US 12,112,550 B2
Systems and methods for traffic light detection
Lubing Zhou, Clementi (SG); Jiong Yang, Jurong West (SG); and Ankit Dhall, Zurich (CH)
Assigned to Motional Ad LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by MOTIONAL AD LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/129,661.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/958,065, filed on Jan. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0211568 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. G06V 20/58 (2022.01); G06V 10/25 (2022.01); G08G 1/0962 (2006.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 23/743 (2023.01)
CPC G06V 20/584 (2022.01) [G06V 10/25 (2022.01); G08G 1/09623 (2013.01); H04N 23/71 (2023.01); H04N 23/743 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
capturing a first image using a sensor coupled to an autonomous vehicle;
obtaining, using a processing circuit, a location of the autonomous vehicle at the time the first image was captured;
obtaining, using the processing circuit, a location of a traffic light;
selecting, using the processing circuit, a first portion of the first image that includes the traffic light based on the obtained location of the traffic light and the obtained location of the autonomous vehicle;
determining an orientation of a plurality of traffic lights in the first portion of the first image based on a shape of light emanating from each of the plurality traffic lights;
identifying the traffic light from the plurality of traffic lights based on the determined orientations;
determining, using the processing circuit, a first state of the identified traffic light based on the first portion of the first image;
capturing a second image including the traffic light using the sensor;
selecting a second portion of the second image, wherein a first ratio of a height of the traffic light in the first image to a height of the first portion of the first image is the same as a second ratio of a height of the traffic light in the second image to a height of the second portion of the second image;
determining, using the processing circuit, a second state of the identified traffic light based on the second portion of the second image; and
operating, by a control circuit, the autonomous vehicle in accordance with the first state and the second state of the identified traffic light.