Field recognition apparatus, method for field recognition and program for the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A field recognition apparatus for use in a movable body comprising:
- a first imaging unit disposed on the movable body for imaging a field in a proximity of the movable body;
a second imaging unit disposed on the movable body for imaging a road surface that is traveled by the movable body, wherein the second imaging unit has a light axis pointing downward in comparison to the light axis of the first imaging unit;
a movement detection unit for detecting an optical flow of a characteristic point on the road surface based on an image of the road surface derived from the second imaging unit, wherein the optical flow of the characteristic point is used to determine a movement parameter that specifies the movement of the movable body; and
an obstacle detection unit for calculating three-dimensional data of a position and a shape of an obstacle based on the movement parameter derived from the movement detection unit and the image derived from the first imaging unit.
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Abstract
A field recognition apparatus includes a first camera for imaging a forward field and a second camera for imaging a road surface. The second camera has a light axis tilted toward a downward direction for accurately tracking a characteristic point in consecutively captured images to calculate an optical flow and for accurately recognizing road structure information. In this manner, three dimensional information of obstacles in a field is accurately processed and detected.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A field recognition apparatus for use in a movable body comprising:
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a first imaging unit disposed on the movable body for imaging a field in a proximity of the movable body; a second imaging unit disposed on the movable body for imaging a road surface that is traveled by the movable body, wherein the second imaging unit has a light axis pointing downward in comparison to the light axis of the first imaging unit; a movement detection unit for detecting an optical flow of a characteristic point on the road surface based on an image of the road surface derived from the second imaging unit, wherein the optical flow of the characteristic point is used to determine a movement parameter that specifies the movement of the movable body; and an obstacle detection unit for calculating three-dimensional data of a position and a shape of an obstacle based on the movement parameter derived from the movement detection unit and the image derived from the first imaging unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A field recognition method for recognizing an obstacle in a proximity of a movable body in terms of a position and a shape in a three-dimensional space based on images derived from a first imaging unit for imaging a field in the proximity of the movable body and a second imaging unit with a light axis aligned downward relative to the light axis of the first imaging unit for imaging a road surface that is traveled by the movable body, the method comprising:
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detecting an optical flow of a characteristic point on the road surface based on the image of the road surface derived from the second imaging unit, wherein the optical flow of the characteristic point is used to determine a movement parameter that specifies the movement of the movable body; and calculating three-dimensional data of the position and the shape of the obstacle based on the movement parameter derived from a preceding step and the image derived from the first imaging unit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A program recorded on a retrievable medium for a procedure of field recognition by a computer, the program for use in a movable body comprising:
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step of providing a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit; step of detecting an optical flow of a characteristic point on a road surface based on an image of the road surface derived from a second imaging unit, wherein the optical flow of the characteristic point is used to determine a movement parameter that specifies the movement of the movable body; and step of calculating three-dimensional data of a position and a shape of the obstacle based on the movement parameter derived from the movement detection in a preceding step and an image derived from a first imaging unit, wherein the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit are provided on the movable body, the first imaging unit images a field in the proximity of the movable body, and the second imaging unit with a light axis aligned downward relative to the light axis of the first imaging unit for imaging a road surface that is traveled by the movable body. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification