Patents by Inventor Nobuharu Nagaoka

Nobuharu Nagaoka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7974445
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device which determines type of an object with high accuracy, wherein the size of object regions that are set in each of the image representing the peripheral condition of the vehicle in each of two different points in time and that include the identical objects, are aligned on the basis of the distance from the vehicle to the object in each of the two different point in time. Further, local regions with the same arrangement pattern are set taking each of the object regions with aligned size as reference. Still further, the object is classified into the object class which corresponds to the arrangement pattern in the case where the degree of correlation between the local regions becomes equal to or larger than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Yuji Yokochi
  • Patent number: 7969466
    Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus that extracts a body present in the surroundings of a vehicle as an object, based on an image captured by an infrared imaging device, including a binarized object extraction device that extracts a binarized object from image data obtained by binarizing a gray scale image of the image; a search region setting device that sets a search region at the lower part of the binarized object extracted by the binarized object extraction device; a vertical edge detection device that detects a vertical edge in the search region set by the search region setting device; and an object type determination device that determines a type of object based on a detection result of the vertical edge detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Takayuki Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20110096956
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device is operable to report a high contact possibility between a vehicle and an object at an appropriate time or frequency according to the type of the object. When the object is determined to be a human being and the position of the object in real space is contained in a first contact determination area, a high contact possibility between the vehicle and the object is reported. On the other hand, when the object is determined to be a quadruped animal and the real spatial position of the object is contained in a second contact determination area, the corresponding report is made. The second contact determination area has an overlapped area that overlaps with the first contact determination area, and an overflowed area that has at least a part thereof overflowing from the first contact determination area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Aimura, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7925050
    Abstract: A vehicle environment monitoring apparatus capable of extracting an image of a monitored object in an environment around a vehicle by separating the same from the background image with a simple configuration having a single camera mounted on the vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a first image portion extracting processing unit to extract first image portions (A1, A2) considered to be the head of a pedestrian from a currently picked up image and a previously picked up image by an infrared camera, a mask area setting processing unit to set mask areas (M1(0,0), M1(1,0), . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20110064275
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus capable of, even when an object is moving, measuring the position of the object at a high accuracy. A vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus (10) calculates the change rate (Rate(t)) of the size of an object region between two times separated by a specified interval (?T). The specified interval (?T) is a time interval defined so that the shapes and postures of an object in images resemble or match each other to such an extent that it is possible to identify that the object is identical. Based on the change rage (Rate(t)) of the size of the object region during the specified interval (?T), it is possible to measure the distance from a vehicle (1) to the object or the position at a high accuracy even when the object is moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20110032358
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus capable of, even when an object is moving, measuring the position of the object at a high accuracy. According to a vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus (10), an enlargement factor relevant to when the degree of correlation between an enlarged local region (EB(?i)) obtained by enlarging a local region (B(k?1)) at a previous time (k?1) and a local region (B(k)) at a time (k) later than the previous time (k?1) becomes the maximum is calculated as a change rate (Rate(k)) of the size of the local region (B(k)). Based on the change rage (Rate(k)), it is possible to measure the distance (Z(k)) from a vehicle (1) to the object or the position (P(k)) at a high accuracy even when the object is moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Makoto Aimura, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7885430
    Abstract: The present invention provides an automotive environment monitoring device to detect the existence of an object, a pedestrian or the like, with high accuracy even if one part of the object is overlapped with the background of an image obtained from an imaging unit mounted on the vehicle. An area where the object exists in the image obtained from an infrared camera (102) is set as a first area (A1i) and a lower portion of the first area (A1i) is set as a second area (A2i). A feature of the object is extracted with respect to the second area (A2i) and the object is identified based on the extracted feature. Thereby, even in the case where the first area (A1i) has been set but the feature of an upper part of the object can not be extracted due to the upper part of the object being overlapped with the background of the image, the object can still be identified with high accuracy by extracting the feature of a lower part of the object in the second area (A2i).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Makoto Aimura, Masakazu Saka, Takayuki Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20100283845
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising a distance detecting unit which detects the distance between cameras and an object, an object image extracting unit which extracts a first image portion of the object from the acquired image, a filtering unit which performs a filtering process to the acquired image, in which a target edge width is set to be narrower as the assumed value of the width is smaller and the distance is longer, and in which a target edge direction is set to a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, and an object type identifying unit which identifies, on the basis of a shape of a second image portion extracted by the filtering process, whether or not the type of the object in real space corresponding to the second image portion is the specific type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yokochi, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Fuminori Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20100278392
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring device which determines type of an object with high accuracy, wherein the size of object regions that are set in each of the image representing the peripheral condition of the vehicle [[1]] in each of two different points in time and that include the identical objects, are aligned on the basis of the distance from the vehicle to the object in each of the two different point in time. Further, local regions with the same arrangement pattern are set taking each of the object regions with aligned size as reference. Still further, the object is classified into the object class which corresponds to the arrangement pattern in the case where the degree of correlation between the local regions becomes equal to or larger than [[the]] a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Yuji Yokochi
  • Patent number: 7672481
