Road Surface Gradient Detection Using Luminance Weighted Parallax
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road surface gradient detection methods struggle to accurately detect gradients when a white line is blurred or absent, limiting the accuracy of gradient detection and being influenced by stereoscopic objects.
Innovation Solution
A road surface gradient detection device that calculates parallax and luminance information from captured images, sets image areas, and applies weighting based on luminance differences to improve accuracy, excluding stereoscopic objects and considering uneven road surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the SGM method is used to calculate parallax from captured images, then the calculation process can be completed, but the accuracy of parallax calculation deteriorates when the road surface has few image features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the captured image into multiple image areas and processing each area separately with different weighting strategies. Each pixel range within an image area is assigned a specific weight based on luminance characteristics, allowing the system to optimize parallax calculation accuracy locally in regions with few image features while maintaining overall calculation capability.
2Measurement precision
If the image area including white line portion is used to calculate parallax, then the accuracy of parallax calculation is improved, but the method cannot be applied when white line is blurred or absent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by creating a multi-functional parallax calculation system that can handle both roads with clear white lines and roads with blurred or absent white lines. The system automatically adapts its calculation method based on the detected luminance characteristics of pixel ranges, making it applicable to various road conditions without requiring manual intervention or separate processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the weighting parameters of pixel ranges based on luminance differences. When white lines are present, the system assigns higher weights to pixel ranges with large luminance differences. When white lines are blurred or absent, the system adjusts weights based on other luminance patterns, thereby maintaining accurate parallax calculation across different road conditions.
3Device complexity
If representative height is calculated without considering luminance difference, then the calculation process is simple, but the accuracy of road surface gradient detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the luminance values of each pixel range before performing the parallax and height calculations. This preliminary processing of luminance data enables the system to efficiently apply weighting factors during the main calculation process without significantly increasing overall complexity, while substantially improving the accuracy of road surface gradient detection.
4Measurement precision
If weighting is applied based on luminance difference, then the accuracy of representative height calculation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image processing task into distinct segments: image area division, pixel range identification, luminance calculation, weighting determination, and representative height calculation. This segmentation allows each component to be processed independently and efficiently, reducing overall system complexity while enabling the application of sophisticated weighting methods based on luminance differences.
Data Source
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AI summary
A road surface gradient detection device includes an image area setting unit configured to divide a captured image to set a plurality of image areas, a weighting setting unit configured to set the weighting of a pixel range to be great when the luminance difference from an adjacent pixel range is great, or configured, based on the luminance of each of a plurality of pixel ranges and the coordinates of each pixel range, to set the weighting of a pixel range to be greater when the luminance difference from the adjacent pixel range is equal to or greater than a first threshold value than when the luminance difference from the adjacent pixel range is less than the first threshold value, a representative height calculation unit configured to calculate the representative parallax of each image area and the representative height of each image area based on the parallax of each pixel range, the coordinates of each pixel range, and the magnitude of the weighting of each pixel range, and a road surface gradient detection unit configured to detect the road surface gradient from the captured image based on the representative parallax of each image area and the representative height of each image area.