
7914188 DeLine et al. Mar 2011 B2
7930160 Hosagrahara et al. Apr 2011 B1
7949152 Schofield et al. May 2011 B2
7965357 Van De Witte et al. Jun 2011 B2
7972045 Schofield Jul 2011 B2
7991522 Higgins-Luthman Aug 2011 B2
7994462 Schofield et al. Aug 2011 B2
7995067 Navon Aug 2011 B2
8004392 DeLine et al. Aug 2011 B2
8017898 Lu et al. Sep 2011 B2
8027691 Bernas et al. Sep 2011 B2
8045760 Stam et al. Oct 2011 B2
8063759 Bos et al. Nov 2011 B2
8064643 Stein et al. Nov 2011 B2
8082101 Stein et al. Dec 2011 B2
8090153 Schofield et al. Jan 2012 B2
8094002 Schofield et al. Jan 2012 B2
8095310 Taylor et al. Jan 2012 B2
8098142 Schofield et al. Jan 2012 B2
8100568 DeLine et al. Jan 2012 B2
8116929 Higgins-Luthman Feb 2012 B2
8120652 Bechtel et al. Feb 2012 B2
8162518 Schofield Apr 2012 B2
8164628 Stein et al. Apr 2012 B2
8179437 Schofield et al. May 2012 B2
8184159 Luo May 2012 B2
8203440 Schofield et al. Jun 2012 B2
8203443 Bos et al. Jun 2012 B2
8222588 Schofield et al. Jul 2012 B2
8224031 Saito Jul 2012 B2
8233045 Luo et al. Jul 2012 B2
8254635 Stein et al. Aug 2012 B2
8288711 Heslin et al. Oct 2012 B2
8289142 Pawlicki et al. Oct 2012 B2
8289430 Bechtel et al. Oct 2012 B2
8300058 Navon et al. Oct 2012 B2
8305471 Bechtel et al. Nov 2012 B2
8308325 Takayanagi et al. Nov 2012 B2
8314689 Schofield et al. Nov 2012 B2
8324552 Schofield et al. Dec 2012 B2
8325028 Schofield et al. Dec 2012 B2
8339526 Minikey, Jr. et al. Dec 2012 B2
8350683 DeLine et al. Jan 2013 B2
8362883 Hale et al. Jan 2013 B2
8378851 Stein et al. Feb 2013 B2
8386114 Higgins-Luthman Feb 2013 B2
8405726 Schofield et al. Mar 2013 B2
8414137 Quinn et al. Apr 2013 B2
8434919 Schofield May 2013 B2
8452055 Stein et al. May 2013 B2
8481910 Schofield et al. Jul 2013 B2
8481916 Heslin et al. Jul 2013 B2
8492698 Schofield et al. Jul 2013 B2
8508593 Schofield et al. Aug 2013 B1
8513590 Heslin et al. Aug 2013 B2
8531278 DeWard et al. Sep 2013 B2
8531279 DeLine et al. Sep 2013 B2
8534887 DeLine et al. Sep 2013 B2
8538205 Sixsou et al. Sep 2013 B2
8543330 Taylor et al. Sep 2013 B2
8553088 Stein et al. Oct 2013 B2
8593521 Schofield et al. Nov 2013 B2
8599001 Schofield et al. Dec 2013 B2
8629768 Bos et al. Jan 2014 B2
8636393 Schofield Jan 2014 B2
8637801 Schofield et al. Jan 2014 B2
8643724 Schofield et al. Feb 2014 B2
8656221 Sixsou et al. Feb 2014 B2
8665079 Pawlicki et al. Mar 2014 B2
8676491 Taylor et al. Mar 2014 B2
8686840 Drummond et al. Apr 2014 B2
8692659 Schofield et al. Apr 2014 B2
8818042 Schofield et al. Aug 2014 B2
9008369 Schofield et al. Apr 2015 B2
9171217 Pawlicki et al. Oct 2015 B2
9191634 Schofield et al. Nov 2015 B2
9428192 Schofield et al. Aug 2016 B2
9609289 Schofield et al. Mar 2017 B2
9736435 Schofield et al. Aug 2017 B2
9948904 Schofield et al. Apr 2018 B2
10015452 Schofield et al. Jul 2018 B1
10110860 Schofield et al. Oct 2018 B1
10306190 Schofield et al. May 2019 B1
10462426 Schofield et al. Oct 2019 B2
10735695 Schofield et al. Aug 2020 B2
11503253 Schofield et al. Nov 2022 B2
20010002451 Breed May 2001 A1
20020003571 Schofield et al. Jan 2002 A1
20020005778 Breed et al. Jan 2002 A1
20020011611 Huang et al. Jan 2002 A1
20020029103 Breed et al. Mar 2002 A1
20020060522 Stam et al. May 2002 A1
20020080235 Jeon Jun 2002 A1
20020113873 Williams Aug 2002 A1
20020126002 Patchell Sep 2002 A1
20020126875 Naoi et al. Sep 2002 A1
20020135468 Bos et al. Sep 2002 A1
20030040864 Stein Feb 2003 A1
20030070741 Rosenberg et al. Apr 2003 A1
20030103142 Hitomi et al. Jun 2003 A1
20030122930 Schofield Jul 2003 A1
20030125855 Breed et al. Jul 2003 A1
20030128106 Ross Jul 2003 A1
20030137586 Lewellen Jul 2003 A1
20030191568 Breed Oct 2003 A1
20030202683 Ma et al. Oct 2003 A1
20030209893 Breed et al. Nov 2003 A1
20040016870 Pawlicki et al. Jan 2004 A1
20040021947 Schofield Feb 2004 A1
20040022416 Lemelson et al. Feb 2004 A1
20040086153 Tsai et al. May 2004 A1
20040096082 Nakai et al. May 2004 A1
20040146184 Hamza et al. Jul 2004 A1
20040148063 Patchell Jul 2004 A1
20040164228 Fogg et al. Aug 2004 A1
20040200948 Bos et al. Oct 2004 A1
20050036325 Furusawa et al. Feb 2005 A1
20050073853 Stam Apr 2005 A1
20050131607 Breed Jun 2005 A1
20050219852 Stam et al. Oct 2005 A1
20050226490 Phillips et al. Oct 2005 A1
20050237385 Kosaka et al. Oct 2005 A1
20060018511 Stam et al. Jan 2006 A1
20060018512 Stam et al. Jan 2006 A1
20060050018 Hutzel et al. Mar 2006 A1
20060091813 Stam et al. May 2006 A1
20060095175 deWaal et al. May 2006 A1
20060103727 Tseng May 2006 A1
20060250224 Steffel Nov 2006 A1
20060250501 Wildmann et al. Nov 2006 A1
20070024724 Stein et al. Feb 2007 A1
20070104476 Yasutomi et al. May 2007 A1
20070109406 Schofield et al. May 2007 A1
20070115357 Stein et al. May 2007 A1
20070120657 Schofield et al. May 2007 A1
20070154063 Breed Jul 2007 A1
20070154068 Stein et al. Jul 2007 A1
20070193811 Breed et al. Aug 2007 A1
20070221822 Stein et al. Sep 2007 A1
20070229238 Boyles et al. Oct 2007 A1
20070230792 Shashua et al. Oct 2007 A1
20070242339 Bradley Oct 2007 A1
20080036576 Stein et al. Feb 2008 A1
20080043099 Stein et al. Feb 2008 A1
20080137908 Stein et al. Jun 2008 A1
20080147321 Howard et al. Jun 2008 A1
20080231710 Asari et al. Sep 2008 A1
20080234899 Breed et al. Sep 2008 A1
20080239393 Navon Oct 2008 A1
20080266396 Stein Oct 2008 A1
20090052003 Schofield et al. Feb 2009 A1
20090066065 Breed et al. Mar 2009 A1
20090113509 Tseng et al. Apr 2009 A1
20090143986 Stein et al. Jun 2009 A1
20090182690 Stein Jul 2009 A1
20090190015 Bechtel et al. Jul 2009 A1
20090201137 Weller et al. Aug 2009 A1
20090243824 Peterson et al. Oct 2009 A1
20090256938 Bechtel et al. Oct 2009 A1
20090300629 Navon et al. Dec 2009 A1
20100125717 Navon May 2010 A1
20100172547 Akutsu Jul 2010 A1
20110018700 Stein et al. Jan 2011 A1
20110219217 Sixsou et al. Sep 2011 A1
20110280495 Sixsou et al. Nov 2011 A1
20110307684 Kreinin et al. Dec 2011 A1
20120002053 Stein et al. Jan 2012 A1
20120045112 Lundblad et al. Feb 2012 A1
20120056735 Stein et al. Mar 2012 A1
20120069185 Stein Mar 2012 A1
20120105639 Stein et al. May 2012 A1
20120140076 Rosenbaum et al. Jun 2012 A1
20120200707 Stein et al. Aug 2012 A1
20120212593 Na'Aman et al. Aug 2012 A1
20120233841 Stein Sep 2012 A1
20120314071 Rosenbaum et al. Dec 2012 A1
20130135444 Stein et al. May 2013 A1
20130147957 Stein Jun 2013 A1
20130169536 Wexler et al. Jul 2013 A1
20130271584 Wexler et al. Oct 2013 A1
20130308828 Stein et al. Nov 2013 A1
20140015976 DeLine et al. Jan 2014 A1
20140033203 Dogon et al. Jan 2014 A1
20140049648 Stein et al. Feb 2014 A1
20140082307 Kreinin et al. Mar 2014 A1
20140093132 Stein et al. Apr 2014 A1
20140122551 Dogon et al. May 2014 A1
20140125799 Bos et al. May 2014 A1
20140156140 Stein et al. Jun 2014 A1
20140160244 Berberian et al. Jun 2014 A1
20140198184 Stein et al. Jul 2014 A1
Foreign Referenced Citations (499)
Number Date Country
519193 Aug 2011 AT
1008142 Jan 1996 BE
1101522 May 1981 CA
2392578 May 2001 CA
2392652 May 2001 CA
644315 Jul 1984 CH
2074262 Apr 1991 CN
2185701 Dec 1994 CN
1104741 Jul 1995 CN
2204254 Aug 1995 CN
1194056 Sep 1998 CN
1235913 Nov 1999 CN
1383032 Dec 2002 CN
102542256 Jul 2012 CN
1152627 Aug 1963 DE
1182971 Dec 1964 DE
1190413 Apr 1965 DE
1196598 Jul 1965 DE
1214174 Apr 1966 DE
2064839 Jul 1972 DE
3004247 Aug 1981 DE
3040555 May 1982 DE
3101855 Aug 1982 DE
3240498 May 1984 DE
3248511 Jul 1984 DE
3433671 Mar 1985 DE
3515116 Oct 1986 DE
3528220 Feb 1987 DE
3535588 Apr 1987 DE
3601388 Jul 1987 DE
3637165 May 1988 DE
3636946 Jun 1988 DE
3642196 Jun 1988 DE
3734066 Apr 1989 DE
3737395 May 1989 DE
3838365 Jun 1989 DE
3833022 Apr 1990 DE
3839512 May 1990 DE
3839513 May 1990 DE
3937576 May 1990 DE
3840425 Jun 1990 DE
3844364 Jul 1990 DE
9010196 Sep 1990 DE
4015927 Nov 1990 DE
3932216 Apr 1991 DE
4007646 Sep 1991 DE
4107965 Sep 1991 DE
4111993 Oct 1991 DE
4015959 Nov 1991 DE
4116255 Dec 1991 DE
4023952 Feb 1992 DE
4130010 Mar 1992 DE
4032927 Apr 1992 DE
4133882 Apr 1992 DE
4035956 May 1992 DE
4122531 Jan 1993 DE
4124654 Jan 1993 DE
4137551 Mar 1993 DE
4136427 May 1993 DE
4300941 Jul 1993 DE
4206142 Sep 1993 DE
4214223 Nov 1993 DE
4231137 Feb 1994 DE
4328304 Mar 1994 DE
4328902 Mar 1994 DE
4332612 Apr 1994 DE
4238599 Jun 1994 DE
4337756 Jun 1994 DE
4344485 Jun 1994 DE
4304005 Aug 1994 DE
4332836 Sep 1994 DE
4407757 Sep 1994 DE
4411179 Oct 1994 DE
4412669 Oct 1994 DE
4418122 Dec 1994 DE
4423966 Jan 1995 DE
4336288 Mar 1995 DE
4428069 Mar 1995 DE
4434698 Mar 1995 DE
4341409 Jun 1995 DE
4446452 Jun 1995 DE
69107283 Jul 1995 DE
4403937 Aug 1995 DE
19505487 Sep 1995 DE
19518978 Nov 1995 DE
069302975 Dec 1996 DE
29703084 Apr 1997 DE
29805142 May 1998 DE
19755008 Jul 1999 DE
19829162 Jan 2000 DE
10237554 Mar 2004 DE
000010251949 May 2004 DE
4480341 May 2005 DE
19530617 Feb 2009 DE
0048492 Mar 1982 EP
0049722 Apr 1982 EP
