US 11,910,099 B2
Real-time HDR video for vehicle control
Willie C. Kiser, Albuquerque, NM (US); Nora Tocci, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Michael D. Tocci, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to Contrast, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed by Contrast, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/840,108.
Application 17/840,108 is a continuation of application No. 16/745,864, filed on Jan. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,375,135.
Application 16/745,864 is a continuation of application No. 15/670,229, filed on Aug. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,554,901, issued on Feb. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/372,527, filed on Aug. 9, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0311926 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 5/235 (2006.01); H04N 9/67 (2023.01); H04N 5/225 (2006.01); H04N 9/76 (2006.01); H04N 9/04 (2006.01); H04N 5/232 (2006.01); H04N 9/07 (2006.01); H04N 9/73 (2023.01); G02B 27/10 (2006.01); G02B 27/14 (2006.01); G06V 20/58 (2022.01); B60R 1/00 (2022.01); H04N 23/741 (2023.01); H04N 23/10 (2023.01); H04N 23/12 (2023.01); H04N 23/45 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/88 (2023.01); H04N 23/698 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06T 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 23/741 (2023.01) [B60R 1/00 (2013.01); G02B 27/106 (2013.01); G02B 27/1066 (2013.01); G02B 27/144 (2013.01); G06V 20/58 (2022.01); G06V 20/582 (2022.01); H04N 9/67 (2013.01); H04N 9/76 (2013.01); H04N 23/10 (2023.01); H04N 23/12 (2023.01); H04N 23/45 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/698 (2023.01); H04N 23/88 (2023.01); B60R 2300/102 (2013.01); B60R 2300/30 (2013.01); G05D 1/0246 (2013.01); G06T 1/20 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An HDR system comprising:
an HDR camera comprising a plurality of image sensors coupled to a processing device, wherein the HDR camera is operable to stream pixel values from each of the plurality of image sensors in a frame-independent manner through a pipeline on the processing device, wherein the pipeline includes
a synchronization module that synchronizes the pixel values, and
a kernel operation that identifies saturated pixel values and
a merge module to merge the pixel values to produce a real-time HDR video; and
a processing system configured to communicate with the HDR camera and a control system of a vehicle, wherein the processing system is operable to determine, based on the HDR video, a characteristic of a feature in the vehicle's environment and to issue to the control system an instruction that directs a change in the operation of the vehicle based on the characteristic.