Vehicle front-view monitoring system

• US 20020018120A1
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kogure, Masaru, Hiwatashi, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,079,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

A vehicle front-view monitoring system takes fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement using first parameter are met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period. The functions interrupted by the fail-safe measure is resumed when d fail-safe measure-release requirement using second parameter which is different from the first parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met. The first period is variable in accordance with how accurately lane marking on a road in the monitored image is recognized.

Claims

1. A vehicle front-view monitoring system for taking fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement using a first parameter is met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period and resuming a function interrupted by the fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-release requirement using a second parameter different from the first parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met.

2. The vehicle front-view monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter includes at least a value obtained by normalizing an addition of a luminance-characteristic value on the monitored image by a shutter speed for a camera device via which the image is monitored and the number of luminance edges on the monitored image and the second parameter includes at least the shutter speed and the addition of a luminance-characteristic value.

3. The vehicle front-view monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second parameters include parameters related to luminance-distribution characteristics on the monitored image but different from each other.

4. The vehicle front-view monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the first parameter is a value obtained by normalizing a luminance-addition variance or the maximum addition of a luminance on the monitored image by a shutter speed for a camera device via which the image is monitored whereas a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the second parameter is the luminance-addition variance.

5. A vehicle front-view monitoring system for taking a fail-safe measure when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement is met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period and resuming a function interrupted by the fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-release requirement is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met, the first period being variable in accordance with an accuracy of a lane marking on a road in the monitored image is recognized.