    Abstract: An image information processing system permits stable display of image information regarding an object on an image display device even if an image area of the object recognized through an infrared camera is unstable. In the image information processing system, a first image area recognition unit recognizes a first image area associated with an object on the basis of a second variable based on the position of the object measured through the infrared camera. Further, a second image area recognition unit estimates the first image area on the basis of a first variable and a second variable based on the running mode of an automobile, and recognizes the estimated image area as a second image area. Then, an image information control unit causes a head-up display to display one or both of the first image information associated with the first image area and the second image information associated with the second image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Kanai, Nobuharu Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 7672510
    Abstract: A vehicle environment monitoring device identifies objects from an image taken by an infrared camera. Object extraction from images is performed in accordance with the state of the environment as determined by measurements extracted from the images as follows: N1 binarized objects are extracted from a single frame. Height of a grayscale objects corresponding to one of the binarized objects are calculated. If a ratio of the number of binarized objects C, where the absolute value of the height difference is less than the predetermined value ?H, to the total number N1 of binarized objects, is greater than a predetermined value X1, the image frame is determined to be rainfall-affected. If the ratio is less than the predetermined value X1, the image frame is determined to be a normal frame. A warning is provided if it is determined that the object is a pedestrian and if a collision is likely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Masakazu Saka, Takayuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7671725
    Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus, a vehicle surroundings monitoring method, and a vehicle surroundings monitoring program which can rapidly determine an object such as a pedestrian to be avoided which must be avoided from coming into contact with the vehicle from an image of the surroundings of the vehicle and can provide information to a driver or control the vehicle behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tsuji, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Yoichi Sugimoto, Morimichi Nishigaki
  • Patent number: 7619668
    Abstract: An abnormality detecting apparatus for an imaging apparatus that detects a presence of abnormalities in imaging apparatuses mounted on a vehicle to capture vehicle surroundings, which includes: a luminance variance value calculating device that calculates a luminance variance value of each image from the imaging apparatuses using the luminance value of each image from the imaging apparatuses obtained by the imaging apparatuses; and an abnormality detecting device that detects the presence of abnormalities in any of the imaging apparatuses in accordance with the luminance variance values calculated by the luminance variance value calculating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Saka, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Masahito Watanabe, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7620237
    Abstract: Two aiming targets are arranged at positions that are away from two infrared cameras by a predetermined distance. One of the infrared cameras images one of the aiming targets, and the other of the infrared cameras images the other of the aiming targets. Assuming that the obtained images relate to an image of one aiming target, a parallax offset value is calculated. The correction of position is performed based on the parallax offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Masakazu Saka, Masahito Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7616806
    Abstract: A first object and a second object arranged in an actual space with coordinates (Xn, Zn) and (Xn?D, Zn) are imaged, and respective coordinates x1* and x2* of the first object and the second object in the image are calculated. Then, a coordinate x1 of the first object in the image and a coordinate x2 of the second object in the image are calculated by equations: x1=F·Xn/Zn x2=F·(Xn?D)/Zn where F is a design parameter of an imaging unit. An image distortion corrective value ? to correct the design parameter F is calculated by equations: ?·x1*=x1 ?·x2*=x2 using a difference between the coordinates x1 and x1* and a difference between the coordinates x2 and x2*.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Masakazu Saka, Masahito Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7599546
    Abstract: A system and the like capable of stably displaying image information according to an object shot by infrared cameras by offsetting disadvantages of two-dimensional image processing and three-dimensional image processing. According to an image information processing system 100 of the present invention, a weighting factor calculation unit 140 calculates a first weighting factor C1 (0?C1?1) and a second weighting factor C2 (=1?C1), on the basis of a measured value of a variable according to a distance between infrared cameras 210 and an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Kanai, Nobuharu Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 7599521
    Abstract: A right infrared camera produces a right gray-scale image by imaging aiming targets disposed in a right position, and a left infrared camera produces a left gray-scale image by imaging aiming targets disposed in a left position. An average value of coordinates of the aiming targets in a preset clipping area is determined, and an average value of coordinates of the aiming targets in a preset clipping area is determined. A difference between the average value and the average value is determined, and the clipping area is moved depending on the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Watanabe, Masakazu Saka, Nobuharu Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 7590263
    Abstract: An ECU of a night vision system stores small obtained images of provisional targets as six templates depending on the distance from infrared cameras, and selects one of the templates depending on the distance up to an actual object. Using the selected template, the ECU performs template matching on images obtained by the infrared cameras, and calculates coordinates of the inspection target. The ECU compares the calculated coordinates of the inspection target and stored reference coordinates with each other, and determines mounted angles of the infrared cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Watanabe, Masakazu Saka, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Yoshitaka Hirai, Toshiya Okabe
  • Patent number: 7586400
    Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus which determines whether there is a possibility of contact between a vehicle and a monitored object around the vehicle with a single camera mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Takayuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7580548
    Abstract: An abnormality detecting apparatus for an imaging apparatus that detects the presence of abnormalities in an imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle to capture vehicle surroundings which includes: a region setting device that sets a region including at least a road boundary portion in an image obtained by the imaging apparatus; a luminance variance value calculating device that calculates a luminance variance value using the luminance value acquired from the image with respect to the region set by the region setting device; and an abnormality detecting device that detects the presence of abnormalities in the imaging apparatus according to the luminance variance value calculated by the luminance variance value calculating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Saka, Nobuharu Nagaoka, Masahito Watanabe, Takayuki Tsuji