Patent Document ID: 9902341
Application ID: 15119319
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing apparatus comprising: one or more processors configured to implement: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a first image capturing a surrounding area of an automobile including a first area and a second image capturing a surrounding area of the automobile including a second area adjacent to the first area; an outline detector configured to perform outline detection on the first image to generate a first outline of an object within the first image and perform outline detection on the second image to generate a second outline of an object within the second image, wherein at least one of the object within the first image and the object within the second image extends across a border between the first image and the second image; a sameness determiner configured to determine, based on the first outline and the second outline, whether the object within the first image and the object within the second image is the same object; and a combined area selector configured to determine, when the object within the first image and the object within the second image have been determined to be the same object, whether the first outline and the second outline are continuous or discontinuous across the border between the first image and the second image, wherein, when the combined area selector determines that the first outline and the second outline are discontinuous across the border between the first image and the second image, the combined area selector performs area setting and perspective conversion on the first image or the second image to correct a discontinuity between the first outline and the second outline, and wherein the combined area selector is further configured to combine at least the first image and the second image to generate a combined image, wherein, in the combined image, the first outline and the second outline are continuous across the border between the first image and the second image.