JP2011025840A - Camera adjustment method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide "a camera adjustment method and device" which can easily adjust a camera by guiding a photographed state of an adjustment board and an action to take for appropriate photographing when the adjustment board is not appropriately photographed while the camera is to be adjusted by using a photographed image of the adjustment board. <P>SOLUTION: The camera adjustment method inputs the adjustment board's image photographed by the camera for photographing the outside of a vehicle, determines whether the image has been appropriately photographed, and, if it determines that the image has been inappropriately photographed, outputs guidance as to an inappropriate state of the adjustment board and the action to take for correction. If the cause of inappropriate photographing is uneven intensity of the image of the adjustment board, the camera adjustment method outputs guidance for adjusting the lighting around the vehicle. If the image of the adjustment board still has uneven intensity, the camera adjustment method changes the intensity of the image photographed by the camera and, when an inappropriately photographed part of the image has been corrected, merges the image photographed by the camera and its corrected version into one appropriate adjustment board image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  In the present invention, for example, when a vehicle periphery is photographed with a plurality of cameras and combined with a single image having a viewpoint above the vehicle and displayed, the adjustment is made in advance so that the photographed images of the respective cameras can be input properly. It is related with the camera adjustment method and apparatus for performing.

  When putting a vehicle in a narrow garage or parking lot, the driver needs to be very careful and sometimes accidents such as rubbing the surrounding vehicle with the surrounding object may occur. Also, when taking a vehicle out of a garage or parking lot, it is necessary to pay close attention to surrounding objects and people. In addition to entering and exiting garages and parking lots, vehicles such as driving on extremely narrow roads or contacting with surrounding objects when passing on opposite roads on narrow roads, or preventing wheels from falling into grooves, etc. There are many cases where sufficient attention is required around the area.

  As countermeasures, the rear of the vehicle, which has been widely installed in vehicles in recent years, is photographed and displayed on a monitor, and a rear-facing camera that facilitates parking and parking, When a vehicle leaves a narrow road with poor visibility, use a camera outside the vehicle, such as a side-view camera, to check the vehicle traveling on the other road, and monitor the situation around the vehicle. Driving is also done.

  However, even if an ultra-wide-angle camera is used as such a camera outside the vehicle, for example, when a vehicle is put in the garage while the vehicle is moved backwards, and there are obstacles around the rear side of the vehicle, the vehicle is used for backward shooting when the vehicle is moved backward. Being out of the camera's field of view, it becomes impossible to know the state of the obstacle. As a countermeasure, it is also conceivable to provide super wide-angle cameras on both sides of the vehicle so that the portion outside the field of view of the rear photographing camera can be seen by the side photographing camera.

  However, in the image of the ultra-wide-angle camera as described above, the appearance of the object is greatly different between the central part and the peripheral part of the photographed image, and the positional relationship between the object and the vehicle is clear just by looking at the photographed image. Instead, it may cause unexpected collisions and contact accidents. In particular, even if the image from the rear camera is switched to the image from the side camera, the image of the object such as an obstacle displayed on the screen at that time is greatly different in size, shape and position, It is not easy to grasp the state of an object.

  Therefore, a plurality of cameras for shooting outside the vehicle are mounted on the vehicle, the images shot by these cameras are combined, and an image is formed as if the surroundings of the vehicle were shot from the camera installed above the vehicle. It has been proposed and implemented to display. When using such a plurality of cameras, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a vehicle right-side shooting camera CR for shooting the right side of the vehicle, a vehicle left-side shooting camera CL for shooting the left side of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle are shot. A total of four cameras, a camera CB for photographing the rear of the vehicle and a camera CF for photographing the front of the vehicle for photographing the front side of the vehicle, are mounted, and all the images of these cameras are synthesized. For example, FIG. As shown, it has been proposed and implemented to display on the monitor an image as if the entire periphery of the vehicle was photographed by a single camera provided directly above the vehicle.

  This method is also referred to as a top view system, and two or three cameras for photographing the outside of the vehicle can be appropriately selected as necessary, and the installation positions can be selected and installed at various positions. In addition to the above-described image display by the top view, the captured images of the various cameras as described above mounted on the vehicle are individually displayed by a rear view camera and a side monitoring camera as in the past. Since various image displays such as switching display to display individual captured images can be performed, it is sometimes called a multi-view system.

