Patent attributes
A passive infra-red pedestrian and animal detection and avoidance system and method for augmenting the operation of a vehicle on a roadway, especially for identifying potential pedestrian/vehicular and/or animal/vehicular collision danger for the vehicle in operation and adjusting the position and operation of the vehicle accordingly, includes at least one passive infra-red sensor array mounted on the vehicle in operative communication with an image processor tied into the operational system of the vehicle. The system detects, using thermal imaging and processing, the presence of people or animals that may be in or laterally crossing into the travel lane of the vehicle. The image processor analyzes the detection of a human thermal signature and/or an animal thermal signature, and determines if the detected thermal signature is moving, in what direction and at what speed, to assess any potential threat to the pedestrian, biker or occupant of the vehicle, and further whether any responsive action needs to be triggered in the vehicle's operation to avoid a collision.
