Abstract: A vehicle position estimation device is configured to acquire a distance from a road edge to a subject vehicle using at least one of an imaging device or a distance measuring sensor, acquire position information of lane boundary lines detected by analyzing the images captured by the imaging device; acquire map information including a lane quantity of a traveling road of the subject vehicle from a map storage, calculate, as a roadside area width, a lateral direction distance between an outermost detection line, which is an outermost boundary line among the detected boundary lines, and the road edge, and specify a traveling lane of the subject vehicle based on (i) the distance from the road edge to the subject vehicle, (ii) the roadside area width, and (iii) the lane quantity included in the acquired map information.

Abstract: A vehicle position estimation device is configured to acquire a distance from a road edge to a subject vehicle using at least one of an imaging device or a distance measuring sensor, acquire position information of lane boundary lines detected by analyzing the images captured by the imaging device; acquire map information including a lane quantity of a traveling road of the subject vehicle from a map storage, calculate, as a roadside area width, a lateral direction distance between an outermost detection line, which is an outermost boundary line among the detected boundary lines, and the road edge, and specify a traveling lane of the subject vehicle based on (i) the distance from the road edge to the subject vehicle, (ii) the roadside area width, and (iii) the lane quantity included in the acquired map information.

Abstract: In a vehicle control device, environmental information is acquired which is information about an environment in which a vehicle is placed. The environmental information precludes an obstacle around the vehicle. A possibility is estimated for potential proximity of the vehicle to the obstacle. A behavior of a predicted target moving object including the vehicle and at least one moving object around the vehicle is predicted based on the estimated possibility. A responsibility is determined for a potential accident that is assumed in response to the vehicle traveling on a candidate route that the vehicle travels.

Abstract: In a position measuring apparatus, a correspondence point detector detects, for each set of images at a respective one of time instants, correspondence points from the respective images of the set, where the correspondence points are points on respective image planes representing the same three-dimensional position. A projection point calculator calculates a projection point of each of the correspondence points detected at the respective time instants onto each of a plurality of common planes set at different depthwise positions in a world coordinate system using preset camera parameters. A reconstruction point calculator calculates a point at which distances to a plurality of rays each connecting the projection points of the correspondence point on a respective one of the image planes onto the plurality of common planes are minimized, as a reconstruction point representing a three-dimensional position of the correspondence point.

Abstract: A distance detection device calculates a pixel cost, every reference pixel, based on a difference between reference pixel information in a reference image and comparative pixel information in a comparative image while switching the reference and comparative images. The device calculates a parallax cost, every reference pixel, representing a cost regarding a change-amount of the parallax as a coordinate difference between a reference pixel and a comparative pixel when the reference image is switched. The device calculates a combination of each reference pixel and a comparative pixel having a minimum total cost every reference pixel. The minimum total cost represents a sum of the pixel cost and the parallax cost. The device obtains a relationship of a corresponding point between each reference pixel and its corresponding comparative pixel, and calculates a distance to an object in each captured image based on the relationship of the corresponding point.

Abstract: A position measuring apparatus detects, from respective first and second imaging planes of first and second captured images, first and second corresponding points estimated to represent a common three-dimensional position. The apparatus calculates first to fourth projected points. Each of the first and second projected points represents a projected point of the first corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. Each of the third and fourth projected points represents a projected point of the second corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. The apparatus calculates a first beam connecting the first and second projected points, a second beam connecting the third and fourth projected points, and a point having a minimum square distance relative to each of the first and second beams as a restored point representing the three-dimensional position of the first and second corresponding points.

Abstract: A corresponding point searching method searches corresponding points in plural images, acquired by in-vehicle cameras, for each pixel in a reference image by using a predetermined first method, for example, the Viterbi algorithm. The method searches corresponding points in the plural images for each pixel in the reference image by using a predetermined second method, for example, an optical flow method. The method detects whether or not a search accuracy of the corresponding points in each region divided in the reference image obtained by the predetermined first method is not less than a reference value. When not less than the reference value, the method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined first method. When less than the reference value, the searching method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined second method. The searching method provides the corresponding points between the plural images with a high accuracy.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an image acquiring unit acquires a first image and a second image that form stereoscopic images. A first sub-image extracting unit extracts first sub-images from the first image. A second sub-image extracting unit extracts second sub-images from the second image. A matching unit matches each pair of the first and second sub-images to determine a degree of similarity therebetween. A similar sub-image setting unit sets the second sub-image having a highest degree of similarity to the first sub-image to be a similar sub-image to the first sub-image. A brightness comparing unit compares in brightness each pair of the first and second sub-images. The matching unit is configured to, if a result of comparison made by the brightness comparing unit between a pair of the first and second sub-images is out of a predetermined brightness range, exclude such a pair of the first and second sub-images.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is provided. When a determination process of determining whether or not the part of an object located in a search range is an airborne substance, a rangefinder measures a distance to the object located in the search range for each of a plurality of unit areas forming the search range, a variation measure calculator calculates a variance of the distances (individual distances) measured for the respective unit areas, a variable threshold setter variably sets a variation measure threshold based on the individual distances, and a determiner determines that at least part of the object is an airborne substance if the calculated variance exceeds the variation measure threshold.

Abstract: A position measuring apparatus detects, from respective first and second imaging planes of first and second captured images, first and second corresponding points estimated to represent a common three-dimensional position. The apparatus calculates first to fourth projected points. Each of the first and second projected points represents a projected point of the first corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. Each of the third and fourth projected points represents a projected point of the second corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. The apparatus calculates a first beam connecting the first and second projected points, a second beam connecting the third and fourth projected points, and a point having a minimum square distance relative to each of the first and second beams as a restored point representing the three-dimensional position of the first and second corresponding points.

