Image analysis – Applications – Range or distance measuring
Reexamination Certificate
1995-11-02
2002-04-09
Chang, Jon (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Applications
Range or distance measuring
C382S154000, C382S203000, C396S121000, C396S128000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370262
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object information processing apparatus having a function to divide an object depending upon brightness information and/or a function to divide an object depending upon distance information, in extraction of object information, and also to a remote apparatus arranged to transmit signals through wire or radio to or from the information processing apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 9
is a block diagram to show the schematic construction of a conventional example in the field of industrial instrumentation etc., and the prior art is explained referring to FIG.
9
.
An imaging device
102
picks up an image of a region represented by
101
in a process or operation, and a signal of the image thus picked up is subjected to A/D conversion in an A/D circuit
103
and the signal after the A/D conversion is further subjected to any one of some processes as matters now stand.
For example, a lightness distribution processing circuit
104
first produces the equivalent of the histogram indicated by numeral
105
. This distribution table shows a brightness distribution of the image, which is a distribution (of numbers) of pixels against brightness on the vertical axis. Here, numeral
107
represents an area of a portion brighter than a determination level
106
automatically or preliminarily determined. The area of the portion
107
is then output to a content measuring circuit
108
, which performs automatic instrumentation of the area (=content) of a white portion in the field. Further, based on the automatic instrumentation, automatic adjustment is carried out for an element of the process, such as adjustment of mixture ratio, for example.
Further, a lightness group processor denoted by numeral
109
groups adjacent pixels, as taking pixels with similar lightnesses as a group, and obtains a distribution of areas of the groups as a result of grouping, thereby obtaining a distribution of areas as indicated by numeral
110
with the scale for area on the vertical axis in the drawing. A measuring circuit
111
then obtains an area of numbers of similar lightness groups from this table to perform automatic instrumentation of not only a content of different lightnesses, but also a distribution of sizes, that is, grain sizes, thereby carrying out adjustment of the process, such as adjustment of agitation time.
If samples have a fixed shape, a reference pattern circuit
112
supplies a pattern of the shape, a coincidence discriminator
113
performs a coincidence check with the pattern, and a counting circuit
114
obtains a number of coincidences so as to count a number of samples coincident with the pattern, thereby counting a number of bolts, nuts, etc., or a number of red blood cells in the blood.
FIG. 10
is a block diagram to show the schematic construction of another conventional example, which was reported in a research report as to automated traveling or the like of a car or robot. It is explained below referring to FIG.
10
.
An imaging device
122
is set on a traveling object
121
such as a vehicle, and a next-stage distance detector
123
obtains data of a measured distance. With this data of a measured distance, a selective calculator
124
takes steering information from a steering state output circuit
125
into consideration to obtain a traveling forward distance and a traveling side distance in a forward distance calculation circuit
126
and a side distance calculation circuit
127
, thereby performing an automatic determination of a path from a correction of steering or adjustment of velocity.
Further, the report describes the following. The image information from the A/D converter
128
and the data of a measured distance from the distance detector
123
is supplied to an analyzer
129
, which extracts a white line on a road (including extrapolation or interpolation thereof) as “one white and long in the forward direction”. A steering control circuit
130
performs automatic steering from curvature of the white line in the forward direction to keep a distance thereto. A steering control circuit
132
performs steering or adjustment of velocity while similarly supplying the data to an analyzer
131
and extracting a “rail or guardrail” thereby.
The conventional examples, however, were unable to handle complicated patterns existing in the external field in a wide range, because they detected the luminance using A/D values of small dynamic ranges for simplification.
Because of this, calculation of area was likely to be affected by a fine density difference, for example. Further, since recognition was based only on limited patterns, they had a drawback that they were unable to handle a variety of patterns, though processing was simple.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the application is to provide an object information processing apparatus which can extract only necessary object information from the field by a simple distance calculation and which can display the object information in a form useful to framing by a photographer.
One aspect of the application is a remote apparatus which can display object information in a form useful to framing by a photographer performing remote control.
One aspect of the application is to provide an apparatus which comprises distance measuring means for measuring distance information of each of areas preliminarily set in a field, photometry means for measuring brightness information of the field, and signal processing means for detecting a characteristic part on the field from the respective distance information and the brightness information and extracting object information by comparing the characteristic part with standard object information on the field on this occasion, wherein the distance information is obtained for each of area units obtained by roughly dividing the field, the characteristic part occupying inside the field is detected from the distance information and brightness information of the field, and the object information (e.g., the size of the object, a number of persons, etc.) is extracted based on coincidence between the characteristic part and the standard object information.
One aspect of the application is to provide an apparatus which comprises distance measuring means for measuring distance information of each of areas in a field set, photometry means for measuring brightness information of the field, and signal processing means for dividing the field into a plurality of areas, based on the brightness information from the photometry means, obtaining a plurality of distance information by the distance measuring means in accordance with the areas thus divided into, extracting a characteristic part on the field from the distance information and the brightness information, and comparing the characteristic part with standard object information on the field on this occasion to extract the object information, wherein the field is roughly divided into areas, based on the brightness information from the photometry means, the distance measuring means obtains distance information in these areas, the characteristic part occupying inside the field is detected based on the distance information and the brightness information of the field, and the object information (e.g., the size of the object, a number of persons, etc.) is extracted based on coincidence between the characteristic part and the standard object information.
One aspect of the application is to provide an apparatus which comprises display means to which the object information is transferred from the object information processing apparatus, thereby displaying the information, wherein the object information (e.g., the size of the object, a number of persons, etc.) is displayed on display means on the side of a remote apparatus used in remotely controlling the object information processing apparatus.
One aspect of the application is to provide an information processing apparatus using a distance measuring apparatus for dividing a scene into different areas thereof
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Chang Jon
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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