Abstract: Provided is a technology for helping safe driving and realizing automatic driving of vehicles, or for counting the number of passing vehicles on the road or monitoring those passing vehicles for their driving. Using a plurality of cameras mounted in a vehicle or provided above a road, even if the relationship between the road plane and the respective cameras constantly changes in relative position or posture due to camera vibration or a change in road tilt, any obstacles located on the road such as other vehicles ahead, parked vehicles, and pedestrians on the road are detected without confusing those with textures including white lines, road signs, paint, road stains, and shadows of roadside objects, all of which do not disturb vehicle driving.

Abstract: A stereo camera inputs a first image and a second image each including a predetermined plane. An image conversion unit projects each pixel of the predetermined plane from the first image onto a corresponding pixel of the second image as a third image. A feature conversion unit respectively emphasizes edges included in the first image, the second image and third image. A similarity calculation unit sets a plurality of areas on the predetermined plane from the second feature conversion image, calculates a first similarity between each area of the second feature conversion image and a corresponding area of the first feature conversion image, and calculates a second similarity between each area of the second feature conversion image and a corresponding area of the third feature conversion image. An obstacle decision unit detects an obstacle based on the first similarity and the second similarity.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising: an image input unit for receiving images inputted respectively from a plurality of image pick-up devices and accumulating the input images; a feature calculating unit for calculating predetermined, specific feature quantities in the respective accumulated images; a feature comparing unit for comparing the feature quantities in the respective accumulated images; and a result judging unit for judging the presence or absence of an obstacle on the basis of the comparison result obtained in the feature comparing unit. The obstacle detecting apparatus can thus detect an obstacle present on the road, such as a vehicle running ahead, a parked vehicle, and a pedestrian, by distinguishing the obstacle from a mere object causing no obstruction to driving of the vehicle, such as the texture like the white line or signs on the road surface, and the guardrail along the roadside.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus transforms an input image from a first camera by using a parameter of affine transformation based on a position of a second camera. The first camera and the second camera are loaded onto a vehicle respectively and input an image of a road plane in time series. A status prediction unit predicts a temporary status information of the vehicle of timing (t) by using a status information of the vehicle of timing (t−1). A parallel moving vector estimation unit estimates a parallel moving vector of timing (t) included in the parameter of affine transformation by using an input image of timing (t) from the first camera, an input image of timing (t) from the second camera, and the temporary status information. A status estimation unit estimates a status information of the vehicle of timing (t) by using the parallel moving vector and the temporary status information.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting system detecting an obstacle using two cameras the obstacle being on a reference plane in a field of view common to the two cameras. The system includes an image-inputting device for imprinting a first image and a second image from the two cameras, an image transforming device, a similarity-calculating device, and an obstacle-judging device. The similarity calculating device obtains and degree of similarity D, and degree of similarity P. The obstacle-judging device detects the obstacle on a basis of degree of similarity D and the degree of similarity P on a reference plane region obtained by the similarity-calculating device.

Abstract: A parallel computer of this invention includes a plurality of memory elements and a plurality of processing elements and each of the processing elements is connected to logically adjacent memory elements. For example, the processing elements which corresponds to a logical position (i, j) is connected to the memory elements which correspond to a plurality of logical positions (i, j), (i, j+1), (i+1, j) and (i+1, j+1). It is preferable if each of the memory elements can be accessed from the exterior. According to this invention, efficient memory access can be made and the parallel processing can be performed at high speed without increasing the hardware amount and making the control operation complicated. Further, the operation speed of the image processing can be enhanced by constructing an image memory by use of a plurality of memory elements and causing the processing element to effect the image processing in a distributed and cooperative manner.

Abstract: A parallel computer of this invention includes a plurality of memory elements and a plurality of processing elements and each of the processing elements is connected to logically adjacent memory elements. For example, the processing elements which corresponds to a logical position (i, j) is connected to the memory elements which correspond to a plurality of logical positions (i, j), (i, j+1), (i+1, j) and (i+1, j+1). It is preferable if each of the memory elements can be accessed from the exterior. According to this invention, efficient memory access can be made and the parallel processing can be performed at high speed without increasing the hardware amount and making the control operation complicated. Further, the operation speed of the image processing can be enhanced by constructing an image memory by use of a plurality of memory elements and causing the processing element to effect the image processing in a distributed and cooperative manner.

