Processing apparatus, processing system, and processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9637118-B2
Application number	US-201514710801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A processing apparatus includes a distance image acquirer, a moving-object detector, and a danger-level determining unit. The distance image acquirer acquires a distance image containing distance information of each pixel. The moving-object detector detects a moving object from the distance image. The danger-level determining unit determines a danger level of the moving object by use of the distance image, and outputs the danger level to a controller that controls a controlled unit in accordance with the danger level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
acquire a distance image having pixels containing distance information;
predict an external scene situation based on a scene situation model stored in a memory;
determine a recognition method based on the predicted external scene situation;
detect, by analyzing the distance image using the determined recognition method, a moving object represented within the distance image; and
determine a danger level of the detected moving object by use of at least the distance image, and output the danger level to a controller that controls a device in accordance with the determined danger level.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
detect a motion vector of the moving object, and
determine the danger level of the moving object by use of the motion vector.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the danger level of the moving object based on a moving direction of the moving object and a moving speed of the moving object, the moving direction being indicated by a direction of the motion vector, the moving speed being indicated by a size of the motion vector.

4. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the danger level of the moving object based on a distance to the moving object, a moving direction of the moving object, and a moving speed of the moving object, the moving direction being indicated by a direction of the motion vector, the moving speed being indicated by a size of the motion vector.

5. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the danger level of the moving object based on a distance to the moving object, an angle formed with the moving object, a moving direction of the moving object, and a moving speed of the moving object, the moving direction being indicated by a direction of the motion vector, the moving speed being indicated by a size of the motion vector.

6. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, as the danger level of the moving object, a danger level previously set in accordance with a distance to the moving object.

7. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, as the danger level of the moving object, a danger level previously set in accordance with a distance to the moving object and an angle formed therewith.

8. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
recognize an image associated with a danger level from within the distance image, and
determine the danger level of the moving object by use of a determination criterion that is changed in accordance with the recognized image.

9. The processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to recognize, as the image associated with a danger level, an image of a target.

10. A processing system, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
acquire a distance image having pixels containing distance information;
predict an external scene situation based on a scene situation model stored in a memory;
determine a recognition method based on the predicted external scene situation;
detect, by analyzing the distance image using the determined recognition method, a moving object represented within the distance image;
determine a danger level of the detected moving object by use of at least the distance image; and
control a device in accordance with the determined danger level.

11. The processing system according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to perform, in accordance with the determined danger level, at least one kind of control selected from braking control of a vehicle, steering-wheel control of the vehicle, and display control of a display.

12. A processing method, comprising:
acquiring, by processing circuitry, a distance image having pixels containing distance information;
predicting an external scene situation based on a scene situation model stored in a memory;
determining a recognition method based on the predicted external scene situation;
detecting, by the processing circuitry by analyzing the distance image using the determined recognition method, a moving object represented within the distance image; and
determining, by the processing circuitry, a danger level of the moving object by use of at least the distance image, and control a device in accordance with the determined danger level.

13. The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the recognition method based on a shape change rate of a previously detected object.

14. The processing circuitry apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the recognition method based on an object blockage rate of a previously detected object.

15. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scene situation model is described as a scene graph.

16. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scene situation model describes at least an express highway.

17. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scene situation mode is updated in accordance with a recognition result and stored.

18. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scene situation mode represents a positional relationship between the moving object and a stationary object in the distance image.

19. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scene situation mode represents a positional relationship between the moving object and a road surface on which the moving object is present, in the distance image.

Assignees

• Yokota Soichiro
• Ishigaki Tomoko
• Sekiguchi Hiroyoshi
• Saisho Kenichiroh
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yokota Soichiro
• Ishigaki Tomoko
• Sekiguchi Hiroyoshi
• Saisho Kenichiroh

Classifications

• B60W2754/10

  Spatial relation or speed relative to objects · CPC title

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• H04N23/682

  Vibration or motion blur correction · CPC title

• H04N23/6811

  based on the image signal · CPC title

• G06T7/251 Primary

  involving models · CPC title