Vehicle mounted image processor and method of use
First Claim
1. An image processor mounted to a vehicle for determining a distance between the vehicle and an object located outside the vehicle, the vehicle including imaging means for capturing images from in front of the vehicle, the image processor comprising:
- velocity information calculation means for calculating velocity information from images photographed by the imaging means;
observation point group specification means operable for specifying, from the velocity information calculated by the velocity information calculation means, a set of observation points at which relative positions of velocity information do not change;
pitching detection means configured to detect pitching of the vehicle based on the set specified by the observation point group specification means; and
vanishing line calculation means configured to;
extract any two points of differing height of an object present in an image as feature points, eliminate the pitching detected by the pitching detection means from the feature points, and calculate the position of a vanishing line based on the velocity ratio of the feature points after the length between the two feature points and pitching are eliminated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle-mounted detecting device and corresponding method for detecting a distance between the vehicle and an object outside the vehicle. The detecting device extracts edge intersection points from images of individual frames photographed by a camera. A set of edge intersection points for which the relative position in images does not change between frames is then specified as an observation point group; the movement of the specified observation point group in images is observed; and pitching by the vehicle is detected. Any two points with differing heights on an object present in an image are extracted as feature points, and after the effect of pitching is eliminated from the feature points, the position of a vanishing line in the image is calculated based on the ratio of the velocities of the feature points in images after the length between the two feature points and the effects of pitching are eliminated.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An image processor mounted to a vehicle for determining a distance between the vehicle and an object located outside the vehicle, the vehicle including imaging means for capturing images from in front of the vehicle, the image processor comprising:
-
velocity information calculation means for calculating velocity information from images photographed by the imaging means; observation point group specification means operable for specifying, from the velocity information calculated by the velocity information calculation means, a set of observation points at which relative positions of velocity information do not change; pitching detection means configured to detect pitching of the vehicle based on the set specified by the observation point group specification means; and vanishing line calculation means configured to;
extract any two points of differing height of an object present in an image as feature points, eliminate the pitching detected by the pitching detection means from the feature points, and calculate the position of a vanishing line based on the velocity ratio of the feature points after the length between the two feature points and pitching are eliminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
10. A method for determining a position of a vanishing line within an image captured by an image processor in a vehicle having an imaging means, the method comprising:
-
calculating velocity information for images captured by the imaging means; selecting a set in which the relative positions of velocity information do not change from the calculated velocity information; detecting pitching by the vehicle based on the specified velocity information set; extracting as feature points, any two points of differing height on an object present in the image; eliminating from the feature points the pitching detected by the pitching detection means; and calculating the position of a vanishing line based on the velocity ratio of the feature points after the length between the two feature points and pitching are eliminated.
-
Specification