0072406 Feb 1983 EP
0169734 Jan 1986 EP
0176615 Apr 1986 EP
0202460 Nov 1986 EP
0340735 Nov 1989 EP
0341985 Nov 1989 EP
0348691 Jan 1990 EP
0353200 Jan 1990 EP
0354561 Feb 1990 EP
0360880 Apr 1990 EP
0361914 Apr 1990 EP
0387817 Sep 1990 EP
0426503 May 1991 EP
0433538 Jun 1991 EP
0450553 Oct 1991 EP
0454516 Oct 1991 EP
0455524 Nov 1991 EP
0459433 Dec 1991 EP
473866 Mar 1992 EP
0477986 Apr 1992 EP
0479271 Apr 1992 EP
0487100 May 1992 EP
0487332 May 1992 EP
0487465 May 1992 EP
0492591 Jul 1992 EP
0495508 Jul 1992 EP
0496411 Jul 1992 EP
0505237 Sep 1992 EP
0513476 Nov 1992 EP
0514343 Nov 1992 EP
0527665 Feb 1993 EP
529346 Mar 1993 EP
0532379 Mar 1993 EP
0533508 Mar 1993 EP
0550397 Jul 1993 EP
0558027 Sep 1993 EP
0564858 Oct 1993 EP
0567059 Oct 1993 EP
0582236 Feb 1994 EP
0586857 Mar 1994 EP
0588815 Mar 1994 EP
0590588 Apr 1994 EP
0591743 Apr 1994 EP
0602962 Jun 1994 EP
0605045 Jul 1994 EP
0606586 Jul 1994 EP
0617296 Sep 1994 EP
0626654 Nov 1994 EP
0640903 Mar 1995 EP
0642950 Mar 1995 EP
0654392 May 1995 EP
0667708 Aug 1995 EP
0677428 Oct 1995 EP
0686865 Dec 1995 EP
0687594 Dec 1995 EP
0697641 Feb 1996 EP
733252 Sep 1996 EP
0756968 Feb 1997 EP
0788947 Aug 1997 EP
0830267 Mar 1998 EP
0860325 Aug 1998 EP
0874331 Oct 1998 EP
0889801 Jan 1999 EP
0899157 Mar 1999 EP
0913751 May 1999 EP
0949818 Oct 1999 EP
1022903 Jul 2000 EP
1058220 Dec 2000 EP
1065642 Jan 2001 EP
1074430 Feb 2001 EP
1115250 Jul 2001 EP
1170173 Jan 2002 EP
1236126 Sep 2002 EP
1257971 Nov 2002 EP
1359557 Nov 2003 EP
1727089 Nov 2006 EP
1741079 Jan 2007 EP
1748644 Jan 2007 EP
1754179 Feb 2007 EP
1790541 May 2007 EP
1806595 Jul 2007 EP
1837803 Sep 2007 EP
1887492 Feb 2008 EP
1930863 Jun 2008 EP
1978484 Oct 2008 EP
2068269 Jun 2009 EP
2101258 Sep 2009 EP
2131278 Dec 2009 EP
2150437 Feb 2010 EP
2172873 Apr 2010 EP
2187316 May 2010 EP
2365441 Sep 2011 EP
2377094 Oct 2011 EP
2383679 Nov 2011 EP
2383713 Nov 2011 EP
2395472 Dec 2011 EP
2431917 Mar 2012 EP
2448251 May 2012 EP
2463843 Jun 2012 EP
2602741 Jun 2013 EP
2605185 Jun 2013 EP
2629242 Aug 2013 EP
2674323 Dec 2013 EP
2690548 Jan 2014 EP
2709020 Mar 2014 EP
2728462 May 2014 EP
2250218 Apr 2006 ES
2610401 Aug 1988 FR
2641237 Jul 1990 FR
2646383 Nov 1990 FR
2674201 Sep 1992 FR
2674354 Sep 1992 FR
2687000 Aug 1993 FR
2706211 Dec 1994 FR
2721872 Jan 1996 FR
914827 Jan 1963 GB
1000265 Aug 1965 GB
1008411 Oct 1965 GB
1054064 Jan 1967 GB
1098610 Jan 1968 GB
1106339 Mar 1968 GB
1178416 Jan 1970 GB
1197710 Jul 1970 GB
2210835 Jun 1989 GB
2233530 Jan 1991 GB
2255649 Nov 1992 GB
2261339 May 1993 GB
2262829 Jun 1993 GB
9310728 Jul 1993 GB
2271139 Apr 1994 GB
2275452 Aug 1994 GB
2280810 Feb 1995 GB
2289332 Nov 1995 GB
970014 Jul 1998 IE
102193852 Sep 2011 IN
S5539843 Mar 1980 JP
55156901 Dec 1980 JP
S5685110 Jul 1981 JP
S5871230 Apr 1983 JP
S58110334 Jun 1983 JP
58122421 Jul 1983 JP
59114139 Jul 1984 JP
59127200 Jul 1984 JP
S6047737 Mar 1985 JP
6080953 May 1985 JP
S6078312 May 1985 JP
S60206746 Oct 1985 JP
60240545 Nov 1985 JP
S60219133 Nov 1985 JP
S60255537 Dec 1985 JP
S6141929 Feb 1986 JP
S6185238 Apr 1986 JP
S61105245 May 1986 JP
S61191937 Aug 1986 JP
6079889 Oct 1986 JP
61-260217 Nov 1986 JP
S61285151 Dec 1986 JP
S61285152 Dec 1986 JP
62001652 Jan 1987 JP
S6221010 Jan 1987 JP
S6226141 Feb 1987 JP
62080143 Apr 1987 JP
S6216073 Apr 1987 JP
6272245 May 1987 JP
S62115600 May 1987 JP
S62131837 Jun 1987 JP
S62253543 Nov 1987 JP
S62253546 Nov 1987 JP
S62287164 Dec 1987 JP
63011446 Jan 1988 JP
63258236 Oct 1988 JP
63258237 Oct 1988 JP
63192788 Dec 1988 JP
6414700 Jan 1989 JP
01123587 May 1989 JP
H1168538 Jul 1989 JP
01242917 Sep 1989 JP
H01233129 Sep 1989 JP
H01265400 Oct 1989 JP
H0268237 Mar 1990 JP
02190978 Jul 1990 JP
H236417 Aug 1990 JP
H02212232 Aug 1990 JP
H2117935 Sep 1990 JP
H0314739 Jan 1991 JP
H0374231 Mar 1991 JP
03099952 Apr 1991 JP
03266739 May 1991 JP
H03246413 Nov 1991 JP
03282707 Dec 1991 JP
03282709 Dec 1991 JP
03286399 Dec 1991 JP
H03273953 Dec 1991 JP
H042909 Jan 1992 JP
04114587 Apr 1992 JP
04127280 Apr 1992 JP
04137014 May 1992 JP
H04137112 May 1992 JP
H04194827 Jul 1992 JP
04239400 Aug 1992 JP
04242391 Aug 1992 JP
H04238219 Aug 1992 JP
04250786 Sep 1992 JP
04291405 Oct 1992 JP
H04303047 Oct 1992 JP
H0516722 Jan 1993 JP
H0538977 Feb 1993 JP
0577657 Mar 1993 JP
05050883 Mar 1993 JP
H05137144 Jun 1993 JP
H05155287 Jun 1993 JP
05189694 Jul 1993 JP
H05172638 Jul 1993 JP
05213113 Aug 1993 JP
H05201298 Aug 1993 JP
05244596 Sep 1993 JP
H05229383 Sep 1993 JP
05298594 Nov 1993 JP
05313736 Nov 1993 JP
H05297141 Nov 1993 JP
06048247 Feb 1994 JP
H0640286 Feb 1994 JP
06076200 Mar 1994 JP
H0672234 Mar 1994 JP
06107035 Apr 1994 JP
06113215 Apr 1994 JP
06117924 Apr 1994 JP
06150198 May 1994 JP
H06162398 Jun 1994 JP
H06174845 Jun 1994 JP
H06191344 Jul 1994 JP
06215291 Aug 1994 JP
6227318 Aug 1994 JP
H06229739 Aug 1994 JP
H06229759 Aug 1994 JP
06247246 Sep 1994 JP
6266825 Sep 1994 JP
06267304 Sep 1994 JP
06270733 Sep 1994 JP
06274626 Sep 1994 JP
06276524 Sep 1994 JP
H06262963 Sep 1994 JP
H06267303 Sep 1994 JP
H06275104 Sep 1994 JP
06295601 Oct 1994 JP
H06289138 Oct 1994 JP
H06293236 Oct 1994 JP
05093981 Nov 1994 JP
06310740 Nov 1994 JP
06321007 Nov 1994 JP
H06324144 Nov 1994 JP
06337938 Dec 1994 JP
06341821 Dec 1994 JP
H06332370 Dec 1994 JP
072022 Jan 1995 JP
07002021 Jan 1995 JP
07004170 Jan 1995 JP
07025286 Jan 1995 JP
732936 Feb 1995 JP
07032935 Feb 1995 JP
07047878 Feb 1995 JP
07052706 Feb 1995 JP
H0737180 Feb 1995 JP
H0740782 Feb 1995 JP
H0746460 Feb 1995 JP
07069125 Mar 1995 JP
07078240 Mar 1995 JP
H0764632 Mar 1995 JP
H0771916 Mar 1995 JP
H07057200 Mar 1995 JP
H07078258 Mar 1995 JP
07105496 Apr 1995 JP
H07101291 Apr 1995 JP
H07105487 Apr 1995 JP
H07108873 Apr 1995 JP
H07108874 Apr 1995 JP
07125571 May 1995 JP
07137574 May 1995 JP
H07125570 May 1995 JP
H730149 Jun 1995 JP
H07141588 Jun 1995 JP
H07144577 Jun 1995 JP
07186818 Jul 1995 JP
07192192 Jul 1995 JP
06000927 Aug 1995 JP
H07239714 Sep 1995 JP
H07249128 Sep 1995 JP
H07280563 Oct 1995 JP
H07315122 Dec 1995 JP
H0840138 Feb 1996 JP
H0840140 Feb 1996 JP
H0843082 Feb 1996 JP
H0844999 Feb 1996 JP
H0850697 Feb 1996 JP
H08138036 May 1996 JP
08166221 Jun 1996 JP
08235484 Sep 1996 JP
H08320997 Dec 1996 JP
02630604 Apr 1997 JP
H0991596 Apr 1997 JP
10038562 Feb 1998 JP
10063985 Mar 1998 JP
H1090188 Apr 1998 JP
10134183 May 1998 JP
10171966 Jun 1998 JP
H10222792 Aug 1998 JP
10261189 Sep 1998 JP
H1123305 Jan 1999 JP
11069211 Mar 1999 JP
11078737 Mar 1999 JP
H1178693 Mar 1999 JP
H1178717 Mar 1999 JP
11250228 Sep 1999 JP
H11259634 Sep 1999 JP
11345392 Dec 1999 JP
2000016352 Jan 2000 JP
2000085474 Mar 2000 JP
2000113374 Apr 2000 JP
2000207575 Jul 2000 JP
2000215299 Aug 2000 JP
2000305136 Nov 2000 JP
2000311289 Nov 2000 JP
2001001832 Jan 2001 JP
2001092970 Apr 2001 JP
2001180401 Jul 2001 JP
2001188988 Jul 2001 JP
2001297397 Oct 2001 JP
2001351107 Dec 2001 JP
2002046506 Feb 2002 JP
200274339 Mar 2002 JP
2002079895 Mar 2002 JP
2002084533 Mar 2002 JP
2002099908 Apr 2002 JP
2002109699 Apr 2002 JP
2002175534 Jun 2002 JP
2002211428 Jul 2002 JP
2002341432 Nov 2002 JP
2003030665 Jan 2003 JP
200376987 Mar 2003 JP
200383742 Mar 2003 JP
3395289 Apr 2003 JP
2003123058 Apr 2003 JP
2003150938 May 2003 JP
2003168197 Jun 2003 JP
2003178397 Jun 2003 JP
2003217099 Jul 2003 JP
2003248895 Sep 2003 JP
2003259361 Sep 2003 JP
2003281700 Oct 2003 JP
20041658 Jan 2004 JP
2004032460 Jan 2004 JP
2004146904 May 2004 JP
2004336613 Nov 2004 JP
2004355139 Dec 2004 JP
2005182158 Jul 2005 JP
2000883510000 Mar 1995 KR
1020010018981 Oct 2002 KR
1004124340000 Mar 2004 KR
336535 Jul 1971 SE
1988009023 Nov 1988 WO
1990004528 May 1990 WO
1993000647 Jan 1993 WO
1993004556 Mar 1993 WO
1993010550 May 1993 WO
1993011631 Jun 1993 WO
1993021596 Oct 1993 WO
1994019212 Sep 1994 WO
1995018979 Jul 1995 WO
1995023082 Aug 1995 WO
1996002817 Feb 1996 WO
1996015921 May 1996 WO
1996018275 Jun 1996 WO
1996021581 Jul 1996 WO
1986005147 Sep 1996 WO
1996034365 Oct 1996 WO
1996038319 Dec 1996 WO
1997001246 Jan 1997 WO
1997029926 Aug 1997 WO
1997035743 Oct 1997 WO
1997048134 Dec 1997 WO
1998010246 Mar 1998 WO
1998014974 Apr 1998 WO
1999023828 May 1999 WO
1999043242 Sep 1999 WO
1999059100 Nov 1999 WO
2000015462 Mar 2000 WO
2001026332 Apr 2001 WO
2001039018 May 2001 WO
2001039120 May 2001 WO
2001064481 Sep 2001 WO
2001070538 Sep 2001 WO
2001077763 Oct 2001 WO
2001080068 Oct 2001 WO
2001080353 Oct 2001 WO
2002071487 Sep 2002 WO
2003065084 Aug 2003 WO
2003093857 Nov 2003 WO
2004004320 Jan 2004 WO
2004005073 Jan 2004 WO
2005098751 Oct 2005 WO
2005098782 Oct 2005 WO
2008134715 Nov 2008 WO
2013121357 Aug 2013 WO
Non-Patent Literature Citations (507)
Entry
Trainor et al., “Architectural Synthesis of Digital Signal Processing Algorithms Using ‘IRIS’”, Journal of VLSI Signal Processing Systems for Signal, Image and Video Technology, vol. 16, No. 1, 1997.
