Abstract: A distance measurement apparatus includes: a control unit that makes an imaging unit acquire a plurality of first captured images corresponding to light patterns when making an optical system set the focal length to a first focal length, and that makes the imaging unit acquire second captured images corresponding to the light patterns when making the optical system set the focal length to a second focal length; a first distance measurement unit that determines presence or absence of an image blur and acquires a first distance to a subject from an image blur index value indicating an extent of the image blur; a second distance measurement unit that acquires a second distance to the subject based on triangulation; and a measurement result synthesis unit that outputs the first distance for a pixel with the image blur and that outputs the second distance for a pixel with no image blur.

Abstract: An image generation device includes an imaging unit 11, a projection unit 22, and a distance information generation unit 18, and a projection pattern includes unit patterns arranged in a plurality of rows in a first direction and in a plurality of columns in a second direction. A plurality of light dots include first dots and second dots which are light dots of different states from each other; the unit patterns arranged in the first direction have the light dot arrangements identical with each other; the unit patterns arranged in the second direction have light dot arrangements different from each other; the number of first dots among a plurality of light dots arranged in the first direction in each of the unit patterns is the same fixed number in each row in the second direction; and in a location other than the unit pattern, the number of first dots included in a row of the same length as the unit pattern in the second direction differs from the fixed number, in a certain row in the second direction.

Abstract: An image processing device is provided with an optical flow calculation circuit (101) for calculating a plurality of optical flows between a first image and a second image captured before the first image, a vector decomposition circuit (102) for decomposing each of the optical flows into a vanishing point direction vector and an orthogonal vector, a vibration blur amount calculation circuit (103) for calculating the aggregate values of horizontal and vertical components of the orthogonal vector and calculating the amount of vibration blur of the first image based on the aggregate values, an optical flow starting point correction circuit (104) for correcting the calculated optical flows by the amount of vibration blur, and a vanishing point calculation circuit (105) for calculating a vanishing point of the first image based on the corrected optical flows.

Abstract: An object having a high attention degree is selected from objects detected by a detection means, brightness of a captured image is calculated by using an attention region corresponding to the selected object as a detection frame, and exposure control is performed based on the calculated brightness. The attention degree is evaluated higher with the decrease in the distance. Alternatively, the attention degree is evaluated higher as the direction becomes closer to the traveling direction. The attention region is made larger with the decrease in the distance to the object. It is also possible to judge the type of the object and determine the size of the attention region based on the result of the judgment. A subject to be paid attention to is made clearly visible.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: one or more detectors that respectively receive reference images, and each detect, for each pixel in the reference image, a displacement relative to a base image; one or more generators that respectively receive the reference images, and each generate an aligned image by, for each pixel in the reference image, moving the pixel according to the displacement for the pixel and assigning a grayscale value of the pixel to a pixel position closest to the moved pixel; and a combiner that takes each pixel in the base image as a pixel of interest and calculates a grayscale value of a pixel at the same position as the pixel of interest in a combined image by weighting and summing grayscale values of the pixel of interest and pixels at the same position as the pixel of interest in the aligned images.

Abstract: When distortion correction is performed by dividing a distortion correction target region (Atc), a distortion-corrected division region image (D3) is generated by performing the distortion correction on each division region of the distortion correction target region and a distortion-corrected image (D4) is generated by combining a plurality of distortion-corrected division region images (D3). Regarding each pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4), a gain (Gp) is determined according to scaling ratios (MR) of a division region including the pixel and one or more division regions around the division region, high-frequency components (D6) of the pixel are multiplied by the gain (Gp), and the product is added to a pixel value of the pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4). This makes it possible to lessen the difference in the sense of resolution among the division regions of the distortion-corrected image (D4) and obtain an image having an excellent sense of resolution.

Abstract: In a camera which electronically realizes panning, tilting, and zooming, on the basis of the luminance detected in each frame period (n?1), a condition of exposure for two frame periods thereafter (n+1), and digital gain for three frame periods thereafter (n+2) are set. When an instruction for changing the extracted region is received in a certain frame period (n?1), the region extracted from the image is changed three frame periods thereafter. It is possible to achieve a stable exposure control by which the luminance of the image varies little even when the region extracted from the image is switched.

