Image processing device for vehicle

• US 20070008182A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nagoya University
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Miyahara, Takayuki, Murase, Hiroshi, Kumon, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/937
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

An image processing device for a vehicle includes a radar for transmitting a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detecting an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave; a camera for acquiring an image in a second area including the first area; and an image processing unit for processing the acquired image to detect, in the acquired image, the object detected by the radar. Visibility outside of the vehicle is detected based on result of detection of the radar and result of detection of the camera.

Claims

1. An image processing device for a vehicle, comprising:

an object detecting means for transmitting a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detecting an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave;

an image acquisition means for acquiring an image in a second area including the first area;

an image processing means for processing the acquired image to detect, in the acquired image, the object detected by the object detecting means; and

a visibility detecting means for detecting visibility outside of the vehicle based on result of detection of the object detecting means and result of detection of the image processing means.

2. The image processing device of claim 1, wherein

the visibility detecting means detects poor visibility outside of the vehicle when the image processing means fails to detect in the acquired image the object detected by the object detecting means.

3. The image processing device of claim 1, wherein

the object detecting means detects a distance between the vehicle and the object,

the visibility detecting means detects a visibility distance outside of the vehicle based on the detected distance and the result of detection of the image processing means, and

the result of detection of the image processing means is one of that the detection of the image processing means has succeeded and that the detection of the image processing means has failed.

4. The image processing device of claim 3, wherein

the visibility detecting means detects the visibility distance based on time variation of the detected distance and time variation of the result of detection of the image processing means.

8. The image processing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a drive assisting means for assisting driving operation of a driver of the vehicle by using the detected visibility.

10. The image processing device of claim 1, wherein

the object detecting means further detects a distance from the vehicle to the detected object in the first area outside of the vehicle by using the reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave,

the image processing means further executes frequency analysis of brightness distribution in the acquired image,

The image processing device further comprising:

a visibility distance estimating means for estimating a visibility distance outside of the vehicle based on the detected distance and result of the frequency analysis.

5. An image processing device for a vehicle, comprising:

an object detecting means for transmitting a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detecting a distance from the vehicle to an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave;

an image acquisition means for acquiring an image of a second area including the first area;

an image processing means for executing frequency analysis of brightness distribution in the acquired image; and

a visibility distance estimating means for estimating a visibility distance outside of the vehicle based on the detected distance and result of the frequency analysis.

6. The image processing device of claim 5, wherein

the image processing means calculates frequency characteristics of the brightness distribution in the acquired image,

the image processing device further comprising:

a storage means for storing mapping data used for transforming the calculated frequency characteristics to the visibility distance with a parameter of the detected distance, wherein

the visibility distance estimating means estimates the visibility distance from the calculated frequency characteristics by using the mapping data stored.

7. The image processing device of claim 6, wherein

the mapping data used for transforming the calculated frequency characteristics to the visibility distance with the parameter of the detected distance is stored further with a parameter of brightness of the object in the acquired image, and

the visibility distance estimating means estimates the visibility distance from the calculated frequency characteristics by using the mapping data with the parameters of the detected distance and the brightness of the object in the acquired image.

9. The image processing device of claim 5, further comprising

a drive assisting means for assisting driving operation of a driver of the vehicle by using the estimated visibility distance.

11. A method in image processing for a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by transmitting a radio wave and using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave;

acquiring an image in a second area including the first area;

determining the detected object in the acquired image by processing the acquired image; and

detecting visibility outside of the vehicle based on result of detecting the object and result of determining the detected object in the acquired image.

12. An image processing device for a vehicle, comprising:

an object detecting unit that transmits a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detects an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave;

an image acquisition unit that takes an image in a second area including the first area;

an image processing unit that processes the acquired image to detect, in the acquired image, the object detected by the object detecting unit; and

a visibility detecting unit that detects visibility outside of the vehicle based on result of detection of the object detecting unit and result of detection of the image processing unit.