Tremblay et al., “High resolution smart image sensor with integrated parallel analog processing for multiresolution edge extraction”, Robotics and Autonomous Systems 11, pp. 231-242, with abstract, 1993.
Tribe et al., “Collision Avoidance,” Advances, Issue No. 4, May 1990.
Tribe et al., “Collision Avoidance,” Lucas International Symposium, Paris, France, 1989.
Tribe et al., “Collision Warning,” Autotech '93, Seminar 9, NEC Birmingham, UK, Nov. 1993.
Tribe, “Intelligent Autonomous Systems for Cars, Advanced Robotics and; Intelligent Machines,” Peter Peregrinus, Nov. 1994.
Trivdei et al., “Distributed Video Networks for Incident Detection and Management”, Computer Vision and Robotics Research Laboratory, 2000.
Tsugawa et al., “An automobile with artificial intelligence,” in Proc. Sixth IJCAI, 1979.
Tsugawa et al., “Vision-based vehicles in japan; machine vision systems and driving control systems”, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 41, No. 4, Aug. 1994.
Tsutsumi et al., “Vehicle Distance Interval Control Technology” Mitsubishi Electric Advance, Technical Reports, vol. 78, pp. 10-12, Mar. 1997.
Turk et al., “VITS—A Vision System for Autonomous Land Vehicle Navigation,” IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 10, No. 3, May 3, 1988.
Tzomakas and von Seelen, Vehicle Detection in Traffic Scenes Using Shadows, Internal report, Institut F?r Neuroinformatik Bochum, Internal Report 98-06.
Ulmer, “VITA II—active collision avoidance in real traffic” Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles '94 Symposium, Oct. 24-26, 1994, Abstract.
Valeo Infos News, “Valeo's revolutionary Lane Departure Warning System makes debut on Nissan Infiniti vehicles”, 04.08 found at http://www.valeo.com/cwscontent/; www.valeo.com/medias/fichiers/journalistes/en/CP/ldws_uk.pdf, Mar. 31, 2004.
Van Leeuwen et al., “Motion Estimation with a Mobile Camera for Traffic Applications”, IEEE, US, vol. 1, pp. 58-63, Oct. 3, 2000.
Van Leeuwen et al., “Motion Interpretation for In-Car Vision Systems”, IEEE, US, vol. 1, , p. 135-140, Sep. 30, 2002.
Van Leeuwen et al., “Real-Time Vehicle Tracking in Image Sequences”, IEEE, US, vol. 3, pp. 2049-2054, XP010547308, May 21, 2001.
Van Leeuwen et al., “Requirements for Motion Estimation in Image Sequences for Traffic Applications”, IEEE, pp. 354-359, XP002529773, 2000.
Van Leeuwen et al., “Requirements for Motion Estimation in Image Sequences for Traffic Applications”, IEEE, US, vol. 1, pp. 145-150, XP010340272, May 24, 1999.
Vellacott, “CMOS in Camera,” IEE Review, pp. 111-114, May 1994.
Vlacic et al., “Intelligent Vehicle Technologies, Theory and Applications”, Society of Automotive Engineers Inc., edited by SAE International, 2001.
Vosselman et al., “Road traceing by profile matching and Kalman filtering”, Faculty of Geodetic Engineering, 1995.
Wallace et al., “Progress in Robot Road-Following,” Proceedings of the 1986 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, vol. 3, pp. 1615-1621, 1986.
Wan et al., “A New Edge Detector for Obstacle Detection with a Linear Stereo Vision System”, Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles '95 Symposium, Abstract.
Wang et al., “CMOS Video Cameras”, article, 4 pages, University of Edinburgh, UK, 1991.
Wang et al., “A probabilistic method for foreground and shadow segmentation”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, Pattern Recognition, vol. 3, Oct. 2, 2003.
Wang, “Camera Calibration by Vanishing Lines for 3-D Computer Vision”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 13, No. 4, Apr. 15, 1991.
Watec WAT-660D data sheet, found at http://www.wateccameras.com/products.php?prod_id=214.
Web page at http://www.glassrack.net/potrsp1919192.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=116297830341.
Webpage: http://parts.royaloakschevy.com/showAssembly.aspx?makeName=pontiac&modelYear=1990&modelName=trans-sport&ukey_assembly=5888560&ukey_category=53643&assembly=921201mu10-009mu10-009.
Weisser et al., “Autonomous driving on vehicle test tracks: Overview, implementation and vehicle diagnosis” Intelligent Transportation Systems, pp. 62-67, Oct. 5-8, 1999, Abstract.
Wierwille et al., “Research on Vehicle-Based Driver Status/Performance Monitoring, Part III” Final Report, Sep. 1996.
Wilson, “Technology: A little camera with big ideas—The latest smart vision system,” Financial Times, Jun. 17, 1993.
Wolberg, Digital Image Warping, IEEE Computer Society Press, 1990.
Wolberg, “A Two-Pass Mesh Warping Implementation of Morphing,” Dr. Dobb's Journal, No. 202, Jul. 1993.
Wördenweber, “Driver assistance through lighting.” ESV: 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles. Report. No. 476. 2001.
Wright, “Take your hands off that car!”, Edn. vol. 42, No. 26, Dec. 18, 1997, Abstract.
Wüller et al., “The usage of digital cameras as luminance meters”, Proc. SPIE 6502, Digital Photography II, 65020U, Feb. 20, 2007; doi:10.1117/12.703205.
Wyatt et al., “Analog VLSI systems for Image Acquisition and Fast Early Vision Processing”, International Journal of Computer Vision, 8:3, pp. 217-223, 1992.
Xie et al., “Active and Intelligent Sensing of Road Obstacles: Application to The European Eureka-PROMETHEUS Project”, Fourth International Conference on Computer Vision, IEEE, 1993, Abstract.
Xu et al., “3 DOF modular eye for smart car” School of Mechanical & Production Engineering Nanyang Technologies University, Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1999. Proc., 10/May 8, 1999, pp. 501-505.
Xu et al., “Cast shadow detection in video segmentation”, Pattern Recognition Letters, vol. 26, Nov. 4, 2003.
Yadid-Pecht et al., “Wide Intrascene Dynamic Range CMOS APS Using Dual Sampling,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 44, No. 10, Oct. 1997.
Yamada et al., “Wide Dynamic Range Vision Sensor for Vehicles,” 1994 Vehicle Navigation & Information Systems Conference Proceedings, pp. 405-408, 1994.
Yazigi, “Technology: Promethean Plans for Next Generation of Cars”, The New York Times, Sep. 13, 1992.
Yee, “Portable Camera Mount”, Feb. 1986, Abstract.
Yeh et al., “Image-Based Dynamic Measurement for Vehicle Steering Control”, Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles 94 Symposium, 1994, Abstract.
Yerazunis et al. “An inexpensive, all solid-state video and data recorder for accident reconstruction” Mitsubishi Technical Report TR-99-29 (Presented at the 1999 SAE International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, MI, Mar. 3, 1999.), Apr. 24, 1999.
Yoneyama et al., “Moving cast shadow elimination for robust vehicle extraction based on 2D joint vehicle/shadow models”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Advanced Video and Signal Based Surveillance, 2003.
Yoneyama et al., “Robust vehicle and traffic information extraction for highway surveillance”, EURASIP Journal on Applied Signal Processing, pp. 2305-2321, 2005.
Young et al., “Cantata: Visual Programming Environment for the Khoros System, ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics-Special focus: modular visualization environments (MVEs)”, vol. 29, issue 2, Mar. 16, 1995.
Young et al., “Improved Obstacle Detection by Sensor Fusion”, IEEE Colloquium on “Prometheus and DRIVE”, Oct. 15, 1992, Abstract.
Yu et al., “Vehicles Recognition By Video Camera” 1995.
Yu, “Road tracking, lane segmentation and obstacle recognition by mathematical morphology,” Intelligent Vehicles '92 Symposium, Proceedings of the IEEE 1992 Conference, p. 166-172.
Zheng et al., “An Adaptive System for Traffic Sign Recognition,” IEEE Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles '94 Symposium, pp. 165-170, Oct. 1994.
Zidek, “Lane Position Tracking”, Aerospace and Electronics Conference, National Proceedings of the IEEE 1994, Abstract.
Zigman, “Light Filters to Improve Vision”, Optometry and Vision Science, vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 325-328, Apr. 15, 1992.
“Generation of Vision Technology,” published by VLSI Vision Limited, pub. date unknown.
“All-seeing screens for tomorrow's cars”, Southend Evening Echo, Oct. 4, 1991.
“CCD vs. CMOS,” Teledyne DALSA Inc., accessed at https://www.teledynedalsa.com/imaging/knowledgecenter/appnotes/ccd-vs-cmos/.
“Final Report of the Working Group on Advanced Vehicle Control Systems (AVCS)” Mobility 2000, Mar. 1990.
“How an Image Intensifier Tube Works,” PHOTONIS Group, accessed at http://www.nightvision.nl/faq-reader/how-does-an-image-intensifier-work.html.
“How does an image intensifier work?” accessed at; http://www.nightvision.nl/faq-reader/how-does-an-imageintensifier-work_html.
“Image intensified CCD high speed cameras,” Stanford Computer Optics, Inc., accessed at http://www.stanfordcomputeroptics.com/technology/iccd-systemoverview.html.
“Magic Eye on safety”, Western Daily Press, Oct. 10, 1991.
“On-screen technology aims at safer driving”, Kent Evening Post Oct. 4, 1991.
“The Electromagnetic and Visible Spectra,” Light Waves and Color—Lesson 2, accessed at http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-2/The-Electromagnetic-and-Visible-Spectra.
“Versatile LEDs Drive Machine vision in Automated Manufacture,” http://www.digikey.ca/en/articles/techzone/2012/jan/versatileleds-drive-machine-vision-in-automated-manufacture.
“Vision Systems 101: An Introduction,” Teledyne DALSA Inc., accessed at; https://www.teledynedalsa.com/imaging/products/visionsystems/vs101/.
3M, “Automotive Rear View Mirror Button Repair System”, Automotive Engineered Systems Division, Jun. 1996.
Abshire et al., “Confession Session: Learning from Others Mistakes,” 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2011.
Achler et al., “Vehicle Wheel Detector using 2D Filter Banks,” IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium of Jun. 2004.
Ackland et al., “Camera on a chip”, Digest of Technical Papers of the 42nd Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), Paper TA 1.2, 1996.
Alley, “Algorithms for automatic guided vehicle navigation and guidance based on Linear Image Array sensor data”, Masters or PhD. Thesis, Dec. 31, 1988.
Altan, “LaneTrak: a vision-based automatic vehicle steering system”, Applications in Optical Science and Engineering. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 1993, Abstract.
Amidi, “Integrated Mobile Robot Control”, M.S. Thesis, Carnegie Mellon University, May 1990.
