Abstract: On a vehicle traveling on a downward slope, a driver's intentional checking is erroneously determined to be distracted driving, thus generating an alert. An apparatus includes an image data obtaining unit that obtains image data about a driver, a distracted driving determiner that determines distracted driving based on a face orientation and gaze of the driver captured in the image data and a determination criterion, a traveling state obtaining unit that obtains traveling state data about the vehicle, a traveling state determiner that determines whether the vehicle is traveling downward based on the traveling state data, and a criterion changer that changes, when the vehicle is determined to be traveling downward, the determination criterion for an upward face orientation and the gaze of the driver from a value used when the vehicle is determined not to be traveling downward.

Abstract: A driver performing a lane check by looking back for safe driving can be alerted based on the driver's gaze deviating from a view area for usual driving. A distracted driving determination apparatus, a distracted driving determination method, and a program for distracted driving determination recorded on a recording medium compare a change pattern detected from changes in the gaze or face orientation of the driver with a predetermined reference pattern, and change a usual determination condition for detecting distracted driving to a temporary determination condition when the change pattern matches the reference pattern. This prevents the line check from being determined to be distracted driving.

Abstract: A driver driving a vehicle is easily determined. A first determiner compares first statistical information, which is statistical information about a retention direction in which a driver looking straight ahead retains his or her face or gaze with respect to a forward direction of a vehicle calculated by a first calculator, from first sensing data output from a first sensor and including an image of a driver of a vehicle and stored in a storage, with second statistical information, which is statistical information about the retention direction for the current vehicle driver calculated similarly by the first calculator, and determines, when finding first statistical information approximate to the second statistical information, the current vehicle driver as a driver associated with the approximate first statistical information.

Abstract: Accurate driver state determination achieving safety is enabled without being affected by differences between individual drivers. A driver state determination apparatus for determining a driver state, such as distracted driving, includes a calculator that determines a direction of a vehicle driver's face or gaze based on first sensing data output from a first sensor and including an image of the driver, and calculates statistical information about a direction in which the driver looking straight ahead retains his or her gaze with respect to a forward direction of a vehicle. A correction unit corrects the determined face or gaze direction of the driver with respect to a reference direction defined as the forward direction of the vehicle based on the statistical information. A determiner determines a driver state based on a deviation of the corrected face or gaze direction of the driver from the reference direction.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: first and second illumination units that emit light to a subject in different directions; an image capturing unit that captures first and second images in a state where the first and second illumination units emit the light, respectively; and an image correction unit that compares a first luminance value of a first pixel configuring the first image with a second luminance value of a second pixel configuring the second image for each corresponding pixel, and generates a corrected image by performing correction processing to a synthesized image of the first and second images. The image correction unit calculates a difference between the first and second luminance values, and calculates a luminance correcting value based on the difference and a function which monotonically increases as the difference increases and whose increase rate gradually decreases, and generates the corrected image using the luminance correcting value.

Abstract: An object detecting apparatus includes an emission unit that emits measurement light to a monitoring area in a travelling direction a vehicle, the monitoring area being widened radially in a vehicle width direction; a photoreceptor unit that receives reflected light of the measurement light from a plurality of directions in the monitoring area; a detection unit that detects a distance to an object in each direction in the monitoring area, based on a time difference from emission of the measurement light to reception of the reflected light; and a determination unit that identifies the object detected by the detection unit. The determination unit determines whether there is a probability of the detected object being a hill, based on a change of the detected distance in the vehicle width direction among the directions in the monitoring area.

Abstract: A laser radar device includes: a projector projecting measuring light to a forward direction of a vehicle multiple times during a predetermined detection period; light receiving elements receiving reflected light of the measuring light from detection areas having different directions in a horizontal direction; a measurement section selecting at least one of light reception signals from the light receiving elements and measuring a light reception value by sampling the selected light reception signal; an integrator integrating the light reception values of the light reception signals from the identical light receiving element at an identical sampling clock time; a detector detecting an obstacle in each detection period based on the integrated light reception value; and a sensitivity controller increasing the number of times of integrating the light reception values of at least a part of the light receiving elements, under predetermined conditions.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: first and second illumination units that emit light to a subject in different directions; an image capturing unit that captures first and second images in a state where the first and second illumination units emit the light, respectively; and an image correction unit that compares a first luminance value of a first pixel configuring the first image with a second luminance value of a second pixel configuring the second image for each corresponding pixel, and generates a corrected image by performing correction processing to a synthesized image of the first and second images. The image correction unit calculates a difference between the first and second luminance values, and calculates a luminance correcting value based on the difference and a function which monotonically increases as the difference increases and whose increase rate gradually decreases, and generates the corrected image using the luminance correcting value.

Abstract: An object detecting apparatus includes an emission unit that emits measurement light to a monitoring area in a travelling direction a vehicle, the monitoring area being widened radially in a vehicle width direction; a photoreceptor unit that receives reflected light of the measurement light from a plurality of directions in the monitoring area; a detection unit that detects a distance to an object in each direction in the monitoring area, based on a time difference from emission of the measurement light to reception of the reflected light; and a determination unit that identifies the object detected by the detection unit. The determination unit determines whether there is a probability of the detected object being a hill, based on a change of the detected distance in the vehicle width direction among the directions in the monitoring area.

