Parking compartment recognition apparatus

A parking space recognition method for recognizing a parking space;

• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) acquiring a plurality of images generated by a plurality of cameras provided on a vehicle including (i) a left side camera capturing a left side view of the vehicle, (ii) a right side camera capturing a right side view of the vehicle and (iii) a rear camera capturing a rear view of the vehicle;
• (b) selecting the cameras to be used for detecting the parking space from among the plurality of cameras based on a traveling state of the vehicle, and selecting a detection mode for detecting the parking space from the images generated by the selected cameras from among a first mode and a second mode based on the traveling state of the vehicle;
• (c) specifying a first detection area in the images generated by the selected cameras among the plurality of acquired images when the first mode is selected, and specifying a second detection area narrower than the first detection area in the images generated by the selected cameras when the second mode is selected;
• and
• (d) detecting the parking space from the first detection area with a first accuracy when the first mode is selected, and detecting the parking space from the second detection area with a second accuracy when the second mode is selected.

A parking space recognition apparatus that recognizes a parking space;

• the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to:
• (a) acquire a plurality of images generated by a plurality of cameras provided on a vehicle including (i) a left side camera capturing a left side view of the vehicle, (ii) a right side camera capturing a right side view of the vehicle and (iii) a rear camera capturing a rear view of the vehicle;
• (b) select the cameras to be used for detecting the parking space from among the plurality of cameras based on a traveling state of the vehicle, and select a detection mode for detecting the parking space from the images generated by the selected cameras from among a first mode and a second mode based on the traveling state of the vehicle;
• (c) specify a first detection area in the images generated by the selected cameras among the plurality of acquired images when the first mode is selected, and specifying a second detection area narrower than the first detection area in the images generated by the selected cameras when the second mode is selected;
• and
• (d) detect the parking space from the first detection area with a first accuracy when the first mode is selected, and detect the parking space from the second detection area with a second accuracy when the second mode is selected.