IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,354,302
Granted Patent B2
US 12,354,302 · App. 17/930,363 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Obstacle detection apparatus, obstacle detection method, and obstacle detection program

Inventors: Shusaku Shigemura (Kariya, JP); Yuta Sakakibara (Kariya, JP); Takuya Nakagawa (Nagoya, JP); Motonari Obayashi (Nagakute, JP)
Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06T7/73B60W30/0956G06T7/60G06V10/245G06V20/58G06V20/588B60W10/04B60W10/18B60W30/09B60W2552/00G06T2200/04G06T2207/10012G06T2207/30244G06T2207/30256G06T2207/30261
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,354,302
App. No.
17/930,363
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an obstacle detection apparatus, the captured image of a vicinity of a vehicle from an imaging apparatus is acquired. A three-dimensional estimation image showing a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image is generated, and a three-dimensional position of an object is estimated. An attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class is generated. The three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image are fused, the feature points and the classes are associated, and road-surface points associated with the road-surface class are extracted. Based on the road-surface points, a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle is estimated. Based on the estimated road-surface height, the three-dimensional position of the object is corrected. Based on the three-dimensional position of the object, an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle is detected.

Claims (62)

1. An obstacle detection apparatus that detects an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the obstacle detection apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to implement:

an information acquiring unit that acquires the captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating unit that generates a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimates a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying unit that generates an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting unit that fuses the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associates the feature points and the classes, and extracts road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating unit that estimates a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points, the estimating of the road-surface height including:

determining reliability of a frequency distribution of a road-surface-point height, and;

estimating, when it is determined that the frequency distribution is reliable, the road-surface height based on the frequency distribution of the road-surface-point height;

a correcting unit that corrects the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

2. The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the road-surface height is estimated in response to a number of extracted road-surface points being equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold.

3. The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the correcting unit corrects mounting information of the imaging apparatus based on changes over time in the road-surface height that is estimated by the road-surface height estimating unit.

4. An obstacle detection apparatus that detects an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the obstacle detection apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to implement:

an information acquiring unit that acquires the captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating unit that generates a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimates a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying unit that generates an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting unit that fuses the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associates the feature points and the classes, and extracts road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating unit that estimates a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points that are continuously associated with the road-surface class for a predetermined period;

a correcting unit that corrects the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

5. The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:

the road-surface height estimating unit estimates the road-surface height in response to a number of extracted road-surface points being equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold.

6. An obstacle detection apparatus that detects an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the obstacle detection apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to implement:

an information acquiring unit that acquires the captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating unit that generates a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimates a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying unit that generates an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting unit that fuses the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associates the feature points and the classes, and extracts road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating unit that estimates a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points and that provides an estimation result of the road-surface height together with information that estimation reliability is low in response to the number of road-surface points that are used for estimation of the road-surface height being less than a predetermined second threshold;

a correcting unit that corrects the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

7. An obstacle detection apparatus that detects an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the obstacle detection apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to implement:

an information acquiring unit that acquires the captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating unit that generates a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimates a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying unit that generates an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting unit that fuses the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associates the feature points and the classes, and extracts road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating unit that estimates a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points and that provides an estimation result of the road-surface height together with information that estimation reliability is high in response to the number of road-surface points that are used for estimation of the road-surface height being equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold;

a correcting unit that corrects the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

8. The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:

the correcting unit corrects mounting information of the imaging apparatus based on changes over time in the road-surface height that is estimated by the road-surface height estimating unit.

9. An obstacle detection method that is applicable to an obstacle detection apparatus that detects an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the obstacle detection method comprising:

an information acquiring step of acquiring a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating step of generating a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimating a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying step of generating an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting step of fusing the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associating the feature points and the classes, and extracting road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating step of estimating a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points, the road-surface height estimating step comprising:

determining reliability of a frequency distribution of a road-surface-point height, and

estimating, when determined that the frequency distribution is reliable, the road-surface height based on the frequency distribution of the road-surface-point height;

a correcting step of correcting the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein an obstacle detection program that includes processes that are performed by a processor to detect an obstacle in a vicinity of a vehicle based on a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle captured by an imaging apparatus, the processes including:

an information acquiring step of acquiring a captured image of the vicinity of the vehicle;

a three-dimensional estimating step of generating a three-dimensional estimation image that shows a three-dimensional position of a feature point in the captured image and estimating a three-dimensional position of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional estimation image;

an image classifying step of generating an attribute image in which an object in the captured image is classified into one or more classes that include at least a road-surface class;

a road-surface point extracting step of fusing the three-dimensional estimation image and the attribute image, associating the feature points and the classes, and extracting road-surface points that are the feature points associated with the road-surface class;

a road-surface height estimating step of estimating a road-surface height in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the road-surface points, the road-surface height estimating step comprising

determining reliability of a frequency distribution of a road-surface-point height, and

estimating, when determined that the frequency distribution is reliable, the road-surface height based on the frequency distribution of the road-surface-point height;

a correcting step of correcting the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the estimated road-surface height; and

an obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle based on the three-dimensional position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2022
From: SHIGEMURA, SHUSAKU; SAKAKIBARA, YUTA; NAKAGAWA, TAKUYA; OBAYASHI, MOTONARI
To: DENSO CORPORATION; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 061680/0125 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-147059 · Sep 9, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230070221A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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