Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing system

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input portion for entering an image signal from a camera that captures images of surroundings of a vehicle;

an exposure timing determination portion which determines an exposure timing of said camera according to at least one of a plurality of objects to be detected, wherein said at least one of said plurality of objects comprises a lane, a headlight or a taillight of another vehicle, or a brightness of said surroundings;

an output portion which outputs a signal to said camera to expose said camera according to said exposure timing determined by said exposure timing determination portion and outputs a signal to an illumination controller to vary a state of an illumination system installed on said vehicle according to said exposure timing; and

an image analysis portion which analyzes an image signal derived from said camera according to said exposure timing and outputs analysis results to another controller via said output portion.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said output portion outputs said signal to said illumination controller to turn off at least some parts of said illumination system installed on said vehicle according to said exposure timing.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said output portion outputs said signal to said illumination controller to dim at least some parts of said illumination system installed on said vehicle according to said exposure timing.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said output portion outputs said signal to said illumination controller to vary optical axes of at least some parts of said illumination system installed on said vehicle according to said exposure timing.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said output portion outputs said signal to said illumination controller to vary said state of said illumination system installed on said vehicle at an exposure starting timing and to return said illumination system to its original state at an exposure ending timing.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said exposure timing determination portion varies intervals of time between exposure timings of said camera according to a detected object.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said image analysis portion analyzes said image signal captured by said camera according to said exposure timing, analyzes said images acquired by said camera while said state of said illumination system is being varied according to said exposure timing output by said output portion, identifies image regions showing brightness values in excess of a given value out of said acquired images, and outputs results of said identification to said other controller via said output portion.

8. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

determining an exposure timing of a camera that acquires images of surroundings of a vehicle, wherein the exposure timing is determined according to at least one of a plurality of objects to be detected, and said at least one of said plurality of objects comprises a lane, a headlight or a taillight of another vehicle, or a brightness of said surroundings;

outputting a signal to said camera to expose said camera according to said exposure timing;

outputting a signal to an illumination controller to vary a state of an illumination system installed on said vehicle according to said exposure timing;

analyzing an image signal acquired by said camera according to said exposure timing; and

outputting analysis results to another controller via said output portion.