Image Processing Device Selecting Obstacles for Highlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing devices either overwhelm users with excessive information by highlighting all detected obstacles or fail to notify them of potentially dangerous obstacles that are not closest to the imaging device, such as those moving towards the user.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device comprising an object detecting unit, a selecting unit, and a highlighting-image generating unit that detects objects from frame images and selects those positioned at the lowest portions in segment areas, generating highlighting images for the selected objects to improve notification of dangerous obstacles without overwhelming the user with information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If border images are superimposed on all detected obstacles, then the user is notified of all dangerous obstacles, but the frame image becomes difficult to see and information overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frame image into multiple segment areas and selectively applies highlighting only to specific segments (those containing obstacles moving toward the user), rather than highlighting all detected obstacles. This segmentation approach maintains visibility of the overall frame image while still notifying users of critical dangers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different treatment to different regions of the frame image based on the movement direction and danger level of obstacles in each region. Critical obstacles moving toward the user are highlighted with border images, while other obstacles are not highlighted, creating local quality differentiation that prioritizes important information without overwhelming the user.
2Ease of operation
If only the closest obstacle is highlighted, then the frame image remains clear and easy to see, but obstacles moving toward the user that are not closest may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically determines which obstacles to highlight based on real-time movement direction analysis. Instead of statically highlighting only the closest obstacle, the system evaluates the movement vectors of all obstacles and highlights those moving toward the user, making the selection criterion dynamic and adaptive to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses movement direction information as feedback to determine highlighting priority. By analyzing whether obstacles are moving toward or away from the user, the system adjusts which obstacles receive highlighting, ensuring that the most critical threats (those approaching the user) are notified regardless of distance.
3Loss of information
If all detected obstacles are highlighted, then comprehensive safety information is provided, but the amount of information becomes too large for the user to process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the critical subset of obstacles that are moving toward the user, separating this important information from the complete set of all detected obstacles. This extraction approach provides comprehensive safety information for approaching threats while filtering out less critical obstacles that would contribute to information overload.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by highlighting only certain obstacles based on movement direction criteria rather than all detected obstacles. This selective highlighting provides sufficient safety information for critical threats without the excessive information that would result from highlighting every detected object.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image processing device. An object detecting unit is configured to detect objects from each frame image sequentially input from an imaging device. A selecting unit is configured to select objects positioned at the lowest portions, from the objects included in a plurality of individual segment areas constituting the frame image and existing side by side in a left-right direction. A highlighting-image generating unit is configured to generate highlighting images for highlighting the objects selected by the selecting unit.