US7176830B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image processing system for mounting to a vehicle
Assignee: Omron Corp
•
Filing: 2005-11-15
•
Granted: 2007-02-13
•
Expires: 2025-11-15
Abstract
Abstract An image processing system to be mounted to a vehicle includes a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted to scan the exterior of the vehicle, an image-taking device such as a camera for obtaining an image, and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by the image-taking device. The image processor is adapted to determine a center position of the image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by the radar and the size of the image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from the radar.
Inventors
- 👤 Koji Horibe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/86; G01S13/867; G01S17/00; G01S17/86; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/70; G06T7/73
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An image processing system for mounting to a vehicle, said image process comprising: a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object outside said vehicle based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted therefrom by scanning outside said vehicle; an image-taking device which obtains an image; and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by said image-taking device; wherein said image processor serves to determine a center position of said image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by said radar and the size of said image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
An image processing system for mounting to a vehicle, said image process comprising: a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object outside said vehicle based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted therefrom by scanning outside said vehicle; an image-taking device which obtains an image; and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by said image-taking device; wherein said image processor serves to determine a center position of said image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by said radar and the size of said image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image processor serves, when there are a plurality of measurement points that are close together with respect to the resolving power of said radar, to group together said plurality of measurement points as being associated with a single object and to join image processing areas individually associated with said measurement points as a single image processing area; and wherein said electromagnetic waves form a beam which has a cross-sectional shape of a circle or an ellipse and spreads with a spread angle that is smaller than the image angle of said image-taking device in all directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
The image processing system of claim 2 wherein said image processor defines a plane which is parallel to the road surface supporting said vehicle, projects measurement points of the object detected by said radar onto said plane, determines a line by connecting two of the projected points on said plane, represents said line in an image-fixed coordinate system, limits a lower edge of said image processing area by said line represented in said image-fixed coordinate system and starts a raster scan of said image processing from a starting position adjacent to said line represented in said image-fixed coordinate system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The image processing system of claim 3 wherein said image processor determines the size of said image processing area according to half-intensity positions where the beam intensity of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar is one-half of the maximum intensity of said electromagnetic waves and reduces the size of said image processing area as the distance to said object detected by said radar increases.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing system of claim 3 wherein said image processor corrects the position of said image processing area according to the angle between the central axes of said radar and said image-taking device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The image processing system of claim 2 wherein said image processor determines the size of said image processing area according to half-intensity positions where the beam intensity of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar is one-half of the maximum intensity of said electromagnetic waves and reduces the size of said image processing area as the distance to said object detected by said radar increases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing system of claim 2 wherein said image processor corrects the position of said image processing area according to the angle between the central axes of said radar and said image-taking device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image processing system of claim 2 wherein said image processor determines the shape of said image processing area as a rectangle that circumscribes or inscribes a circle or ellipse having the cross-sectional shape of the beam of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar and identifies said image processing area by corner positions of two mutually diagonally located angles of said rectangle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image processing system of claim 3 wherein said image processor determines the shape of said image processing area as a rectangle that circumscribes or inscribes a circle or ellipse having the cross-sectional shape of the beam of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar and identifies said image processing area by corner positions of two mutually diagonally located angles of said rectangle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image processor defines a plane which is parallel to the road surface supporting said vehicle, projects measurement points of the object detected by said radar onto said plane, determines a line by connecting two of the projected points on said plane, represents said line in an image-fixed coordinate system, limits a lower edge of said image processing area by said line represented in said image-fixed coordinate system and starts a raster scan of said image processing from a starting position adjacent to said line represented in said image-fixed coordinate system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The image processing system of claim 10 wherein said image processor determines the size of said image processing area according to half-intensity positions where the beam intensity of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar is one-half of the maximum intensity of said electromagnetic waves and reduces the size of said image processing area as the distance to said object detected by said radar increases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing system of claim 10 wherein said image processor corrects the position of said image processing area according to the angle between the central axes of said radar and said image-taking device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image processing system of claim 10 wherein said image processor determines the shape of said image processing area as a rectangle that circumscribes or inscribes a circle or ellipse having the cross-sectional shape of the beam of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar and identifies said image processing area by corner positions of two mutually diagonally located angles of said rectangle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image processor determines the size of said image processing area according to half-intensity positions where the beam intensity of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar is one-half of the maximum intensity of said electromagnetic waves and reduces the size of said image processing area as the distance to said object detected by said radar increases.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image processor corrects the position of said image processing area according to the angle between the central axes of said radar and said image-taking device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image processor determines the shape of said image processing area as a rectangle that circumscribes or inscribes a circle or ellipse having the cross-sectional shape of the beam of electromagnetic waves outputted from said radar and identifies said image processing area by corner positions of two mutually diagonally located angles of said rectangle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said image-taking device is adapted to obtain an image in the direction in which said electromagnetic waves are outputted by said radar.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The image processing system of claim 1 wherein said radar is a laser radar.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4063073A
Cited
US4110754A
Cited
US5159557A
Cited
JPH06124340A
Cited
US5347459A
Cited
JPH07125567A
Cited
US5633705A
Cited
US5806019A
Cited
US5835880A
Cited
US5734344A
Cited
USRE37725E1
Cited
US6246949B1
Cited
US5793325A
Cited
US6025797A
Cited
US5959569A
Cited
EP0981059A2
Cited
US6522286B1
Cited
US6121916A
Cited
US6900754B2
Cited
JP2003084064A
Cited
EP1319961A1
Cited
US6771208B2
Cited
US6831591B2
Cited
US6812883B2
Cited
US6674394B1
Cited
US6834232B1
Cited
WO2005024464A1
Cited
EP1580075A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-02-12 | 2010-08-14 | 2011-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-02-12 | 2014-08-14 | 2015-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-02-12 | 2018-08-14 | 2019-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |