Marking line detection system and marking line detection method of a distant road surface area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9536155-B2
Application number	US-201514613973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A marking line detection system includes an imaging device and an ECU. An information extraction unit of the ECU is configured to extract depth distance information from the imaging device to an imaging object based on image information in an imaging area captured by the imaging device. A road surface area identification unit of the ECU is configured to identify a distant road surface area based on the depth distance information, the distant road surface area being a road surface area that excludes an immediately-preceding road surface area of the vehicle in the image information and is more distant from the vehicle than the immediately-preceding road surface area. A marking line detection unit of the ECU is configured to detect a marking line in the distant road surface area based on image information corresponding to a position of the distant road surface area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A marking line detection system comprising: an imaging device configured to capture surroundings of a vehicle; an electronic control unit configured to: extract depth distance information from the imaging device to an imaging object based on image information in an imaging area captured by the imaging device; identify a distant road surface area based on the depth distance information and based on a speed of the vehicle, the distant road surface area being a road surface area that excludes an immediately-preceding road surface area of the vehicle in the image information and is more distant from the vehicle than the immediately-preceding road surface area and, detect a marking line in the distant road surface area based on image information corresponding to a position of the distant road surface area.

2. The marking line detection system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to: calculate a detection condition for detecting the marking line and identify the immediately-preceding road surface area of the vehicle in the image information and an intermediate road surface area based on the depth distance information, the intermediate road surface area being present between the distant road surface area and the immediately-preceding road surface area in the image information, and calculate a first detection condition, a second detection condition, and a third detection condition, the first detection condition being a condition for detecting the marking line in the distant road surface area, the second detection condition being a condition for detecting a marking line in the immediately-preceding road surface area, and the third detection condition being a condition for detecting a marking line in the intermediate road surface area based on the first and second detection conditions.

3. The marking line detection system according to claim 2 wherein
the electronic control unit is further configured to calculate the first detection condition, the second detection condition, and the third detection condition based on an edge strength of each marking line in the immediately-preceding road surface area, the intermediate road surface area, and the distant road surface area.

4. The marking line detection system according to claim 1 wherein
the electronic control unit is further configured to identify a new distant road surface area that is nearer to the vehicle than the distant road surface area when the marking line is not detected in the distant road surface area.

5. A marking line detection method comprising:
extracting depth distance information from an imaging device to an imaging object based on image information in an imaging area captured by the imaging device that captures surroundings of a vehicle;
identifying a distant road surface area based on the depth distance information and a speed of the vehicle, the distant road surface area being a road surface area that excludes an immediately-preceding road surface area of the vehicle in the image information and is more distant from the vehicle than the immediately-preceding road surface area; and
detecting a marking line in the distant road surface area based on image information corresponding to a position of the distant road surface area.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takemae Yoshinao

Classifications

• G06T7/0083

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G1/167

  Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection · CPC title

• B60R1/00

  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 title

• E01F11/00

  {Road engineering aspects of} Embedding pads or other sensitive devices in paving or other road surfaces {, e.g. traffic detectors, vehicle-operated pressure-sensitive actuators, devices for monitoring atmospheric or road conditions}(pressure-sensitive elements G01L; traffic control systems G08G) · CPC title

• G06T7/0081

  Physics · mapped topic