Multi-lens camera system, vehicle mounting the multi-lens camera system, and range-finding method executed by the multi-lens camera system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-lens camera system comprising:
- multiple camera units, the multiple camera units include multiple optical filters and multiple image sensors, the multiple image sensors capture images via the multiple optical filters, each of the multiple optical filters include multiple filter regions, each of the multiple filter regions include different optical characteristics respectively, the multiple filter regions include a clear filter region which corresponds to a central image region of the captured images and a color filter region which corresponds to an upper image region of the captured images; and
an image processor operably connected to the multiple camera units, the image processor configured to,execute different types of image processing on the captured images to form an image that contains multiple image regions, each of the multiple image regions include different characteristics depending on the optical characteristics of the multiple filter regions, the multiple image regions include the central image region and the upper image region,perform a parallax calculation for the clear filter region of the central image region of the captured images, andrecognize a target in the color filter region of the upper image region of the captured images based on color information.
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Abstract
A multi-lens camera system includes multiple camera units including respective optical filters and image sensors that acquire a captured image via the optical filter, each of the optical filters having multiple filter regions whose optical characteristics differ respectively, and an image processor, operably connected to the multiple camera unit, to execute different types of image processing on the captured image to form an image that contains multiple image regions whose characteristics differ depending on the optical characteristics of the filter region in which they are acquired.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multi-lens camera system comprising:
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multiple camera units, the multiple camera units include multiple optical filters and multiple image sensors, the multiple image sensors capture images via the multiple optical filters, each of the multiple optical filters include multiple filter regions, each of the multiple filter regions include different optical characteristics respectively, the multiple filter regions include a clear filter region which corresponds to a central image region of the captured images and a color filter region which corresponds to an upper image region of the captured images; and an image processor operably connected to the multiple camera units, the image processor configured to, execute different types of image processing on the captured images to form an image that contains multiple image regions, each of the multiple image regions include different characteristics depending on the optical characteristics of the multiple filter regions, the multiple image regions include the central image region and the upper image region, perform a parallax calculation for the clear filter region of the central image region of the captured images, and recognize a target in the color filter region of the upper image region of the captured images based on color information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 18, 19, 20)
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5. A vehicle comprising:
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a multi-lens camera system including, multiple camera units, the multiple camera units include multiple optical filters and multiple image sensors, the multiple image sensors acquire captured images via the multiple optical filters, each of the multiple optical filters include multiple filter regions, each of the multiple filter regions include optical characteristics that differ from each other respectively, the multiple filter regions include a clear filter region which corresponds to a central image region of the captured images, and an image processor, the image processor operably connected to the multiple camera units, the image processor configured to, process the captured images into multiple image regions, the multiple image regions includes the central image region, each of the multiple image regions include characteristics that differ depending on the optical characteristics of the multiple filter regions, the differing characteristics of the multiple image regions configured to recognize various types of targets that are positioned ahead of a vehicle, and perform a parallax calculation for the clear filter region of the central image region of the captured images; and a vehicle drive control unit, the vehicle drive control unit configured to control steering and braking of the vehicle based on a recognition result provided by the image processor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A range-finding method in a multi-lens camera system that includes multiple camera units, the multiple camera units include multiple optical filters and multiple image sensors, the multiple image sensors capture images via the multiple optical filters, each of the multiple optical filters include multiple filter regions whose optical characteristics differ respectively, the method comprising:
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dividing each of the captured images into multiple image regions, each of the multiple image regions include characteristics that differ depending on the optical characteristics of the multiple filter regions, the multiple image regions includes a first image region and a second image region; recognizing a first target object and a second target object, the first target object is recognized in the first image region of the captured image in three dimensions, the second target object is recognized in the second image region of the captured image in three dimensions; calculating parallax information for the first image region in the captured image and parallax information for the second image region in the captured image, the parallax information for the first image region is calculated while subsequently recognizing the second target object in the second image region, and parallax information for the second image region is only calculated when the second target object is recognized in the second image region of the captured image; performing clustering results using the parallax information for the first image region, wherein recognizing of the second target object in the second image region is performed during the clustering results for the first image region; and modifying the clustering results for the first image region, wherein calculating parallax information only for the second target object in the second image region is performed during modifying the clustering results for the first image region. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification