Vehicle Vicinity Monitoring System
First Claim
1. A vehicle vicinity monitoring system for using an image-capturing device to capture an image of a scene in the vicinity of a vehicle, and using a notification device to provide vehicle occupants with information concerning obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein:
- a primary lighting device, or a secondary lighting device, or both a primary lighting device and a secondary lighting device are provided to the vehicle;
the primary lighting device is a lighting device wherein the illumination of an illumination device provided to the vehicle directs light on an obstacle shadow created within the imaging field of the image-capturing device, whereby the shadow is minimized and the border of the obstacle is made to stand out; and
the secondary lighting device is a lighting device for projecting light in a prescribed pattern within the imaging field of the image-capturing device in order to confirm the existence of the obstacle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To provide a vehicle vicinity monitoring system enabling an obstacle border to be extracted, even under dark conditions, without any adverse effect caused by an obstacle shadow created by the illuminating of vehicle illumination devices.
The vehicle vicinity monitoring system captures images of the vicinity of the vehicle using an image-capturing device 3, and uses a notification device 6 to provide vehicle occupants with information concerning obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle. A primary lighting device 4 and/or a secondary lighting device 4 are provided to the vehicle.
The primary lighting device 4 directs light upon shadows cast within the imaging field of the image-capturing device 3 as a result of the illumination device being illuminated. The secondary lighting device 4 is a lighting device for projecting light in a prescribed pattern within the imaging field of the image-capturing device in order to confirm the existence of an obstacle.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vehicle vicinity monitoring system for using an image-capturing device to capture an image of a scene in the vicinity of a vehicle, and using a notification device to provide vehicle occupants with information concerning obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein:
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a primary lighting device, or a secondary lighting device, or both a primary lighting device and a secondary lighting device are provided to the vehicle; the primary lighting device is a lighting device wherein the illumination of an illumination device provided to the vehicle directs light on an obstacle shadow created within the imaging field of the image-capturing device, whereby the shadow is minimized and the border of the obstacle is made to stand out; and the secondary lighting device is a lighting device for projecting light in a prescribed pattern within the imaging field of the image-capturing device in order to confirm the existence of the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification