Road Surface Detection Using Disparity and Brightness Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road surface detection systems face challenges in accurately detecting the traveling road surface, particularly on asphalt-paved roads where brightness differences are small, leading to reduced detection accuracy and range.
Innovation Solution
A traveling road surface detection device that utilizes disparity information from stereo camera images to accurately detect road surfaces with large brightness changes, and employs interpolation based on brightness information for areas with small changes, expanding the detection range by recognizing low-texture areas as potential road surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If disparity information is used to detect traveling road surface, then detection accuracy is improved for areas with large brightness changes, but detection range decreases for areas with small brightness changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines disparity information and brightness information to detect traveling road surfaces. For image areas with small brightness changes where disparity information alone is insufficient, the system uses brightness information as an alternative detection criterion, thereby merging two different information sources to overcome the limitations of using either one alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from relying solely on disparity information to using brightness information as well. By switching the detection basis from disparity to brightness for low-texture areas, the system expands detection capability to regions that were previously undetectable using disparity alone.
2Device complexity
If only disparity information is used for road surface detection, then device complexity is reduced, but detection range and accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the detection system multi-functional by enabling it to use both disparity information and brightness information for road surface detection. The system can adaptively switch between or combine these different information sources depending on the characteristics of the image area, thereby expanding detection range without requiring entirely separate detection systems.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A traveling road surface detection device (1) includes: a traveling road surface determination unit (12) that determines whether image areas into which the captured image is divided are each the traveling road surface based on the disparity information; and a traveling road surface interpolation unit (14) that interpolates a first image area into a detected traveling road surface based on brightness information, the first image area among image areas determined as not the traveling road surface, wherein each of the image areas is configured by a plurality of pixel ranges, and the number of first pixel ranges each adjacent to a pixel range having a brightness different at most by a first threshold from that of an adjacent first pixel range is equal to or larger than a second threshold, or a ratio of the first pixel ranges is equal to or larger than a third threshold, in the first image range.