Object recognition system
First Claim
1. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
- one or more sensors for capturing an image of a road surface;
measuring means for dividing the image into a plurality of windows and measuring distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of the windows;
means for storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface;
means for comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface;
inclination estimation means for estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and
means for modifying the estimated distances based on the inclination estimated by said inclination estimation means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle comprises a camera and a controller. The camera captures an image in front of the vehicle. The controller divides the image into a plurality of windows. The controller measures distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of windows and thereby obtains a plurality of distances. The controller estimates a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the plurality of distances. The controller judges, for each of the plurality of windows, based on the estimated inclination, whether the object is an obstacle or the road surface and thereby obtains a judgment result. The controller recognizes the object based on the judgment result. The system recognizes objects in front of the vehicle even when the vehicle is lopsided by pitching, rolling or else.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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one or more sensors for capturing an image of a road surface; measuring means for dividing the image into a plurality of windows and measuring distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of the windows; means for storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface; means for comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; inclination estimation means for estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and means for modifying the estimated distances based on the inclination estimated by said inclination estimation means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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one or more sensors for capturing an image of an object; measuring means for measuring a distance to the road surface for each of a plurality of windows dividing the image; means for storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface; means for comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; inclination estimation means for estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the plurality of distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and correction means for correcting positioning error of said one or more sensors based on a long time average of the estimated inclination. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An object recognition method for recognizing an object in front of a vehicle, comprising steps of:
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capturing an image in front of the vehicle; measuring a distance to the road surface for each of a plurality of windows dividing the image and thereby obtaining a plurality of distances; storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface; comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and modifying the estimated distances based on the estimated relative inclination. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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a camera for capturing an image of an object; and a controller configured to perform the functions of; dividing the image into a plurality of windows; measuring a distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of windows and thereby obtaining a plurality of distances; storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface; comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and modifying the estimated distances based on the estimated relative inclination. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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one or more sensors for capturing an image of a road surface; measuring means for dividing the image into a plurality of windows and measuring distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of the windows; means for storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface, the initial values of said estimated distance having been calculated under a condition that the vehicle is positioned parallel to the road surface; means for comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; inclination estimation means for estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and means for modifying the estimated distances based on the inclination estimated by said inclination estimation means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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one or more sensors for capturing an image of an object; measuring means for measuring a distance to the road surface for each of a plurality of windows dividing the image; means for storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface, the initial values of said estimated distance having been calculated under a condition that the vehicle is positioned parallel to the road surface; means for comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; inclination estimation means for estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the plurality of distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and correction means for correcting positioning error of said one or more sensors based on a long time average of the estimated inclination. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An object recognition method for recognizing an object in front of a vehicle, comprising steps of:
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capturing an image in front of the vehicle; measuring a distance to the road surface for each of a plurality of windows dividing the image and thereby obtaining a plurality of distances; storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface, the initial values of said estimated distance having been calculated under a condition that the vehicle is positioned parallel to the road surface; comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and modifying the estimated distances based on the estimated relative inclination. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An object recognition system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
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a camera for capturing an image of an object; and a controller configured to perform the functions of; dividing the image into a plurality of windows; measuring a distance to the road surface for each of the plurality of windows and thereby obtaining a plurality of distances; storing, for each of the plurality of the windows, estimated distance to the road surface, the initial values of said estimated distance having been calculated under a condition that the vehicle is positioned parallel to the road surface; comparing, for each of the plurality of the windows, the measured distance with the estimated distance to determine if the measured distance belongs to the road surface; estimating a relative inclination of the road surface against the vehicle based on the measured distances that are determined to be of the road surface; and modifying the estimated distances based on the estimated relative inclination. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification