Stop line recognition device

• US 8,638,990 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kudo, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayesh A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kholdebarin, Iman K
• Application Number:
  US12/959,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20110135155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/190
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing unit 4 performs the recognition of a traffic signal in front of an own vehicle on the carriageway thereof. When the image processing unit 4 recognizes that there is a traffic signal front closet to the vehicle on the carriageway within a set distance L2 and the traffic signal is displaying red light, the process shifts to a stop line recognition mode and the image processing unit 4 performs stop line recognition. Accordingly, unnecessary execution of stop line recognition can be accurately avoided. Therefore, a stop line that is necessary for the control of the own vehicle can be recognized with a high accuracy without generating excessive calculation load.

Claims

1. A stop line recognition device comprising:

capturing means for capturing an image of a front environment outside an own vehicle including a carriageway of the own vehicle;

stop line recognition means for recognizing a stop line on the carriageway of the own vehicle based on an image captured by the capturing means;

traffic signal recognition means for recognizing one or more traffic signals in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle; and

permission determining means for permitting the stop line recognition means to execute a stop line recognition operation based on a detection, by the traffic signal recognition means, that a traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle is displaying a red light, wherein

the permission determining means is configured such that when the traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle changes to green after the permission determining means permits the stop line recognition means to execute a stop line recognition operation, the permission determining means cancels the permission to execute the stop line recognition operation.

2. The stop line recognition device according to claim 1 wherein the stop line recognition means is configured to set a stop line recognition frame on an image captured by the capturing means that extends in the vehicle width direction, and to recognize a stop line based on a time-series change of luminance in the stop line recognition frame.

4. The stop line recognition device according to claim 2, wherein

the stop line recognition means is configured to detect a change in luminance in the stop line recognition frame, in a time series, from below a predetermined luminance to above the predetermined luminance, then to below the predetermined luminance over a predetermined determination time period, and

the stop line recognition means is configured to determine that there is a stop line in the region of the image where the luminance in the stop line recognition frame changed to above the predetermined luminance.

6. The stop line recognition device according to claim 4, wherein the stop line recognition means is configured to variably set the determination time period such that the determination time period becomes shorter as the own vehicle speed becomes higher.

9. The stop line recognition device according to claim 4, further comprising

a drive control means for executing a drive control of the own vehicle,

wherein the drive control means is configured such that:

when the traffic signal recognition means detects that the traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle is displaying a red light, and

when the stop line recognition means determines that there is a stop line in a region of the image,

the drive control means executes a control operation of the own vehicle.

11. The stop line recognition device according to claim 9, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a warning signal to a driver of the own vehicle.

12. The stop line recognition device according to claim 9, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a throttle control of the own vehicle.

13. The stop line recognition device according to claim 9, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a brake control of the own vehicle.

14. The stop line recognition device according to claim 9, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a combination of at least two of the following operations:

a warning signal to a driver of the own vehicle;

a throttle control of the own vehicle; and

a brake control of the own vehicle.

19. The stop line recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the stop line recognition device is mounted to the own vehicle.

3. A stop line recognition device comprising:

capturing means for capturing an image of a front environment outside an own vehicle including a carriageway of the own vehicle;

stop line recognition means for recognizing a stop line on the carriageway of the own vehicle based on an image captured capturing means;

traffic signal recognition means for recognizing one or more traffic signals in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle; and

permission determining means for permitting the stop line recognition means to execute a stop line recognition operation based on a detection, by the traffic signal recognition means, that a traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle is displaying a red light, wherein

the stop line recognition means is configured to set a stop line recognition frame on an image captured by the capturing means, with the stop line recognition frame extending in the vehicle width direction and being variably positioned on the image based on the position on the image of the traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle, as recognized by the traffic signal recognition means, and

the stop line recognition means is configured to recognize the stop line based on a time-series change of luminance in the stop line recognition frame.

5. The stop line recognition device according to claim 3, wherein

the stop line recognition means is configured to detect a change in luminance in the stop line recognition frame, in a time series, from below a predetermined luminance to above the predetermined luminance, then to below the predetermined luminance over a predetermined determination time period, and

the stop line recognition means is configured to determine that there is a stop line in the region of the image where the luminance in the stop line recognition frame changed to above the predetermined luminance.

7. The stop line recognition device according to claim 5, wherein the stop line recognition means is configured to variably set the determination time period such that the determination time period becomes shorter as the own vehicle speed becomes higher.

10. The stop line recognition device according to claim 5, further comprising

a drive control means for executing a drive control of the own vehicle,

wherein the drive control means is configured such that:

when the traffic signal recognition means detects that the traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle is displaying a red light, and

when the stop line recognition means determines that there is a stop line in a region of the image,

the drive control means executes a control operation of the own vehicle.

15. The stop line recognition device according to claim 10, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a warning signal to a driver of the own vehicle.

16. The stop line recognition device according to claim 10 wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a throttle control of the own vehicle.

17. The stop line recognition device according to claim 10, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a brake control of the own vehicle.

18. The stop line recognition device according to claim 10, wherein the drive control means is configured to execute as the control operation a combination of at least two of the following operations:

a warning signal to a driver of the own vehicle;

a throttle control of the own vehicle; and

a brake control of the own vehicle.

20. The stop line recognition device according to claim 3, wherein the capturing means is configured to capture a color image.

21. The stop line recognition device according to claim 3, wherein the stop line recognition means is configured to variably position the stop line recognition frame, at least in lateral directions of the image, based on the position on the image of the traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle, as recognized by the traffic signal recognition means.

8. A stop line recognition device comprising:

capturing means for capturing an image of a front environment outside an own vehicle including a carriageway of the own vehicle;

stop line recognition means for recognizing a stop line on the carriageway of the own vehicle based on an image captured by the capturing means;

traffic signal recognition means for recognizing one or more traffic signals in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle; and

permission determining means for permitting the stop line recognition means to execute a stop line recognition operation based on a detection, by the traffic signal recognition means, that a traffic signal that is in front of the own vehicle, along the carriageway of the own vehicle, and closest to the own vehicle is displaying a red light, wherein

the permission determining means is configured such that when a predetermined time period elapses after the permission determining means permits the stop line recognition means to execute a stop line recognition operation, the permission determining means cancels the permission to execute the stop line recognition operation.