Vehicle zone monitoring apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle zone monitoring apparatus that eliminates artificial structures based on shape identification using a reference image from an infrared image photographed by a photographing device provided in the vehicle, and detects remaining objects as physical bodies that move, such as pedestrians and animals. The vehicle zone monitoring apparatus that detects the physical bodies present in the vicinity of the vehicle from infrared images photographed by infrared cameras 2 R and 2 L provided on the vehicle comprises an object extracting device that extracts object images that emit infrared radiation from the infrared image and an artificial structure identifying device that identifies whether or not an object is an artificial structure by comparing the object image extracted by the object image extracting device to a reference image that comprises a straight line pattern or a right angle pattern.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vehicle zone monitoring apparatus that detects a physical body present in the vicinity of the vehicle from infrared images photographed by a photographing device, comprising: 
 an object detection device that detects an object that emits infrared radiation from said infrared images; and    an artificial structure identifying device that compares an image of an object extracted by said object extraction device to a reference image of an element that defines an artificial structure and identifies whether or not said object is an artificial structure.    
     
     
         2 . A vehicle zone monitoring apparatus according to  claim 1  that comprises an artificial structure eliminating device that eliminates objects identified to be artificial structures by said artificial structure identifying device from the objects extracted by said object extracting device.  
     
     
         3 . A vehicle zone monitoring apparatus according to  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein: 
 said reference image includes an image that represents a straight line segment; and  
 said artificial structure identifying device identifies objects that include a straight line segment as an artificial structure.  
 
     
     
         4 . A vehicle zone monitoring apparatus according to any of  claim 1  to  claim 3  wherein: 
 said artificial structure identifying device comprises a reference image dimension altering device that alters the size of said reference image so as to be in proportion to the distance between said vehicle and said object.