Patent Document ID: 8436902
Application ID: 12674925
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for image-based weather condition detection, using image processing methods in moving vehicles comprising a driving assistant system, the method comprising: detecting road weather conditions by: identifying a group of bright pixels in video images produced by an image-based road characterization, and determining whether said bright pixels are caused by reflections due to one selected from a group consisting of rainfall, snowfall, a wet surface, or a snowy surface, wherein falling snow is detected by a proximity of the group of bright pixels to each other, and wherein the proximity is evaluated using a histogram of nearest distances between bright pixels, wherein the proximity of the group of bright pixels is evaluated by calculating which fraction of bright pixels of a total number of bright pixels is near enough to another bright pixel to qualify as road markings, wherein: a ratio of Number ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ bright ⁢ ⁢ pixels ⁢ ⁢ near ⁢ ⁢ enough ⁢ ⁢ to ⁢ ⁢ another ⁢ ⁢ bright ⁢ ⁢ pixel Number ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ bright ⁢ ⁢ pixels ⁢ ⁢ total close to a value of 1.0 indicates that the group of bright pixels have nearby neighbors and are a part of road markings, and wherein the ratio close to a value of 0.0 indicates none of the group of bright pixels have nearby neighbors and are a result of snow.