Obstacle detection apparatus and a method therefor
First Claim
1. An obstacle detection apparatus using an image sensor installed on a movable object, comprising:
- an image input unit configured to input an image sequence captured by the image sensor;
a velocity detector to derive a plurality of velocity vectors representing motions of at least one to-be-detected point and at least one to-be-compared point on each picture of the image sequence;
a predictive velocity vector calculator to calculate a predictive velocity vector of the to-be-detected point using a detected velocity vector of the to-be-compared point;
an obstacle detector to detect the to-be-detected point as a point on an obstacle when a horizontal component of a detected velocity vector of the to-be-detected point is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a given threshold; and
an obstacle information output unit to configured to output information on the to-be-detected point detected as the point of the obstacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An obstacle detection apparatus includes an image input unit inputting a image sequence captured by an image sensor, a velocity detector deriving velocity vectors representing motions of a to-be-detected point and a to-be-compared point on each image of the image sequence, a predictive velocity vector calculator calculating a predictive velocity vector of the to-be-detected point using a detected velocity vector of the to-be-compared point, an obstacle detector detecting the to-be-detected point as a point on the obstacle when a horizontal component of a detected velocity vector of the to-be-detected point is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a given threshold, and an obstacle information output unit outputting information on the to-be-detected point detected as the obstacle.
62 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An obstacle detection apparatus using an image sensor installed on a movable object, comprising:
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an image input unit configured to input an image sequence captured by the image sensor;
a velocity detector to derive a plurality of velocity vectors representing motions of at least one to-be-detected point and at least one to-be-compared point on each picture of the image sequence;
a predictive velocity vector calculator to calculate a predictive velocity vector of the to-be-detected point using a detected velocity vector of the to-be-compared point;
an obstacle detector to detect the to-be-detected point as a point on an obstacle when a horizontal component of a detected velocity vector of the to-be-detected point is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a given threshold; and
an obstacle information output unit to configured to output information on the to-be-detected point detected as the point of the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An obstacle detection apparatus using an image sensor installed on a movable object, comprising:
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an image input unit configured to input a image sequence captured by the image sensor;
a velocity detector to derive a plurality of velocity vectors representing motions of a plurality of to-be-detected points and a plurality of to-be-compared points on each picture of the image sequence;
a predictive velocity vector calculator to calculate a predictive velocity vector of each of the to-be-detected points using a detected velocity vector of each of the to-be-compared points;
an obstacle detector to detect each of the to-be-detected point as a point on a corresponding obstacle when a horizontal component of a detected velocity vector of each of the to-be-detected points is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a given threshold; and
an obstacle information output unit to configured to output information on the to-be-detected points each detected as the point of the corresponding obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An obstacle detection method comprising:
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inputting an image sequence captured by an image sensor installed in a vehicle;
deriving at least one to-be-detected velocity vector representing movement of at least one to-be-detected point on each picture of the image sequence;
calculating a predictive velocity vector of the to-be-detected point using a to-be-compared velocity vector of a to-be-compared point;
determining that the to-be-detected point is a point on an obstacle, when a horizontal component of the to-be-detected velocity vector is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a threshold; and
outputting information on the to-be-detected point determined as the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A program stored in a computer readable medium for detecting an obstacle ahead of a vehicle, comprising:
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means for instructing a computer to input an image sequence captured by an image sensor installed in a vehicle;
means for instructing the computer to derive at least one to-be-detected velocity vector representing movement of at least one to-be-detected point on each picture of the image sequence;
means for instructing the computer to calculate a predictive velocity vector of the to-be-detected point using a to-be-compared velocity vector of a to-be-compared point;
means for instructing the computer to determine that the to-be-detected point is a point on an obstacle, when a horizontal component of the to-be-detected velocity vector is larger than a horizontal component of the predictive velocity vector by a threshold; and
means for instructing the computer to output information on the to-be-detected point determined as the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification