ROAD SIGN RECOGNITION DEVICE

• US 20160012307A1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Morishita, Taiji
• Application Number:
  US14/769,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20160012307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

In a road sign recognition system, a high luminance region indicating a region with a luminance higher than a predetermined reference luminance in the captured image is extracted (S120, S220), and a vehicle light source that represents a light source derived from the vehicle in the captured image is extracted (S130, S230). Then, a region that matches the vehicle light source in the high luminance region is excluded (S140, S240), and another region excluding the region that matches the vehicle light source in the high luminance region is set as a target region for recognizing the road sign (S150, S250), and the road sign is recognized in the target region. As a result, it is possible to narrow the region of performing the process of recognizing the road sign, thus it is possible to reduce the process load during recognizing the road sign.

Claims

1. A road sign recognition device, which is employed on a vehicle, that recognizes a road sign in a captured image, comprising:

a first means for extracting a high luminance region indicating a region with a luminance higher than a predetermined reference luminance in the captured image;

a second means for extracting a vehicle light source that represents a light source derived from the vehicle in the captured image;

a third means for excluding a region that matches the vehicle light source in the high luminance region; and

a fourth means for setting another region excluding the region that matches the vehicle light source in the high luminance region as a target region for recognizing the road sign, and recognizing the road sign in the target region.

2. The road sign recognition device according to claim 1, wherein,

there is provided a fifth means for setting imaging parameters that represent settings when an image capturing section captures the images based on a luminance of sign existing regions that represent regions where the road signs are likely to exist in the captured image;

and

a sixth means for obtaining the captured image captured by the imaging parameters;

wherein,

the road sign is recognized from the captured image captured by the imaging parameters.

3. The road sign recognition device according to claim 2, wherein,

the fifth means sets the imaging parameters based on the luminance of the region excluding the region that matches the vehicle light source among the sign existing regions.

4. The road sign recognition device according to claim 2, wherein,

there is provided a seventh means for performing preset information corresponding to the recognized road sign.

5. The road sign recognition device according to claim 4, wherein,

the seventh means displays the image that represents the recognized road sign on a display unit.

6. The road sign recognition device according to claim 1, wherein,

the fourth means sets an other region excluding the region that matches the vehicle light source in the high luminance region as the target region for recognizing the road sign.

7. A road sign recognition device characterized in that it:

performs a recognition process of a self-light-emitting type road sign from captured images captured by using a first imaging parameter, and

performs a recognition process of a non-self-light-emitting type road sign from captured images captured by using a second imaging parameter.