  In the above-described top view system, each camera mounted on the vehicle is installed at a predetermined position, and the shooting direction is set to be a predetermined angle in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. On the premise of this, the image composition unit performs predetermined coordinate conversion using a mapping table or the like for converting each captured image into an image of a specific plane, and finally determines the display area of each camera image. One planar image is assumed.

  Therefore, if the installation state of each camera mounted on the vehicle changes, the captured image is different from the predetermined coordinate, so that it is impossible to obtain a regular image upon coordinate conversion, and finally the captured image of each camera is combined. At this time, the images at the combined portion are not continuous, and it becomes impossible to obtain a single flat image as a whole. For this reason, image display using such a top view system is unavoidable for the user.

  In particular, when a vehicle equipped with such a top-view system is shipped from the factory production line, each camera can be precisely mounted on the production line, and a correct top-view image can be obtained with a large precision device. If it is not appropriate, an appropriate top view image can be obtained by adjusting the camera mounting and adjusting the adjustment unit in the image processing system.

  However, even vehicles that have been shipped from the production line in this way and have reached the user's hand, such as cameras attached to the front end of the side mirror, may protrude from the side of the vehicle. The shooting direction may shift due to contact with the camera. Also, in other cameras installed in the vehicle, the camera installation state may change due to a vehicle contact accident or impact. Such a shift in the shooting direction is a large shift in the top-view image, and must be an image that is difficult to see.

  In addition, such a top view system is not necessarily installed in a vehicle at the time of shipment from a factory, and it may be installed as an option at a car meter dealer. At that time, the camera is installed and the system is adjusted at the dealer's factory, but when making such adjustments at the dealer, a large adjustment device cannot be provided. While actually looking at the image, the image composition part must be adjusted, and adjustments must be made for each camera according to the position and shooting angle of the attached camera, which requires a lot of time and effort. .

  The adjustment work as described above by the dealer, when the top view system is installed as a dealer option, when the camera is actually mounted and used as described above, the shooting direction of the camera gradually changes, or It may change greatly due to an accident, or it may be necessary to reattach a specific camera or the like. Even at that time, the above work must be performed by each dealer or the like. Therefore, it is a big problem for the spread of this system that such adjustment can be easily performed.

  In addition, since the installation state of the imaging device is automatically measured and used for the operation of the image processing device, it is not necessary to adjust the optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device is attached to the vehicle, and the mounting height of the imaging device is not required. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-116515 (Patent Document 1) discloses a camera adjustment method that enables the same imaging device and image processing device to be attached to vehicles of different types of sheath angles.

JP 2001-116515 A

  Various adjustment methods for each camera in the top view system as described above have been proposed. As one of the adjustment methods, for example, an adjustment method as shown in FIG. 6 has been proposed. That is, in this adjustment method, images photographed by the cameras CF, CL, CB, CR provided on the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle C as shown in FIG. , SL, SB, SR, when one top view image is formed, on the surface of the flat adjustment plate BD, as shown in FIG. A circular mark PM indicated by a black circle is provided, and a frame mark FM is provided around the adjustment plate BD. The number of the circular marks is not limited to eight as described above, and an arbitrary number such as twelve can be given.

  When these circular marks PM are photographed with a camera, the center point of each circle can be calculated from the photographed image, thereby specifying the position coordinates of the center point of each circle on the adjustment plate BD. it can. Further, the frame mark FM can specify the position coordinates of the points A, B, C, and D at the four corners when the frame mark FM is photographed by the camera. In the illustrated adjustment plate BD, the horizontal length is a, the vertical length is b, the distance between the center of each circular mark PM in the horizontal direction is c, and the distance d to the frame mark FM on both sides of each circular mark PM. An example formed so as to become is shown. In addition, an example is shown in which the distance between the centers of the circular marks PM in the longitudinal direction is e, and the distance between the circular marks PM and the frame mark PM is the distance d.

  For example, when adjusting each camera in a vehicle service factory or the like, the adjustment plate BD as described above is disposed at a predetermined position in a state where the vehicle is stopped. Various methods are conceivable as a method for setting the predetermined position at that time. For example, as shown in FIG. 6C, the installation position of the adjustment plate BD can be defined in advance. That is, in the example shown in the figure, in order to adjust the front camera CF, FA, FB, FC, and FD, which are positions corresponding to the four corners of the adjustment plate BD, are located at a predetermined position YBDF in the front camera photographed image range SF. Set the position. Note that these positions can be set in various manners depending on the position of a specific portion of the vehicle, the position with respect to the camera, and the like.

