Distance detecting apparatus, air bag system controlling apparatus, and method of detecting distance
First Claim
1. A distance detecting apparatus comprising:
- a light emitting unit that emits a light in a light emitting direction which is the direction to an object, the light having a plurality of pattern lights which are in the form of a line;
a photographing device that obtains an image of the object along a photographing direction; and
a distance deriving unit that derives a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on an interval between the pattern lights in the image.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light emitting unit emits a light in a light emitting direction, which is the direction to an object, the light having a distributed pattern in a predetermined direction. A photographing device obtains an image of the object along a photographing direction. A holding mechanism holds the light emitting unit and the photographing apparatus in such a relation that (a) the photographing direction is not in a plane that includes both the light emitting direction and the predetermined direction of the distributed pattern, and (b) the photographing direction is not parallel to the light emitting direction. A distance deriving unit derives a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on the image obtained by the photographing device.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A distance detecting apparatus comprising:
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a light emitting unit that emits a light in a light emitting direction which is the direction to an object, the light having a plurality of pattern lights which are in the form of a line; a photographing device that obtains an image of the object along a photographing direction; and a distance deriving unit that derives a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on an interval between the pattern lights in the image.
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2. An airbag system controlling apparatus comprising:
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a light emitting unit that emits a light in a light emitting direction which is the direction to an object seated in a seat of a vehicle, the light having a plurality of pattern lights which are in the form of a line; a photographing device that obtains an image of the object along a photographing direction; a distance deriving unit that derives a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on an interval between at least two of the pattern lights in the image; and an air bag system controlling unit that controls an operation of an air bag based on the distance derived. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An airbag system controlling apparatus comprising:
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a light emitting unit that emits a light in a light emitting direction which is the direction to an object seated in a seat of a vehicle, the light having a plurality of pattern lights which are in the form of a line; a photographing device that obtains an image of the object along a photographing direction; a memory that stores a computer program that makes it possible to execute a function of deriving a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on an interval between at least two of the pattern lights in the image obtained by the photographing device, and a function of controlling an operation of an air bag based on the distance derived; and a processor that can access the memory unit and execute the computer program. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method of detecting a distance, comprising:
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emitting light in a light emitting direction to thereby irradiate an object, the light having a plurality of pattern lights which are in the form of a line; obtaining an image of the object along a photographing direction; and deriving a distance between the object and a predetermined position based on an interval between the pattern lights in the image.
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Specification