Image processing for vehicle control

1. A vehicle comprising:

a sensor configured to detect objects in the vehicle's surroundings, the sensor being associated with a range;

a camera configured to capture a first image of a scene of at least a part of the vehicle's surroundings and a second image overlapping at least a part of the scene of the first image;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the sensor, and the camera, the processor being configured to:

determine, based on the vehicle's pitch, a point P on a visual horizon in the first image;

process the first image and the second image to determine distance between the vehicle and an object that is depicted in the first image above and beyond the point P; and

change at least one of a speed of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle when it is determined that the distance between the vehicle and the object is less than the range of the sensor.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein

the camera is a stereo camera.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor changes at least one of the speed and heading of the vehicle based on at least one of:

(i) a grade of a surface on which the vehicle is standing or driving exceeding a threshold, and

(ii) pitch of the vehicle exceeding a threshold.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the changing of the heading of the vehicle comprises making a turn onto another roadway.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the changing of the heading of the vehicle comprises changing lanes.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the changing of the heading of the vehicle comprises selecting a new travel route for the vehicle.

7. A system comprising:

a camera configured to capture a first image and a second image;

a sensor configured to sense the pitch of the camera;

a processor coupled to the camera and to the sensor, the processor being configured to:

select an object that is depicted in the first image based on the object being depicted above and beyond a point P on a visual horizon in the first image, the point P being determined by the processor based on signal from the sensor that senses the pitch of the camera; and

process the first image and the second image to determine a distance between the camera and the reference object;

receive input from a second sensor having a range;

determine a geographic location of the vehicle based on the received input;

change at least one of a speed of a vehicle and a heading of the vehicle when it is determined that the distance between a vehicle and the object is less than the range of the second sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein

the camera is a stereo camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to select the object further based on the reference object being represented in a database for storing object representations.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein processor is further configured to select the object further based on proximity to the point P.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a geographic location of the reference object by extracting a template of the object from the first image and comparing the template against a database of object representations; and

determine a geographic location of the apparatus based on the geographic location of the reference object.

12. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a vehicle with a first control strategy;

capturing, by a camera, a first image of a scene at least part of the vehicle's surroundings and a second image overlapping at least a part of the scene of the first image; and

processing the first image and the second image to determine a distance between the vehicle and an object appearing above and beyond a point P on a visual horizon in the first image, wherein:

(i) the point P is determined based on the pitch of the vehicle, and

(ii) the object is selected based on the object being depicted, at least in part, above the point P in the image.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising switching to controlling the vehicle with a second control strategy based on the distance between the vehicle and the object.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the operation of the vehicle with the first control strategy includes maneuvering the vehicle in a first direction, and controlling the operation of the vehicle with the second control strategy includes maneuvering the vehicle in a second direction different from the first direction.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the switching is performed when the distance is less than a range associated with a sensor.

16. The method of claim 12 comprising

defining a ray R extending from the camera; and

projecting the ray R against a plane of the first image;

wherein the point P is a point where the projected ray R intercepts the plane of the first image.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the camera is a stereo camera.