Patent ID: 8811664
Filing Date: 2014-08-19
Classification: G06K,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for vehicle occupancy detection using a single band infrared imaging system operating at a pre-defined wavelength range of the electromagnetic spectrum, the method comprising: capturing an infrared image of a vehicle intended to be processed for human occupancy detection, said image being captured with a single band infrared camera, said image comprising a plurality of pixels each having a reflectance value; identifying a candidate sub-image in said captured infrared image; dividing said candidate sub-image into at least two distinct sections such that one of said sections is likely to contain a driver of said vehicle; adjusting said cumulative occurrence fraction value to compensate for a reduced area of said section containing said driver relative to said candidate sub-image; forming a cumulative histogram using reflectance values of pixels in said section containing said driver; determining a threshold reflectance value from said cumulative histogram using said adjusted cumulative occurrence fraction value; differentiating at least one human occupant in said section of said vehicle containing said driver by comparing reflectance values of pixels in said section containing said driver against said threshold reflectance value; and differentiating human occupants, if any are present, from the interior of said vehicle, in the remaining sections, using said threshold reflectance value determined from said section containing said driver.