Abnormality detection apparatus

1. An abnormality detection apparatus for detecting an abnormality of a camera to be mounted on a mobile body, the apparatus comprising a processor and associated memory configured to:

perform a determination process of determining a presence or absence of the abnormality of the camera based on a temporal change of a position of a feature point that is extracted from a frame image photographed by the camera; and

suppress a gain change in an Automatic Gain Control (“AGC”) circuit of the camera when the determination process is performed, wherein:

the processor controls an update cycle of a gain and determines the presence or absence of the abnormality of the camera using the frame image acquired in a period in which the gain of the AGC circuit is constant;

the processor is configured to select either (i) a normal update cycle, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is not performed, or (ii) an update cycle for the determination process, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is performed and is longer than the normal update cycle; and

when a feedback control amount, which is a gain control amount in the AGC circuit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount while the processor selects the update cycle for the determination process, the processor forcibly switches setting of the update cycle to the normal update cycle.

2. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a length of the update cycle for the determination process is equal to or longer than a time required for the camera to acquire at least two frame images for the determination process.

3. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when the setting of the update cycle is forcibly switched to the normal update cycle, the processor reduces reliability of a process result for a frame image obtained by the camera at least just before the switching.

4. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the processor destroys the process result whose reliability has been reduced.

5. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor further controls setting of a suspension of the mobile body.

6. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor controls a flashing display light of the mobile body when the determination process is performed.

7. The abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor determines whether or not an irradiation position of light in the frame image irradiated from a light irradiation device mounted on the mobile body is positioned within a predetermined range.

8. An abnormality detection system that detects an abnormality of a camera to be mounted on a mobile body, the system comprising:

the abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

a camera that has an AGC circuit.

9. An abnormality detection system comprising:

the abnormality detection apparatus according to claim 8 ;

a camera that has an AGC circuit; and

at least one of (i) a suspension device that is provided in a mobile body to control a distance between a road surface on which the mobile body moves and the camera, (ii) a flashing display light device that is provided in the mobile body to control ON/OFF states, and (iii) a light irradiation device that is provided in the mobile body to be paired with the camera and irradiates a predetermined position.

10. An abnormality detection method in which an apparatus detects an abnormality of a camera to be mounted on a mobile body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a determination process of determining a presence or absence of the abnormality of the camera based on a temporal change of a position of a feature point that is extracted from a frame image photographed by the camera;

(b) performing an Automatic Gain Control (“AGC”) to suppress a gain change in an AGC circuit of the camera when the determination process is performed;

(c) controlling an update cycle of a gain and determining the presence or absence of the abnormality of the camera using the frame image acquired in a period in which the gain of the AGC circuit is constant;

(d) selecting either (i) a normal update cycle, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is not performed, or (ii) an update cycle for the determination process, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is performed and is longer than the normal update cycle; and

(e) when a feedback control amount, which is a gain control amount in the AGC circuit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount while the update cycle for the determination process is being selected, forcibly switching setting of the update cycle to the normal update cycle.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a controller, cause the controller to:

perform a determination process of determining a presence or absence of an abnormality of a camera to be mounted on a mobile body based on a temporal change of a position of a feature point that is extracted from a frame image photographed by the camera;

suppress a gain change in an Automatic Gain Control (“AGC”) circuit of the camera when the determination process is performed;

control an update cycle of a gain and determine the presence or absence of the abnormality of the camera using the frame image acquired in a period in which the gain of the AGC circuit is constant;

select either (i) a normal update cycle, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is not performed, or (ii) an update cycle for the determination process, which is used as the update cycle when the determination process is performed and is longer than the normal update cycle; and

when a feedback control amount, which is a gain control amount in the AGC circuit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount while the update cycle for the determination process is being selected, forcibly switch setting of the update cycle to the normal update cycle.