An et al., “Aspects of Neural Networks in Intelligent Collision Avoidance Systems for Prometheus”, JFIT 93, pp. 129-135, Mar. 1993.
Arain et al., “Action planning for the collision avoidance system using neural networks”, Intelligent Vehicle Symposium, Tokyo, Japan, Jul. 1993.
Arain et al., “Application of Neural Networks for Traffic Scenario Identification”, 4th Prometheus Workshop, University of Compiegne, Paris, France, pp. 102-111, Sep. 1990.
Ashley, “Smart Cars and Automated Highways”, Mechanical Engineering 120.5 (1998): 58, Abstract.
Aufrere et al., “A model-driven approach for real-time road recognition”, Machine Vision and Applications 13, 2001, pp. 95-107.
Auty et al., “Image acquisition system for traffic monitoring applications” IS&T/SPIE's Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science & Technology. International Society for Optics and Photonics, Mar. 14, 1995.
Aw et al., “A 128 x 128 Pixel Standard-CMOS Image Sensor with Electronic Shutter,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 31, No. 12, Dec. 1996.
Ballard et al., “Computer Vision”, 1982, p. 88-89, sect. 3.4.1.
Barron et al., “The role of electronic controls for future automotive mechatronic systems”, IEEE/ASME Transactions on mechatronics 1.1, Mar. 1996, pp. 80-88.
Batavia, et al., “Overtaking vehicle detection using implicit optical flow”, Proceedings of the IEEE Transportation Systems Conference, Nov. 1997, pp. 729-734.
Batavia, “Driver-Adaptive Lane Departure Warning Systems”, The Robotics Institute Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, Sep. 20, 1999.
Bederson, “A miniature Space-Variant Active Vision System: Cortex-I”, Masters or Ph.D. Thesis, Jun. 10, 1992.
Begault, “Head-Up Auditory Displays for Traffic Collision Avoidance System Advisories: A Preliminary Investigation”, Human Factors, 35(4), Dec. 1993, pp. 707-717.
Behringer et al., “Simultaneous Estimation of Pitch Angle and Lane Width from the Video Image of a Marked Road,” pp. 966-973, Sep. 12-16, 1994.
Behringer, “Road recognition from multifocal vision”, Intelligent Vehicles' 94 Symposium, Proceedings of the. IEEE, 1994, Abstract.
Belt et al., “See-Through Turret Visualization Program”, No. NATICK/TR-02/005. Honeywell Inc., Minn, MN Sensors and Guidance Products, 2002.
Bensrhair et al., “A cooperative approach to vision-based vehicle detection” Intelligent Transportation Systems, IEEE, 2001.
Bertozzi et al., “Obstacle and lane detection on ARGO”, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 7(1):62-81, Jan. 1998, pp. 62-81.
Bertozzi et al., “Performance analysis of a low-cost solution to vision-based obstacle detection”, Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1999. Proc., Oct. 5-Aug. 1999, pp. 350-355.
Bertozzi et al., “Vision-based intelligent vehicles: State of the art and perspectives” Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 32, 2000 pp. 1-16.
Bertozzi et al., “GOLD: a parallel real-time stereo vision system for generic obstacle and lane detection”, IEEE transactions on image processing 7.1 (1998): 62-81.
Betke et al., “Real-time multiple vehicle detection and tracking from a moving vehicle”, Machine Vision and Applications, 2000.
Beucher et al., “Road Segmentation and Obstacle Detection by a Fast Watershed Transformation”, Intelligent Vehicles '94 Symposium, Proceedings of the. IEEE, 1994.
Blomberg et al., “NightRider Thermal Imaging Camera and HUD Development Program for Collision Avoidance Applications”, Raytheon Commercial Infrared and ELCAN-Texas Optical Technologies, 2000, Abstract.
Borenstein et al., “Where am I? Sensors and Method for Mobile Robot Positioning”, University of Michigan, Apr. 1996, pp. 2, 125-128.
Bosch, “CAN Specification”, Version 2.0, Sep. 1991.
Bow, “Pattern Recognition and Image Preprocessing (Signal Processing and Communications)”, CRC Press, Jan. 15, 2002, pp. 557-559.
Brackstone et al., “Dynamic Behavioral Data Collection Using an Instrumented Vehicle”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, vol. 1689, Paper 99-2535, 1999.
Brandt, “A CRT Display System for a Concept Vehicle”, SAE Paper No. 890283, published Feb. 1, 1989.
Brauckmann et al., “Towards all around automatic visual obstacle sensing for cars”, Intelligent Vehicles' 94 Symposium, Proceedings of the. IEEE, 1994.
Britell et al., “Collision avoidance through improved communication between tractor and trailer” Proceedings: International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles. vol. 1998. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1998.
Shashua et al., “Multiple View Geometry of Non-planar Algebraic Curves”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Vancouver, Canada, Jul. 2001, pp. 181-186.
Shashua et al., “Structural Saliency: the Detection of Globally Salient Structures Using a Locally Connected Network”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Tarpon Springs, Florida, pp. 321-327, Jul. 1988.
Shashua et al., “The Study of 3D-from-2D using Elimination”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Jun. 1995, Boston, MA, pp. 473-479.
Shashua et al., “Multiple-view Geometry and Photometry, In Recent Progress in Computer Vision”, Springer-Verlag, LNCS series, Invited papers of ACCV'95, Singapore Dec. 1995, 225-240, Abstract.
Shashua et al., “Multiple-view geometry of general algebraic curves”, International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV), 2004.
Shashua et al., “Multi-way Clustering Using Super-symmetric Non-negative Tensor Factorization”, Proc. of the European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Graz, Austria, May 2006.
Shashua et al., “Nonnegative Sparse PCA”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), Vancouver, Canada, Dec. 2006.
Shashua et al., “Non-Negative Tensor Factorization with Applications to Statistics and Computer Vision”, International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), Bonn, Germany, Aug. 2005.
Shashua et al., “Norm-Product Belief Propagation: Primal-Dual Message-Passing for Approximate Inference”, IEEE Trans. on Information Theory, Jun. 28, 2010.
Shashua et al., “Novel View Synthesis in Tensor Space”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 1997, pp. 1034-1040.
Shashua et al., “Off-road Path Following using Region Classification and Geometric Projection Constraints”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 2006, NY.
Shashua et al., “Omni-Rig Sensors: What Can be Done With a Non-Rigid Vision Platform?”, Workshop on Applications of Computer Vision (W ACV), pp. 174-179, Princeton, Oct. 1998, pp. 174-179.
Shashua et al., “Omni-rig: Linear Self-recalibration of a Rig with Varying Internal and External Parameters,” International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Jul. 2001, Vancouver, Canada, pp. 135-141.
Shashua et al., “On calibration and reconstruction from planar curves”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), pp. 256-270, Jun. 2000, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 256-270.
Shashua et al., “On Geometric and Algebraic Aspects of 3D Affine and Projective Structures from Perspective 2D Views”, In Applications of Invariance in Computer Vision, Springer-Verlag LNCS No. 825, 1994, 127-143.
Shashua et al., “On Photometric Issues in 3D Visual Recognition from a Single 2D Image”, International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV), 21(1/2), 1997 pp. 99-122.
Shashua et al., “On Projection Matrices Pk-P2, k = 3, 6, and their Applications in Computer Vision”, International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV), 2002, pp. 53-67.
Shashua et al., “On the Reprojection of 3D and 2D Scenes Without Explicit Model Selection”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Jun. 2000, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 468-482.
Shashua et al., “On the Structure and Properties of the Quadrifocal Tensor”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Jun. 2000, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 354-368.
Shashua et al., “pLSA for Sparse Arrays With Tsallis Pseudo-Additive, Divergence: Noise Robustness and Algorithm”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Rio, Brazil, Oct. 2007.
Shashua et al., “Principal Component Analysis Over Continuous Subspaces and Intersection of Half-spaces”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), May 2002, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 133-147.
Shashua et al., “Probabilistic Graph and Hypergraph Matching”, Conf. on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 2008, Anchorage, Alaska.
Shashua et al., “Projective Structure from Uncalibrated Images: Structure from Motion and Recognition”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (P AMI), (vol. 16(8), 1994, pp. 778-790.
Shashua et al., “Q-warping: Direct Computation of Quadratic Reference Surfaces”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (P AMI), vol. 23(8), 2001, pp. 920-925.
Shashua et al., “Relative Affine Structure: Canonical Model for 3D from 2D Geometry and Applications,” IEEE, Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (P AMI) vol. 18(9), pp. 873-883, Jun. 1994.
Shashua et al., “Relative Affine Structure: Theory and Application for 3D Reconstruction From Perspective Views,” EEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Seattle, Washington, pp. 483-489, Jun. 1994.
Shashua et al., “Revisiting Single-view Shape Tensors: Theory and Applications,” EP Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Copenhagen, DK, pp. 256-270, May 2002.
Shashua et al., “Robust Recovery of Camera Rotation from Three Frames,” IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), San Francisco, CA, pp. 796-802, Jun. 1996.
Shashua et al., “Shape Tensors for Efficient and Learnable Indexing”, Proceedings of the workshop on Scene Representations, Jun. 1995, Cambridge, MA, pp. 58-65.
Shashua et al., “ShareBoost: Efficient Multiclass Learning with Feature Sharing, Neural Information and Processing Systems (NIPS)”, Dec. 2011.
Shashua et al., “Sparse Image Coding using a 3D Non-negative Tensor Factorization”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Beijing, China, Oct. 2005.
Shashua et al., “Taxonomy of Large Margin Principle Algorithms for Ordinal Regression Problems”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), Vancouver, Canada, Dec. 2002.
Shashua et al., “Tensor Embedding of the Fundamental Matrix”, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, MA, 1998.
Shashua et al., “The Quadric Reference Surface: Applications in Registering Views of Complex 3D Objects”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), May 1994, Stockholm, Sweden, pp. 407-416.
Shashua et al., “The Quadric Reference Surface: Theory and Applications”, 1994.
Shashua et al., “The Rank 4 Constraint in Multiple (>3) View Geometry”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Apr. 1996, Cambridge, United Kingdom, pp. 196-206.
Shashua et al., “The Semi-Explicit Shape Model for Multi-object Detection and Classification”, Proc. of the European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Crete, Greece, pp. 336-349, Sep. 2010.
Shashua et al., “Threading Fundamental Matrices”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI), vol. 23(1), Jan. 2001, pp. 73-77.
Shashua et al., “Threading Kernel functions: on Bridging the Gap between Representations and Algorithms”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), Vancouver, Canada, Dec. 2004.
Shashua et al., “Time-varying Shape Tensors for Scenes with Multiply Moving Points”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern, pp. 623-630, Dec. 2001, Hawaii.
Shashua et al., “Trajectory Triangulation over Conic Sections”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Greece, 1999, pp. 330-337.
Shashua et al., “Trajectory Triangulation: 3D Reconstruction of Moving Points from a Monocular Image Sequence”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI), vol. 22(4), 2000, pp. 348-357.
Shashua et al., “Trilinear Tensor: The Fundamental Construct of Multiple-view Geometry and its Applications”, International Workshop on Algebraic Frames for the Perception Action Cycle (AFPAC97), Kiel Germany, Sep. 8-9, 1997. Proceedings appeared in Springer-Verlag, LNCS series, 1997, 190-206.
Shashua et al., “Trilinearity in Visual Recognition by Alignment”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), May 1994, Stockholm, Sweden, pp. 479-484.
Shashua et al., “Projective Depth: A Geometric Invariant For 3D Reconstruction From Two Perspective/Orthographic Views and For Visual Recognition,” International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), May 1993, Berlin, Germany, pp. 583-590.
Shashua et al., “The Quotient Image: Class Based Recognition and Synthesis Under Varying Illumination Conditions”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 1999, pp. 566-573.
Shashua et al., “The Quotient Image: Class Based Re-rendering and Recognition With Varying Illuminations”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI), vol. 23(2), 2001, pp. 129-139.
Shashua et al., “Pedestrian Detection for Driving Assistance, Systems: Single-Frame Classification and System Level, Performance”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, Jan. 1, 2004.
Shashua, “On the Relationship Between the Support Vector Machine for classification and Sparsified Fisher's Linear Discriminant,” Neural Processing Letters, 1999, 9(2): 129-139.
Shimizu et al., “A moving image processing system for personal vehicle system”, Nov. 9, 1992, Abstract.
Reexamination Control No. 90/007,519, dated Jun. 9, 2005, Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,447, issued to Schofield et al.
Reexamination Control No. 90/011,478, dated Mar. 28, 2011, Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,447, issued to Schofield et al.
Reexamination Control No. 90/007,520, dated Jun. 9, 2005, Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,331, issued to Schofield et al.
Reexamination Control No. 90/011,477, dated Mar. 14, 2011, Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,331, issued to Schofield et al.