  Similarly, in order to adjust the left camera CL, the positions of LA, LB, LC, and LD corresponding to the four corners of the adjustment plate BD are set at a predetermined position YBDL in the left camera captured image range SL. For adjustment of the rear camera CB, the positions of BA, BB, BC, and BD corresponding to the four corners of the adjustment plate BD are set at a predetermined position YBDB in the rear camera photographed image range SB, and the right camera CR For this adjustment, the positions of RA, RB, RC, and RD, which are positions corresponding to the four corners of the adjustment plate BD, are set at a predetermined position YBDR in the right camera photographed image range SR.

  When the camera is actually adjusted, as shown in FIG. 6D, the adjustment plate BD is installed at the predetermined position in the photographing range of the camera to be adjusted, and the circular shape displayed on the adjustment plate BD as described above. Taking an image of the mark and calculating how the mark appears in the image and how it differs from the specified state, so that the current camera is attached and the original camera is attached. The correction value is calculated and stored. Although FIG. 6D shows a diagram when all the cameras are adjusted, the adjustment may be performed by the above method only for the cameras to be adjusted. Thereafter, by correcting the captured image using the correction value, the captured image of each camera is not distorted, and the image is appropriately combined particularly in the combined portion of the captured image of each camera.

  In the adjustment using the conventional adjustment plate BD as described above, after the adjustment plate BD is installed at a predetermined position, it is necessary to actually photograph the adjustment plate with each camera and perform a predetermined measurement. When this adjustment work is performed at a dealer's factory, for example, the entire adjustment plate cannot be clearly photographed due to the arrangement of lighting in the factory, and only some circular marks are clearly photographed. On the other hand, circular marks in other parts may be photographed unclearly. At that time, adjustment data cannot be obtained by the entire circular mark displayed on one adjustment plate, and substantially proper adjustment cannot be performed. In other words, depending on the lighting arrangement in the factory, a part of the adjustment plate is too dark or too bright, and the entire adjustment plate is properly photographed by, for example, an image of a specific part being reflected by the reflected light of the illumination on the adjustment plate. There are things you can't do.

  Such an improper state of the photographed image of the adjusting plate may be various states such as the above-described problem of the lighting arrangement in the factory and the case where the adjusting plate is greatly displaced. Therefore, for an operator who performs calibration of the camera using this adjustment plate, that is, when an appropriate adjustment is not performed during the adjustment operation, various trials and errors are repeated to find out what is the cause. It is necessary to investigate the cause. In particular, a worker who is still unfamiliar with this adjustment work needs a lot of work, which can be difficult. In addition, the problem when adjusting the camera using such an adjustment plate is that various marks that have been proposed in the past have been given in addition to the adjustment using a large number of circular marks as described above. The same problem occurs when using the adjustment plate.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, when the adjustment work of the camera is adjusted using the image captured by the adjustment plate, when the adjustment plate is not properly photographed, the cause is investigated, and the photographing state of the adjustment plate can be guided and properly photographed. Measures can be guided, and the operator can easily grasp what the current adjustment status is, and easily follow the guidance for adjustment measures to easily take appropriate photographs. It is a main object of the present invention to provide a camera adjustment method and apparatus capable of obtaining an image.

  In order to solve the above problems, the camera adjustment method according to the present invention inputs a photographed image of the adjustment plate by a camera that shoots outside the vehicle, determines whether or not the photographed image of the adjustment plate is properly photographed, As a result of the determination, when it is determined that the image is not photographed properly, the state of the adjustment plate that is not appropriate and a countermeasure for making it appropriate are guided and output.

  The camera adjustment method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the camera adjustment method, when the reason that the image is not properly captured is uneven brightness of an image on the adjustment plate, a guide for adjusting illumination around the vehicle is output. To do.

  In the camera adjustment method according to the present invention, in the camera adjustment method, when the reason that the image is not properly captured is uneven brightness of the image on the adjustment plate, the brightness of the image captured by the camera is changed and the image is appropriately captured. When a portion that is not correct becomes appropriate, the image of the previous camera and the image that has become appropriate by changing the brightness are combined to form a proper adjustment plate image. To do.