Abstract: A distance measurement apparatus includes: a control unit that makes an imaging unit acquire a plurality of first captured images corresponding to light patterns when making an optical system set the focal length to a first focal length, and that makes the imaging unit acquire second captured images corresponding to the light patterns when making the optical system set the focal length to a second focal length; a first distance measurement unit that determines presence or absence of an image blur and acquires a first distance to a subject from an image blur index value indicating an extent of the image blur; a second distance measurement unit that acquires a second distance to the subject based on triangulation; and a measurement result synthesis unit that outputs the first distance for a pixel with the image blur and that outputs the second distance for a pixel with no image blur.

Abstract: An image processing device is provided with an optical flow calculation circuit (101) for calculating a plurality of optical flows between a first image and a second image captured before the first image, a vector decomposition circuit (102) for decomposing each of the optical flows into a vanishing point direction vector and an orthogonal vector, a vibration blur amount calculation circuit (103) for calculating the aggregate values of horizontal and vertical components of the orthogonal vector and calculating the amount of vibration blur of the first image based on the aggregate values, an optical flow starting point correction circuit (104) for correcting the calculated optical flows by the amount of vibration blur, and a vanishing point calculation circuit (105) for calculating a vanishing point of the first image based on the corrected optical flows.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a distance information acquisition unit and an image combination unit. Based on positions of a common subject on a plurality of images captured by a plurality of cameras for capturing surrounding images of a vehicle, the distance information acquisition unit calculates a first subject distance from a vehicle reference position to the common subject, and calculates, based on the first subject distance, a second subject distance to a subject captured by one of the plurality of cameras. Based on the first subject distance and the second subject distance, the image combination unit converts the captured images in which the plurality of cameras are employed as viewpoints to images in which the reference position is employed as a viewpoint, and combines the converted images on a single plane of projection.

Abstract: An initial high-resolution image (D2) is generated by projection of low-resolution images (DIN) onto a high-resolution image space, an intermediate-resolution image (D31) is generated by projection of the low-resolution images (DIN) onto an intermediate-resolution image space, the intermediate-resolution image (D31) is interpolated and enlarged to generate an intermediate-resolution enlarged image (D3), and the pixel values of the undefined pixels in the initial high-resolution image (D2) are estimated using the pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the intermediate-resolution enlarged image (D3). It is possible to generate a high-resolution image of a high picture quality with higher accuracy even when less low-resolution images are used.

Abstract: In the combination of a wide dynamic range by combining a first image and a second image of different light exposure conditions, pixel values at which cumulative frequency proportions (B) become first and second reference values are generated as first and second index values (Sa, Lb) with regard to the first and second images, and first and second light exposure amounts (ES, EL) are controlled under first and second target conditions that the first and second index values (Sa, Lb) have predetermined relations with first and second target values (Sat, Lbt), respectively. It is possible to shorten a time taken until convergence of the light exposure amount in relation to a change of brightness of a subject.

Abstract: An image processing device (100) includes: a reduction processor (1) that generates reduced image data (D1) from input image data (DIN); a dark channel calculator (2) that performs a calculation which determines a dark channel value (D2) in a local region throughout a reduced image by changing a position of the local region, and outputs a plurality of dark channel values as a plurality of first dark channel values (D2); a map resolution enhancement processor (3) that performs a process of enhancing resolution of a first dark channel map constituted by the plurality of first dark channel values (D2), thereby generating a second dark channel map constituted by a plurality of second dark channel values (D3); and a contrast corrector (4) that generates corrected image data (DOUT) on the basis of the second dark channel map and the reduced image data (D1).

