Detection apparatus, imaging apparatus, vehicle, and detection method

• US 10,668,855 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Kenta
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Philip P.
• Application Number:
  US15/747,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; devices, apparatus or methods for life-saving in general A62B; safety devices for propulsion unit control specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30264 Parking
• 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 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A detection apparatus includes an image acquisition interface and a controller. The image acquisition interface acquires captured images from an imaging apparatus that is installed in a vehicle and captures images of an area surrounding the vehicle. The controller calculates, on the basis of the captured images, the distance from the imaging apparatus to a road edge in the width direction of the road on which the vehicle is traveling or to an obstacle on the road and determines, on the basis of the calculated distance and information on an outer dimension of the vehicle, whether travel on the road by other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road.

Claims

1. A detection apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to calculate, on a basis of captured images captured by an imaging apparatus that is installed in a vehicle and captures images of an area surrounding the vehicle, a distance from the imaging apparatus to a road edge in a width direction of a road on which the vehicle is traveling or to an obstacle on the road and to determine whether travel on the road by other vehicles, which is possible before the vehicle has parked on the road, will still be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road, on a basis of a road width in which the other vehicles can travel, the road width being determined by a calculated distance and information on an outer dimension of the vehicle which represents a boundary of the road width,

wherein

the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has performed parking in a first parking mode or parking in a second parking mode respectively on a basis of a vehicle width or a total length in a travel direction as the outer dimension of the vehicle, and

parking in the first parking mode includes parking in front of or behind the obstacle on the road, and parking in the second parking mode includes parking to a left or a right of the obstacle on the road.

2. The detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road using a direction component that is perpendicular to the road edge of the distance from the imaging apparatus to the road edge or the obstacle.

8. The detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller recognizes a road marking drawn on the road on the basis of the captured images to determine whether parking of the vehicle is possible.

3. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to calculate, on a basis of captured images captured by an imaging device that is installed in a vehicle and captures images of an area surrounding the vehicle, a distance from the imaging apparatus to a road edge in a width direction of a road on which the vehicle is traveling or to an obstacle on the road and to determine whether travel on the road by other vehicles, which is possible before the vehicle has parked on the road, will still be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road, on a basis of a road width in which the other vehicles can travel, the road width being determined by a calculated distance and information on an outer dimension of the vehicle which represents a boundary of the road width,

wherein

the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has performed parking in a first parking mode or parking in a second parking mode respectively on a basis of a vehicle width or a total length in a travel direction as the outer dimension of the vehicle, and

parking in the first parking mode includes parking in front of or behind the obstacle on the road, and parking in the second parking mode includes parking to a left or a right of the obstacle on the road.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road using a direction component that is perpendicular to the road edge of the distance from the imaging apparatus to the road edge or the obstacle.

4. A vehicle in which an imaging apparatus is installed, wherein

the imaging apparatus comprises:

a controller configured to calculate, on a basis of captured images captured by an imaging device that is installed in a vehicle and captures images of an area surrounding the vehicle, a distance from the imaging apparatus to a road edge in a width direction of a road on which the vehicle is traveling or to an obstacle on the road and to determine whether travel on the road by other vehicles, which is possible before the vehicle has parked on the road, will still be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road, on a basis of a road width in which the other vehicles can travel, the road width being determined by a calculated distance and information on an outer dimension of the vehicle which represents a boundary of the road width,

wherein

the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has performed parking in a first parking mode or parking in a second parking mode respectively on a basis of a vehicle width or a total length in a travel direction as the outer dimension of the vehicle, and

parking in the first parking mode includes parking in front of or behind the obstacle on the road, and parking in the second parking mode includes parking to a left or a right of the obstacle on the road.

7. The vehicle in which an imaging apparatus is installed of claim 4, wherein the controller determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road using a direction component that is perpendicular to the road edge of the distance from the imaging apparatus to the road edge or the obstacle.

5. A detection method used in a detection apparatus, the detection method comprising:

calculating, on a basis of captured images captured by an imaging apparatus that is installed in a vehicle and captures images of an area surrounding the vehicle, a distance from the imaging apparatus to a road edge in a width direction of a road on which the vehicle is traveling or to an obstacle on the road; and

determining whether travel on the road by other vehicles, which is possible before the vehicle has parked on the road, will still be possible after the vehicle has parked on the road, on a basis of a road width in which the other vehicles can travel, the road width being determined by a calculated distance and information on an outer dimension of the vehicle which represents a boundary of the road width,

wherein

the determining determines whether travel on the road by the other vehicles will be possible after the vehicle has performed parking in a first parking mode or parking in a second parking mode respectively on a basis of a vehicle width or a total length in a travel direction as the outer dimension of the vehicle, and

parking in the first parking mode includes parking in front of or behind the obstacle on the road, and parking in the second parking mode includes parking to a left or a right of the obstacle on the road.