Ritter et al., “Traffic sign recognition using colour information”, Math, Computing, Modelling, vol. 22, No. 4-7, pp. 149-161, Oct. 1995.
Ritter, “Traffic Sign Recognition in Color Image Sequences”, Institute for Information Technology, 1992, pp. 12-17.
Roberts, “Attentive Visual Tracking and Trajectory Estimation for Dynamic Scene Segmentation”, University of Southampton, PhD submission, Dec. 1994.
Rombaut et al., “Dynamic data temporal multisensory fusion in the Prometheus ProLab2 demonstrator”, IEEE Paper, 1994.
Ross, “A Practical Stereo Vision System”, The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Aug. 25, 1993.
Rowell, “Applying Map Databases to Advanced Navigation and Driver Assistance Systems”, The Journal of Navigation 54.03 (2001): 355-363.
Sahli et al., “A Kalman Filter-Based Update Scheme for Road Following,” IAPR Workshop on Machine Vision Applications, pp. 5-9, Nov. 12-14, 1996.
Salvador et al., “Cast shadow segmentation using invariant color features”, Computer Vision and Image Understanding, vol. 95, 2004.
Sanders, “Speed Racers: Study to monitor driver behavior to determine the role of speed in crashes”, Georgia Research Tech News, Aug. 2002.
Sayer et al., “The Effect Of Lead-Vehicle Size On Driver Following Behavior”, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, 2000-15, Jun. 2000.
Schneiderman et al., “Visual Processing for Autonomous Driving,” IEEE Workshop on Applications of Computer Vision, Palm Springs, CA, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 1992.
Schönfeld et al., Compact Hardware Realization for Hough Based Extraction of Line Segments in Image Sequences for Vehicle Guidance, IEEE Paper, 1993, Abstract.
Schumann et al., “An Exploratory Simulator Study on the Use of Active Control Devices in Car Driving,” No. IZF-1992-B-2. Institute for Perception RVO-TNO Soesterber (Netherlands), May 1992.
Schwarzinger et al., “Vision-based car-following: detection, tracking, and identification”, Jul. 1, 1992.
Scott, “Video Image on a Chip”, Popular Science, vol. 237, No. 3, Sep. 1991, pp. 50.
Seelen et al., “Image Processing for Driver Assistance”, 1998.
Seger et al., “Vision Assistance in Scenes with Extreme Contrast,” IEEE Micro, vol. 13, No. 1, Feb. 1993.
Shafer, “Automation and Calibration for Robot Vision Systems”, National Science Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University Research Showcase, May 12, 1988.
Shashua et al., “Two-body Segmentation from Two Perspective Views”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Hawaii, pp. 263-270, Dec. 2001, Abstract.
Shashua et al., “Direct Estimation of Motion and Extended Scene Structure from a Moving Stereo Rig”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 1998, pp. 211-218.
Shashua et al., “Illumination and View Position in 3D Visual Recognition”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, Morgan Kauffman Publishers, CA 1992 (Proc. Of NIPS '91), pp. 404-411.
Shashua et al., “Image-Based View Synthesis by Combining Trilinear Tensors and Learning Techniques”, ACM Conference on Virtual Reality and Systems (VRST), Sep. 1997, pp. 140-145.
Shashua et al., “Novel View Synthesis by Cascading Trilinear Tensors”, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. vol. 4, No. 4, Oct.-Dec. 1998.
Shashua et al., “On Degeneracy of Linear Reconstruction from Three Views: Linear Line Complex and Applications”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI), vol. 21 (3), 1999, pp. 244-251.
Shashua et al., “3D Reconstruction from Tangent-of-Sight ”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Jun. 2000, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 220-234.
Shashua et al., “A Geometric Invariant For Visual Recognition and 3D Reconstruction From Two Perspective/Orthographic Views”, Proceedings of the IEEE 2nd Qualitative Vision Workshop, Jun. 1993, New York, NY, pp. 107-117.
Shashua et al., “A Parallel Decomposition Solver for SVM: Distributed Dual Ascend using Fenchel Duality”, Conf. on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 2008, Anchorage, Alaska.
Shashua et al., “A Unifying Approach to Hard and Probabilistic Clustering”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Beijing, China, Oct. 2005.
Shashua et al., “Affine 3-D Reconstruction from Two Projective Images of Independently Translating Planes”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Jul. 2001, Vancouver, Canada, pp. 238-244.
Shashua et al., “Algebraic Functions For Recognition”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI) vol. 17(8), Jan. 1994 pp. 779-789.
Shashua et al., “Ambiguity from Reconstruction From Images of Six Points”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Jan. 1998, Bombay India, pp. 703-708.
Shashua et al., “Convergent Message-Passing Algorithms for reference over General Graphs with Convex Free Energies”, Conf. on Uncertainty in AI (UAI), Helsinki, Jul. 2008.
Shashua et al., “Doubly Stochastic Normalization for Spectral Clustering”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), Vancouver, Canada, Dec. 2006.
Shashua et al., “Duality of multi-point and multi-frame geometry: Fundamental shape matrices and tensors”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Apr. 1996, Cambridge United Kingdom, pp. 217-227.
Shashua et al., “Dynamic Pn to Pn Alignment”, In Handbook of Computational Geometry for Pattern Recognition, Computer Vision. Neuro computing and Robotics. Eduardo Bayro-Corrochano (eds.), Springer-Verlag, 2004.
Shashua et al., “Feature Selection for Unsupervised and Supervised Inference: the Emergence of Sparsity in a Weight-based Approach”, Journal of Machine Learning Research (JMLR), 6(11): 1885-1887, 2005, pp. 1885-1887.
Shashua et al., “Grouping Contours by Iterated Pairing Network”, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 3, (Proc. of NIPS '90), Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, CA, 1991, pp. 335-341.
Shashua et al., “Homography Tensors: On Algebraic Entities That Represent Three Views of Static or Moving Planar Points”, European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), Jun. 2000, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 163-177.
Shashua et al., “Join Tensors: on 3D-to-3D Alignment of Dynamic Sets”, International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR), Jan. 2000, Barcelona, Spain, pp. 99-102.
Shashua et al., “Kernel Feature Selection with Side Data using a Spectral Approach”, Proc. of the European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), May 2004, Prague, Czech Republic.
Shashua et al., “Kernel Principal Angles for Classification Machines with Applications to Image Sequence Interpretation”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Jun. 2003, Madison.
Shashua et al., “Latent Model Clustering and Applications to Visual Recognition”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Rio, Brazil, Oct. 2007.
Shashua et al., “Learning over Sets using Kernel Principal Angles”, Journal of Machine Learning Research, 2003, pp. 913-931.
Shashua et al., “Linear Image Coding for Regression and Classification using the Tensor-rank Principle”, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), Dec. 2001, Hawaii, pp. 42-49, Abstract.
Shashua et al., “Manifold Pursuit: A New Approach to Appearance Based Recognition”, International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR), Aug. 2002, Quebec, Canada.
Shashua et al., “Multi-frame Infinitesimal Motion Model for the Reconstruction of (Dynamic) Scenes with Multiple Linearly Moving Objects”, International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), Jul. 2001,, Vancouver, Canada, pp. 592-599.
Hillebrand et al., “High speed camera system using a CMOS image sensor”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium., Oct. 3-5, 1999, pp. 656-661, Abstract.
Ho et al., “Automatic spacecraft docking using computer vision-based guidance and control techniques”, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, vol. 16, No. 2 Mar.-Apr. 1993.
Hock et al., “Intelligent Navigation for Autonomous Robots Using Dynamic Vision”, XVIIth ISPRS Congress, pp. 900-915, Aug. 14, 1992.
Holst, “CCD Arrays, Cameras, and Displays”, Second Edition, Bellingham, WA: SPIE Optical Engineering Press, 1998; pp. v-xxiii, 7-12, 45-101, and 176-179, excerpts.
Honda Worldwide, “Honda Announces a Full Model Change for the Inspire.” Jun. 18, 2003.
Horprasert et al., “A Statistical Approach for Real-Time Robust Background Subtraction and Shadow Detection”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Computer vision Frame-Rate Workshop, 1999.
Hsieh et al., “Shadow elimination for effective moving object detection by Gaussian shadow modeling”, Image and Vision Computing, vol. 21, No. 6, 505-516, 2003.
Hsieh et al., “A shadow elimination method for vehicle analysis”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Pattern Recognition, vol. 4, 2004.
Hu et al., “Action-based Road Horizontal Shape Recognition”, SBA Controle & Automacao, vol. 10, No. 2, May 1999.
Huijsing, “Integrated smart sensors”, Sensors and Actuators A, vol. 30, Issues 1-2, pp. 167-174, Jan. 1992.
Hutber et al., “Multi-sensor multi-target tracking strategies for events that become invisible” BMVC '95 Proc. of the 6th British conference on Machine vision, V2, 1995, pp. 463-472.
Ientilucci, “Synthetic Simulation and Modeling of Image Intensified CCDs (IICCD)”, Master Thesis for Rochester Inst. of Tech., Mar. 31, 2000.
Ishida et al., “Development of a Driver Assistance System”, No. 2003-01-0279. SAE Technical Paper, 2002, Abstract.
Ishihara et al., “Interline CCD Image Sensor with an Anti Blooming Structure,” IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Session XIII: Optoelectronic Circuits, THPM 13.6, Feb. 11, 1982.
Ishikawa et al., “Visual Navigation of an Autonomous Vehicle Using White Line Recognition”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 1988, Abst.
Jaguar Press Releases Autumn 1991 “Jaguar Displays 21st Century Car Technologies”, Jaguar Communications & Public Affairs Dept.
Janssen et al., “Hybrid Approach For Traffic Sign Recognition”, Program for a European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety, Nov. 28, 1993.
Japanese Article “Television Image Engineering Handbook, The Institute of Television Engineers of Japan”, Jan. 17, 1981.
Jochem et al., “PANS: a portable navigation platform”, 1995 IEEE Symposium on Intelligent Vehicles, Detroit, MI, Sep. 25-26, 1995.
Jochem et al., “Life in the Fast Lane”, AI Magazine, vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 11-50, Summer 1996.
Johannes, “A New Microchip Ushers In Cheaper Digital Cameras”, The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 21, 1998, page B1.
Johnson, “Georgia State Patrol's In-Car Video System”, Council of State Governments, 1992, Abstract.
Juberts et al., “Development and Test Results for a Vision-Based Approach to AVCS.” in Proceedings of the 26th International Symposium on Automotive Technology and Automation, Aachen, Germany, Sep. 1993, pp. 1-9.
Kakinami et al., “Autonomous Vehicle Control System Using an Image Processing Sensor”, No. 950470. SAE Technical Paper, Feb. 1, 1995, Abstract.
Kan et al., “Model-based vehicle tracking from image sequences with an application to road surveillance,” Purdue University, XP000630885, vol. 35, No. 6, Jun. 1996.
Kang et al., “High Dynamic Range Video”, ACM Transactions on Graphics, vol. 22, No. 3, 2003.
Kassel, “Lunokhod-1 Soviet Lunar Surface Vehicle”, Advanced Research Projects Agency, ARPA Order No. 189-1, Dec. 9, 1971.
Kastrinaki et al., “A survey of video processing techniques for traffic applications”, Image and Computing 21, 2003.
Kehtamnavaz et al., “Traffic sign recognition in noisy outdoor scenes”, 1995.
Kehtarnavaz, “Visual control of an autonomous vehicle (BART)-the vehicle-following problem”, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, Aug. 31, 1991, Abstract.
Kemeny et al., “Multiresolution Image Sensor,” IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, vol. 7, No. 4, Aug. 1997.
Kenue et al., “LaneLok: Robust Line and Curve Fitting of Lane Boundaries”, Applications in Optical Science and Engineering, International Society for Optics and Photonics, 1993, Abstract.
Kenue, “Lanelok: Detection of Lane Boundaries and Vehicle Tracking Using Image-Processing Techniques,” SPIE Conference on Mobile Robots IV, 1989.
Kidd et al., “Speed Over Ground Measurement”, SAE Technical Paper Series, No. 910272, pp. 29-36, Feb.-Mar. 1991.
Kiencke et al., “Automotive Serial controller Area Network,” SAE Technical Paper 860391, 1986, retrieved from http://papers.sae.org/860391/, accessed Mar. 20, 2015.
Klassen et al., “Sensor Development for Agricultural Vehicle Guidance”, No. 932427. SAE Technical Paper, 1993, Abstract.
Kluge et al., “Representation and Recovery of Road Geometry in YARF,” Carnegie Mellon University, Proceedings of the IEEE, pp. 114-119, 1992.
