IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD FOR DETECTING OBJECTS USING RELATIVE MOTION
First Claim
1. An obstacle detection method, comprising:
- (a) disposing a camera at a vehicle, the camera having a field of view external of the vehicle;
(b) acquiring a series of image frames captured by the camera whilst the vehicle is in motion, the image frames defining an image plane having a vertical aspect and a horizontal aspect;
(c) detecting a first object present in the series of image frames by edge detection;
(d) detecting a second object present in the series of image frames by edge detection;
(e) for the first detected object,(i) selecting first and second feature points from the first detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame,(ii) tracking the positions of the first and second feature points over at least a second image frame, and(iii) determining the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane;
(f) for the second detected object,(i) selecting third and fourth feature points from the second detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame,(ii) tracking the positions of the third and fourth feature points over at least a second image frame, and(iii) determining the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane;
(g) comparing the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane to the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; and
(h) distinguishing between the first detected object being a three dimensional object and the second detected object being a two dimensional object by determining that the movement of the first feature point when projected to the image plane is dissimilar to that of the second feature point and by determining that the movement of the third feature point when projected to the image plane is similar to that of the fourth feature point.
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Abstract
An obstacle detection method includes acquiring a series of image frames captured by a vehicle camera whilst the vehicle is in motion. First and second feature points are selected from a first detected object and are spaced apart in a first image frame and tracked over at least a second image frame, and movement of those feature points is determined. Third and fourth feature points are selected from a second detected object and are spaced apart in a first image frame and tracked over at least a second image frame, and movement of the third and fourth feature points is determined. The movements of the first and second feature points are compared to the movements of the third and fourth feature points to distinguish the first detected object as a three dimensional object and the second detected object as a two dimensional object.
11 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An obstacle detection method, comprising:
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(a) disposing a camera at a vehicle, the camera having a field of view external of the vehicle; (b) acquiring a series of image frames captured by the camera whilst the vehicle is in motion, the image frames defining an image plane having a vertical aspect and a horizontal aspect; (c) detecting a first object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (d) detecting a second object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (e) for the first detected object, (i) selecting first and second feature points from the first detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the first and second feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane; (f) for the second detected object, (i) selecting third and fourth feature points from the second detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the third and fourth feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; (g) comparing the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane to the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; and (h) distinguishing between the first detected object being a three dimensional object and the second detected object being a two dimensional object by determining that the movement of the first feature point when projected to the image plane is dissimilar to that of the second feature point and by determining that the movement of the third feature point when projected to the image plane is similar to that of the fourth feature point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An obstacle detection method, comprising:
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(a) disposing a camera at a vehicle, the camera having a field of view external of the vehicle; (b) acquiring a series of image frames captured by the camera whilst the vehicle is in motion, the image frames defining an image plane having a vertical aspect and a horizontal aspect; (c) detecting a first object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (d) detecting a second object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (e) for the first detected object, (i) selecting first and second feature points from the first detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the first and second feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane; (f) for the second detected object, (i) selecting third and fourth feature points from the second detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the third and fourth feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; (g) comparing the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane to the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; (h) distinguishing between the first detected object being a three dimensional object and the second detected object being a two dimensional object by determining that the movement of the first feature point when projected to the image plane is dissimilar to that of the second feature point and by determining that the movement of the third feature point when projected to the image plane is similar to that of the fourth feature point; (i) providing the height of the camera at the vehicle; (j) providing angular orientation of the camera at the vehicle; (k) providing the focal length of a lens of the camera; (l) providing vehicle data of the vehicle the camera is disposed at, the vehicle data comprising speed and steering angle; and (m) making a trajectory estimation of the first detected object and, based on the trajectory estimation, determining whether the first detected object is in the path of movement of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An obstacle detection method, comprising:
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(a) disposing a camera at a vehicle, the camera having a field of view external of the vehicle; (b) acquiring a series of image frames captured by the camera whilst the vehicle is in motion, the image frames defining an image plane having a vertical aspect and a horizontal aspect; (c) detecting a first object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (d) detecting a second object present in the series of image frames by edge detection; (e) for the first detected object, (i) selecting first and second feature points from the first detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the first and second feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane; (f) for the second detected object, (i) selecting third and fourth feature points from the second detected object that are spaced apart in a first image frame, (ii) tracking the positions of the third and fourth feature points over at least a second image frame, and (iii) determining the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; (g) comparing the movement of the first and second feature points when projected to the image plane to the movement of the third and fourth feature points when projected to the image plane; (h) distinguishing between the first detected object being a three dimensional object and the second detected object being a two dimensional object by determining that the movement of the first feature point when projected to the image plane is dissimilar to that of the second feature point and by determining that the movement of the third feature point when projected to the image plane is similar to that of the fourth feature point; and (i) operating in conjunction with a dynamic calibration system that is operable to dynamically ascertain the rotational angles of the camera so that any deviations over time from nominal angle are accounted for. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification