OBJECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM WITH FLAT CARRIER MEDIUM FOR ARRANGING ON A DEVICE

Abstract

An object recognition system includes a two-dimensional carrier medium which can be disposed on a component in a vehicle interior. The carrier medium is configured as a light guide, and a coupling-in region and a coupling-out region are disposed on the carrier medium. Light from a surrounding area is coupled into the carrier medium via the coupling-in region, is transmitted to the coupling-out region by internal reflection, and is coupled out of the carrier medium. The object recognition system further includes an image capturing device to capture the light that is coupled out and provides the light coupled out of the carrier medium in a form of image data. The object recognition system further includes an evaluation device to capture an object in the surrounding area based on the image data, to recognize the object based on an object recognition criterion, and to provide object data describing the object.

Claims

1.-9. (canceled)

10. An object recognition system, comprising: a two-dimensional carrier medium configured as a light guide, and on which a coupling-in region and a coupling-out region are disposed, wherein the coupling-in region is configured as a holographic element including a first deflection structure configured to couple light that is incident from a surrounding area on the first deflection structure into the two-dimensional carrier medium, the two-dimensional carrier medium is configured to transmit the light coupled into the two-dimensional carrier medium from the coupling-in region by internal reflection to the coupling-out region, and the coupling-out region is configured as a holographic element including a second deflection structure configured to couple light transmitted to the coupling-out region via the two-dimensional carrier medium that is incident on the second deflection structure, out of the two-dimensional carrier medium; an image capturing device configured to capture the light that is coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium via the coupling-out region, and to provide the light coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium in a form of image data which correlates with the light coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium; and an evaluation device configured to capture an object in the surrounding area based on the image data, to recognize the object based on an object recognition criterion, and to provide object data describing the recognized object.

11. The object recognition system as claimed claim 10, wherein the coupling-in region includes at least one optical grating as the first deflection structure, and the coupling-out region includes at least one optical grating as the second deflection structure.

12. The camera apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one optical grating of the coupling-in region includes a surface holographic grating or a volume holographic grating, and the at least one optical grating of the coupling-out region includes the surface holographic grating or the volume holographic grating.

13. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two-dimensional carrier medium is configured as a transparent plate, film, or lacquer.

14. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine the object data describing the recognized object, and the object data includes a spatial position of the object in relation to a reference point of the object recognition system and/or a three-dimensional shape of the object.

15. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine the object data describing the recognized object by photogrammetry.

16. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: a light source configured to emit a light signal into the surrounding area, wherein the light signal emitted by the light source is coupled into the two-dimensional carrier medium through a light signal coupling-in region, then guided through the two-dimensional carrier medium by internal reflection, and output to the surrounding area at a light signal coupling-out region, and the evaluation device is configured to effect, based on the light signal emitted by the light source and output to the surrounding area, an improvement of the image data and/or the object recognition.

17. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light signal includes infrared light and/or a specified light pattern.

18. The object recognition system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coupling-in region and the coupling-out region are formed as one piece with the two-dimensional carrier medium, or the two-dimensional carrier medium is formed as a separate element from the coupling-in region and the coupling-out region.

19. A motor vehicle, comprising: a vehicle interior; and an object recognition system, including: a two-dimensional carrier medium configured as a light guide, and on which a coupling-in region and a coupling-out region are disposed, wherein the coupling-in region is configured as a holographic element including a first deflection structure configured to couple light that is incident from a surrounding area on the first deflection structure into the two-dimensional carrier medium, the two-dimensional carrier medium is configured to transmit the light coupled into the two-dimensional carrier medium from the coupling-in region by internal reflection to the coupling-out region, and the coupling-out region is configured as a holographic element including a second deflection structure configured to couple light transmitted to the coupling-out region via the two-dimensional carrier medium that is incident on the second deflection structure out of the two-dimensional carrier medium, an image capturing device disposed in the vehicle interior and configured to capture the light that is coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium via the coupling-out region, and to provide the light coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium in a form of image data which correlates with the light coupled out of the two-dimensional carrier medium, and an evaluation device configured to capture an object in the surrounding area based on the image data, to recognize the object based on an object recognition criterion, and to provide object data describing the object.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the two-dimensional carrier medium is disposed at at least one of the following positions: in a screen of a display apparatus in the vehicle interior, in a rear-view mirror in the vehicle interior, in a center console in the vehicle interior, in a dashboard in the vehicle interior, in an instrument cluster in the vehicle interior, in a windshield of the motor vehicle, in a side window of the motor vehicle, in a roof window of the motor vehicle, and between two A pillars of the motor vehicle.

21. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the object recognition system includes at least two capturing devices disposed at respectively different positions in the vehicle interior.

22. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the image capturing device is oriented toward a volume of the vehicle interior and/or toward a surrounding area of the motor vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the example embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0041] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a capturing device of an object recognition system; and

[0042] FIG. 2 includes schematic illustrations of a vehicle interior of a motor vehicle with an object recognition system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to example embodiments, the examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0044] The embodiments discussed below are example embodiments. In the example embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features that should be considered independently of one another and also develop the disclosure in each case independently of one another. The disclosure is therefore also intended to include combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those illustrated. Furthermore, the described embodiments may also be supplemented by further features that have already been described.

[0045] In the drawings, identical reference signs each denote elements of identical function.

[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a capturing device 10 for an object recognition system 30 (illustrated with the reference 30 in FIG. 2). The capturing device 10 includes a carrier medium 12 and an image capturing device 11. The carrier medium 12 is embodied in the form of a two-dimensional carrier medium 12, specifically as a transparent plate, film, or lacquer. This two-dimensional carrier medium 12 is designed to be arranged on a unit, for example in a vehicle interior 42 (illustrated with the reference sign 42 in FIG. 2). The carrier medium 2 is moreover embodied in the form of a light guide, on which a coupling-in region 16 and a coupling-out region 18 are provided.

[0047] The coupling-in region 16 is embodied in the form of a holographic element 14 with a first deflection structure 20, which is designed to couple light 100 that is incident from a surrounding area on the first deflection structure 20 into the carrier medium 12. The carrier medium 12 is embodied to transmit the coupled-in light 100 from the coupling-in region 16 to the coupling-out region 18 by internal reflection. The coupling-out region 18 is likewise embodied in the form of a holographic element 14 and with a second deflection structure 22, which is designed to couple the transmitted light 100 that is incident on the second deflection structure 22 out of the two-dimensional carrier medium 12. The image capturing device 11 is embodied to capture the light 100 that is coupled out and to provide it in the form of image data that correlate with the captured light 100.

[0048] The coupling-in region 16 and the coupling-out region 18 have at least one optical grating as the respective deflection structure 20, 22, which grating is embodied for example in the form of a volume holographic grating or a surface holographic grating. The coupling-in region 16 and the coupling-out region 18 are additionally formed in one piece with the carrier medium 12. Alternatively, the carrier medium 12 is embodied as a separate element from the coupling-in region 16 and the coupling-out region 18.

[0049] FIG. 2 illustrates the vehicle interior 42 of a motor vehicle 40. The object recognition system 30, which in this example includes three capturing devices 10, is located therein. These capturing devices 10 are arranged in a center console 44, in a rear-view mirror 46, and in a dashboard 48 of the motor vehicle 40. In addition to the respective capturing devices 10 and the respective at least one image capturing device 11, the object recognition system 30 includes a central evaluation device 32. The evaluation device 32 is embodied to capture, taking into account the image data provided by the respective image capturing devices 11, an object 36 in the surrounding area, to recognize the captured object 36, taking into account an object recognition criterion, and to provide object data describing the recognized object 36. The provided object data that can be determined are for example a spatial position of the captured object 36 in relation to a reference point of the object recognition system 30 and/or a three-dimensional shape of the captured object 36. This can be done for example by use of photogrammetry. The object 36 that can be captured here by the object recognition system 30 is for example a driver of the motor vehicle 40. The object 36 is therefore drawn in the form of a driver in FIG. 2.