Knipling, “IVHS Technologies Applied to Collision Avoidance: Perspectives on Six Target Crash Types and Countermeasures,” Technical Paper presented at Safety & Human Factors session of 1993 IVHS America Annual Meeting, Apr. 14-17, 1993, pp. 1-22.
Knipling et al., “Vehicle-Based Drowsy Driver Detection: Current Status and Future Prospects,” IVHS America Fourth Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, Apr. 17-20, 1994, pp. 1-24.
Koller et al., “Binocular Stereopsis and Lane Marker Flow for Vehicle Navigation: Lateral and Longitudinal Control,” University of California, Mar. 24, 1994.
Kozlowski et al., “Comparison of Passive and Active Pixel Schemes for CMOS Visible Imagers,” Proceedings of SPIE Conference on Infrared Readout Electronics IV, vol. 3360, Apr. 1998.
Krotkov, “An agile stereo camera system for flexible image acquisition”, IEEE Journal on Robotics and Automation, Feb. 18, 1988.
Kuan et al., “Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Road Following”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 10, No. 5, Sep. 1988, pp. 648-658, Abstract.
Kuehnle, “Symmetry-based recognition of vehicle rears”, Pattern Recognition Letters 12, North-Holland, 1991.
Kuhnert, “A vision system for real time road and object recognition for vehicle guidance,” in Proc. SPIE Mobile Robot Conf, Cambridge, MA, Oct. 1986, pp. 267-272.
Kweon et al., “Behavior-Based Intelligent Robot in Dynamic Indoor Environments”, Proceedings of the 1992 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Jul. 7-10, 1992.
Lasky et al., “Automated Highway Systems (AHS) Classification by Vehicle and Infrastructure”, AHMT Research Report, Jan. 25, 1994.
Leachtenauer, “Resolution requirements and the Johnson criteria revisited,” Proceedings of SPIE, Infrared Imaging Systems: Design, Analysis, Modeling and Testing XIV, vol. 5076, 2003.
LeBlanc et al., “CAPC: A Road-Departure Prevention System”, IEEE, Dec. 1996, pp. 61-71.
Lee et al., “Automatic recognition of a car license plate using color image processing”, IEEE, Nov. 16, 1994.
Broggi et al., “ARGO and the MilleMiglia in Automatico Tour”, IEEE Intelligent Systems, Jan.-Feb. 1999, pp. 55-64.
Broggi et al., “Architectural Issues on Vision-based automatic vehicle guidance: The experience of the ARGO Project”, Academic Press, 2000.
Broggi et al., “Automatic Vehicle Guidance: The Experience of the ARGO Vehicle”, World Scientific Publishing Co., 1999.
Broggi et al., “Multi-Resolution Vehicle Detection using Artificial Vision,” IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium of Jun. 14-17, 2004.
Broggi et al., “Vision-based Road Detection in Automotive Systems: A real-time expectation-driven approach”, Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 1995.
Broggi, “Robust Real-time Lane and Road Detection in Critical Shadow Conditions”, International Symposium on Computer Vision, IEEE, 1995, pp. 21-23.
Brown, “A Survey of Image Registration Techniques”, vol. 24, ACM Computing Surveys, pp. 325-376, Dec. 4, 1992.
Brown, “Scene Segmentation and Definition for Autonomous Robotic Navigation Using Structured Light Processing”, Doctoral Dissertation, University of Delaware, Army Science Conference Proceedings, Jun. 22-25, 1992, vol. 1, Dec. 31, 1988, pp. 189-203, Abstract.
Brunelli et al., “Template Matching: Matched Spatial Filters and Beyond,” Pattern Recognition, vol. 30, No. 5, 1997.
Bucher et al., “Image processing and behavior planning for intelligent vehicles”, IEEE Transactions on Industrial electronics 50.1 (2003): 62-75.
Burger et al., “Estimating 3-D Egomotion from Perspective Image Sequences”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 12, No. 11, pp. 1040-1058, Nov. 1990.
Burt et al., A Multiresolution Spline with Application to Image Mosaics, ACM Transactions on Graphics, vol. 2. No. 4, pp. 217-236, Oct. 1983.
Cardiles, “Implementation de la commande d'un vehicule electrique autonome grace a un capteur de distance et d'angle base sur une camera lineaire” IUP de Mathematiques Appliquees et Industrielles, May 8, 1998.
Carley et al., “Synthesis Tools for Mixed-Signal ICs: Progress on Frontend and Backend Strategies,” Proceedings of the 33rd Design Automation Conference, 1996.
Cartledge, “Jaguar gives cat more lives”, Birmingham Post, Oct. 10, 1991.
Cassiano et al., “Review of filtering methods in mobile vision from ground vehicles in low light conditions”, Proc. SPIE 1613, Mobile Robots VI, 322, Feb. 14, 1992.
Chapuis et al., “Road Detection and Vehicles Tracking by Vision for an On-Board ACC System in the VELAC Vehicle”, 2000.
Charkari et al., “A new approach for real time moving vehicle detection”, Proceedings of the 1993 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Yokohama, JP, Jul. 26-30, 1993.
Chern et al., “The lane recognition and vehicle detection at night for a camera-assisted car on highway”, Robotics and Automation, 2003. Proceedings. ICRA'03. IEEE International Conference on. vol. 2. IEEE, 2003, Abstract.
Chien et al., “Efficient moving object segmentation algorithm using background registration technique”, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, vol. 12., No. 7, Jul. 2002.
Clune et al., “Implementation and performance of a complex vision system on a systolic array machine”, Carnegie Mellon University, Jun. 15, 1987.
CMOS sensor page of University of Edinburgh, 2015.
Coghill, “Digital Imaging Technology 101”, Albert Theuwissen, Dalsa Corp, 2003.
Coifman et al., “A real-time computer vision system for vehicle tracking and traffic surveillance”, Transportation Research Part C 6, pp. 271-288, 1998.
Corsi, “Reconfigurable Displays Used as Primary Automotive Instrumentation”, SAE Paper No. 890282, published Feb. 1, 1989.
Crisman et al., “Color Vision for Road Following”, Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Proceedings of SPIE Conference on Mobile Robots Nov. 11, 1988, pp. 1-10, Oct. 12, 1988.
Crisman et al., “UNSCARF, A Color Vision System for the Detection of Unstructured Roads” IEEE Paper 1991.
Crisman et al., “Vision and Navigation—The Carnegie Mellon Navlab” Carnegie Mellon University, edited by Charles E. Thorpe, 1990.
Crisman, “SCARF: Color vision system that tracks roads and intersections”, IEEE, 1993.
Crossland, “Beyond Enforcement: In-Car Video Keeps Officers On The Streets”, Traffic technology international. Annual review, 1998, Abstract.
Cucchiara et al., “Vehicle Detection under Day and Night Illumination”, Proceedings of 3rd International ICSC Symposium on Intelligent Industrial Automation (IIA 99), 1999.
Cucchiara et al., “Detecting moving objects, ghosts, and shadows in video streams”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 25, No. 10, 2003.
Cucchiara et al., “Improving Shadow Suppression in Moving Object Detection with HSV Color Information”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 2001.
Curry et al., “The Lancashire telemedicine ambulance”, Journal of Telemedicine and telecare 4.4 (1998): 231-238, Dec. 1, 1998, Abstract.
Dagan et al., “Forward collision warning with a single camera”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2004.
Dally et al., “Digital Systems Engineering”, The University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1998.
Davis et al., “Road Boundary Detection for Autonomous Vehicle Navigation”, Optical Engineering, vol. 25, No. 3, Mar. 1986, pp. 409-414.
Davis, “Vision-Based Navigation for Autonomous Ground Vehicles” Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Jul. 18, 1988.
De la Escalera et al., “Neural traffic sign recognition for autonomous vehicles” IEEE, 1994.
De la Escalera et al., “Traffic sign recognition and analysis for intelligent vehicles”, Division of Systems Engineering and Automation, Madrid, Spain, 2003.
Decision—Motions—Bd. R. 125(a), issued Aug. 29, 2006 in connection with Interference No. 105,325, which Involved U.S. Appl. No. 09/441,341, filed Nov. 16, 1999 by Schofield et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,994, issued to Stam et al.
DeFauw, “A System for Small Target Detection, Tracking, and Classification, Intelligent Transportation System”, Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1999. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE/IEEJ/JSAI International Conference on. IEEE, 1999, Abstract.
Denes et al., “Assessment of driver vision enhancement technologies,” Proceedings of SPIE: Collusion Avoidance and Automated Traffic Management Sensors, vol. 2592, Oct. 1995.
Denuto et al., “LIN Bus and its Potential for use in Distributed Multiplex Applications”, SAE Technical Paper 2001-01-0072, Mar. 5-8, 2001.
Denyer et al., “On-Chip CMOS Sensors for VLSI Imaging Systems”, Dept. of Elect. Engineering, University of Edinburgh, pp. 4b1.1-4b1.5, 1991.
Dérutin et al., “Real-time collision avoidance at road-crossings on board the Prometheus-ProLab 2 vehicle”, Intelligent Vehicles' 94 Symposium, Proceedings of the. IEEE, 1994, Abstract.
Devlin, “The Eyellipse and Considerations in the Driver's Forward Field of View,” Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., Detroit, MI, Jan. 8-12, 1968.
Dickinson et al., “CMOS Digital Camera with Parallel Analog-to-Digital Conversion Architecture”, Apr. 1995.
Dickmanns et al., “A Curvature-based Scheme for Improving Road Vehicle Guidance by Computer Vision,” University of Bundeswehr München, 1986.
Dickmanns et al., “Recursive 3-D road and relative ego-state recognition,” IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 14, No. 2, Feb. 1992.
Lee, “How to Select a Heat Sink”, Electronics Cooling Magazine, Jun. 1, 1995.
Leen et al., “Digital networks in the automotive vehicle”, Dec. 1999.
Linkwitz, “High Precision Navigation: Integration of Navigational and Geodetic Methods,” Springer-Verlag, Jul. 5, 1989, Excerpt.
Lisowski et al., “Specification of a small electric vehicle: modular and distributed approach,” IEEE 1997, pp. 919-924.
Litkouhi et al., “Estimator and Controller Design for LaneTrak, a Vision-Based Automatic Vehicle Steering System,” Proceedings of the 32nd Conference on Decision and Control, San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 1993, pp. 1868-1873.
Litwiller, “CCD vs. CMOS: Facts and Fiction,” Photonics Spectra, Jan. 2001.
Liu Xianghong, “Development of a vision-based object detection and recognition system for intelligent vehicle”, 2000.
Lockwood, “Design of an obstacle avoidance system for automated guided vehicles”, Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield, Oct. 1991.
Lowenau et al., “Adaptive light control a new light concept controlled by vehicle dynamics and navigation”, SAE Technical Paper Series, Feb. 23-26, 1998.
Lu et al., “On-chip Automatic Exposure Control Technique, Solid-State Circuits Conference”, ESSCIRC '91. Proceedings—17th European (vol. 1) Abst. Sep. 11-13, 1991.
Lucas Demonstrates Intelligent Cruise Control, Detroit Feb. 27, 1995 available at; http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LUCAS+DEMONSTRATES+INTELLIGENT+CUISE+CONTR OL=a016602459.
Luebbers et al., “Video-image-based neural network guidance system with adaptive view-angles for autonomous vehicles”, Applications of Artificial Neural Networks II. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 1991, Abstract.
Lumia, “Mobile system for measuring retroreflectance of traffic signs”, Optics, Illumination, and Image Sensing for Machine Vision, Mar. 1, 1991, Abstract.
Mackey et al., “Digital Eye-Witness Systems”, Transportation Recording: 2000 and Beyond, May 3-5, 1999, 271-284.
Malik et al., “A Machine Vision Based System for Guiding Lane-change Maneuvers”, California Path Program, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Sep. 1995.
Manigel et al., “Computer control of an autonomous road vehicle by computer vision”—Industrial Electronics, Control and Instrumentation, Proceedings. IECON '91, 1991 International Conference on, p. 19-24 vol. 1, 1991.
Manigel et al., “Vehicle control by computer vision,” Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 39, Issue 3, 181-188, Jun. 1992.
Martel-Brisson et al., “Moving cast shadow detection from a Gaussian mixture shadow model”, Proceeding of IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, vol. 2, 2005.
Masaki, “Vision-based vehicle guidance”, Industrial Electronics, Control, Instrumentation, and Automation, 1992. Power Electronics and Motion Control, Proceedings of the 1992 International Conference on. IEEE, 1992.
Mason et al., “The Golem Group I UCLA Autonomous Ground Vehicle in the DARPA Grand Challenge”, Jun. 12, 2006.
Matthews, “Visual Collision Avoidance,” Oct. 1994, University of Southampton, PhD submission.
Maurer, et al., “VaMoRs-P: an advanced platform for visual autonomous road vehicle guidance”, 1995.
