IP Library Granted Patent US 11,636,624
Granted Patent B2
US 11,636,624 · App. 17/593,369 · Granted Apr 25, 2023

Calibration device and calibration method

Inventors: Manabu Kawabe (Tokyo, JP); Morihiko Sakano (Tokyo, JP); Nobuyuki Matsuyama (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: FAURECIA CLARION ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G06T7/80B60R11/04G06T7/246H04N7/18H04N17/002G06T2207/30241G06T2207/30252
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,636,624
App. No.
17/593,369
Granted
Apr 25, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

High precision calibration of external parameters is possible even when the surrounding road surface is configured from a plurality of flat surfaces. Specifically, provided is a calibration device comprising a camera to be mounted on a vehicle traveling on a road surface; a characteristic point extraction unit which extracts characteristic points from a captured image obtained by being captured with the camera; a tracking unit which tracks the characteristic points extracted with the characteristic point extraction unit; a storage unit which stores a trajectory of the characteristic points obtained by tracking the characteristic points; a road surface estimation unit which estimates a flat surface on which the vehicle is traveling by using the trajectory of the characteristic points; a calculation unit which calculates a calibration trajectory, which is a trajectory of the characteristic points, for use in calibration based on the estimated flat surface; and an external parameter estimation unit which executes calibration of an external parameter of the camera by using the calibration trajectory.

Claims (24)

1. A calibration device, comprising:

a camera to be mounted on a vehicle traveling on a road surface;

a characteristic point extraction unit configured to extract characteristic points from a captured image obtained by being captured with the camera;

a tracking unit configured to track the characteristic points extracted with the characteristic point extraction unit;

a storage unit configured to store a trajectory of the characteristic points obtained by tracking the characteristic points;

a road surface estimation unit configured to estimate a flat surface on which the vehicle is traveling by using the trajectory of the characteristic points;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a calibration trajectory, which is a trajectory of the characteristic points, for use in calibration based on the estimated flat surface; and

an external parameter estimation unit configured to execute calibration of an external parameter of the camera by using the calibration trajectory.

2. The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calculation unit calculates as the calibration trajectory, among trajectories of the characteristic points stored in the storage unit, a trajectory of the characteristic points existing on a same plane as a contact area of the vehicle.

3. The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calculation unit calculates the calibration trajectory by correcting coordinates configuring a trajectory of the characteristic points not existing on a same plane as a contact area of the vehicle among trajectories of the characteristic points stored in the storage unit as coordinates on a same plane as a contact area of the vehicle.

4. The calibration device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the calculation unit calculates a plurality of approximation straight lines from a distribution of trajectories of the characteristic points, and calculates, from an intersection point of the plurality of approximation straight lines, an angular difference formed from a first plane as a contact area of the vehicle and a second plane opposite to the first plane relative to the intersection point.

5. The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the road surface estimation unit estimates a flat surface on which the vehicle is traveling by assuming that a shape of the road surface is a combination of two flat surfaces.

6. The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the road surface estimation unit estimates a flat surface on which the vehicle is traveling by using a trajectory of the characteristic points in a region where the vehicle is traveling.

7. A calibration method to be executed by a calibration device mounted on a vehicle traveling on a road surface and comprising a camera and a storage unit, comprising the steps of:

extracting characteristic points from a captured image obtained by being captured with the camera and tracking the characteristic points;

storing a trajectory of the characteristic points obtained by tracking the characteristic points in the storage unit;

estimating a flat surface on which the vehicle is traveling by using the trajectory of the characteristic points;

calculating a calibration trajectory, which is a trajectory of the characteristic points, for use in calibration based on the estimated flat surface; and

executing calibration of an external parameter of the camera by using the calibration trajectory.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SECOND INVENTOR'S EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 061352 FRAME: 0735. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Mar 27, 2023
From: KAWABE, MANABU; SAKANO, MORIHIKO; MATSUYAMA, NOBUYUKI
To: FAURECIA CLARION ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063168/0895 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2022
From: KAWABE, MANABU; SAKANO, MORIHIKO; MATSUYAMA, NOBUYUKI
To: FAURECIA CLARION ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061352/0735 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-052738 · Mar 20, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220189065A1 · Jun 16, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,354,302