Object discriminating apparatus and method therefor
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsArisa Fujioka, Takashi Konda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An object sensor outputs an obstacle detection signal in response to passing of an obstacle. A central control unit reads a 2-dimensional image from an imaging unit in response to the obstacle detection signal. A detection area is obtained by subtracting a background image prestored in a memory from the input 2-dimensional image. The detected image on a 2-dimensional plane is transformed into image data in a 3-dimensional space. The CCU computes the projection area of the image data on an arbitrary plane in the 3-dimensional space. The object is discriminated by comparing the computed projection area with the projection area based on the reference value of the object prestored in the memory.
Claims7
An object determining apparatus comprising:
- image capturing means for capturing an image;
- object detecting means for detecting an object from the image captured by said capturing means;
- means for subjecting those points on the image of the object detected by said object detecting means, which have maximum and minimum values at least in x- and y-directions, to a reverse perspective transformation into a given plane in a 3-dimensional space;
- means for calculating, on the basis of a ratio of an area defined by four points on the image to an area defined by four points after the reverse perspective transformation, a cross-sectional area of the object in a given plane after the reverse perspective transformation, from the area on the image;
- and
- means for comparing a value of the area calculated by said calculating means with a predetermined area value registered in advance, thereby determining the object.
A method of determining an object, comprising the steps of:
- capturing an image;
- detecting an object from the captured image;
- subjecting those points on the image of the detected object, which have maximum and minimum values at least in x- and y-directions, to a reverse perspective transformation into a given plane in a 3-dimensional space;
- calculating, on the basis of a ratio of an area defined by four points on the image to an area defined by four points after the reverse perspective transformation, a cross-sectional area of the object in a given plane after the reverse perspective transformation, from the area on the image;
- and
- comparing a value of the calculated area with a predetermined area value registered in advance, thereby determining the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.