Maurer, “Flexible Automatisierung von StraBenfahrzeugen mit Rechnersehen” Universitat der Buneswehr Milnchen Dissertation, Jul. 27, 2000.
MC68331 User's Manual, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., 1994.
McKenna et al., “Tracking Groups of People”, Computer Vision and Image Understanding, vol. 80, p. 42-56, 2000.
McTamaney, “Mobile Robots Real-Time Intelligent Control”, FMC Corporation, Winter 1987.
Mei Chen et al., “AURORA: A Vision-Based Roadway Departure Warning System, The Robotics Institute”, Carnegie Mellon University, published, Aug. 5-9, 1995.
Mendis et al., “A 128x128 CMOS active pixel image sensor for highly integrated imaging systems”, Dec. 8, 1993.
Mendis et al., “CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 41, No. 3, Mar. 1994.
Metzler, “Computer Vision Applied to Vehicle Operation”, Paper from Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., 1988.
Mikic et al., “Moving shadow and object detection in traffic scenes”, Proceeding of IEEE International Conference on Pattern Recognition, vol. 1, 2000.
Miller, “Evaluation of vision systems for teleoperated land vehicles,” IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Jun. 28, 1988.
Mimuro et al., “Functions and Devices of Mitsubishi Active Safety ASV” Proceedings of the 1996 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, Sep. 19-20, 1996, Abstract.
Mironer et al., “Examination of Single Vehicle Roadway Departure Crashes and Potential IVHS Countermeasures,” U.S. Department of Transportation, Aug. 1994.
Miura et al., “Towards Vision-Based Intelligent Navigator: Its Concept and Prototype”, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, Jun. 2002.
Miura et al., “Towards intelligent navigator that can provide timely advice on safe and efficient driving” Intelligent Transportation Systems Proceedings, October May 8, 1999, pp. 981-986.
Mobileye N.V. Introduces EyeQTM Vision System-On-A-Chip High Performance, Low Cost Breakthrough For Driver Assistance Systems, Detroit, Michigan, Mar. 8, 2004.
Moini, “Vision Chips or Seeing Silicon,” Third Revision, Mar. 1997.
Moravec, “Obstacle Avoidance and Navigation in the Real World by a Seeing Robot Rover”, Computer Science Department, Stanford University, Ph.D. Thesis, Sep. 1980.
Morgan et al., “Road edge tracking for robot road following: a real-time implementation,” vol. 8, No. 3, Aug. 1990.
Mori et al., “Shadow and Rhythm as Sign patterns of Obstacle Detection”, Industrial Electronics, 1993. Conference Proceedings, ISIE'93-Budapest, IEEE International Symposium on. IEEE, 1993, Abstract.
Morris, “E-Z-Pass and transmit using electronic toll tags for traffic monitoring” National Traffic Data Acquisition Conference, PDF pp. 54-63, 1996, 289-298, Abstract.
Motorola Installation Guide, MVE162, Embedded Controller.
Muirhead, “Developments in CMOS Camera Technology,” The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Dec. 5, 1994.
Nadimi et al., “Physical models for moving shadow and object detection in video”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 26, No. 8, Aug. 2004.
Najm, “Comparison of alternative crash-avoidance sensor technologies”, Jan. 6, 1995, Abstract.
Nashman et al., “Real-time Visual Processing for Autonomous Driving,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Intelligent Vehicles, vol. 93, Jun. 1993, pp. 14-16.
Nathan, Digital Video Data Handling, Nasa JPL Tech Report 32-877, Pasadena, CA, Jan. 5, 1966.
National Museum of Scotland archives regarding VVL's imputer photos.
Navon, “SoC IP Qualification & Emulation Environment”, Dec. 8-9, 2004.
Dickmanns et al.; “An integrated spatio-temporal approach to automatic visual guidance of autonomous vehicles,” EEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, vol. 20, No. 6, Nov./Dec. 1990.
Dickmanns, “Vehicles Capable of Dynamic Vision”, Aug. 23, 1997.
Dickmanns, “4-D dynamic vision for intelligent motion control”, Universitat der Bundeswehr Munich, 1991.
Dickmanns et al., “The seeing passenger car 'VaMoRs-P' ”, Oct. 24, 1994.
Dingus et al., “TRAVTEK Evaluation Task C3—Camera Car Study” Final Report/ 9-92 to 5-94. Jun. 1995.
Donnelly Panoramic Vision™ on Renault Talisman Concept Car At Frankfort Motor Show, PR Newswire, Frankfort, Germany Sep. 10, 2001.
Doudoumopoulos et al., “CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Technology for High Performance Machine Vision Applications,” SME Applied Machine Vision '96—Emerging Smart Vision Sensors, Jun. 1996.
Draves, “A Video Graphics Controller for Reconfigurable Automotive Displays”, No. 970193. SAE Technical Paper Feb. 24, 1997, Abstract.
Dubrovin et al., “Application of real-time lighting simulation for intelligent front-lighting studies”, 2000 pp. 333-343.
Dubuisson-Jolly, “Vehicle segmentation and classification using deformable templates”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Mar. 1996.
Easton, “Jaguar Adapts Pilot's Night Sights for safer driving”, The Times, Sep. 28, 1991.
Eaton, “Video Incident Capture System”, Technical Memorandum, OIC General Enforcement Branch, Sep. 1991.
Eaton, “An RS-170 Camera For The Military Environment”, Proc. SPIE 0979, Airborne Reconnaissance XII, Feb. 23, 1989, Abstract.
Eid et al., “A 256 x 256 CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor,” Proceedings of SPIE: Charge-Coupled Devices and Solid State Optical Sensors V, vol. 2415, 1995.
Elwell et al., “Near Infrared Spectroscopy,” accessed at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medphys/research/borl/intro/nirs, Jan. 6, 1999.
Ernst et al., “Camera calibration for lane and obstacle detection” Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1999 pp. 356-361.
Fancher et al. “Intelligent Cruise Control Field Operational Test (Final Report)”, Final Report, vol. I: Technical Report, May 1998.
Fancher et al., “Fostering Development, Evaluation, and Deployment of Forward Crash Avoidance Systems (FOCAS)” Annual Research Report DOT HS 808 437, May 1995.
Ferryman et al., “Visual Surveillance for Moving Vehicles”, SECURE Project, 2000.
Forsyth, “A System for Finding Changes in Colour”, Oxford University, Jul. 23, 1987.
Fossum, “Active Pixel Sensors: Are CCD's dinosaurs?” Proceedings of SPIE, Charge-Coupled Devices and Solid-State Optical Sensors III, vol. 1900, 1993.
Fossum, “CMOS Active Pixel Sensor (APS) Technology for Multimedia Image Capture,” 1997 Multimedia Technology & Applications Conference (MTAC97), 1997.
Fossum, “Low power camera-on-a-chip using CMOS active pixel sensor technology”, 1995 Symposium on Low Power Electronics, San Jose, CA, Oct. 9-10, 1995.
Fowler et al., “A CMOS Area Image Sensor With Pixel-Level A/D Conversion,” Digest of Technical Papers of the 41st Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), 2001.
Franke et al., “Autonomous driving approaches downtown”, IEEE Intelligent Systems, vol. 13, Nr. 6, 1999.
French et al., “A comparison of IVHS progress in the United States, Europe, and Japan”, IVHA America, Dec. 31, 1993.
Fujimori, “CMOS Passive Pixel Imager Design Techniques”, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D. Dissertation for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Feb. 2002.
Fung et al., “Effective moving cast shadow detection for monocular color image sequences”, The 11th International Conference on Image Analysis and Processing Proceedings, Palermo, Italy, Sep. 26-28, 2001,p. 404-409.
Gat et al., “A Monocular Vision Advance Warning System for the Automotive Aftemarket”, Aftermarket SAE World Congress & Exhibition, No. 2005-01-1470. SAE Technical Paper, Jan. 1, 2005.
Gavrila et al., “Real-Time Vision for Intelligent Vehicles” IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine, Jun. 2001, pp. 22-27.
Gavrila, et al., “Real-time object detection for “smart” vehicles”, 1999.
Geary et al., “Passive Optical Lane Position Monitor” Idea Project Final Report Contract ITS-24, Jan. 15, 1996.
Gehrig, “Design, simulation, and implementation of a vision-based vehicle-following system” Doctoral Dissertation, Jul. 31, 2000.
GEM Muon Review Meeting—SSCL Abstract; GEM TN-03-433, Jun. 30, 1993.
Goesch et al., “The First Head Up Display Introduced by General Motors”, SAE Paper No. 890288, published Feb. 1, 1989.
Goldbeck et al., “Lane detection and tracking by video sensors” Intelligent Transportation Systems, 1999. Proc., Oct. 5-8, 1999.
Graefe et al., “Dynamic Vision for Precise Depth Measurement and Robot Control”, Computer Vision for Industry, Jun. 1993.
Graefe, “Vision for Intelligent Road Vehicles”, Universität de Bundeswehr Muchen, 1993, pp. 135-140.
Greene et al., Creating Raster Omnimax Images from Multiple Perspective Views Using the Elliptical Weighted Average Filter, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 6, No. 6, pp. 21-27, Jun. 1986.
Gruss et al., “Integrated sensor and range-finding analog signal processor”, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 26, No. 3, Mar. 1991.
Gumkowski et al., “Reconfigurable Automotive Display System”, SAE Paper No. 930456 to Gumkowski, published Mar. 1, 1993.
Hall, “Why I Dislike auto-Dimming Rearview Mirrors,” accessed at http://blog.consumerguide.com/why-i-dislike-autodimming-rearview-mirrors/, Dec. 21, 2012.
Hamit, “360-Degree Interactivity: New Video and Still Cameras Provide a Global Roaming Viewpoint”, Advanced Imaging, Mar. 1997, p. 50.
Haritaoglu et al., “W4: Real-Time Surveillance of People and Their Activities”, IEEE Transactions Patter Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 22, No. 8, Aug. 2000.
Hebert et al., “3-D Vision Techniques for Autonomous Vehicles”, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Carnegie Mellon University, Feb. 1, 1988.
Hebert et al., “Local Perception for Mobile Robot Navigation in Natural Terrain: Two Approaches”, The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Abstract; Workshop on Computer Vision for Space Applications, Antibes, Sep. 22,24, 1993, pp. 24-31.
Hebert, “Intelligent unmanned ground vehicles: autonomous navigation research”, Carnegie Mellon (Kluwer Academic Publishers), Boston, 1997, Excerpt.
Herbert et al., “3-D Vision Techniques for Autonomous Vehicles”, Technical Report, Carnegie Mellon University, Aug. 1988.
Hess et al., “A Control Theoretic Model of Driver Steering Behavior,” IEEE Control Systems Magazine, vol. 10, No. 5, Aug. 1990, pp. 3-8.
Hessburg et al., “An Experimental Study on Lateral Control of a Vehicle,” California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), Jan. 1, 1991.
Nguyen et al., “Obstacle detection using bi-spectrum CCD camera and image processing”, Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles '92 Symposium, Jun. 29-Jul. 1, 1992, p. 42-50.
Nixon et al., “128X128 CMOS Photodiode-Type Active Pixel Sensor With On-Chip Timing, Control And Signal Chain Electronics” 1995.
Nixon et al., “256 x 256 CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 31, No. 12, Paper FA 11.1, 1996.
No Hands Across America Journal, web page at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/˜tjochem/nhaa/Journal.html.
No Hands Across American Official Press Release web page at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/˜tjochem/nhaa/official_press_release.html.
Nolan, “Survey of Electronic Displays”, SAE Paper No. 750364, published Feb. 1, 1975.
Oldenburg, “Comments on the Autronic Eye”, 2002.
Ortega et al., “An Interactive, Reconfigurable Display System for Automotive Instrumentation”, SAE Paper No. 860173, published Mar. 1, 1986.
Otsuka, “Flat Dot Matrix Display Module for Vehicle Instrumentation”, SAE Paper No. 871288, published Nov. 8, 1987.
Pacaud et al., “Ground Speed Sensing,” Lucas International Symposium, Paris, France 1989.
Paetzold, “Interpretation of visually sensed urban environment for a self-driving car” Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Dissertation, Sep. 2000.
Page et al., “Advanced technologies for collision avoidance,” Eureka on Campus (Summer 1992).
Paradiso et al., “Wide-Range Precision Alignment for the Gem Muon System,” Oct. 1993.
Paradiso, “Application of miniature cameras in video straightness monitor systems”, Draper Laboratory, Jun. 1994.
Paradiso, “Electronics for precision alignment of the Gem Muon System”, Proceedings of the 1994 LeCroy Electronics For Future Colliders Conference, May 1994.
Parker (ed.), McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms Fifth Edition (1993).
