Abstract: In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Abstract: In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Abstract: In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Abstract: A stereo matching section of a stereoscopic image processing unit evaluates a correlation of brightness between a reference pixel block picked up from a right image and a comparison pixel block picked up from a left image and calculates a parallax between these two pixel blocks having the correlation. A region control section changes over the size of these pixel blocks according to the area in which the stereo matching is performed so as to obtain a more accurate three-dimensional recognition.

Abstract: In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Abstract: In a test method in which an image photographed by a camera apparatus 1 attached to a body of a vehicle is displayed on a display device 17 and an examiner examines compliance or non-compliance of the shooting direction of the camera apparatus 1 by comparing the position of a reference pattern and the position of a judgment pattern on the displayed photographed image, the photographed image is obtained at first by photographing with the camera apparatus 1 a test chart which is placed at a predefined position ahead of the vehicle with the reference pattern drawn on the test chart. Next, the judgment pattern is set at a specific position on the photographed image. Then, the photographed image on which the judgment pattern has been set is displayed on the display device 17.

Abstract: A stereo camera and an examination screen having a pattern based on grid lines are arranged at prescribed positions relative to each other. The stereo camera photographs the examination screen to obtain two original images. A stereoscopic image characteristics detection unit obtains the coordinates of each grid point on each image. A correction data generation unit generates correction data for correcting a variation in the image characteristics on the basis of the obtained coordinates and the corresponding ideal coordinates stored previously of each grid point. A correction data writing unit writes the generated correction data into a stereoscopic image recognition unit. Thus, prior to shipment of the stereo camera and the stereoscopic image recognition unit or upon readjustment after shipment, the characteristics of an stereoscopic image are examined to obtain high-accurate correction data. The high-level capability of the stereo camera is maintained using the correction data.

Abstract: A stereo camera unit 2 is constructed mainly of a main camera 4, a sub-camera 5 and a camera stay 3. The main camera 4 and the sub-camera 5 are assembled to the camera stay 3 in such a way that they are inclined toward the main camera 4 side with respect to a central axis of the vehicle.

Abstract: The reference image data corresponding to one pixel block stored in a reference image line memory 6 is output to a stereo matching circuit 8. The comparative image data corresponding to a “search range” stored in a comparative image line memory 7 is output to the stereo matching circuit 8 according to an instruction of a search range address generator 13. The stereo matching circuit 8 calculates parallaxes by performing the stereo matching based on the reference image data and the comparative image data. A position where the search range S is set is corrected based on the amount of the deviation of an infinite distance corresponding point with respect to a position of the reference image data.

Abstract: A stereo vehicle-exterior monitoring apparatus includes a stereo camera including a pair of infrared cameras and floodlight lamp and infrared lights. The Infrared lights light up a more distant place than that is lighted up by the floodlight lamp, or light up a closer place and wider angle of lighting than that is lighted up by the floodlight lamp so as to obtain a wider monitored area than that with the lighting by the floodlight lamp. The stereo camera shoots at least lighting ranges of the infrared lights for obtaining a distance data of subject present in the surrounding of the vehicle.

Abstract: A stereo matching section of a stereoscopic image processing unit evaluates a correlation of brightness between a reference pixel block picked up from a right image and a comparison pixel block picked up from a left image and calculates a parallax between these two pixel blocks having the correlation. A region control section changes over the size of these pixel blocks according to the area in which the stereo matching is performed so as to obtain a more accurate three-dimensional recognition.

Abstract: A stereoscopic optical system images a stereoscopic picture image, a stereoscopic image processing section calculates a three-dimensional distance distribution from the stereoscopic picture image, and an object recognizing section recognizes objects from the distance distribution information to calculate a relative position of the objects with respect to the vehicle. On the other hand, a travelling amount of the vehicle is detected by a steering sensor and a rear wheel rotation sensor. Then, an object positional information calculating section calculates a new relative position of the objects based on the relative position information memorized in a memory section and the calculated travelling amount of the vehicle and the memory section memorizes the new positional information. And, a bumping judgment outputting section judges the possibility of bumping against the objects based on the new relative position of the objects with reference to memorized information about the external shape of the vehicle.

