On-board device for detecting vehicles and apparatus for controlling headlights using the device
First Claim
1. A device for detecting a vehicle being targeted by detecting a light source of the vehicle, the vehicle being stationary or running on or along a road on or along which an own vehicle with the device mounted thereon is stationary or runs, the device comprising:
- an image sensor capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle, the image sensor being mounted positionally fixedly on the own vehicle to have a predetermined preset imaging direction toward the view;
first determining means for determining a particular area in data of the image captured by the image sensor, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level;
distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged as an object;
storing means for previously storing therein a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at the light sources; and
second determining means for determining whether or not the particular area is the light source of the vehicle being targeted, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to the relationship stored in the storing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for detecting a vehicle comprises an image capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle. The apparatus comprises first and second determining means, distance detecting means, and storing means. Of these, in the storing means, a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at light sources is previously stored. The first determining means determines a particular area in data of the captured image, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level. The distance detecting means detects a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged. The second determining means determines whether or not the particular area is the light source, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to the relationship.
73 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A device for detecting a vehicle being targeted by detecting a light source of the vehicle, the vehicle being stationary or running on or along a road on or along which an own vehicle with the device mounted thereon is stationary or runs, the device comprising:
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an image sensor capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle, the image sensor being mounted positionally fixedly on the own vehicle to have a predetermined preset imaging direction toward the view; first determining means for determining a particular area in data of the image captured by the image sensor, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level; distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged as an object; storing means for previously storing therein a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at the light sources; and second determining means for determining whether or not the particular area is the light source of the vehicle being targeted, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to the relationship stored in the storing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A control apparatus comprising:
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a device for detecting a vehicle being targeted by detecting a light source of the vehicle, the vehicle being stationary or running on or along a road on or along which an own vehicle with the device mounted thereon is stationary or runs, the device comprising; an image sensor capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle, the image sensor being mounted positionally fixedly on the own vehicle to have a predetermined preset imaging direction toward the view; first determining means for determining a particular area in data of the image captured by the image sensor, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level; distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged as an object; storing means for previously storing therein a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at the light sources; and second determining means for determining whether or not the particular area is the light source of the vehicle being targeted, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to the relationship stored in the storing means; and control means for controlling light-emitting directions of headlights of the vehicle being targeted. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting a vehicle being targeted by detecting a light source of the vehicle, the vehicle being stationary or running on or along a road on or along which an own vehicle with the device mounted thereon is stationary or runs, comprising steps of:
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capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle by an image sensor being mounted positionally fixedly on the own vehicle to have a predetermined preset imaging direction toward the view; first determining a particular area in data of the image captured by the image sensor, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level; detecting a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged as an object; and second determining whether or not the particular area is the light source of the vehicle being targeted, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at the light sources. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification