Image processing system

• US 20070291989A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Hisao, Baba, Kozo, Tafuku, Akiyoshi, Tohno, Masatoshi, Omi, Tadao, Katagiri, Taku
• Granted Patent: US 8,077,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation

Abstract

Using an on-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle to view the face of a driver as an imaging object, an image processing system judges the presence/absence of the imaging object in the image. An average luminance of an image when light of a particular wavelength is irradiated in an imaging direction is compared to an average luminance of an image imaged when no light is irradiated. When the difference between the average luminance values is equal to a reference value or less, it is judged that the imaging object is absent in the image by imaging.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An image processing method of detecting a particular imaging object from images imaged by an image processing device that includes an imaging part and an irradiating part, comprising:

irradiating light by the irradiating part in an imaging direction of said imaging part;

by the image processing device, comparing an irradiated image imaged when light is irradiated in the imaging direction by the irradiating part with a non-irradiated image imaged when no light is irradiated in the imaging direction by the irradiating means; and

by the image processing device, judging presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of a result of the comparing of the irradiated image and the non-irradiated image.

12. The image processing method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising acquiring each luminance of the images imaged by the imaging part,

wherein the step of comparing includes comparing the luminance of the irradiated image with the luminance of the non-irradiated image, and

wherein the step of judging includes judging that the imaging object is absent when the difference between the luminance of the irradiated image and the luminance of the non-irradiated image is less than a reference value.

13. The image processing method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the luminance is an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part.

14. The image processing method as set forth in claim 11, wherein a step of judging includes judging the presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of an absolute luminance derived from an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part, an irradiation condition of the irradiating part, and an imaging condition of the imaging part.

15. The image processing method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

judging possibility of detection of the particular imaging object from the image imaged by the imaging, part,

preventing the steps of comparing and the judging from being performed when the particular imaging object is detected.

16. An image processing system including an imaging part, an irradiating part for irradiating light in a direction in which the imaging part images, and an image processing device for detecting a particular imaging object from a image imaged by the imaging part, wherein

the image processing device comprises:

a comparing part for comparing an irradiated image imaged when light is irradiated by the irradiating means with a non-irradiated image imaged when no light is irradiated by the irradiating part; and

a judging part for judging presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of a result of the comparison of the irradiated image with the non-irradiated image by the comparing part.

17. The image processing system as set forth in claim 16,

wherein the image processing device further comprises a part for acquiring a luminance of the image imaged by the imaging part,

wherein the comparing part compares the luminance of the irradiated image with the luminance of the non-irradiated image both imaged by the imaging part;

and

wherein the judging part judges that the imaging object is absent when the difference between the luminance of the irradiated image and the luminance of the non-irradiated image is less than a reference value.

18. The image processing system as set forth in claim 17, wherein each luminance is an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part.

19. The image processing system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the image processing device further comprises a judging part for judging the presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of an absolute luminance derived from an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part, an irradiation condition of the irradiating part, and an imaging condition of the imaging part.

20. The image processing system as set forth in claim 16,

wherein the image processing device further comprises a detection part for judging possibility of detection of the particular imaging object from the image imaged by the imaging part, and

wherein both the comparing part and the judging part are prevented from being activated when the particular imaging object is detected.

21. An image processing device for detecting a particular imaging object from an image imaged by an imaging part, comprising:

an irradiating part which irradiates light in an imaging direction of the imaging part;

a comparing part which compares an irradiated image imaged when light is irradiated by the irradiating part with a non-irradiated image imaged when no light is irradiated by the irradiated means; and

a judging part which judges presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of a result of the comparison of the irradiated image with the non-irradiated image.

22. An image processing device as set forth in claim 21, further comprising an acquiring part which acquires a luminance of the image imaged by the imaging part,

wherein the comparing part compares the luminance of the irradiated image with the luminance of the non-irradiated image imaged by the imaging part, and

wherein the judging part judges that the imaging object is absent when the difference between the luminance of the irradiated image and the luminance of the non-irradiated image is less than a reference value.

23. The image processing device as set forth in claim 22, wherein each luminance is an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part.

24. The image processing device as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a judging part which judges the presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging part on the basis of an absolute luminance derived from an average luminance of pixels constituting the image imaged by the imaging part, an irradiation condition of the irradiating part, and an imaging condition of the imaging part.

25. The image processing device as set forth in claim 21,

further comprising a judging part which judges possibility of detection of the particular imaging object from the image imaged by the imaging part,

wherein both the comparing part and the judging part are prevented from being activated when the particular imaging object is detected.

26. An image processing which detects a particular imaging object from images imaged by an imaging unit, comprising:

an irradiation unit that irradiates light in an imaging direction of the imaging unit; and

a controller that is connected to both the imaging unit and the irradiation unit and is capable of performing the following operations of;

comparing an irradiated image imaged when light is irradiated in the imaging direction by the irradiation unit with a non-irradiated image imaged when no light is irradiated in the imaging direction by the irradiation unit; and

judging presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging unit on the basis of a result of the comparison of the irradiated image and the non-irradiated image.

27-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program that when executed causes a computer to perform a method that detects a particular imaging object from images imaged by the imaging unit, the computer being available to be connected with an imaging unit and an irradiation unit which irradiates light in a direction in which the imaging unit images, said method comprising:

comparing an irradiated image imaged when light is irradiated by the irradiation unit with a non-irradiated image imaged when no light is irradiated by the irradiation unit; and

judging presence/absence of the imaging object in the image imaged by the imaging unit on the basis of a result of the comparison between the irradiated image and the non-irradiated image.

30. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 29,

further comprising acquiring a luminance of the image imaged by the imaging unit,

wherein said comparing includes causing the computer to compare the luminance of the irradiated image with the luminance of the non-irradiated image imaged by the imaging unit, and

wherein said judging includes causing the computer to judge that the imaging object is absent when the difference between the luminance of the irradiated image and the luminance of the non-irradiated image is less than a reference value.