[0050] The respective image capturing device 11 can be arranged, for example, at a lateral region of the respective capturing device 10. However, as is shown in the example of the capturing device 10 in the rear-view mirror 46, it can be arranged in a lateral frame of the unit on which the two-dimensional carrier medium 12 is arranged, which means that it is not visible to the driver.

[0051] The object recognition system 30 additionally includes a light source 34, which is designed to emit a light signal into the surrounding area, that is to say into the vehicle interior 42. The light signal can be emitted for example in the form of infrared light, i.e. as an infrared light signal and/or in the form of a specified light pattern. The evaluation device 32 is designed to effect, based on the captured light signal that has been reflected in the surrounding area, an improvement of the image data and/or the object recognition. The light source 34 may be arranged in relation to the capturing device 10 such that the light signal emitted by the light source 34 is coupled into the carrier medium 12 through a light signal coupling-in region, is guided through the carrier medium 12 by internal reflection, and emerges into the surrounding area at a light signal coupling-out region. The light signal coupling-in region is here for example the same as the coupling-out region 18, and the light signal coupling-out region is the same as the coupling-in region 16. The light signal coupling-out region is marked in FIG. 2 by way of example with a cross 35.

[0052] Alternative positions at which the at least one capturing device 10 can be arranged in the vehicle interior 42 may include: in a screen of a display apparatus in the vehicle interior 42, in an instrument cluster, in a wind-shield, in a side window, between two A pillars of the motor vehicle 40.

[0053] The object recognition system 30 may include at least two capturing devices 10, that is to say for example, as in the described example, three capturing devices 10. The latter are arranged at respectively different positions in the vehicle interior 42.

[0054] Overall, the examples show how recognition of objects 36 in a vehicle interior 42 can be provided by the object recognition system described herein. For this purpose, a holographic optical element (HOE) is used for recognizing the objects 36 in the vehicle interior 42. The object recognition system 30 that is designed as described herein can be arranged inconspicuously in an application strip, that is to say for example in the center console 44, in the dashboard 48, or in the instrument cluster, or on the screen of the display apparatus in the vehicle interior 42, in the windshield, in a side window, and/or on the rear-view mirror 46. The object recognition system 30 serves for recognizing objects 36. In addition to the installation possibilities, another advantage here is that a beam path, that is to say the beam path of the light 100, is kept parallel and thus shading or distortions can be prevented. Furthermore, the light signal from the light source 34 can be input into the carrier medium 12 and be coupled out of it in the direction of the surrounding area in order to utilize an improvement in the recording quality achievable thereby in the image data determination and/or the object recognition. A further advantage arises from the use of a variety of illumination types in order to ascertain from which material an article is made and/or what temperature or what surface properties the article has. For example, a light signal of infrared light is suitable for such purposes.

[0055] This may be achieved by positioning a holographic optical element in the center console, the dashboard, the screen of the display apparatus, the instrument cluster, and/or the rear-view mirror 46 in order to ultimately be able to capture and evaluate the objects 36 brought along by the driver and even the driver as the object 36. Here, a plurality of views from different perspectives are advantageous because these can be used for the reconstruction, for example via photogrammetry. It is also possible for a variety of systems to be combined in order to make possible simultaneous capturing of an object 36 in the vehicle interior 42 or, for example, to track the movement of the object 36 through the vehicle interior 42. To improve capturing, further light sources 34 or capturing methods using for example light patterns or infrared light can be used. These also allow capturing of high-quality image data and object data even if the vehicle interior 42 is dark or a strong stray light in the vehicle interior 42 is observed.

[0056] A description has been provided with reference to various examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B, and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004). That is the scope of the expression “at least one of A, B, and C” is intended to include all of the following: (1) at least one of A, (2) at least one of B, (3) at least one of C, (4) at least one of A and at least one of B, (5) at least one of A and at least one of C, (6) at least one of B and at least one of C, and (7) at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C. In addition, the term “and/or” includes a plurality of combinations of relevant items or any one item among a plurality of relevant items. That is, the scope of the expression or phrase “A and/or B” includes all of the following: (1) the item “A”, (2) the item “B”, and (3) the combination of items “A and B”.