Image adjusting device, image adjusting method, and on-vehicle camera

• US 8,605,153 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Sasaki, Tetsuya, Kasahara, Ryosuke, Maruyama, Go, Sekiguchi, Hiroyoshi, Li, Xue, Itoh, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US12/715,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 382/104, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20092 Interactive image processing based on input by user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30264 Parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/80 Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration

Abstract

An image adjusting device for an on-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle includes an operations unit configured to input mounting position information regarding a mounting position of the on-vehicle camera on the vehicle; a storing unit configured to store image processing parameters in association with various mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera; a control unit configured to read the corresponding image processing parameters from the storing unit based on the mounting position information input from the operations unit; and an image processing unit configured to process image data obtained by an imaging unit of the on-vehicle camera according to the image processing parameters read by the control unit.

Claims

1. An image adjusting device for an on-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle, the image adjusting device comprising:

an operations unit configured to allow a user to input mounting position information regarding an initial mounting position of the on-vehicle camera on the vehicle from among various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle;

a storing unit configured to store image processing parameters in association with the various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle;

a control unit configured to read the corresponding image processing parameters from the storing unit based on the mounting position information input by the user from the operations unit; and

an image processing unit configured to process image data obtained by an imaging unit of the on-vehicle camera according to the image processing parameters read by the control unit.

2. The image adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the operations unit is configured to input the mounting position information including one or more of a mounting height (Y) from a ground surface, a vertical mounting angle (pitch angle) with respect to the ground surface, a mounting position deviation (X) from a center in a width direction of the vehicle, a horizontal mounting angle (yaw angle), and a rotation angle (roll angle) with respect to a moving direction of the vehicle;

and

the storing unit is configured to store the image processing parameters in association with one or more of the mounting height (Y), the vertical mounting angle (pitch angle), the mounting position deviation (X), the horizontal mounting angle (yaw angle), and the rotation angle (roll angle).

3. The image adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storing unit is configured to store pointers to the image processing parameters in association with the various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle and to store the image processing parameters separately from the pointers.

4. The image adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a graphic superposing unit, wherein

the operations unit is configured to also input vehicle information regarding a type or a width of the vehicle;

the storing unit is configured to also store graphic processing parameters in association with various sets of the vehicle information and the mounting position information;

the control unit is configured to also read the corresponding graphic processing parameters from the storing unit based on the vehicle information and the mounting position information input from the operations unit; and

the graphic superposing unit is configured to superpose vehicle width lines indicating the width of the vehicle and/or distance reference lines indicating distances from an end of the vehicle on the image data based on the graphic processing parameters read by the control unit.

5. The image adjusting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the storing unit is configured to store pointers to the graphic processing parameters in association with the various sets of the vehicle information and the mounting position information and to store the graphic processing parameters separately from the pointers.

6. The image adjusting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the storing unit is configured to store the graphic processing parameters including at least coordinates of initial and end points of the vehicle width lines and/or the distance reference lines.

13. An on-vehicle camera including the image adjusting device of claim 1.

7. An image adjusting method for an on-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising:

inputting mounting position information regarding an initial mounting position of the on-vehicle camera on the vehicle from among various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle by a user;

storing image processing parameters in a storing unit in association with the various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle;

reading the corresponding image processing parameters from the storing unit based on the mounting position information input by the user in the inputting; and

processing image data obtained by an imaging unit of the on-vehicle camera according to the image processing parameters read in the reading.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the mounting position information input in the inputting includes one or more of a mounting height (Y) from a ground surface, a vertical mounting angle (pitch angle) with respect to the ground surface, a mounting position deviation (X) from a center in a width direction of the vehicle, a horizontal mounting angle (yaw angle), and a rotation angle (roll angle) with respect to a moving direction of the vehicle;

and

the image processing parameters are stored in the storing unit in association with one or more of the mounting height (Y), the vertical mounting angle (pitch angle), the mounting position deviation (X), the horizontal mounting angle (yaw angle), and the rotation angle (roll angle).

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein

pointers to the image processing parameters are stored in the storing unit in association with the various initial mounting positions of the on-vehicle camera that are available at a plurality of locations on the vehicle;

and

the image processing parameters are stored in the storing unit separately from the pointers.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

graphic superposing, wherein

in the inputting, vehicle information regarding a type or a width of the vehicle is also input;

in the storing, graphic processing parameters are also stored in the storing unit in association with various sets of the vehicle information and the mounting position information;

in the reading, the corresponding graphic processing parameters are also read from the storing unit based on the vehicle information and the mounting position information input in the inputting; and

in the graphic superposing, vehicle width lines indicating the width of the vehicle and/or distance reference lines indicating distances from an end of the vehicle are superposed on the image data based on the graphic processing parameters read in the reading.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein

pointers to the graphic processing parameters are stored in the storing unit in association with the various sets of the vehicle information and the mounting position information;

and

the graphic processing parameters are stored in the storing unit separately from the pointers.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the graphic processing parameters stored in the storing unit include at least coordinates of initial and end points of the vehicle width lines and/or the distance reference lines.