Abstract: In an object detection apparatus and an object detection method, as first and second images, captured images of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction are acquired from first and second imaging units provided in the vehicle. Based on the first and second images, whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction is determined. When the object is determined to be present in the blind spot, the first and second images are held in time series. As first and second image differences, differences in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first and second images are acquired. Based on the first and second image differences, whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle is determined.

Abstract: A range correction device includes an image acquiring unit, a collimating unit, a disparity calculating unit, and an updating unit. The image acquiring unit acquires stereo images formed of a plurality of simultaneously captured images. The collimating unit collimates the stereo images acquired by the image acquiring unit, using a correction parameter for correcting a vertical displacement between stereo images. The disparity calculating unit calculates a distribution of horizontal disparities between the stereo images from the stereo images collimated by the collimating unit. The updating unit calculates a distribution of vertical displacements between the stereo images on the basis of the stereo images and the distribution of horizontal disparities calculated by the disparity calculating unit and updates the correction parameter on the basis of the distribution of the calculated vertical displacements.

Abstract: This invention is provided with: a camera for capturing the image of a travel path; an edge point extraction unit for extracting edge points on the basis of the brightness of an image captured by the camera; a candidate line extraction unit for extracting, on the basis of the succession of the extracted edge points, a candidate line for a boundary line demarcating the travel path; a frequency calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of edge points belonging to the candidate line extracted by the candidate line extraction unit, the frequency distribution of the edge points for a parameter that specifies the width of the boundary line; a probability generation unit for calculating, on the basis of the frequency distribution calculated by the frequency calculation unit, the distribution for the probability that the candidate line at the parameter is the boundary line; and a boundary line recognition unit for recognizing the boundary line on the basis of the probability distribution calculated by the probab

Abstract: A traffic lane marking recognition apparatus includes a candidate detecting unit, a gap detecting unit, and a recognition reducing unit. The candidate detecting unit detects a lane dividing line candidate which is a candidate for a lane dividing line that defines a traffic lane on a road, based on an image of the road captured by an on-board camera that is mounted in a vehicle. The gap detecting unit detects a gap included in the lane dividing line candidate detected by the candidate detecting unit. When the gap is detected by the gap detecting unit, the recognition reducing unit reduces a probability of recognition of the lane dividing line candidate as a lane dividing line to a first probability that is lower than the probability when the gap detecting unit does not detect the gap, in a region from the gap closest to the vehicle towards a direction away from the vehicle.

Abstract: In vehicle-lane boundary line detection, low-luminance values are acquired from areas corresponding to below a tire and directly below a vehicle center based on a road surface image. A snow rut degree is calculated based on a luminance ration between the areas. A probability is calculated from a map based on the calculated snow rut degree. A parameter indicating the degree of snow rut likeness is calculated by a low-pass filtering process. A snow rut determination is made by the calculation result being compared with a predetermined threshold. A final determination of whether or not a snow rut is present is made, with reference to an outside temperature. When determined that a snow rut is present, a determination is made not to perform the detection. When determined that a snow rut is not present, a determination is made to perform the detection.

Abstract: A position detection device obtains image coordinate groups representing a coordinate of a target object in each acquired image having first and second acquired image groups. The first acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in a reference period. The second acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in the reference period, which is delayed from the image acquiring timing of the first acquired image group by an asynchronous time. The device performs a Fourier transformation of each of a first locus and a second locus, and calculates a first frequency waveform based on the first locus and a second frequency waveform based on the second locus. The device calculates a position of the target object based on a relationship in which the frequency waveforms are delayed relative to each other by a phase corresponding to the asynchronous time.

Abstract: A parallax detection device receives right side image and a left side image, makes right and left low resolution images, and divides the right low resolution image into blocks composed of pixels. For every block, the device detects a parallax of the block by searching the block in the left low resolution image having the region the same as the region of the block of the right low resolution image by using a dynamic programming method. The device divides the right side image into blocks, and searches a resolution corresponding block in the left side image having the region the same as the region of the block for every block by using a block matching method to detect a parallax of the block. The device limits the searching range of the resolution corresponding block in the left side image based on the parallax detection result obtained by the dynamic programming method.

Abstract: A corresponding point searching method searches corresponding points in plural images, acquired by in-vehicle cameras, for each pixel in a reference image by using a predetermined first method, for example, the Viterbi algorithm. The method searches corresponding points in the plural images for each pixel in the reference image by using a predetermined second method, for example, an optical flow method. The method detects whether or not a search accuracy of the corresponding points in each region divided in the reference image obtained by the predetermined first method is not less than a reference value. When not less than the reference value, the method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined first method. When less than the reference value, the searching method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined second method. The searching method provides the corresponding points between the plural images with a high accuracy.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an image acquiring unit acquires a first image and a second image that form stereoscopic images. A first sub-image extracting unit extracts first sub-images from the first image. A second sub-image extracting unit extracts second sub-images from the second image. A matching unit matches each pair of the first and second sub-images to determine a degree of similarity therebetween. A similar sub-image setting unit sets the second sub-image having a highest degree of similarity to the first sub-image to be a similar sub-image to the first sub-image. A brightness comparing unit compares in brightness each pair of the first and second sub-images. The matching unit is configured to, if a result of comparison made by the brightness comparing unit between a pair of the first and second sub-images is out of a predetermined brightness range, exclude such a pair of the first and second sub-images.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is provided. When a determination process of determining whether or not the part of an object located in a search range is an airborne substance, a rangefinder measures a distance to the object located in the search range for each of a plurality of unit areas forming the search range, a variation measure calculator calculates a variance of the distances (individual distances) measured for the respective unit areas, a variable threshold setter variably sets a variation measure threshold based on the individual distances, and a determiner determines that at least part of the object is an airborne substance if the calculated variance exceeds the variation measure threshold.