Off-lane alarm apparatus

• US 5,689,249 A
• Filed: 12/23/1995
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Original Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hirofumi, Koshizawa, Toshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/577,708
• Time in Patent Office: 696 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/905, 340/904, 340/436, 340/437, 340/435, 340/937, 348/148, 348/149, 348/113
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

An off-lane alarm apparatus is disclosed in which upon the increase of the height of a pickup sensor mounted on a car, the increased portion is provided for an image processing device. The image processing device then determines a necessary outside area of a predetermined lane width with other input or switched data to mask an image portion corresponding to the necessary outside area for the car'"'"'s off-lane detection.

Claims

1. An off-lane alarm apparatus comprising

an image pickup sensor mounted on a roof of a car;

means for generating a turn signal for said car;

means for generating an alarm;

input means; and

an image processing device in which an image signal provided from said image pickup sensor is converted into corresponding binary data to extract a lane on a road surface, whereby an off-lane state of said car is detected on the basis of a mounted height of said image pickup sensor provided from said input means, a distance between a road position right beneath said image pickup sensor and a predetermined sensing position in front of said car, a predetermined lane width, and a predetermined car width, said alarm generating means being then energized by said image processing device when the off-lane state is detected unless said turn signal is being generated,

when said mounted height of said image pickup sensor is increased, said image processing device being provided with the increased portion of the height from said input means and determining a necessary outside area of said predetermined lane width by using the inputs provided from said input means, so that an image portion corresponding to said necessary outside area is masked for detecting the off-lane state of said car.

3. An off-lane alarm apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a car speed sensor, said image processing device detecting the off-lane state of said car when a car speed detected by said car speed sensor exceeds a predetermined value.

2. An off-lane alarm apparatus comprising

an image pickup sensor mounted on a roof of a car;

means for generating a turn signal for said car;

means for generating an alarm;

switch means; and

,

an image processing device in which an image signal provided from said image pickup sensor is converted into corresponding binary data to extract a lane on a road surface, whereby an off-lane state of said car is detected on the basis of a mounted height of said image pickup sensor provided from said switch means, a distance between a road position right beneath said image pickup sensor and a predetermined sensing position in front of said car, a predetermined lane width, and a predetermined car width, said alarm generating means being then energized by said image processing device when the off-lane state is detected unless said turn signal is being generated,

when said mounted height of said image pickup sensor is increased, said image processing device being selectively provided with the increased portion of the height by said switch means and determining a necessary outside area of said predetermined lane width by selecting said switch means, so that an image portion corresponding to said necessary outside area is masked for detecting the off-lane state of said car.

4. An off-lane alarm apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a car speed sensor, said image processing device detecting the off-lane state of said car when a car speed detected by said car speed sensor exceeds a predetermined value.

5. An off-lane detector for use on a vehicle capable of generating a turn signal, comprising:

an image pickup sensor on the vehicle to produce an image signal;

an input to input a first height of said image pickup sensor, and a second increased height when the height of said image pickup sensor on the vehicle is increased;

an image processing device, coupled to said image pickup sensor and said input, to detect an off-lane state of the vehicle based on the image signal, a predetermined lane width, and the first height, said image processing device generating an alarm signal when the off-lane state is detected unless the turn signal is being generated;

said image pickup sensor being provided with the second increased height when the height of said image pickup sensor on the vehicle is increased, and masking a portion of the image signal based on the second increased height in order to properly detect the off-lane state of the vehicle.

6. An off-lane detector, for use on a vehicle capable of generating a turn signal, comprising:

an image pickup sensor on the vehicle to produce an image signal;

a switch to provide a first height said image pickup sensor, and a second increased height when the height of said image pickup sensor on the vehicle is increased;

an image processing device, coupled to said image pickup sensor and said switch, to detect an off-lane state of the vehicle based on the image signal, a predetermined lane width, and the first height, said image processing device generating an alarm signal when the off-lane state is detected unless the turn signal is being generated;

said image pickup sensor being provided with the second increased height from said switch when the height of said image pickup sensor on the vehicle is increased, and masking a portion of the image signal based on the second increased height in order to properly detect the off-lane state of the vehicle.