Patent ID: 8433096
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: B60W,G06K,H04N

Abstract:
1. An operation control map which, in a white line detection apparatus including a road surface imaging portion, includes a solid-state imaging sensor, a white line detection portion that detects white line on a road based on a captured image of the road surface, and a determining portion that determines whether to allow operation of the white line detection portion, is referenced as a determination reference for determining whether to allow operation of the white line detection portion, comprising: an allowed region, in which operation of the white line detection portion is allowed, that is set based on values of a gain of a road surface image signal generated by the road surface imaging portion and a detected temperature of the road surface imaging portion, which are variables in the operation control map; a first disallowed region, in which operation of the white line detection portion is not allowed, that is also set based on the values of the variables; and a second disallowed region, in which operation of the white line detection portion is not allowed, that is set for the temperature of the imaging portion exceeding a temperature at which operation of the imaging portion is guaranteed, wherein the allowed region is a region that is set when reduced accuracy of white line detection, due to the thermal noise generated in the solid-state imaging sensor, falls within an acceptable range, and the first disallowed region is a region that is set when the reduced accuracy of white line detection falls outside of the acceptable range.