IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,859,730

Granted Patent B2

US 6,859,730 · App. 10/271,941 · Granted Feb 22, 2005

Monitor system of vehicle outside and method of monitoring same

Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 6,859,730
App. No.: 10/271,941
Granted: Feb 22, 2005
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A monitor system of a vehicle outside includes an image-measured distance detector for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on information of an image in front of the vehicle, a laser-measured distance detector for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar for projecting a laser beam from the vehicle, and a final distance setting unit for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected the image-measured distance detector and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detector.

Claims (52)

1. A monitor system of a vehicle outside, comprising:

image-measured distance detection means for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on data of an image in front of the vehicle;

laser-measured distance detection means for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar for projecting a laser beam from the vehicle; and

final distance setting means for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means,

wherein the final distance setting means finally sets the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means.

2. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

3. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets an average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by th laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

4. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

5. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

6. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

7. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

8. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

9. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance.

10. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

11. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

12. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

13. The monitor system according to claim 12 , wherein:

14. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

15. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance.

16. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

17. The monitor system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

18. The monitor system according to claim 17 , wherein:

the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance and the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

19. A method for monitoring an outside of a vehicle comprising:

calculating a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on data of an image in front of the vehicle;

detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the data of a laser radar by projecting a laser beam from the vehicle;

setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection, and

determining the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection.

20. A method for monitoring an outside of a vehicle comprising:

calculating a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle based on data of an image outside of the vehicle;

detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle on the basis of the data of a laser radar; and

21. A monitor system of a vehicle outside, comprising:

an image-measured distance detection device for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle based on data of an image outside of the vehicle;

a laser-measured distance detection device for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar; and

a distance data coordinating section for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection device and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection device.

Assignments (1)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2002

From: SEKIGUCHI, HIROYUKI

To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Reel/Frame 013396/0995 →

Priority Claims (1)

JP 2001-320978 · Oct 18, 2001 · national

Continuity (1)

Related Publication 20030078730A1 · Apr 24, 2003