US 12,272,083 B2
Distance estimation device
Kazuki Horiba, Shizuoka-ken (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/821,544.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-179069 (JP), filed on Nov. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0134330 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. G06T 7/50 (2017.01); G06T 5/80 (2024.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/50 (2017.01) [G06T 5/80 (2024.01); G06T 7/0002 (2013.01); G06T 7/60 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10024 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30168 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A distance estimation device that estimates a distance from a vehicle to a traffic light, the distance estimation device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire an image captured by a sensor for imaging surroundings of the vehicle;
store a known flare brightness pattern obtained from the image captured by the sensor in the memory;
acquire a light size of a light of the traffic light reflected in the image;
estimate the distance from the vehicle to the traffic light based on the light size,
acquire a light brightness pattern of the light in the image;
search for a portion of the light brightness pattern that matches the known flare brightness pattern in shape;
remove flare of the light in the image by subtracting the known flare brightness pattern from the light brightness pattern in the portion that matches in shape, and
acquire the light size in the image after the flare is removed.