Abstract: A control apparatus acquires a captured image from a camera including an imaging unit that generates the captured image, and executes a process based on the captured image acquired by the acquiring means. The control apparatus receives input of an abnormality signal indicating an abnormality in the imaging unit detected by the camera. When the receiving means receives the input of the abnormality signal, the control apparatus performs a process to handle the abnormality in the imaging unit indicated by the abnormality signal.

Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a light-receiving section which has a plurality of filters having different pass bands, and a plurality of light-receiving elements, each of which receives incident light via any one of the filters; an image data generation section which, when receiving general image data which is an output of the light-receiving section, extracts outputs of the light-receiving elements correlated to the filters to generate discrete image data, which is image data for each of the filters; an image data processing section which detects at least one object, based on the discrete image data generated by the image data generation section or composite image data generated by combining the discrete image data; and a vehicle control section which performs vehicle control, according to the object detected by the image data processing section.

Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus detects and registers fixed-noise pixels as those pixels of the image sensor which produce fixed pattern noise, and includes an optical element which disperses light that is incident on the image sensor. The detection is performed by identifying isolated high-luminance pixels within captured images and, for each isolated high-luminance pixel, evaluating the luminance values of peripherally adjacent pixels. A judgement is made as to whether an isolated high-luminance pixel is a fixed-noise pixel based upon comparing luminance values of the peripherally adjacent pixels with a predetermined threshold value, the judgement preferably being performed only while images are captured during hours of darkness.

Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a to plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.

Abstract: The exposure control apparatus is for performing exposure control for a camera mounted on a vehicle in accordance with brightness of a recognition area set in an image ahead of the vehicle taken by the camera. The exposure control apparatus includes a measuring means for measuring brightness of a photometric area showing a landscape more distant from the vehicle than a landscape shown by the recognition area in each of images successively taken by the camera, a detection means for detecting brightness variation with time of the photometric area based on measurement results by the measuring means for images taken by the camera at different times, and a control means configured to predict a timing at which the brightness of the recognition area changes based on the brightness variation with time of the photometric area, and perform exposure control of the camera at the predicted timing.

Abstract: The method is for determining an exposure control value for controlling exposure of a camera mounted on a vehicle to take images in the vicinity of the vehicle. The method includes a detection step of detecting a target from a taken image which the camera has taken in a state where the target is disposed within a image-taking area of the camera, a measurement step of measuring brightness of the target in the taken image, and a calculation step of calculating the exposure control value to such a value that the brightness of the target becomes equal to a target brightness appropriate for recognizing the target.