  In order to solve the above problem, the camera adjustment device according to the present invention is configured to input an image obtained by photographing a camera to be adjusted for photographing outside the vehicle and an adjustment plate disposed at a predetermined position in a region photographed by the camera. The adjustment plate is properly shot by the camera shot image input unit, the adjustment plate appropriate shooting discrimination unit for determining whether or not the image obtained by shooting the adjustment plate is shot properly, and the adjustment plate appropriate shooting discrimination unit. When it is determined that there is not, the adjustment plate improper shooting cause detection unit for detecting the cause, the guide of the adjustment plate not properly shot, and the cause detected by the adjustment plate improper shooting cause detection unit And an adjustment plate photographing optimizing operation guidance output unit for outputting countermeasure guidance.

  In the camera adjustment device according to the present invention, in the camera adjustment device, the adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit detects that the cause of the improper photographing is illumination of the adjustment plate. The adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guidance output unit includes a guide for the adjustment plate that is not properly photographed and a vehicle surrounding when the illumination inappropriateness detection unit detects that the illumination is inappropriate. A guide for adjusting the illumination is output.

  In the camera adjustment device according to the present invention, in the camera adjustment device, the adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit detects that the cause of the improper photographing is illumination of the adjustment plate. And an image brightness changing unit that changes the brightness of an image captured by the camera when the illumination inappropriateness detecting unit detects that the illumination is the cause, and the image brightness changing unit changes the brightness. Adjustment plate improper photographing part optimization detection unit for detecting that the part that has not been photographed properly has become suitable, the photographed image of the camera, and photographing that has become appropriate by changing the brightness And an adjustment plate appropriate image adjustment processing unit for synthesizing the images with each other and forming one appropriate adjustment plate image.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, when adjusting the camera adjustment operation using the captured image of the adjustment plate, if the adjustment plate is not properly photographed, the cause is investigated, and the shooting state of the adjustment plate and its The countermeasure can be notified to the operator, and the adjustment work can be performed easily and reliably. In addition, when the reason why the adjustment plate is not properly photographed is illumination, it is possible to automatically adjust the brightness to form an image that is not appropriate, and combine it with the previous camera image. An image of one adjustment plate can be obtained, and adjustment of the adjustment plate can be automatically performed without an operator working.

It is a functional block diagram of the Example of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which shows the whole operation | movement of the Example. It is an operation | movement flowchart which performs the process in step S8 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display on the monitor of the Example. It is a figure which shows the other example of a display on the monitor of the Example. It is a figure which shows the example which image | photographs an adjustment board and performs adjustment. It is explanatory drawing of the conventional top view system.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the present invention, showing an example in which the present invention can be implemented in various modes, and various modes can be implemented using appropriate functions as necessary. I can do it. The camera adjustment apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is provided with four cameras 11 before and after photographing the outside of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 7, and each photographed image corresponds to each camera in the multi-image processing unit 10. The camera image input unit 12 inputs the image, the camera image processing unit 13 performs image processing on each camera image, and inputs the image to the display image type selection display processing unit 14.

  In the display image type selection display processing unit 14, for the cameras provided on the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle, for example, a rear view camera displays a rear image of the vehicle when the vehicle is moved backward, or the vehicle side camera has a side groove. Due to the passing on a narrow road, the single camera shot image forming unit 15 performs a function of displaying a shot image of each camera alone, such as a process of displaying an image below the side of the vehicle.

  In addition, a multi-camera captured image composition processing unit 16 that combines these plurality of images to form various composite images is shown, and a top view image processing unit 17 is shown as a typical image composition process. In various image processing in the display image type selection display processing unit 14, a desired image cannot be obtained due to a different installation state of the camera, and therefore, an angle of view adjustment unit 18 for performing the adjustment is provided. Like the top view system, in order to properly synthesize images from a large number of cameras, it is necessary to have a predetermined angle of view that serves as a reference for the images captured by each camera. The angle-of-view adjusting unit 18 that can be adjusted every time is particularly necessary.

  In this angle-of-view adjustment unit 18, an angle-of-view adjustment value calculation unit 25, which will be described later, inputs an image of an adjustment plate by each camera, calculates the angle of view by a predetermined calculation method, and calculates the value as the angle-of-view adjustment unit 18. Output to. The angle-of-view adjustment unit 18 stores the value as the latest angle of view and uses it as a correction value for the camera image when forming various images.