Abstract: A parallel computer of this invention includes a plurality of memory elements and a plurality of processing elements and each of the processing elements is connected to logically adjacent memory elements. For example, the processing elements which corresponds to a logical position (i, j) is connected to the memory elements which correspond to a plurality of logical positions (i, j), (i, j+1), (i+1, j) and (i+1, j+1). It is preferable if each of the memory elements can be accessed from the exterior. According to this invention, efficient memory access can be made and the parallel processing can be performed at high speed without increasing the hardware amount and making the control operation complicated. Further, the operation speed of the image processing can be enhanced by constructing an image memory by use of a plurality of memory elements and causing the processing element to effect the image processing in a distributed and cooperative manner.

Abstract: A plurality of cameras respectively input an image from different camera positions. The plurality of cameras is on a moving object. An image memory stores a plurality of images input by the plurality of cameras. An image transformation unit transforms one image input by a first camera using each of a plurality of transformation parameters each representing a geometrical relationship among a predetermined plane, the first camera, and a second camera, and generates a plurality of transformed images from a view position of the second camera. A matching processing unit compares each of the plurality of transformed images with another image input by the second camera for each area consisting of pixels, and calculates a coincidence degree of each area between each transformed image and another image. An obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle area consisting of areas each having a coincidence degree below a threshold from another image.

Abstract: The quantity that a brake pedal 5 disposed inside a cab is stepped on is communicated to a link 10a through rods 9a and 9b, and rotates a shaft 23. The rotation of the shaft is communicated through a link 10b to a rod 9c, and a push rod 27 of a hydraulic booster 2 is pushed in by a link 10c. An adjuster 15 connecting the rod 9a and the rod 9b supports the rod 9a enabling a slide movement in the axial direction, and at the same time forces both rods in the direction to extend away from each other by a spring disposed inside. The relative displacement of the chassis frame and the cab is absorbed by the adjuster.

Abstract: A moving obstacle detecting device detects moving objects, may be applied in the field of autonomous vehicles, intelligent robots, video monitoring system and similar systems. The device includes an optical flow extracting unit 1 for extracting optical flows for the respective local regions in the measured images, an focus of expansion (F.O.E.) calculating unit for calculating an F.O.E. of a straight line extended by the extracted optical flows, and a moving obstacle detecting unit for analyzing a temporal change of the calculated F.O.E. to judge the presence of the moving obstacle when the temporal positional change is larger than a predetermined variation quantity.

Abstract: Disclosed are a polynuclear polyhydric phenol represented by the following general formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 stand for a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, R.sup.3 stands for a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group or a halogen atom, and n is an integer of from 0 to 10,and a polyepoxy compound consisting of a polyglycidyl ether of this polynuclear polyhydric ether. When this polyepoxy compound is combined with a curing agent, a curable epoxy resin composition excellent in the heat resistance characteristics is provided.

Abstract: A high-molecular-weight novolak type substituted phenolic resin having a number average molecular weight of at least 1500 is prepared by reacting (A) (i) a phenol comprised mainly of a bifunctional phenol or (ii) a low-molecular-weight novolak type substituted phenolic resin derived from this phenol and an aldehyde with (B) a chain extender selected from the group consisting of (i) a dimethylolated product of a bifunctional or trifunctional phenol, (ii) a low-molecular-weight resol type substituted phenolic resin derived from a phenol comprised mainly of a bifunctional phenol and an aldehyde, (iii) an aldehyde, (iv) a ketone, (v) a diol and (vi) a dihalide in the presence of an acid catalyst, with the proviso that if the reactant (A) is the phenol (i), the chain extender is the resol type substituted phenolic resin (ii).

Abstract: Disclosed is a setting type resin composition comprising (A) a setting type resin and (B) 10 to 200 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said resin (A), of a substantially linear, high-molecular-weight novolak type substituted phenolic resin which comprises a constituent phenol component comprised mainly of a bifunctional phenol and has a number average molecular weight of at least 1500. This resin composition has highly improved heat resistance and mechanical strength characteristics by virtue of incorporation of the high-molecular-weight novolak type substituted phenolic resin, and this improving effect is especially prominent when an epoxy resin is used as the setting type resin.