Single-camera distance estimation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for determining a distance to an obstacle from a camera mounted to an automobile, the method comprising:
- tracking a plurality of image features across two or more successive images captured by the camera;
when an average of a ground motion estimate is above a threshold,generating top-view images by transforming the camera images to appear to have been taken from above, anddetermining a ground motion estimate based on vertical motion of a plurality of the tracked image features that are in a lower half of the top-view images;
identifying a plurality of the tracked plurality of image features as offground features based on the ground motion estimate and respective motion of the plurality of image features tracked across two or more of the top-view images, each of the plurality of identified off-ground features corresponding to at least a portion of an object above or below a ground surface;
calculating for each of the plurality of off-ground features of the plurality of image features a distance from the portion of the object corresponding to the respective off-ground feature to the camera based on motion of the respective off-ground feature in the top-view image and the ground motion estimate.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for estimating distances to objects or features are described. The distance estimation tracks features across images captured from a single camera mounted to an automobile and determines features that are off-ground. Features are tracked based on a ground motion estimate and respective motion of the features tracked across two or more successive images. For each off-ground feature a distance to the camera is calculated based on motion of the feature in the images captured by the camera projected to a ground-plane and the ground motion estimate.
8 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for determining a distance to an obstacle from a camera mounted to an automobile, the method comprising:
-
tracking a plurality of image features across two or more successive images captured by the camera; when an average of a ground motion estimate is above a threshold, generating top-view images by transforming the camera images to appear to have been taken from above, and determining a ground motion estimate based on vertical motion of a plurality of the tracked image features that are in a lower half of the top-view images; identifying a plurality of the tracked plurality of image features as offground features based on the ground motion estimate and respective motion of the plurality of image features tracked across two or more of the top-view images, each of the plurality of identified off-ground features corresponding to at least a portion of an object above or below a ground surface; calculating for each of the plurality of off-ground features of the plurality of image features a distance from the portion of the object corresponding to the respective off-ground feature to the camera based on motion of the respective off-ground feature in the top-view image and the ground motion estimate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18)
-
-
7. A processor for executing instructions stored in memory, the processor for determining a distance to an obstacle from a camera mounted to an automobile, the instructions configuring the processor to:
-
generate top-view images from camera images by transforming the camera images to appear to have been taken from above; track a plurality of image features across two or more successive top-view images when an average of a ground motion estimate for the top-view images is above a threshold; determine the ground motion estimate based on motion of a plurality of the tracked image features across the two or more successive top-view images; identify a plurality of the tracked plurality of image features as off-ground features based on the ground motion estimate and respective motion of the plurality of image features tracked across the two or more successive top-view images, each of the plurality of identified off-ground features corresponding to at least a portion of an object above or below a ground surface; and for each of the plurality of off-ground features of the plurality of image features, calculate a distance from the portion of the object corresponding to the respective off-ground feature to the camera based on motion of the respective off-ground feature in the top view images and the ground motion estimate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16)
-
-
14. A system for determining a distance to an obstacle, the system comprising:
-
a camera to be mounted to an automobile; a memory for storing instructions; and a processor for executing instructions, the processor for determining a distance to an obstacle from the camera when mounted to the automobile, the instructions configuring the system to; track a plurality of image features across two or more successive images; once a predetermined number of the plurality of image features are tracked and there is at least a predetermined amount of displacement between the plurality of tracked image features in the two or more successive images; determine a ground motion estimate based on motion of the plurality of tracked image features being tracked across the two of the successive images; identify a plurality of the tracked plurality of image features as offground features based on the ground motion estimate and respective motion of the plurality of image features tracked across two or more successive images, each of the plurality of identified off-ground features corresponding to at least a portion of an object above or below a ground surface; and for each of the plurality of off-ground features of the plurality of image features, calculate a distance from the portion of the object corresponding to the respective off-ground feature to the camera based on motion of the respective off-ground feature in the images captured by the camera projected to a ground-plane and the ground motion estimate.
-
Specification