  The image display output unit 20 outputs various images processed by the display image type selection display processing unit 14 to the monitor 22. In particular, the composite image display output unit 21 includes the multi-camera captured image synthesis processing unit. 16 is output to the monitor. The monitor 22 shown in the figure displays an operation guide from the adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guide output unit 37 when displaying a screen when adjusting each camera by photographing a later-described adjustment plate. An example is shown.

  As described above, in order to record the current appropriate angle-of-view data in the angle-of-view adjustment unit 18 for adjusting the angle of view of each camera in the display image type selection display processing unit 14, the adjustment camera selection instruction input unit The adjustment camera captured image selection input unit 24 selects the images of the front, rear, left, and right camera image processing units 13 in accordance with the operator's instruction from 23 or the adjustment camera selection instruction signal that is automatically instructed by the work procedure. Enter.

  With respect to the captured image of the specific camera input by the adjustment camera captured image selection input unit 24, the adjustment plate captured image analysis unit 26 particularly adjusts the image of the adjustment plate captured during the camera adjustment in which the adjustment plate is captured by each camera. Analyze the image. The analysis method at this time can be arbitrarily set. For example, an analysis is performed on whether all the circular marks on the photographed adjustment plate are properly photographed or whether the installation error of the adjustment plate is too large. Do.

  Based on the data analyzed by the adjustment plate photographed image analyzing unit 26, for example, as shown in the monitor screen at the time of camera adjustment in FIG. As a result of analyzing the shot image of the board, it was analyzed that the part indicated by the black circle was recognized because it was properly shot, whereas the part indicated by the white circle was not properly shot and was not recognized. Then, the adjustment plate appropriate photographing determination unit 27 determines that the input photographed image of the adjustment plate is not appropriate and that adjustment work using the adjustment plate cannot be performed at present.

  At this time, the adjustment plate inappropriate photographing cause detection unit 31 detects the cause of the adjustment plate proper photographing determination unit 27 determining that the photographed image is inappropriate. At that time, the adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit 31 reads the data of the adjustment plate improper photographing analysis database 28 which is input and recorded in advance, and analyzes the cause determined by the adjustment plate proper photographing determination unit 27 as improper. And detect the cause. In particular, the illumination inappropriateness detection unit 32 can detect that the illumination on the adjustment plate is inappropriate, which is a typical example in which the adjustment plate is improperly photographed, in light of the cause analysis data. I am doing so.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, when the inappropriate illumination detection unit 32 detects that the specific part of the adjustment plate cannot be properly captured due to inappropriate illumination, the image brightness changing unit 33 detects the adjustment camera. The brightness of the image input by the captured image selection input unit 24 is changed. When changing the image, for example, it is first determined whether the luminance of the inappropriate image portion is too high or too dark, and when it is determined that the luminance is too high, the luminance is gradually changed to be darker. When it is determined that the image is too dark, the brightness is gradually increased to determine whether or not an inappropriate portion of the captured image has become appropriate in the process.

  In addition, when the image brightness changing unit 33 first reduces the brightness once by a predetermined amount as described above and the portion where the illumination is inappropriate is determined to be unclear, the direction to increase the brightness is reversed. When the adjustment plate improper photographing partial optimization detection unit 24 detects that a sufficiently clear image is formed to adjust the camera, the luminance change is stopped. You can also.

  In such brightness adjustment, for example, as illustrated in the lower right part of FIG. 1, when the adjustment plate image is first photographed as A and the rear side of the adjustment plate is too bright to capture properly. By reducing the luminance, the image portion of the portion that is too bright becomes clear, and the luminance of the portion that has been clear so far becomes too high and gradually becomes unclear. As a result, an image of the adjustment plate as indicated by B in the figure is obtained.

  Therefore, as shown in the figure, when the image A of the first adjustment plate and the image B of the adjustment plate obtained by the brightness adjustment are combined, a clear image of the entire adjustment plate shown in FIG. Can be obtained. Such image synthesis is performed by the adjustment plate appropriate image synthesis processing unit 35, and the synthesized image is output to the angle-of-view adjustment value calculation unit 25 to perform regular angle-of-view adjustment calculation.

