| CPC B60W 60/001 (2020.02) [B60K 35/00 (2013.01); G06V 20/588 (2022.01); B60K 35/23 (2024.01); B60K 35/28 (2024.01); B60K 2360/175 (2024.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A detection system for a host vehicle, comprising:
a polarimetric camera configured to collect polarized image data, the polarized image data forming an imaged drive scene inclusive of a road surface illuminated by the Sun;
a global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver operable for outputting a present location of the host vehicle as a date and time-stamped coordinate set;
a compass configured to provide a directional heading of the host vehicle; and
an electronic control unit (“ECU”) in communication with the camera, the GPS receiver, and the compass, wherein the ECU is configured to:
determine a location of the Sun relative to the host vehicle and the camera using an input data set, the input data set including the present location of the host vehicle and the directional heading of the host vehicle from the GPS receiver and the compass, respectively;
detect a specular reflecting area on the road surface within the imaged drive scene using the polarized image data and the location of the Sun, wherein the specular reflecting area forms an output data set, and wherein the ECU is configured to detect the specular reflecting area by:
detecting that an image pixel in the polarized image data is not specular if a delta value is small, the delta value being an absolute value of a difference between an estimated angle of linear polarization (AoLP) and a measured AoLP;
selectively applying a light reflecting and scattering model that assumes a dominant light source is located along a straight line extending in front of the host vehicle;
recalculating the delta value as a recalculated delta value using the light reflecting and scattering mode; and
confirming that the image pixel corresponds to the specular reflecting area when the recalculated delta value is close to zero; and
execute a control action aboard the host vehicle in response to the output data set.
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