Image Processing Apparatus

• US 20120062746A1
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Yuji, Monji, Tatsuhiko
• Application Number:
  US13/321,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062746A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/53 Control of the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An image processing apparatus capable of detecting, simultaneously and with high precision, headlights of oncoming cars, taillights of cars ahead, and pedestrians at night, the image processing apparatus comprising: means that obtains first exposure data at a first shutter speed; means that obtains second exposure data at a second shutter speed that is slower than the shutter speed; means that obtains third exposure data at a third shutter speed that is slower than the first shutter speed; means that converts the first exposure data into a visible grayscale image; means that outputs the visible grayscale image; means that converts the second exposure data into a color image; means that outputs the color image; means that converts the third exposure data into an infrared grayscale image; means that outputs the infrared grayscale image; means that detects a headlight based on the visible grayscale image; means that detects a taillight based on the color image; and means that detects a pedestrian based on an image obtained by processing the infrared grayscale image and the color image.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

means that obtains first exposure data at a first shutter speed;

means that obtains second exposure data at a second shutter speed that is slower than the shutter speed;

means that obtains third exposure data at a third shutter speed that is slower than the first shutter speed;

means that converts the first exposure data into a visible grayscale image;

means that outputs the visible grayscale image;

means that converts the second exposure data into a color image;

means that outputs the color image;

means that converts the third exposure data into an infrared grayscale image; and

means that outputs the infrared grayscale image.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means that detects a headlight based on the visible grayscale image;

means that detects a taillight based on the color image; and

means that detects a pedestrian based on an image obtained by processing the infrared grayscale image and the color image.

3. An image processing apparatus comprising:

means that obtains first exposure data at a first shutter speed;

means that obtains second exposure data at a second shutter speed that is slower than the shutter speed;

means that obtains third exposure data at a third shutter speed that is slower than the first shutter speed;

means that converts the first exposure data into a color image;

means that outputs the color image;

means that converts the second exposure data into a color image;

means that outputs the color image;

means that converts the third exposure data into an infrared grayscale image; and

means that outputs the infrared grayscale image.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

means that detects a headlight based on the color image of the first exposure data;

means that detects a taillight based on the color image of the second exposure data; and

means that detects a pedestrian based on an image obtained by processing the near infrared light grayscale image and the color image of the second exposure data.

5. An image processing apparatus comprising:

means that obtains first exposure data at a first shutter speed;

means that obtains second exposure data at a second shutter speed that is slower than the shutter speed;

means that converts the first exposure data into a visible grayscale image or a color image;

means that outputs the visible grayscale image or the color image;

means that converts the second exposure data into a color image;

means that outputs the color image;

means that coverts the second exposure data into an infrared grayscale image; and

means that outputs the infrared grayscale image.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

means that detects a headlight based on the visible grayscale image or color image of the first exposure data;

means that detects a taillight based on the color image of the second exposure data; and

means that detects a pedestrian based on an image obtained by processing the infrared grayscale image and the color image of the second exposure data.