OBJECT DETECTION APPARATUS AND OBJECT DETECTION METHOD
First Claim
1. An object detection apparatus comprising:
- an image acquiring unit that acquires, as a first image, a captured image of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction from a first imaging unit provided in the vehicle and acquires, as a second image, a captured image of an area ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction from a second imaging unit provided in the vehicle;
a blind-spot determining unit that determines whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction, based on the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit, the blind spot being an area that is visible through one of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit and is not visible through the other of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit;
an image holding unit that holds the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit in time series, when the object is determined to be present in the blind spot;
a difference acquiring unit that acquires, as a first image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first image held in time series and acquires, as a second image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the second image held in time series; and
an approach determining unit that determines whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle based on the first image difference and the second image difference acquired by the difference acquiring unit.
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Abstract
In an object detection apparatus and an object detection method, as first and second images, captured images of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction are acquired from first and second imaging units provided in the vehicle. Based on the first and second images, whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction is determined. When the object is determined to be present in the blind spot, the first and second images are held in time series. As first and second image differences, differences in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first and second images are acquired. Based on the first and second image differences, whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle is determined.
5 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An object detection apparatus comprising:
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an image acquiring unit that acquires, as a first image, a captured image of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction from a first imaging unit provided in the vehicle and acquires, as a second image, a captured image of an area ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction from a second imaging unit provided in the vehicle; a blind-spot determining unit that determines whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction, based on the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit, the blind spot being an area that is visible through one of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit and is not visible through the other of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit; an image holding unit that holds the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit in time series, when the object is determined to be present in the blind spot; a difference acquiring unit that acquires, as a first image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first image held in time series and acquires, as a second image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the second image held in time series; and an approach determining unit that determines whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle based on the first image difference and the second image difference acquired by the difference acquiring unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An object detection method comprising:
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an image acquiring step of acquiring, as a first image, a captured image of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction from a first imaging unit provided in the vehicle and acquiring, as a second image, a captured image of an area ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction from a second imaging unit provided in the vehicle; a blind spot determining step of determining whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction, based on the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit, the blind spot being an area that is visible through one of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit and is not visible through the other of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit; an image holding step of holding the first image captured by the first imaging unit and the second image captured by the second imaging unit in time series, when the object is determined to be present in the blind spot; a difference acquiring step of acquiring, as a first image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first image held in time series and acquiring, as a second image difference, a difference in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the second image held in time series; and an approach determining step of determining whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle based on the first image difference and the second image difference acquired at the difference acquiring step.
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Specification