Method for Recognizing Image Artifacts, Control Device for Carrying Out a Method of this Kind, Recognition Device Having a Control Device of this Kind and Motor Vehicle Having a Recognition Device of this Kind

Abstract

A method for recognizing image artifacts in a chronological sequence of recordings recorded by means of a lighting device and an optical sensor is disclosed. A difference movement field is obtained by removing from a movement field all movement field vectors to be expected due to inherent movement of a lighting device and an optical sensor. The movement field vectors in the difference movement field are combined into one or more objects according to at least one grouping criterion. The objects in the image are classified as plausible or as implausible pursuant to a movement plausibility test. An object classified as implausible is recognized as an image artifact.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A method for recognizing image artifacts in a chronological sequence of recordings recorded by means of a lighting device and an optical sensor, comprising: shifting the lighting device and the optical sensor by means of an inherent movement; controlling the lighting device and the optical sensor in a manner chronologically coordinated with each other; recording at least two recordings following one after the other with the optical sensor by means of the chronologically coordinated control; calculating a movement field having movement vectors of the at least two recordings following one after the other is calculated; obtaining a difference movement field by removing from the movement field all movement field vectors to be expected due to the inherent movement; combining the movement field vectors into one or more objects in the image in the difference movement field according to at least one grouping criterion; and classifying the objects in the image as plausible or as implausible pursuant to a movement plausibility test; and recognizing as an image artifact an object of the one or more objects in the image classified as implausible.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: selecting the at least one grouping criterion from a group consisting of: a spatial proximity and a vector similarity criterion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the movement plausibility test is carried out by means of a neural network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the recognized image artifacts are verified by means of a LIDAR system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the recognized image artifacts are verified by means of a radar system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the recognized image artifacts are verified by means of an additional optical sensor.

16. A system, comprising: a control device configured to execute the method of claim 10.

17. A recognition device, comprising: the lighting device; the optical sensor, and a control device configured to execute the method of claim 10.

18. A motor vehicle, comprising: the recognition device of claim 17.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle with an exemplary embodiment of a recognition device, and

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a recording that has been recorded within the scope of an embodiment of the method by an optical sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1, with an exemplary embodiment of a recognition device 3. The recognition device 3 has a lighting device 5 and an optical sensor 7. The recognition device 3 additionally has a control device 9 (here only depicted schematically) that is operatively connected (in a manner not explicitly depicted) to the lighting device 5 and the optical sensor 7 in order to control them respectively. A lighting frustum 11 of the lighting device 5 and an observation region 13 of the optical sensor 7 is in particular depicted in FIG. 1. A visible distance region 15 that is a partial quantity of the observation region 13 of the optical sensor 7 is also depicted in a cross-hatched manner.

[0033] An object 17 is arranged in the visible distance region 15.

[0034] A beginning 19 and an end 21 of the visible distance region 15 is also illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0035] The control device 9 is in particular equipped to carry out an embodiment of a method for recognizing image artifacts described in more detail in the following.

[0036] The lighting device 5 and the optical sensor 7 are here controlled in a manner chronologically coordinated with each other, wherein a visible distance region 15 in the observation region 13 is given from the chronological coordination of the control of the lighting device 5 and the optical sensor 7. A chronological sequence of recordings of the visible distance region 15 is recorded with the optical sensor 7 using the coordinated control.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a recording 23 of a chronological sequence of recordings of this kind in an image plane of the optical sensor 7. Movement field vectors 25 of a road 26, a first object 17′ in the image and a second object 27 in the image are here schematically depicted as arrows in FIG. 2. Only one arrow is provided with a reference numeral in order to provide a clear presentation. The movement field vectors 25 of the road 26 correspond to an expected movement field that occurs due to an inherent movement of the lighting device 5 and the optical sensor 7. The first object 17′ in the image is furthermore the image of the object 17 on the object side. The second object 27 in the image is depicted as a reflection of the object 17 on the object side. The movement field vectors 25 of the first object 17′ in the image are similar—in direction and length—to the movement field vectors 25 of the road 26. The movement field vectors 25 of the first object 17′ in the image thus correspond to the expected movement field. The movement field vectors 25 of the second object 27 in the image differ clearly in direction and length from the movement field vectors 25 of the road 26, and thus also from the expected movement field. A difference movement field thus consists of the movement field vectors 25 of the second object 27 in the image. The movement field vectors 25 in the difference movement field are preferably combined into the second object 27 in the image and its movement by means of spatial proximity and vector similarity in the image. The movement field vectors 25 of the second object 27 in the image depict an upward movement and an increase in object size that is not depicted in FIG. 2. A movement plausibility test classifies this behavior—upward movement and increase in size—as implausible. The second object 27 in the image is thus recognized as an image artifact.