Parnell, “Reconfigurable Vehicle”. No. 2002-01-0144. SAE Technical Paper, 2002. Xilinx WPI 53, Nov. 19, 2001.
Pelco Fixed Focal Length Lenses Product Specification, Apr. 1996.
Peng et al., “Experimental Automatic Lateral Control System for an Automobile,” California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), Jan. 1, 1992.
Peng, “Vehicle Lateral Control for Highway Automation,” Ph.D. Thesis—University of California Berkeley, 1992.
Philips Components, PCA82C200, Stand-alone CAN-controller, Jan. 22, 1991.
Philomin et al., “Pedestrain Tracking from a Moving Vehicle”, Proceedings of the IEEE, Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, IV, 2000.
Photographs evidencing a Watec WAT-660D camera and photographs evidencing the mounting bracket used for attaching the WatecWAT-660D, the model of camera which was used as the forward facing camera on Navlab 6.
Piccioli et al., “Robust road sign detection and recognition from image sequences”, 1994.
Pollard, “Evaluation of the Vehicle Radar Safety Systems' Rashid Radar Safety Brake Collision Warning System”, U.S. Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Feb. 29, 1988.
Pomerleau, “Alvinn: An Autonomous Land Vehicle in a Neural Network”, Technical Report AIP-77 Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Mar. 13, 1990.
Pomerleau, “RALPH: Rapidly Adapting Lateral Position Handler”, The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, pp. 506-511., 1995.
Pomerleau et al., “Run-Off-Road Collision Avoidance Countermeasures Using; IVHS Countermeasures TASK 3—vol. 1”, U.S. Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Final Report, Aug. 23, 1995.
Pomerleau et al., “Rapidly Adapting Machine Vision for Automated Vehicle Steering”, pp. 19-27, Apr. 30, 1996.
Pomerleau, “Run-Off-Road Collision Avoidance Using Ivhs Countermeasures”, Robotics Institute, Task 6 Interim Report, Sep. 10, 1996.
Porter et al., “Compositing Digital Images,” Computer Graphics (Proc. Siggraph), vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 253-259, Jul. 1984.
Prasad, “Performance of Selected Event Data Recorders”, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Washington, DC, Sep. 2001.
Prati et al., “Detecting moving shadows: algorithms and evaluation”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 25, Jul. 1, 2003.
Pratt, “Digital Image Processing, Passage—ED.3”, John Wiley & Sons, US, Jan. 1, 2001, pp. 657-659, XP002529771.
Priese et al., “New Results on Traffic Sign Recognition”, IEEE Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles 1994 Symposium.
Priese et al., “Traffic Sign Recognition Based on Color Image”, Universitát Koblenz-Landau, 1993, pp. 95-100.
Proceedings of the 1992 International Conference on Industrial Electronics, Control, Instrumentation, and Automation, 1992. Power Electronics and Motion Control, Date of Conference Nov. 9-13, 1992.
Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 1992-present.
Pynn et al., “Automatic identification of cracks in road surfaces” 7th International Conference on Image Processing and ts Application, CP465, Jan. 1999, pp. 671-675, Abstract.
Raboisson et al., “Obstacle Detection in Highway Environment by Colour CCD Camera and Image Processing Prototype Installed in a Vehicle”, Proceedings of the IEEE Intelligent Symposium 1994.
Raglan Tribe Video-1994; 1994; Raglan Tribe; “Robot Car Raglan Tribe” http://www.youtube.com/watch? =AILZhcnpXYI.
Ramesh et al., “Real-Time Video Surveillance and Monitoring for Automotive Applications”, SAE Technical Paper 2000-01-0347, Mar. 6, 2000, Abstract.
Ran et al., “Development of Vision-based Vehicle Detection and Recognition System for Intelligent Vehicles”, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1999 TRB Annual Meeting, Nov. 16, 1998.
Raphael et al., “Development of a Camera-Based Forward Collision Alert System”, SAE International, Apr. 12, 2011.
Rayner et al., “I-Witness Black Box Recorder” Intelligent Transportation Systems Program, Final Report for ITS-IDEA Project 84, Nov. 2001.
Redmill, “The OSU Autonomous Vehicle”, 1997.
Regensburger et al., “Visual Recognition of Obstacles on Roads”, Intelligent Robots and Systems, Elsevier, 1994.
Reichardt, “Kontinuierliche Verhaltenssteuerung eines autonomen Fahrzeugs in dynamischer Umgebung” Universitat Kaiserslautern Dissertation, Transation: Continuous behavior control of an autonomous vehicle in a dynamic environment, Jan. 1996.
Reid, “Vision-based guidance of an agriculture tractor”, IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Apr. 30, 1987, Abstract.
Reisman et al., “Crowd Detection in Video Sequences”, IEEE, Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, Jan. 1, 2004.
Shirai, “Robot Vision”, Future Generation Computer Systems, 1985.
Shladover et al., “Automatic Vehicle Control Developments in the PATH Program,” IEEE Transaction on Vehicular Technology, vol. 40, No. 1, Feb. 1991, pp. 114-130.
Shladover, “Research and Development Needs for Advanced Vehicle Control Systems,” Micro, IEEE, vol. 13, No. 1, Feb. 1993, pp. 11-19.
Shladover, “Highway Electrification and Automation,” California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), Jan. 1, 1992.
Siegle, “Autonomous Driving on a Road Network,” Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles '92 Symposium Detroit, Michigan, ISBN 0-7803-0747-X; Jun. 29-Jul. 1, 1992.
Smith et al., “An Automotive Instrument Panel Employing Liquid Crystal Displays”, SAE Paper No. 770274, published Feb. 1, 1977.
Smith et al., “Optical sensors for automotive applications”, May 11, 1992.
Smith et al., “Vision sensing for intelligent vehicle and highway systems”, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration for Intelligent Systems, Las Vegas, NV, Oct. 5, 1994.
Soatto et al., “The Golem Group/University of California at Los Angeles Autonomous Ground Vehicle in the DARPA Grand Challenge”, Journal of Field Robotics 23(8), 2006, pp. 527-553.
Solder et al., “Visual Detection of Distant Objects”, Intelligent Robots and Systems' 93, IROS'93. Proceedings of the 1993 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on. vol. 2. IEEE, 1993, Abstract.
Sole et al., “Solid or not solid: vision for radar target validation”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2004.
Sony Operating Manual CCD Color Video Camera Model: DXC-151A, 1993.
Sony Specifications Single Chip CCD Color Video Camera DXC-151A.
Sparks et al., “Multi-Sensor Modules with Data Bus Communication Capability” SAE Technical Paper 1999-01-1277, Mar. 1, 1999, doi: 10.4271/1999-01-1277, http://papers.sae.org/1999-01-1277/, Abstract.
Sridhar, “Multirate and event-driven Kalman filters for helicopter flight”, IEEE Control Systems, Aug. 15, 1993.
Standard J2284/3, “High-Speed Can (HSC) for Vehicle Applications at 500 Kbps,” issued May 30, 2001.
Stauder et al., “Detection of moving cast shadows for object segmentation”, IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, vol. 1, No. 1, Mar. 1999.
Stein et al., “A Computer Vision System on a Chip: a case study from the automotive domain”, IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 2005.
Stein et al., “Challenges and solutions for Bundling Multiple DAS Applications on a Single Hardware Platform”, Procs. VISION 2008.
Stein et al., “Direct Methods for Estimation of Structure and Motion from three views”, A.I. Memo No. 1594, MA Inst. of Tech., Nov. 1996.
Stein et al., “Internal Camera Calibration using Rotation and Geometric Shapes”, Submitted to the Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MA Inst. of Tech., Masters Thesis, M.I.T., Feb. 1993.
Stein et al., “Model-based brightness constraints: on direct estimation of structure and motion,” IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 22, Issue 9, Sep. 2000.
Stein et al., “Stereo-assist: Top-down stereo for driver assistance systems”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2010.
Stein et al., “Vision-based ACC with a single camera: bounds on range and range rate accuracy”, IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2003.
Stein et al., “A robust method for computing vehicle ego-motion”, Proceedings of the IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2000.
Stein, “Accurate Internal Camera Calibration using Rotation, with Analysis of Sources of Error”, Computer Vision, Proceedings Fifth International Conference on. IEEE, 1995.
Stein, “Geometric and photometric constraints: motion and structure from three views”, Mass. Inst. of Tech., Doctoral Dissertation, 1998.
Stein, “Lens Distortion Calibration Using Point Correspondences”, A.I. Memo No. 1595, M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Nov. 1996.
Stein, “Tracking from multiple view points: Self-calibration of space and time”, IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Jun. 1999.
Stein et al., “Monitoring Activities from Multiple Video Streams: Establishing a Common Coordinate Frame,” A.I. Memo No. 1655, M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Apr. 1999.
Steiner et al., “Future applications or microsystem technologies in automotive safety systems” Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications '98, 1998, pp. 21-42.
Stengel et al., “Intelligent Guidance for Headway and Lane Control”, Princeton University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New Jersey, 1989.
Stickford, “Candid cameras come to Park”, Grosse Pointe News, Mar. 7, 1996.
Stiller et al., “Multisensor obstacle detection and tracking”, Image and Vision Computing 18, Elsevier, 2000, pp. 389-396.
Sukthankar, “RACCOON: A Real-time Autonomous Car Chaser Operating Optimally at Night”, Oct. 1992.
Sun et al., “On-road vehicle detection using optical sensors: a review”, 2004.
Sun et al., “A Real-time Precrash Vehicle Detection System”, 2002.
Szeliski, Image Mosaicing for Tele-Reality Applications, DEC Cambridge Research Laboratory, CRL 94/2, May 1994.
Taktak et al., “Vehicle detection at night using image processing and pattern recognition”, Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, 1994.
Taylor, “CCD and CMOS Imaging Array Technologies: Technology Review,” Xerox Research Centre Europe, Technical Report EPC-1998-106, 1998.
Thomanek et al., “Multiple object recognition and scene interpretation for autonomous road vehicle guidance” Oct. 1994.
Thomas, “Real-time vision guided navigation”, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Jan. 31, 1991, Abstract.
Thongkamwitoon et al., “An adaptive real-time background subtraction and moving shadows detection”, Proceeding of EEE International Conference on Multimedia and Expo. vol. 2, 2004.
Thorpe et al., “Perception for Outdoor Navigation First Year Report”, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Carnegie Mellog University, Dec. 31, 1990.
Thorpe, “Vision and Navigation for the Carnegie-Mellon Navlab”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 10, No. 3, May 1998.
Thorpe, “1988 Year End Report for Road Following at Carnegie Mellon”, Carnegie Mellon University, May 31, 1989.
Thorpe et al., “Toward autonomous driving: the CMU Navlab. I. Perception”, IEEE Paper, Aug. 1991.
Thorpe et al., “The 1997 Automated Highway Free Agent Demonstration”, 1997 pp. 496-501, 1997.
Tokimaru et al., “CMOS Rear-View TV System with CCD Camera”, National Technical Report vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 329-336, Jun. 1988 (Japan).
Toyota Motor Corporation, “Present and future of safety technology development at Toyota.” 2004.
Related Publications (1)
Number Date Country
20230072196 A1 Mar 2023 US
Provisional Applications (4)
Number Date Country
60644903 Jan 2005 US
60642227 Jan 2005 US
60607963 Sep 2004 US
60562480 Apr 2004 US
Continuations (22)
Number Date Country
Parent 16947459 Aug 2020 US
Child 18054968 US
Parent 16665068 Oct 2019 US
Child 16947459 US
Parent 16413688 May 2019 US
Child 16665068 US
Parent 16252870 Jan 2019 US
Child 16413688 US
Parent 16166338 Oct 2018 US
Child 16252870 US
Parent 16025023 Jul 2018 US
Child 16166338 US
Parent 15953648 Apr 2018 US
Child 16025023 US
Parent 15675921 Aug 2017 US
Child 15953648 US
Parent 15463296 Mar 2017 US
Child 15675921 US
Parent 15249557 Aug 2016 US
Child 15463296 US
Parent 14942089 Nov 2015 US
Child 15249557 US
Parent 14678146 Apr 2015 US
Child 14942089 US
Parent 14467296 Aug 2014 US
Child 14678146 US
Parent 14082577 Nov 2013 US
Child 14467296 US
Parent 13689796 Nov 2012 US
Child 14082577 US
Parent 13335125 Dec 2011 US
Child 13689796 US
Parent 13107318 May 2011 US
Child 13335125 US
Parent 12979499 Dec 2010 US
Child 13107318 US
Parent 12856737 Aug 2010 US
Child 12979499 US
Parent 12606476 Oct 2009 US
Child 12856737 US
Parent 12429605 Apr 2009 US
Child 12606476 US
Parent 11105757 Apr 2005 US
Child 12429605 US