Obstacle Detection System and Obstacle Detection Method Thereof

• US 20130093887A1
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Altek Autotronics Corporation (Altek Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altek Autotronics Corporation (Altek Corporation)
• Inventors: Chien, Chung-Fang, Wu, Chih-Huan
• Application Number:
  US13/348,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20130093887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• 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 obstacle detection system and a method thereof The obstacle detection system comprises an object detection module used to generate a detected distance and a detected direction of a external obstacle; a camera module used to capture a camera image including an obstacle image; a calculation module used to calculate a first region for the obstacle image in the camera image; and an object search module used to execute a first image processing on the camera image within the first region to obtain the obstacle image. If no obstacle is found within the first region, the calculation module is used to calculate a second region. The object search module is used to execute a second image processing within the second region to obtain the obstacle image.

Claims

1. An obstacle detection system applied in a mobile vehicle, comprising:

an object detection module, generating a detected distance and a detected direction of at least one external obstacle;

a camera module, capturing a camera image including an obstacle image;

a calculation module, calculating a first region for the obstacle image in the camera image according to the detected distance and the detected direction; and

an object search module, executing a first image processing on the camera image within the first region to obtain the obstacle image.

2. The obstacle detection system of claim 1, wherein the calculation module calculates a distance from the obstacle when the object search module obtains the obstacle image.

3. The obstacle detection system of claim 2, wherein the calculation module calculates the distance according to driving information of the mobile vehicle.

4. The obstacle detection system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle image is highlighted in the camera image.

5. The obstacle detection system of claim 1, wherein the object detection module is a sonar detection device or a radar detection device.

6. The obstacle detection system of claim 1, wherein if the object search module can not search the obstacle image within the first region, the calculation module calculates a second region according to the detected distance and the detected direction, and the object search module searches the obstacle image within the second region, and the second region is greater than the first region.

7. The obstacle detection system of claim 6, wherein the calculation module calculates the first region or the second region respectively according to a default condition of the external obstacle situated at a ground or a non-ground position.

8. The obstacle detection system of claim 6, wherein the camera image is one of a plurality of continuous images captured by the camera module, and the object search module uses the plurality of images to execute a second image processing on the camera image within the second region to obtain the obstacle image.

9. An obstacle detection system applied in a mobile vehicle, comprising:

an object detection module, generating a detected distance and a detected direction of at least one external obstacle, and the object detection module being a sonar detection device or a radar detection device;

a camera module, capturing a camera image which includes an obstacle image;

a processing module, calculating a first region for the obstacle image in the camera image according to the detected distance and the detected direction, and executing a first image processing on the camera image within the first region to obtain the obstacle image, so as to calculate a distance from the obstacle and highlight the obstacle image in the camera image;

if the obstacle image being not able to be searched within the first region, the processing module calculating a second region according to the distance and the direction and executing a second image processing on the camera image within the second region to search the obstacle image; and

a display module, displaying the camera image with the highlighted obstacle image.

10. The obstacle detection system of claim 9, wherein the processing module calculates the first region or the second region respectively according to a default condition of the obstacle situated at a ground or a non-ground position.

11. The obstacle detection system of claim 9, wherein the processing module further calculates the distance according to driving information of the mobile vehicle.

12. The obstacle detection system of claim 9, wherein the camera image is one of a plurality of continuous images captured by the camera module, and the processing module uses the plurality of images to execute the second image processing on the camera image within the second region.

13. An obstacle detection method applied in a mobile vehicle, comprising steps of:

using an object detection module to generate a detected distance and a detected direction of at least one external obstacle;

capturing a camera image by a camera module, wherein the camera image includes an obstacle image;

using a calculation module to calculate a first region where the obstacle is possibly located in the camera image according to the detected distance and the detected direction; and

executing a first image processing on the camera image within the first region by an object search module to obtain the obstacle image.

14. The obstacle detection method of claim 13, further comprising a step of:

using the calculation module to calculate a distance from the obstacle according to driving information of the mobile vehicle when the object search module obtains the obstacle image.

15. The obstacle detection method of claim 13, further comprising a step of:

highlighting the obstacle image in the camera image.

16. The obstacle detection method of claim 13, further comprising steps of:

using the calculation module to calculate a second region according to the detected distance and the detected direction and searching the obstacle image within the second region by the object search module if the object search module being not able to search the obstacle image within the first region, wherein the second region is greater than the first region.

17. The obstacle detection method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

using the calculation module to calculate the first region or the second region respectively according to a default condition of the external obstacle situated at a ground or a non-ground position.

18. The obstacle detection method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

executing a second image processing on the camera image within the second region by the object search module according to a plurality of continuous images containing the camera image, to search the obstacle image.