IP Library Granted Patent US 12,131,549
Granted Patent B2
US 12,131,549 · App. 18/104,962 · Granted Oct 29, 2024

Image monitoring device

Inventor: Tomoyuki Tsurube (Tokyo To, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
G06V20/56G06T7/0002G06V20/10G06T2207/30181G06T2207/30252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,131,549
App. No.
18/104,962
Granted
Oct 29, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image monitoring device includes a hardware processor. An image of the outside of a vehicle is captured by a camera. The hardware processor notifies that dirt adheres to a lens of the camera when a ratio of a smooth region in the image is more than a threshold. In the smooth region, differences in luminance value between pixels are small. The hardware processor does not notify that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera when: a ratio of the smooth region in a sky region in the image is more than a threshold, a ratio of the smooth region in a ground region in the image is more than a threshold, and a difference between an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the sky region and an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the ground region is more than a threshold.

Claims (29)

1. An image monitoring device comprising

a hardware processor connected to a memory, the hardware processor being configured to:

acquire an image of an outside of a vehicle captured by a camera;

make a notification that dirt adheres to a lens of the camera in a case where a ratio of a smooth region in the image is equal to or larger than a threshold, the smooth region being a region in which differences in luminance value between pixels are small; and

make no notification that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera in a case where

a ratio of the smooth region in a sky region is equal to or larger than a threshold, the sky region being a region of a sky included in the image,

a ratio of the smooth region in a ground region is equal to or larger than a threshold, the ground region being a region of a ground surface included in the image, and

a difference between an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the sky region and an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the ground region is equal to or larger than a threshold.

2. The image monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to make the notification that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera in a case where

a ratio of the smooth region in the sky region is smaller than a threshold, or a ratio of the smooth region in the ground region is smaller than a threshold, and

a ratio of the smooth region in a combined region of the sky region and the ground region is equal to or larger than a threshold.

3. The image monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to make no notification that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera in a case where

a ratio of the smooth region in the sky region is smaller than a threshold, or a ratio of the smooth region in the ground region is smaller than a threshold, and

a ratio of the smooth region in a combined region of the sky region and the ground region is smaller than a threshold.

4. The image monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to make no notification that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera in a case where

a ratio of the smooth region in the sky region, excluding a region where a luminance value is equal to or larger than a threshold, is equal to or larger than a threshold,

a ratio of the smooth region in the ground region is equal to or larger than a threshold, and

a difference between an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the sky region and an average of luminance values of the smooth region in the ground region is equal to or larger than a threshold.

5. The image monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect the sky region and the ground region on the basis of a horizon line included in the image captured by the camera.

6. The image monitoring device according to claim 5 , wherein the hardware processor performs the detection of the horizon line on the basis of an angle of the camera with respect to a horizontal direction.

7. An image monitoring device comprising

a hardware processor connected to a memory, the hardware processor being configured to:

acquire an image of an outside of a vehicle captured by a camera;

make a notification that dirt adheres to a lens of the camera in a case where a ratio of a smooth region in the image is equal to or larger than a threshold, the smooth region being a region in which differences in luminance value between pixels are small; and

make no notification that dirt adheres to the lens of the camera in a case where

a smooth region in a region of a sky included in the image is detected,

a smooth region in a region of a ground surface included in the image is detected, and

a difference between a luminance value of a smooth region in the region of the sky and a luminance value of a smooth region in the region of the ground surface is equal to or larger than a threshold.

8. The image monitoring device according to claim 7 , wherein a luminance value of a smooth region in the region of the sky or in the region of the ground surface is an average luminance value of a corresponding smooth region.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0752 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: TSURUBE, TOMOYUKI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064411/0613 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-054057 · Mar 29, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230316768A1 · Oct 5, 2023