Vehicle detecting system
First Claim
1. A vehicle detecting system comprising:
- image taking means for taking an image of the surroundings of a subject vehicle;
vehicle detecting means for detecting a vehicle from the taken image; and
lateral-position detecting means for detecting a lateral position of the detected vehicle in the taken image,wherein the lateral-position detecting means vertically divides, into a plurality of sections, a region set in a portion of the taken image in which an image of the vehicle is included or is presumed to be included, andwherein the plurality of sections formed within the region are positioned in a manner designed to delineate different vertical sections of the included, or presumed to be included, image of the vehicle,wherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates average brightnesses of pixels belonging to pixel columns vertically extending in the sections and having a width corresponding to one pixel or a plurality of number of pixels, andwherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates differences between the average brightnesses of the pixel columns and average brightnesses of adjacent pixel columns adjacent in a lateral direction, and detects the lateral position of the vehicle on the basis of absolute values of the differences.
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Abstract
A vehicle detecting system includes image taking means for taking an image of the surroundings of a subject vehicle, vehicle detecting means for detecting a vehicle from the taken image, and lateral-position detecting means for detecting a lateral position of the vehicle in the taken image. The lateral-position detecting means vertically divides, into a plurality of sections, a region set in a portion of the taken image in which an image of the vehicle is included or is presumed to be included. The lateral-position detecting means calculates average brightnesses of pixels belonging to pixel columns vertically extending in the sections and having a width corresponding to one pixel or a plurality of number of pixels. The lateral-position detecting means calculates differences in average brightness between pixel columns adjacent in a lateral direction, and detects the lateral position of the vehicle on the basis of absolute values of the differences.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vehicle detecting system comprising:
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image taking means for taking an image of the surroundings of a subject vehicle; vehicle detecting means for detecting a vehicle from the taken image; and lateral-position detecting means for detecting a lateral position of the detected vehicle in the taken image, wherein the lateral-position detecting means vertically divides, into a plurality of sections, a region set in a portion of the taken image in which an image of the vehicle is included or is presumed to be included, and wherein the plurality of sections formed within the region are positioned in a manner designed to delineate different vertical sections of the included, or presumed to be included, image of the vehicle, wherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates average brightnesses of pixels belonging to pixel columns vertically extending in the sections and having a width corresponding to one pixel or a plurality of number of pixels, and wherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates differences between the average brightnesses of the pixel columns and average brightnesses of adjacent pixel columns adjacent in a lateral direction, and detects the lateral position of the vehicle on the basis of absolute values of the differences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 21)
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9. A vehicle detecting system comprising:
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image taking means for taking an image of the surroundings of a subject vehicle; vehicle detecting means for detecting a vehicle from the taken image as a detected vehicle and for calculating a first lateral position determination of the detected vehicle; and lateral-position detecting means for detecting a lateral position of the detected vehicle separately from the vehicle detection means, wherein the lateral-position detecting means vertically divides, into a plurality of sections, a region set in a portion of the taken image in which an image of the vehicle is included or is presumed to be included, and wherein the plurality of sections formed within the region are positioned in a manner designed to delineate different vertical sections of the included, or presumed to be included, image of the vehicle, wherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates average brightnesses of pixels belonging to pixel columns vertically extending in the sections and having a width corresponding to one pixel or a plurality of number of pixels, wherein the lateral-position detecting means calculates differences between the average brightnesses of the pixel columns and average brightnesses of adjacent pixel columns adjacent in a lateral direction, and determines a second lateral position determination of the detected vehicle on the basis of absolute values of the differences, and wherein the lateral-position detecting means compares the second lateral position determination to the first lateral-position determination and adopts one of the first and second lateral position determinations based on pre-established criteria. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification