Non-transitory storage medium storing image transmission program, image transmission device, and image transmission method

• US 10,621,449 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Koichi, Igawa, Junichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Aghevli, Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/964,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20180314901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A non-transitory storage medium storing an image transmission program that is executed on an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle having an imaging unit configured to image surroundings of the vehicle to acquire an image and a communication unit configured to perform communication with an information center, the image transmission program including: an image acquisition step of, in a case where a certain mark target is located at an intersection, and an occupancy ratio of an occupancy area of the mark target in a block of a minimum range divided by a plurality of roads to an area of the block is equal to or less than a given ratio, causing the imaging unit to acquire an image of the intersection including the mark target; and a transmission step of causing the communication unit to transmit the image acquired to the information center.

Claims

1. A non-transitory storage medium storing an image transmission program that is executed on an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle having a camera configured to image surroundings of the vehicle and a communication interface configured to perform communication with an information center, the image transmission program comprising:

an image acquisition step of causing, in a case where;

(A) a certain mark target is located at an intersection, and

(B) a ratio is less than a given threshold,

the camera to acquire an image of the intersection including the mark target; and

a transmission step of causing the communication interface to transmit the image acquired to the information center, wherein

the ratio is a ratio of a size of the mark target with respect to a size of a block defined by the intersection.

2. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition step of the image transmission program includes causing the camera not to acquire the image of the intersection including the mark target in a case where the ratio is equal to or greater than the given threshold.

3. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition step of the image transmission program includes causing the camera not to acquire the image relating to the intersection in a case where the mark target occupies an entire area of the block.

4. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition step of the image transmission program includes causing the camera to acquire the image of the intersection including the mark target at a place between a position in front of the intersection by a predetermined distance and the intersection.

5. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition step of the image transmission program includes determining the ratio using map data.

6. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition step of the image transmission program includes causing the camera not to acquire the image of the intersection including the mark target in a case where the mark target is a predetermined large facility.

7. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the block is positioned at a left front corner of the intersection in left-hand traffic or at a right front corner of the intersection in right-hand traffic.

12. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the ratio is a ratio of an area of the mark target with respect to an entire area of the block.

13. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the area of the mark target is an area of land, within the block, that is occupied by the mark target.

14. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the block is defined as a minimum range divided by a plurality of roads including roads forming the intersection.

8. A non-transitory storage medium storing an image transmission program that is executed on an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle, the image transmission program comprising:

transmitting a captured image of a mark target to an information center in a case where the mark target is inconspicuous at an intersection, and

not transmitting the image to the information center in a case where the mark target is conspicuous at the intersection.

9. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the case where the mark target is inconspicuous at the intersection is a case where a ratio of a size of the mark target with respect to a size of a block defined by the intersection is less than a given threshold.

15. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the case where the mark target is conspicuous at the intersection is a case where a ratio of a size of the mark target with respect to a size of a block defined by the intersection is equal to or greater than a given threshold.

10. An image transmission device that is mounted in a vehicle having a camera configured to image surroundings of the vehicle and a communication interface configured to perform communication with an information center, the image transmission device comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to;

cause, in a case where;

(A) a certain mark target is located at an intersection, and

(B) a ratio is less than a given ratio,

the camera to acquire an image of the intersection including the mark target; and

cause the communication interface to transmit the image acquired to the information center, wherein

the ratio is a ratio of a size of the mark target with respect to a size of a block defined by the intersection.

16. The image transmission device according to claim 10, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to not cause the camera to acquire the image of the intersection including the mark target in a case where the ratio is equal to or greater than the given threshold.

11. An image transmission method that is executed on an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle having a camera configured to image surroundings of the vehicle and a communication interface configured to perform communication with an information center, the image transmission method comprising:

causing, in a case where;

(A) a certain mark target is located at an intersection, and

(B) a ratio is less than a given ratio,

the camera to acquire an image of the intersection including the mark target; and

causing the communication interface to transmit the image acquired to the information center, wherein

the ratio is a ratio of a size of the mark target with respect to a size of a block defined by the intersection.

17. The image transmission method according to claim 11, comprising failing to cause the camera to acquire the image of the intersection including the mark target in a case where the ratio is equal to or greater than the given threshold.