OBJECT DETECTION APPARATUS

• US 20130215270A1
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: MURASHITA, Kimitaka, YAMAMOTO, Tetsuo
• Application Number:
  US13/668,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20130215270A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/254 of classification results, e.g. of results related to same input data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/751 Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/809 of classification results, e.g. where the classifiers operate on the same input data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

In an object detection apparatus, an image obtaining part obtains, continuously in time, captured images captured by a vehicle-mounted camera capturing images of a vicinity of a host vehicle. A first detector detects an object by using the plurality of captured images obtained by the obtaining part at different time points. The first detector stores, as a template image, an area relating to the object detected by the first detector and included in one of the plurality of captured images that have been processed, in a memory. Moreover, a second detector detects an object by searching for a correlation area, having a correlation with the template image, included in a single captured image obtained by the image obtaining part.

Claims

1. An object detection apparatus that detects an object moving in a vicinity of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an obtaining part that obtains a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a first detector that detects the object by using a plurality of the captured images obtained by the obtaining part at different time points;

a memory that stores, as a reference image, an area relating to the object detected by the first detector and included in one of the plurality of captured images that have been used by the first detector; and

a second detector that detects the object by searching for a correlation area, having a correlation with the reference image, included in a single captured image obtained by the obtaining part.

2. The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller that selectively enables one of the first detector and the second detector in accordance with a state of the vehicle.

3. The object detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the controller enables:

the first detector when a speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed; and

the second detector when the speed of the vehicle is at or above the threshold speed.

4. The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second detector searches for the correlation area in a search range including an area corresponding to an area of the reference image and in a vicinity of the area corresponding to the area of the reference image included in the captured image obtained by the obtaining part.

5. The object detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the second detector changes a size of the search range for a same object, in accordance with time required for a process implemented for the same object.

6. The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second detector changes a size of the reference image for a same object, in accordance with time required for a process implemented for the same object.

7. The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the first detector cannot detect the object detected in a past process, the second detector implements a process for detecting the object.

8. The object detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

when the first detector cannot detect the object detected in the past process and also when the vehicle is traveling, the second detector implements the process for detecting the object.

9. The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first detector detects the object using a frame correlation method, and

the second detector detects the object using a template matching method.

10. An object detection method that detects an object moving in a vicinity of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

(b) detecting the object by using a plurality of the captured images obtained by the step (a) at different time points;

(c) storing, as a reference image, an area relating to the object detected by the step (b) and included in one of the plurality of captured images that have been used by the step (b); and

(d) detecting the object by searching for a correlation area, having a correlation with the reference image, included in a single captured image obtained by the step (a).

11. The object detection method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of

(e) selectively enabling one of the step (b) and the step (d) in accordance with a state of the vehicle.

12. The object detection method according to claim 11, wherein

the step (e) enables:

the step (b) when a speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed; and

the step (d) when the speed of the vehicle is at or above the threshold speed.

13. The object detection method according to claim 10, wherein

the step (d) searches for the correlation area in a search range including an area corresponding to an area of the reference image and in a vicinity of the area corresponding to the area of the reference image included in the captured image obtained by the step (a).

14. The object detection method according to claim 13, wherein

the step (d) changes a size of the search range for a same object, in accordance with time required for a process implemented for the same object.

15. The object detection method according to claim 10, wherein

the step (d) changes a size of the reference image for a same object, in accordance with time required for a process implemented for the same object.

16. The object detection method according to claim 10, wherein

when the step (b) cannot detect the object detected in a past process, the step (d) is implemented.

17. The object detection method according to claim 16, wherein

when the step (b) cannot detect the object detected in the past process and also when the vehicle is traveling, the step (d) is implemented.

18. The object detection method according to claim 10, wherein

the step (b) detects the object using a frame correlation method, and

the step (d) detects the object using a template matching method.