Image Processing Apparatus

• US 20090316956A1
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yokota, Soichiro, Muramatsu, Shoji, Monji, Tatsuhiko, Higuchi, Mirai
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

An image processing accuracy estimation unit estimates an image processing accuracy by calculating a size of an object by which the accuracy of measurement of the distance of the object photographed by an on-vehicle camera becomes a permissible value or less. An image post-processing area determination unit determines, in accordance with the estimated image processing accuracy, a partial area inside a detection area of the object as an image post-processing area for which an image post-processing is carried out and lattices the determined image post-processing area to cells. An image processing unit processes the image photographed by the on-vehicle camera to detect a candidate for object and calculates a three-dimensional position of the detected object candidate. An image post-processing unit calculates, in each the individual cell inside the determined area the probability as to whether the detected object is present and determines the presence/absence of the object.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

image pickup unit;

image processing accuracy estimation unit for estimating an image processing accuracy by calculating a size of an object by which the accuracy of measurement of the distance of the detection object photographed by said image pickup unit becomes a permissible value or less;

image post-processing area determination unit for determining, in accordance with the image processing accuracy estimated by said image processing accuracy estimation unit, a partial area inside a detection area of the detection object as an image post-processing area in which an image post-processing is carried out and for latticing the determined image post-processing area to cells;

image processing unit for processing the image photographed by said image pickup unit to detect a recognition object; and

image post-processing unit for calculating, in respect of the individual cells inside the latticed area determined by said image post-processing area determination unit, the probability as to whether the recognition object held on to said image processing unit is present and for determining the presence/absence of the detection object.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image post-processing area determination unit determines as the image post-processing area, an area for which an error in the distance measurement estimated by said image processing accuracy estimation unit is larger than a permissible error.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image post-processing area determination unit determines as the image post-processing area, an area for which the size on a photographed image of the detection object estimated by said image processing accuracy estimation unit is smaller than a predetermined value.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image post-processing area determination unit determines, inside the image post-processing area and on the basis of the image processing accuracy, the resolution which decreases gradually to the remoteness and lattices the image post-processing area to cells on the basis of the resolution.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image post-processing unit calculates the existence probability through probability statistical process.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image post-processing unit delivers an output by adding a probability statistical value such as the probability or variance of the object existence to the result of recognition of the recognition object.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a control unit for determining the contents of control and alarm on the basis of both the recognition result of the recognition object and the probability statistical value concerning the object said image post-processing area determination unit delivers.