Onboard Camera Calibration Using Single Marker and Vehicle Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional onboard camera calibration methods require a large space and significant labor to set up multiple markers, making the process inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A calibration apparatus and method that uses an onboard camera to acquire images, recognize markers, calculate movement distance, and store specific images to calibrate the camera, reducing the need for multiple markers by capturing images from different angles and calculating movement distances based on feature portion overlaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple markers are provided on the floor surface for calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but the space required and labor for setup increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple markers into a single marker by capturing images at multiple positions. Instead of requiring multiple physical markers distributed across the calibration area, the system uses one marker and acquires images at different vehicle positions, then combines this data to perform calibration with the same accuracy that would otherwise require multiple markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of time/position to the calibration process. By capturing images of a single marker at multiple different vehicle positions (different time points), the system transforms a spatial problem (needing multiple markers in space) into a temporal problem (capturing one marker at multiple times/positions), thereby reducing the number of physical markers needed.
2Measurement precision
If multiple markers are provided on the floor surface for calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but the space required for calibration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple markers into a single marker by capturing images at multiple positions. Instead of requiring multiple physical markers distributed across the calibration area, the system uses one marker and acquires images at different vehicle positions, then combines this data to perform calibration with the same accuracy that would otherwise require multiple markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of time/position to the calibration process. By capturing images of a single marker at multiple different vehicle positions (different time points), the system transforms a spatial problem (needing multiple markers in space) into a temporal problem (capturing one marker at multiple times/positions), thereby reducing the calibration space required.
3Measurement precision
If multiple markers are provided on the floor surface for calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but labor for setup increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple markers into a single marker by capturing images at multiple positions. Instead of requiring multiple physical markers distributed across the calibration area, the system uses one marker and acquires images at different vehicle positions, then combines this data to perform calibration with the same accuracy that would otherwise require multiple markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically captures images at multiple positions and performs the calibration processing without requiring manual setup of multiple markers. The vehicle's movement itself serves to provide the multiple measurement positions, and the image processing system automatically handles the calibration calculations, reducing labor requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A calibration apparatus for an onboard camera includes an image acquiring unit, a marker recognizing unit, a movement distance calculating unit, an image storage unit, and a calibration unit. The movement distance calculating unit calculates a movement distance of a vehicle based on a number of times that a process in which a first feature portion in a marker moves to a position overlapping a second feature position in the marker in the image is repeated. The image storage unit stores a specific image that includes the marker. The calibration unit calibrates the onboard camera using the specific image. The image storage unit stores, as the specific image, (a) the image in which the marker is recognized, and (b) the image acquired when the movement distance from a position of the vehicle when the specific image has been acquired in the past reaches a predetermined distance.