Abstract: A stereo camera and an examination screen having a pattern based on grid lines are arranged at prescribed positions relative to each other. The stereo camera photographs the examination screen to obtain two original images. A stereoscopic image characteristics detection unit obtains the coordinates of each grid point on each image. A correction data generation unit generates correction data for correcting a variation in the image characteristics on the basis of the obtained coordinates and the corresponding ideal coordinates stored previously of each grid point. A correction data writing unit writes the generated correction data into a stereoscopic image recognition unit. Thus, prior to shipment of the stereo camera and the stereoscopic image recognition unit or upon readjustment after shipment, the characteristics of an stereoscopic image are examined to obtain high-accurate correction data. The high-level capability of the stereo camera is maintained using the correction data.

Abstract: In a method of examining the reliability of distance data calculated based on stereoscopic images, a pair of photographed images is obtained by taking pictures of a test chart 21 carrying a brightness pattern with a stereo camera, the test chart 21 being placed in a shooting direction of the stereo camera. The distance data is calculated from these photographed images by stereo matching. Using the distance data concerning the test chart shown in the photographed images as the evaluation samples, a histogram showing a relationship between distance values of evaluation samples and their frequency of occurrence is produced. The reliability of the calculated distance data is judged by evaluating properties of the histogram thus produced based on the distance between the stereo camera and the test chart.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image detecting unit has a first non-volatile memory for storing inherent camera characteristic data therein and an image processing unit has a second non-volatile memory for storing inherent circuit characteristic data therein. When the stereoscopic image detecting unit is connected with the image processing unit through a serial cable and video cables and then electric power is turned on, the inherent camera characteristic data are sent to the image processing unit. In the image processing unit, based on the camera data sent from the image detecting unit and the circuit characteristic data in the image processing unit, data for correcting the optical dispersion between two cameras and that of signal characteristic are established.

Abstract: After processing images photographed by a stereo camera apparatus, parallaxes are detected by stereo matching. Influence of a difference in the focal lengths of lenses and distortion of the lenses, and of relative variations in shooting directions of two cameras constituting the stereo camera apparatus is excluded to achieve an improvement in the accuracy of distance by correcting parallax data using a view angle correction ratio table 29 produced by previously measuring data on a small actual view angle of each specific region in a comparative image.

Abstract: An image correction apparatus for a stereo camera which corrects optical positional deviations in images taken by the stereo camera, comprising: means for performing interpolation on mutual referencing positions in stereo matching of a pair of images taken by the stereo camera by using pixel-by-pixel positional deviations that have been determined in advance and coordinate data around the referencing positions.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image processing apparatus comprises a stereo processing circuit 6 and a pairing filter 13. The stereo processing circuit 6 identifies a correlated destination of each pixel block in a reference image in a comparative image by searching along the same horizontal line as the pixel block. The stereo processing circuit 6 also calculates the parallax of the pixel block based on a deviation between the position of the pixel block and the position of the correlated destination. The pairing filter 13 judges the smallest parallax in the parallaxes of the plural pixel blocks as a valid parallax when plural pixel blocks located on the same horizontal line in the reference image have the same correlated destination.

Abstract: A stereoscopic optical system images a stereoscopic picture image, a stereoscopic image processing section calculates a three-dimensional distance distribution from the stereoscopic picture image, and an object recognizing section recognizes objects from the distance distribution information to calculate a relative position of the objects with respect to the vehicle. On the other hand, a travelling amount of the vehicle is detected by a steering sensor and a rear wheel rotation sensor. Then, an object positional information calculating section calcuLates a new relative position of the objects based on the relative position information memorized in a memory section and the calculated travelling amount of the vehicle and the memory section memorizes the new positional information. And, a bumping judgment outputting section judges the possibility of bumping against the objects based on the new relative position of the objects with reference to memorized information about the external shape of the vehicle.

Abstract: In a control system for controlling the occurrence of an abnormality in one of the computers mounted on a motor vehicle, a decision is made based upon whether a sub CPU has been reset. In the case where the sub CPU is reset by an abnormality or a malfunction, a failsafe mode flag is set and control data are transmitted again from the main CPU to the sub CPU. The interruption is finished after the control command signal is transmitted to the sub CPU. At this time, if the failsafe mode flag is set, the failsafe control is executed. If the failsafe mode flag is not set, the normal control is executed. Therefore, even if the control data in the RAM of the computers are destroyed by the occurrence of an abnormality or malfunction, the system can regain normal operation immediately.