Apparatus, method, and computer product for discriminating object

• US 20070206849A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sawada, Junichi, Sakata, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/811 the classifiers operating on different input data, e.g. multi-modal recognition
• 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 apparatus discriminates a potential obstacle in the path of a vehicle from among various objects in an image shot by a monocular camera. First, an object detecting unit detects an object in the image by applying a saliency calculation to the image. Second, an object discriminating unit discriminates an object from among the objects detected by the object detecting unit as a potential obstacle by applying a neural network method to the objects.

Claims

1. An apparatus for discriminating an imaged object within an image based on the image shot by a monocular camera, the apparatus comprising:

an object detecting unit that detects an object in the image by applying a saliency calculation to the image; and

an object discriminating unit that applies a neural network method to the object detected by the object detecting unit to discriminate whether the object is a potential obstacle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monocular camera and the apparatus being installed on a vehicle, and the apparatus further comprising a risk determining unit that determines a risk of collision of the vehicle with the potential obstacle, and outputs a risk signal indicative of the risk.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a distance acquiring unit that acquires a first distance between the vehicle and the potential obstacle, wherein

the risk determining unit determines the risk based on the first distance.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a distance acquiring unit includes an irradiating unit that irradiates waves toward the potential obstacle, detects reflected wave from the potential obstacle, and calculates the first distance based on traveling speed of the waves and time difference between irradiation of the waves and detection of the reflected waves.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the risk determining unit further comprises a distance calculating unit that calculates a second distance between the vehicle and the potential obstacle from the image, and the risk determining unit determines the risk based on the first distance and the second distance.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an irradiating unit that is installed on a vehicle, and discriminates whether an object in a running path of the vehicle is a potential obstacle by irradiating waves toward the object and detecting reflected wave from the object, wherein

the risk determining unit determines the risk based on discrimination results by the irradiating unit and the object discriminating unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an irradiating unit that is installed on a vehicle, and acquires a direction of an object in a running path of the vehicle by irradiating waves toward the object and detecting reflected wave from the object, wherein

the object detecting unit detects the object by applying the saliency calculation to an area on the image corresponding to the direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance acquiring unit that is installed on a vehicle, and acquires a distance between the vehicle and an object in a running path of the vehicle, wherein

the object discriminating unit applies the neural network method in accordance with the distance.

9. An apparatus for discriminating an imaged object within an image based on the image shot by a monocular camera, the apparatus comprising:

a learning base storing unit that creates and stores therein a learning base for a plurality of backgrounds;

a discriminating-pattern storing unit that learns and stores therein specific patterns of an object in advance;

an object detecting unit that compares the learning base and an actual input background image, and detects a residual as a potential object; and

an object discriminating unit that compares the potential object with the specific patterns present in the discriminating-pattern storing unit, and discriminates whether the potential object is a specific object.

10. A warning apparatus operating with an object discriminating device for discriminating an imaged object within an image based on shot image, the object discriminating device including a learning base storing unit that creates and stores therein a learning base for a plurality of backgrounds;

a discriminating-pattern storing unit that learns and stores therein specific patterns of an object in advance;

an object detecting unit that compares the learning base and an actual input background image, and detects a residual as a potential object; and

an object discriminating unit that compares the potential object with the specific patterns present in the discriminating-pattern storing unit, and discriminates whether the potential object is a specific object, the warning apparatus comprising;

a warning unit that outputs a warning in accordance with a discrimination result obtained by the object discriminating device.

11. A vehicle-controlling apparatus installed on a vehicle and operating with an object discriminating device for discriminating an imaged object within an image based on shot image, the object discriminating device including a learning base storing unit that creates and stores therein a learning base for a plurality of backgrounds;

a discriminating-pattern storing unit that learns and stores therein specific patterns of an object in advance;

an object detecting unit that compares the learning base and an actual input background image, and detects a residual as a potential object; and

an object discriminating unit that compares the potential object with the specific patterns present in the discriminating-pattern storing unit, and discriminates whether the potential object is a specific object, the vehicle-controlling apparatus comprising;

a controlling unit that controls driving of the vehicle in accordance with a discrimination result obtained by the object discriminating device.

12. A method of discriminating an imaged object within an image based on the image shot by a monocular camera, the method comprising:

detecting an object in the image by applying a saliency calculation to the image; and

applying a neural network method to detected object to discriminate whether the object is a potential obstacle.

13. A method of discriminating an imaged object within an image shot by a monocular camera, the method comprising:

creating and storing a learning base for a plurality of backgrounds;

learning and storing specific patterns of an object in advance;

comparing the learning base and an actual input background image;

detecting a residual as a potential object; and

discriminating whether the potential object is a specific object by comparing the potential object with the specific patterns stored in advance at the storing.

14. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method of discriminating an object within an image based on the image shot by a monocular camera, the computer program causing the computer to execute:

detecting an object in the image by applying a saliency calculation to the image; and

applying a neural network method to detected object to discriminate whether the object is a potential obstacle.

15. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method of discriminating an object within an image shot by a monocular camera, the computer program causing the computer to execute:

creating and storing a learning base for a plurality of backgrounds;

learning and storing specific patterns of an object in advance;

comparing the learning base and an actual input background image;

detecting a residual as a potential object; and

discriminating whether the potential object is a specific object by comparing the potential object with the specific patterns stored in advance at the storing.