Patent ID: 8036424
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
1. A field recognition apparatus for use in a movable body comprising: a first imaging unit disposed on the movable body imaging a field in a proximity of the movable body; a second imaging unit disposed on the movable body imaging a road surface that is traveled by the movable body, wherein the second imaging unit has a light axis pointing downward in comparison to the light axis of the first imaging unit; a movement detection unit detecting an optical flow of a characteristic point on the road surface based on an image of the road surface derived from the second imaging unit, wherein the optical flow of the characteristic point is used to determine a movement parameter that specifies the movement of the movable body; and an obstacle detection unit calculating three-dimensional data of a position and a shape of an obstacle based on the movement parameter derived from the movement detection unit and the image derived from the first imaging unit; wherein the obstacle detection unit includes: a division unit dividing the image derived from the first imaging unit into plural image pieces; a divisional parameter calculation unit calculating a divisional parameter in each of the plural image pieces, wherein the divisional parameter specifies a position and an orientation of each of the plural image pieces in a three-dimensional field based on the optical flow of the characteristic point in each of the plural image pieces and the movement parameter derived from the movement detection unit; and a mapping unit mapping each of the plural image pieces by using three-dimensional coordinates based on the divisional parameter derived from the divisional parameter calculation unit and the position of each of the plural image pieces in the image derived from the first imaging unit.