Image processing system and vehicle control system

• US 20050036660A1
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Yuji, Muramatsu, Shoji, Takenaga, Hiroshi, Monji, Tatsuhiko, Furusawa, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/068 with part of the measurements done from inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30248 Vehicle exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors

Abstract

The invention provides an image processing system capable of precisely locating the positions of the light spots covering near headlights through far tail lamps by using one camera. The invention, discriminating the headlights and tail lamps from noise lights such as a traffic light, streetlight, and vending machine, enhances the vehicle detection performance at night. The system includes an image input means that inputs images in front of a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes the images inputted by the image input means. The image input means has a means of photographing more than two images with different exposures. The image analysis means analyzes the images photographed by the image input means to transform them into the position information of the vehicles traveling in front.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, and an image analysis means that acquires images photographed by the imaging means and analyzes the images,

wherein the image analysis means acquires plural sheets of images with different exposures that the imaging means photographed, and analyzes the plural images with different exposures to detect positions of other vehicles.

2. An image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image analysis means detects light spots emitted from the other vehicles from the plural images with different exposures, and detects positions of the other vehicles.

3. An image processing system according to claim 2, wherein:

the plural images with different exposures are an image photographed with a first exposure, and an image photographed with a second exposure greater than the first exposure; and

the image analysis means analyzes the image photographed with the first exposure to detect the positions of the light spots emitted from the other vehicles, searches a light spot area originated in the same light source as the light spot detected with the first exposure from the image photographed with the second exposure, and masks the light spot area originated in the same light source in the image photographed with the second exposure.

4. An image processing system according to claim 3, wherein the image analysis means:

calculates the positions of the other vehicles, when there are more than two light spots in the horizontal direction of the image photographed by the imaging means, on the basis of a spacing of the two light spots; and

calculates the positions of the other vehicles, when there is one light spot in the horizontal direction of the image photographed by the imaging means, on the basis of depression angle information from the imaging means.

5. An image processing system according to claim 4, wherein, when there are more than two light spots in the horizontal direction of the image photographed by the imaging means, the position of the other vehicle calculated from the spacing of the two light spots is compared with the position of the other vehicle calculated from the depression angle information of one light spot;

and

the position of the other vehicle being in a shorter distance from the own vehicle is control information for controlling the own vehicle.

6. An image processing system according to claim 3, wherein:

the imaging means outputs color information;

the image analysis means extracts white light from the image photographed with the first exposure, and extracts red light from the image photographed with the second exposure.

7. An image processing system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, which photographs a state in front thereof, and an image analysis means that acquires images photographed by the imaging means and analyzes the images,

wherein the image analysis means acquires plural images with different exposures that the imaging means photographed, and analyzes the plural images with different exposures to detect other vehicles that travel in front of the own vehicle.

8. An image processing system according to claim 7, wherein whether the vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle is a preceding vehicle or an opposing vehicle is determined from the plural images with different exposures.

9. An image processing system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, which photographs a state in front thereof, and an image analysis means that acquires images photographed by the imaging means and analyzes the images,

wherein the image analysis means acquires a high intensity detection image and a low intensity detection image from the images photographed by the imaging means, detects headlights of an opposing vehicle from the high intensity detection image, and detects tail lamps of a preceding vehicle from the low intensity detection image.

10. An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein, when there are light spots originated in one and the same light source in the high intensity detection image and the low intensity detection image, the image analysis means masks an area of the light spot originated in the same light source in the low intensity detection image.

11. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when red light spots are extracted at a higher position than the vanishing point, and at the same time other light spots are extracted above and/or below the red light spots, determines the red light spots as the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

13. A vehicle control system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the vehicle control means controls a distribution of headlights on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

14. A vehicle control system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the vehicle control means controls a follow-up travel to a preceding vehicle on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

15. A vehicle control system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the vehicle control means executes a proximity warning control on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

12. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when red light spots are extracted at a higher position than the vanishing point, and at the same time other light spots of more than a predetermined number are extracted below the red light spots, determines that the red light spots are not the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

16. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when photographing plural images in time series and tracking the light spots originated in the same light source in the plural image, and when the colors of the light spots vary according to time, determines that the light spots are not the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

21. A vehicle control system according to any one of claim 16 through claim 20, wherein the vehicle control means controls a distribution of headlights on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

22. A vehicle control system according to any one of claim 16 through claim 20, wherein the vehicle control means controls a follow-up travel to a preceding vehicle on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

23. A vehicle control system according to any one of claim 16 through claim 20, wherein the vehicle control means executes a proximity warning control on the basis of the position information of the other vehicles.

17. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when red light spots are extracted at a higher position than the vanishing point, and at the same time other red light spots are extracted in a slant lower direction to the red light spots, determines that the red light spots are not the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

18. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when red light spots are extracted at a higher position than the vanishing point, and a crosswalk laid on a road is detected at the same time, determines that the red light spots are not the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

19. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and when plural light spots are extracted, and a white line being a boundary of a lane is detected, and if the plural light spots form a line along and outside the white line, determines that the light spots are not the light spots originated in the other vehicles.

20. A vehicle control system comprising an imaging means mounted on a vehicle, an image analysis means that analyzes images inputted from the imaging means to detect position information of other vehicles, and a vehicle control means that executes a vehicle control on the basis of the position information of other vehicles outputted from the image analysis means,

wherein the image analysis means extracts light spots originated in the other vehicles from plural images with different exposures, analyzes the extracted light spot information to detect the position information of the other vehicles, and determines whether or not the extracted light spots are the light spots originated in the other vehicles on the basis of the size of the extracted light spots and the intensity of the part.