IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
- an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of time-series images from two or more cameras which are mounted on an own vehicle and have a common visual field;
a road surface area detection unit configured to detect a road surface area from the plurality of images, and to set a neighboring area, which is an area closer to the own vehicle than a preset distance, a neighboring road surface area, which is an area in which the road surface area overlaps the neighboring area, and a distant area, which is an area farther away than the neighboring area, in each of the plurality of images;
a feature point detection unit configured to detect feature points from within each of the neighboring road surface area and distant area in each of the plurality of images;
a three-dimensional information calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a disparity between the plurality of images, three-dimensional position information of each of the feature points in the plurality of images;
a lane marker information acquisition unit configured to detect a lane marker existing on a road surface from each of the plurality of images, and to estimate, based on three-dimensional position information of the lane marker in the neighboring road surface area, by extending the lane marker to the distant area, a lateral direction and a depth direction position of the extended lane marker in the distant area;
a distant area edge segment detection unit configured to detect an edge segment which is a collection of feature points having a certain length or more, from the feature points in the distant area in each of the plurality of images, and calculate three-dimensional position information of the edge segment; and
a distant area road incline estimation unit configured to estimate, based on the three-dimensional position information of the edge segment, and on the extended lane marker information, a road incline in the distant area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Three-dimensional position information of each of feature points in a left and a right image is calculated based on a disparity between the left and right images; a lane marker existing on a road surface is detected from each of the left and right images; based on three-dimensional position information of a lane marker in a neighboring road surface area, by extending the lane marker to a distant area, a lateral direction position, and a depth direction position, of the extended lane marker in the distant area are estimated; an edge segment of a certain length or more is detected from feature points in the distant area in each of a plurality of images; three-dimensional position information of the edge segment is calculated; and, based on the three-dimensional position information of the edge segment, and on the extended lane marker information, a road incline in the distant area is estimated.
39 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
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an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of time-series images from two or more cameras which are mounted on an own vehicle and have a common visual field; a road surface area detection unit configured to detect a road surface area from the plurality of images, and to set a neighboring area, which is an area closer to the own vehicle than a preset distance, a neighboring road surface area, which is an area in which the road surface area overlaps the neighboring area, and a distant area, which is an area farther away than the neighboring area, in each of the plurality of images; a feature point detection unit configured to detect feature points from within each of the neighboring road surface area and distant area in each of the plurality of images; a three-dimensional information calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a disparity between the plurality of images, three-dimensional position information of each of the feature points in the plurality of images; a lane marker information acquisition unit configured to detect a lane marker existing on a road surface from each of the plurality of images, and to estimate, based on three-dimensional position information of the lane marker in the neighboring road surface area, by extending the lane marker to the distant area, a lateral direction and a depth direction position of the extended lane marker in the distant area; a distant area edge segment detection unit configured to detect an edge segment which is a collection of feature points having a certain length or more, from the feature points in the distant area in each of the plurality of images, and calculate three-dimensional position information of the edge segment; and a distant area road incline estimation unit configured to estimate, based on the three-dimensional position information of the edge segment, and on the extended lane marker information, a road incline in the distant area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An image processing method comprising:
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acquiring a plurality of time-series images from two or more cameras which are mounted on an own vehicle and have a common visual field; detecting a road surface area from the plurality of images, and setting a neighboring area, which is an area closer to the own vehicle than a preset distance, a neighboring road surface area, which is an area in which the road surface area overlaps the neighboring area, and a distant area, which is an area farther away than the neighboring area, in each of the plurality of images; detecting feature points from within each of the neighboring road surface area and distant area in each of the plurality of images; calculating, based on a disparity between the plurality of images, three-dimensional position information of each of the feature points in the plurality of images; detecting a lane marker existing on a road surface from each of the plurality of images, and estimating, based on three-dimensional position information of the lane marker in the neighboring road surface area, by extending the lane marker to the distant area, a lateral direction and a depth direction position of the extended lane marker in the distant area; detecting an edge segment which is a collection of feature points having a certain length or more, from the feature points in the distant area in each of the plurality of images, and calculating three-dimensional position information of the edge segment; and estimating, based on the three-dimensional position information of the edge segment, and on the extended lane marker information, a road incline in the distant area.
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9. A program product stored in a computer readable medium, comprising instructions of:
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acquiring a plurality of time-series images from two or more cameras which are mounted on an own vehicle and have a common visual field; detecting a road surface area from the plurality of images, and setting a neighboring area, which is an area closer to the own vehicle than a preset distance, a neighboring road surface area, which is an area in which the road surface area overlaps the neighboring area, and a distant area, which is an area farther away than the neighboring area, in each of the plurality of images; detecting feature points from within each of the neighboring road surface area and distant area in each of the plurality of images; calculating, based on a disparity between the plurality of images, three-dimensional position information of each of the feature points in the plurality of images; detecting a lane marker existing on a road surface from each of the plurality of images, and estimating, based on three-dimensional position information of the lane marker in the neighboring road surface area, by extending the lane marker to the distant area, a lateral direction, and a depth direction position, of the extended lane marker in the distant area; detecting an edge segment which is a collection of feature points having a certain length or more, from the feature points in the distant area in each of the plurality of images, and calculating three-dimensional position information of the edge segment; and estimating, based on three-dimensional position information of the edge segment, and on extended lane marker information, a road incline in the distant area.
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Specification