US 11,816,902 B2
Vehicle external environment recognition apparatus
Toshimi Okubo, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/411,809.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-142364 (JP), filed on Aug. 26, 2020; and application No. 2021-082892 (JP), filed on May 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0067393 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G06V 20/56 (2022.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06T 7/20 (2017.01)
CPC G06V 20/56 (2022.01) [G06T 7/20 (2013.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01); G06V 2201/08 (2022.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle external environment recognition apparatus to be applied to a vehicle, the vehicle external environment recognition apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memories configured to be coupled to the one or more processors, wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to cooperate with one or more programs included in the one or more memories to
calculate three-dimensional positions of respective blocks in a captured image,
group the blocks to put any two or more of the blocks that have the three-dimensional positions differing from each other within a predetermined range in a group and thereby determine three-dimensional objects,
identify a preceding vehicle relative to the vehicle and a sidewall on a basis of the determined three-dimensional objects, and
estimate a future position of the preceding vehicle to track the preceding vehicle, and
the one or more processors are configured to determine, upon tracking the preceding vehicle, whether the preceding vehicle to track is to be hidden by the sidewall on a basis of a border line between a blind region and a viewable region, and
upon determining that the preceding vehicle is to be hidden by the sidewall, the one or more processors are configured to stop tracking the preceding vehicle.