Abstract: A laser radar device includes: a projector projecting measuring light to a forward direction of a vehicle multiple times during a predetermined detection period; light receiving elements receiving reflected light of the measuring light from detection areas having different directions in a horizontal direction; a measurement section selecting at least one of light reception signals from the light receiving elements and measuring a light reception value by sampling the selected light reception signal; an integrator integrating the light reception values of the light reception signals from the identical light receiving element at an identical sampling clock time; a detector detecting an obstacle in each detection period based on the integrated light reception value; and a sensitivity controller increasing the number of times of integrating the light reception values of at least a part of the light receiving elements, under predetermined conditions.

Abstract: An in-vehicle radar device has a transmission section for emitting an electromagnetic wave, a scanning section for horizontally scanning the electromagnetic wave emitted by the transmission section, and a reception section for receiving a reflected wave reflected by a target with respect to the electromagnetic wave emitted by the transmission section. The in-vehicle radar device detects, based on an elapsed time from when the transmission section emitted the electromagnetic wave until the reception section receives the reflected wave and the scanning direction of the electromagnetic wave by the scanning section, at least a position and a horizontal width of the target reflecting the electromagnetic wave.

Abstract: An in-vehicle radar device has a transmission section for emitting an electromagnetic wave, a scanning section for horizontally scanning the electromagnetic wave emitted by the transmission section, and a reception section for receiving a reflected wave reflected by a target with respect to the electromagnetic wave emitted by the transmission section. The in-vehicle radar device detects, based on an elapsed time from when the transmission section emitted the electromagnetic wave until the reception section receives the reflected wave and the scanning direction of the electromagnetic wave by the scanning section, at least a position and a horizontal width of the target reflecting the electromagnetic wave.

Abstract: An object detector moves projected search wave in a selected direction and detects position of an object in front by receiving reflected wave from it. An adjustment member having a flat surface is placed in front and its surface is scanned in the selected direction by the search wave and a change in intensity of the reflected wave is obtained. The apparent irradiation direction of the search wave in the selected direction is adjusted to the real irradiation direction based on this change in intensity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting a monitor having a radar and a camera and correcting the positions and orientations of their detection areas based on intensity of reflected light from a target object. A single target having a specified pattern of bright and dark areas in placed in front of the monitor in the detection areas of the radar and the camera. The detection area of the radar is adjusted first based on measurements taken of the target by the radar and thereafter axial displacement of the detection area of the camera is determined a coordinate conversion parameter is obtained based on an image of the target taken by the camera.

Abstract: A distance measuring device for a vehicle emits electromagnetic waves forward for a scan both in horizontal and vertical directions. It is judged from received light whether or not the distance to a detected object is within a specified preset range. If the distance is found to be within this range and if at least two specified conditions are satisfied, this object is regarded as a vehicle in the subsequent scans and a flag is set to this effect. One of these two conditions requires this object to have been judged as being a front going vehicle continuously over a time longer than a preset minimum time length. The second condition is that the difference between the distance to this object measured by a scan that is the highest or nearly the highest in the vertical direction and the measured distance to a front going vehicle corresponding to the object is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A distance measuring device for a vehicle emits electromagnetic waves forward for a scan both in horizontal and vertical directions. It is judged from received light whether or not the distance to a detected object is within a specified preset range. If the distance is found to be within this range and if at least two specified conditions are satisfied, this object is regarded as a vehicle in the subsequent scans and a flag is set to this effect. One of these two conditions requires this object to have been judged as being a front going vehicle continuously over a time longer than a preset minimum time length. The second condition is that the difference between the distance to this object measured by a scan that is the highest or nearly the highest in the vertical direction and the measured distance to a front going vehicle corresponding to the object is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A method for a monitoring apparatus using a radar and a camera to detect an object. The radar and the camera each have its own detection area and the method is for detecting and correcting the displacement of each detection area by using a single target having dark and bright parts formed in a specified pattern on its surface and placing it in front of the apparatus where the two detection areas overlap. The direction and orientation of the detection area of the radar are measured and corrected and then the detection area of the camera is corrected. The pattern includes an elongated dark part flanked by a pair of bright parts such that quantity of reflected light obtained by scanning the detection surface has a distribution with waveform having two peaks and a valley in between and corrections on the detection areas are made by analyzing their positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting a monitor having a radar and a camera and correcting the positions and orientations of their detection areas based on intensity of reflected light from a target object. A single target having a specified pattern of bright and dark areas in placed in front of the monitor in the detection areas of the radar and the camera. The detection area of the radar is adjusted first based on measurements taken of the target by the radar and thereafter axial displacement of the detection area of the camera is determined a coordinate conversion parameter is obtained based on an image of the target taken by the camera.

Abstract: A radar device transmits electromagnetic waves while scanning a detection area in a scan direction and detects an object in each of detection regions into which the detection area is partitioned in the scan direction. The radar device sets a continuous waveform of signal intensity of scan positions from data on the signal intensity of reflected waves individually from the detection regions and extracts a peak from the continuous waveform. A threshold value is set based on signal intensity at the extracted peak, and the scan positions are determined on both sides of the peak at which the signal intensity is equal to the threshold value as positions of both ends of the object in the scan direction.

Abstract: A method for a monitoring apparatus using a radar and a camera to detect an object. The radar and the camera each have its own detection area and the method is for detecting and correcting the displacement of each detection area by using a single target having dark and bright parts formed in a specified pattern on its surface and placing it in front of the apparatus where the two detection areas overlap. The direction and orientation of the detection area of the radar are measured and corrected and then the detection area of the camera is corrected. The pattern includes an elongated dark part flanked by a pair of bright parts such that quantity of reflected light obtained by scanning the detection surface has a distribution with waveform having two peaks and a valley in between and corrections on the detection areas are made by analyzing their positions.