3D Traffic Sign Tracking Using a Particle Filter

In recent years, there was much activity in the development of camera based active safety systems to aid and to support the driver of a car. One application for such a system is the detection and classification of traffic signs. An important aspect of such a system is the tracking of traffic signs. We present a novel algorithm to track traffic signs in 3D using a single monochrome camera. The algorithm allows to use the constraint that the observed movement on the image plane is entirely caused by the host car movement, which is partially known from internal sensors. The usage of the sensor information improves the tracking process and allows a robust rejection of false positive detections. We also present a way to incorporate a shape cue directly from the image plane into the tracking process. First tests show good results in practice and indicate, that this kind of tracking makes a very valuable addition to a traffic sign detection system.