Vehicle front-view monitoring system

• US 7,079,668 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kogure, Masaru, Hiwatashi, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAVIN, CHRISTOPHER L
• Application Number:
  US09/902,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 348/148
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

A vehicle front-view monitoring system takes fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement using first parameter are met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period. The functions interrupted by the fail-safe measure is resumed when a fail-safe measure-release requirement using second parameter which is different from the first parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met. The first period is variable in accordance with how accurately lane marking on a road in the monitored image is recognized.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitoring system for taking a fail-safe measure for a fault monitoring condition on a monitored image, comprising:

a camera device provided on a vehicle for taking the monitored image; and

a controller for judging an optical irregularity occurred on the monitored image by taking the fail-safe measure when a fail-safe measure requirement using a first parameter is met on the monitored image for a predetermined first period, and for interrupting the fail-safe measure when a fail-safe measure-release requirement using a second parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met,

wherein the second parameter is different from the first parameter, and

the first parameter includes at least a value obtained by normalizing an addition of a luminance-characteristic value on the monitored image by a shutter speed of the camera device and a specific number of data related to luminance edges on the monitored image and the second parameter includes at least the shutter speed and the addition of a luminance-characteristic value.

2. A vehicle monitoring system, comprising:

a camera device provided on a vehicle for taking an image to be monitored as the monitored image;

a processor for analyzing the image and providing a warning to a driver and/or automatically controlling one or more vehicle systems in response to the analyzing; and

a controller for judging an optical irregularity is interfering with an acceptable quality of image capture based on the occurrence of a first parameter and inhibiting the warning and/or vehicle system automatic control in response thereto, and judging when the optical irregularity interfering with an acceptable quality of image capture is no longer present based on a second parameter different from the first parameter, after such inhibiting and restoring the ability of the processor to warn and/or automatically control one or more vehicle systems in response to the analyzing, wherein the first parameter includes a function of a camera shutter speed normalized luminance-characteristic of the monitored image and a data related to luminance edges on the monitored image and the second parameter includes a function of shutter speed and a luminance-characteristic.

3. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and the second parameters includes at least a parameter related to luminance-distribution characteristics on the monitored image but different from each other.

4. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the first parameter is a value obtained by normalizing a luminance-addition variance or the maximum addition of a luminance on the monitored image by the shutter speed of the camera device whereas a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the second parameter is the luminance-addition variance.

5. A vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a camera device provided on a vehicle for taking an image to be monitored; and

a controller for taking fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement using a first parameter is met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period and resuming a function interrupted by the fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-release requirement using a second parameter different from the first parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met, wherein the first parameter includes at least a value obtained by normalizing an addition of a luminance-characteristic value on the monitored image by a shutter speed of the camera device and a specific number of luminance edges on the monitored image and the second parameter includes at least the shutter speed and the addition of a luminance-characteristic value.

6. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein the first period is variable in accordance with how accurately lane markings on a road in the monitored image are recognized.

7. A vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a camera device provided on a vehicle for taking an image to be monitored; and

a controller for taking fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-interruption requirement using a first parameter is met on a monitored image for a predetermined first period and resuming a function interrupted by the fail-safe measures when a fail-safe measure-release requirement using a second parameter different from the first parameter is met within a predetermined second period after the fail-safe measure-interruption requirement has been met,

wherein the first and the second parameters include parameters related to luminance-distribution characteristics on the monitored image but different from each other and a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the first parameter is a value obtained by normalizing a luminance-addition variance or the maximum addition of a luminance on the monitored image by a shutter speed of the camera device whereas a parameter related to the luminance-distribution characteristics and involved in the second parameter is the luminance-addition variance.

8. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the first period is variable in accordance with how accurately lane markings on a road in the monitored image are recognized.

9. A vehicle monitoring system, comprising:

a camera device provided on a vehicle for taking an image to be monitored;

a processor for analyzing the image and providing a warning to a driver and/or automatically controlling one or more vehicle systems in response to the analyzing; and

a controller for judging whether an optical irregularity is interfering with an acceptable quality of image capture based on the occurrence of a first parameter and inhibiting the warning and/or vehicle system automatic control in response thereto, and judging when the optical irregularity interfering with an acceptable quality of image capture is no longer present based on a second parameter after such inhibiting and restoring the ability of the processor to warn and/or automatically control one or more vehicle systems in response to the analyzing,

wherein the first period is variable in accordance with how accurately a lane making on a road in the monitored image is recognized; and

the first parameter includes a function of a camera shutter speed normalized luminance-characteristic of the monitored image and a data related to luminance edges on the monitored image and the second parameter includes a function of shutter speed and a luminance-characteristic value.