Patent ID: 8116523

Claim:
An on-vehicle image processing apparatus comprising: an image taking apparatus configured to generate image data by taking an image of a forward view of a vehicle; an edge detection section configured to generate a detection image data including pixels of m rows and n columns (m and n are integers more than 2) based on the image data; and a feature point detection section configured to detect at least one feature point based on the detection image data and output the at least one feature point to an output apparatus, the feature point detection section categorizes the at least one feature point into a lane division line feature point indicating a point on a lane division line, a branch feature point indicating a branch of a lane, and a dead end and obstacle feature point indicating a dead end of a lane or an obstacle on a lane, the detection image data includes a lane division line detection scanning region set for detecting the lane division line feature point, a branch detection scanning region set for detecting the branch feature point, and a dead end and obstacle detection scanning region set for detecting the dead end and obstacle feature point, a distance between a vehicle loading the image taking apparatus and a position on a lane corresponding to a pixel in the detection image data becomes shorter from a first row to a m-th row of the detection image data, and the dead end and obstacle detection scanning region is set in pixels positioned from the first row to a m1-th row of the detection image data, the branch detection scanning region is set in pixels positioned from the m1-th row to a m2-th row of the detection image data, and the lane division line detection scanning region is set in pixels positioned from the m2-th row to the m-th row of the detection image data, wherein 1<m1<m2<m.