METHOD FOR EXAMINING SHOOTING DIRECTION OF CAMERA APPARATUS, DEVICE THEREOF AND STRUCTURE FOR INSTALLING SENSOR

• US 20080036866A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Keiichi Murakami, Yoshio Tozawa, Yoshiyuki Sogawa
• Inventors: Murakami, Keiichi, Sogawa, Yoshiyuki, Tozawa, Yoshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/187
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/00 Systems for determining distance or velocity not using reflection or reradiation position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0096 Synchronisation or controlling aspects

Abstract

In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A test device for examining the shooting direction of a camera apparatus installed on a vehicle, comprising:

a camera apparatus attached to a body of the vehicle and outputs a photographed image by photographing a situation ahead of the vehicle;

processing unit for superimposing a specific judgment pattern on a specific position of said photographed image; and

display device for displaying said photographed image, wherein said camera apparatus photographs a test chart placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with a specific reference pattern drawn on the test chart during a test;

said processing unit performs the superimposition operation on said photographed image during the test; and

said display device displays the position of said reference pattern on said photographed image and the position of said judgment pattern in a manner that they are compared with each other during the test.

12. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit superimposes said judgment pattern having at least one judgment reference line extending in a horizontal direction and at least one judgment reference line extending in a vertical direction on said photographed image.

13. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the onboard camera apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said display device is a navigation display provided in a navigation device.

17. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said reference pattern is at least one of a crisscross pattern and a rectangular pattern.

21. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said camera apparatus is a stereo camera apparatus.

14. A test device for examining the shooting direction of an onboard camera apparatus attached to a body of a vehicle, comprising:

a camera apparatus attached to the vehicle body and outputting a photographed image by photographing a situation ahead of the vehicle; and

test unit for examining the shooting direction of said camera apparatus based on a photographed image obtained by photographing with said camera apparatus a test chart placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with a specific reference pattern drawn on the test chart during a test;

wherein said test unit determines the position of said reference pattern on said photographed image, and wherein said test unit judges that the shooting direction of said camera apparatus is proper when the position of said reference pattern determined falls within a proper range defining a range appropriate for the shooting direction of said camera apparatus, and said test unit judges that the shooting direction of said camera apparatus is improper when the position of said reference pattern falls outside said proper range.

15. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said test unit evaluates a correlation of each of specific regions in said photographed image with a previously prepared specific brightness characteristics pattern and specifies the position of one of said regions having the greatest correlation as the position of said reference pattern;

and

said brightness characteristics pattern has the same brightness characteristics as said reference pattern shown on said photographed image.

16. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said test unit evaluates the correlation of each of specific regions existing in a specific search range within said photographed image with said brightness characteristics pattern;

and

the setting position of said search range is determined based on the position of said reference pattern shown on said photographed image under conditions where said camera apparatus is properly mounted, and the area of said search range is set in consideration of a deviation of the shooting direction of said camera apparatus.

18. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 14, comprising:

a mounting member;

wherein said camera apparatus is attached to the vehicle body via said mounting member; and

wherein said test unit outputs instructional information concerning adjustment of the mounting of said camera apparatus according to the amount of a deviation of said reference pattern relative to said proper range when the position of said reference pattern deviates from said proper range.

19. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said mounting member is a replaceable member being independent of said camera apparatus wherein the shooting direction of said camera apparatus is determined by the shape of said mounting member;

and

said test unit selects a mounting member having such a shape for minimizing the amount of deviation of said reference pattern from a plurality of previously prepared mounting members having different shapes, and outputs the instructional information concerning said selected mounting member.

20. The test device for examining the shooting direction of the camera apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said mounting member is a plate-like member having a tapered shape in cross section along the shooting direction, and the vertical component of the shooting direction of said camera apparatus is determined by said tapered shape.

22. A structure for mounting an onboard sensor, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring traffic conditions ahead of a vehicle;

a sensor assembly for assembling said sensor; and

a mounting member formed independently of said sensor assembly,

wherein said sensor assembly is attached to a vehicle body via

said mounting member, and a monitoring direction of said sensor

is determined based on the shape of said mounting member.

24. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein said mounting member is a plate-like member and the monitoring direction of said sensor is determined by a state of the thickness of said mounting member.

25. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 24, wherein said mounting member has a tapered shape in cross section along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the vertical component of the monitoring direction of said sensor is determined by said tapered shape.

26. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein the monitoring direction of said sensor is adjusted by replacing said mounting member with another mounting member having a different shape.

27. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein a contact surface between said mounting member and said sensor assembly disagrees the horizontal plane under conditions where said sensor is attached to the vehicle body.

28. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein comprising:

a fixing member for fixing said sensor assembly to the vehicle body;

wherein said mounting member is independent of said sensor assembly when said fixing member is removed under conditions where said sensor assembly is fixed to the vehicle body.

29. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein said mounting member is replaced with another mounting member having a slightly different shape;

and

each mounting member is marked with an identification mark indicating features of shape of said mounting member.

30. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 29, wherein a location of said identification mark is placed is an externally unascertainable location under conditions where said sensor is attached to the vehicle body.

31. The structure for mounting the onboard sensor according to claim 22, wherein said sensor assembly is a stereo camera assembly.

23. A structure for mounting an onboard sensor, comprising:

a mounting member;

a sensor assembly attached to a vehicle body via said mounting member; and

a sensor for monitoring traffic conditions ahead of the vehicle, said sensor being assembled into said sensor assembly,

wherein said mounting member is replaced by removing said sensor assembly, and a monitoring direction of said sensor is determined based on the shape of said mounting member.