Abstract: An image generation device includes an imaging unit 11, a projection unit 22, and a distance information generation unit 18, and a projection pattern includes unit patterns arranged in a plurality of rows in a first direction and in a plurality of columns in a second direction. A plurality of light dots include first dots and second dots which are light dots of different states from each other; the unit patterns arranged in the first direction have the light dot arrangements identical with each other; the unit patterns arranged in the second direction have light dot arrangements different from each other; the number of first dots among a plurality of light dots arranged in the first direction in each of the unit patterns is the same fixed number in each row in the second direction; and in a location other than the unit pattern, the number of first dots included in a row of the same length as the unit pattern in the second direction differs from the fixed number, in a certain row in the second direction.

Abstract: An image generation device includes: a projector for projecting pattern light of a near-infrared wavelength at intervals; an imager for outputting an imaging signal of an imaged image; a unit for generating a pattern light image by obtaining a difference between the imaging signal when the pattern light is projected and the imaging signal when the pattern light is not projected, and generating an ambient light image from the imaging signal when the pattern light is not projected; a determiner for determining a type of the ambient light; and a generator for estimating, from the type, a component due to light of a near-infrared wavelength in the ambient light image, and generating a visible light image by subtracting the component from the ambient light image. The determiner determines the type from a proportion of R, G, and B components in the imaged image, ambient light image, or visible light image.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: one or more detectors that respectively receive reference images, and each detect, for each pixel in the reference image, a displacement relative to a base image; one or more generators that respectively receive the reference images, and each generate an aligned image by, for each pixel in the reference image, moving the pixel according to the displacement for the pixel and assigning a grayscale value of the pixel to a pixel position closest to the moved pixel; and a combiner that takes each pixel in the base image as a pixel of interest and calculates a grayscale value of a pixel at the same position as the pixel of interest in a combined image by weighting and summing grayscale values of the pixel of interest and pixels at the same position as the pixel of interest in the aligned images.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and image processing method enlarge an input image (Din) to generate a low-resolution enlarged image (D101). Depending on a result of identification of the pattern of the input image (Din), coefficient data (D108) for conversion to a high-resolution are selected, and a feature component (D102H) of a low resolution is converted to a feature component (D103H) of a high resolution. Decision as to whether or not the pattern of a local region of the input image (Din) is flat is made. If it is flat, the coefficient data are so selected that no substantial alteration is made to pixel values in a high-resolution conversion unit (103). It is possible to reduce the circuit size and the memory capacity, and to improve the noise immunity, and achieve conversion to a high resolution suitable for implementation by hardware.

Abstract: An object having a high attention degree is selected from objects detected by a detection means, brightness of a captured image is calculated by using an attention region corresponding to the selected object as a detection frame, and exposure control is performed based on the calculated brightness. The attention degree is evaluated higher with the decrease in the distance. Alternatively, the attention degree is evaluated higher as the direction becomes closer to the traveling direction. The attention region is made larger with the decrease in the distance to the object. It is also possible to judge the type of the object and determine the size of the attention region based on the result of the judgment. A subject to be paid attention to is made clearly visible.

Abstract: In the combination of a wide dynamic range by combining a first image and a second image of different light exposure conditions, pixel values at which cumulative frequency proportions (B) become first and second reference values are generated as first and second index values (Sa, Lb) with regard to the first and second images, and first and second light exposure amounts (ES, EL) are controlled under first and second target conditions that the first and second index values (Sa, Lb) have predetermined relations with first and second target values (Sat, Lbt), respectively. It is possible to shorten a time taken until convergence of the light exposure amount in relation to a change of brightness of a subject.

Abstract: When distortion correction is performed by dividing a distortion correction target region (Atc), a distortion-corrected division region image (D3) is generated by performing the distortion correction on each division region of the distortion correction target region and a distortion-corrected image (D4) is generated by combining a plurality of distortion-corrected division region images (D3). Regarding each pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4), a gain (Gp) is determined according to scaling ratios (MR) of a division region including the pixel and one or more division regions around the division region, high-frequency components (D6) of the pixel are multiplied by the gain (Gp), and the product is added to a pixel value of the pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4). This makes it possible to lessen the difference in the sense of resolution among the division regions of the distortion-corrected image (D4) and obtain an image having an excellent sense of resolution.