Vehicle Imaging System Distortion Correction for Peripheral Object Recognition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wide-angle cameras mounted on vehicles experience distortion in peripheral areas of captured images, leading to reduced identification accuracy of objects due to lens characteristics, which are not accounted for in conventional identification patterns designed for central image areas.

Innovation Solution

An imaging system with an optical wide-angle camera and an object identifying apparatus that executes a distortion correcting process using prepared reference patterns, reducing distortion in peripheral areas to match the central area's distortion level, thereby improving object recognition accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a wide-angle camera is used to capture images in peripheral areas, then the field of view is improved, but distortion occurs leading to reduced identification accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield of viewVSAvoididentification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies distortion correction by transforming coordinate parameters of image pixels. The correction unit changes the positional parameters of pixels in peripheral areas to compensate for wide-angle distortion, enabling accurate object identification while maintaining the wide field of view advantage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a correction unit as an intermediary component between the wide-angle camera and the identification unit. This correction unit processes the distorted image data by applying coordinate transformations based on pre-stored correction information, thereby mediating the distortion problem and enabling accurate identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If reference patterns designed for central areas are applied to peripheral areas, then pattern matching is simplified, but recognition accuracy deteriorates due to distortion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern matching complexityVSAvoidrecognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary distortion correction on the image data before applying reference patterns. By pre-processing the image to remove distortion effects and storing correction information in advance, the system can use standard reference patterns without compromising recognition accuracy in peripheral areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11501540B2Imaging system and object identifying apparatus to be mounted in vehicle, and object identifying method to be employed by vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 DENSO CORP

AI summary

An imaging system to be mounted in a vehicle is provided. The imaging system includes an optical wide-angle camera acquiring an image, and an object identifying apparatus. This object identifying apparatus executes a distortion correcting process with the acquired image and apply previously-prepared reference patterns to the image which has been subjected to the distortion correcting process such that objects in the acquired image are recognized.