  When changing the luminance as described above in the image luminance changing unit 33, even when the luminance is decreased and when the luminance is increased, the luminance adjustment finally reaches the limit of the maximum value. When the limit detection unit 36 detects that a proper image is not obtained by the adjustment plate improper photographing part optimization detection unit 34 at that time, the adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guide output unit 37 appropriately photographs the adjustment plate. In order to do this, the operator outputs an operation guide on how to do it.

  For the operation guidance, countermeasure data 30 recorded in the inappropriate adjustment plate photographing analysis database 28 is used, and the lighting problem is detected by the inappropriate lighting detection unit 32 as described above. Based on the countermeasure data corresponding to the cause analysis data such as too bright, as illustrated in the monitor 22 of FIG. 1 and enlarged in FIG. Please darken the lighting near the red frame area and readjust. "

  In the above example, when the adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit 31 detects that the adjustment plate is not properly photographed due to illumination, the brightness change of the image is automatically performed in this apparatus. Although the example of performing was shown, you may make it output the said operation guidance from the adjustment board imaging | photography optimization operation guidance output part 37 immediately, without performing such a brightness change process.

  The operation guidance output by the adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guidance output unit 37 is not only based on the above-described inappropriate detection of illumination, but also detected by the adjustment plate inappropriate photographing cause detection unit 31, for example, by an operator When it is detected that the adjustment plate is improperly arranged, as in the case where the adjustment plate has to be arranged at a predetermined position, such as when the adjustment plate is arranged almost without being aware of this, For example, operation guidance for an operator such as “please place the adjustment plate at a predetermined position” may be performed.

  In the image processing of the multi-image processing unit 10 shown in FIG. 1, the adjustment processing of the outside-camera camera using the adjustment plate as described above can be performed, for example, according to the operation flow shown in FIG. This operation flow will be described below with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. In the example of the outside-camera camera adjustment process shown in FIG. 2, an adjustment plate is first arranged at a predetermined location around the vehicle (step S1). Such an arrangement of the adjusting plates is as described in the description of FIG. Next, the camera to be adjusted is designated (step S2). In many cases, this operation is performed by an operator inputting from the adjustment camera selection instruction input unit 23 in FIG. 1, but the order of cameras to be adjusted can be determined in advance and can be automatically selected.

  Thereafter, the adjustment plate photographed image of the camera instructed as described above is captured (step S3), and the adjustment plate photographed image is analyzed (step S4). This processing is performed by the adjustment plate photographed image analysis unit 26 of FIG. Next, it is determined whether or not the adjustment plate has been properly photographed (step S5).

  If it is determined that the adjustment plate has been properly photographed, the camera angle of view using the stationary adjustment plate is calculated in step S16, and the calculated angle of view is stored (step S17). Is determined (step S18), and when there is a camera that has not been adjusted yet, the process returns to step S2 again to instruct the camera to perform the next adjustment, and the above operation is repeated. If it is determined in step S18 that all the cameras have been adjusted, the adjustment process is terminated (step S19).

  These operations are performed when the adjustment plate appropriate shooting determination unit 27 determines that the adjustment plate shooting image of the specific camera input by the adjustment camera shooting image selection input unit 24 in FIG. The adjustment value calculation unit 25 calculates the angle of view and stores the value in the angle of view adjustment unit 18.

  In steps S16 to S19, when the adjustment plate is properly photographed, the angle of view of all cameras is smoothly adjusted without performing other processing, whereas in step S5, the adjustment plate is properly photographed. When it is determined that the image has not been taken, the cause of the failure to properly photograph is detected (step S6).

  As a result of the detection of the cause, in the illustrated example, it is determined whether or not the cause is caused by the illumination on the adjustment plate (step S7). That is, the main reason why the adjustment plate was not properly photographed is due to the illumination as described above. Therefore, as one of the causes of improper image photography, the cause is the adjustment plate. If it is determined whether or not the illumination is caused by the illumination, it is determined that the illumination is the cause. Then, the inappropriate portion is optimized by adjusting the luminance of the image shown in FIG. 3 (step S8).

  When the adjustment plate appropriate photographing determination unit 27 in FIG. 1 determines that these operations are inappropriate, the adjustment plate inappropriate photographing cause detection unit 31 performs adjustment based on the analysis data of the adjustment plate photographing image analysis unit 26. Based on the cause analysis data 29 of the board improper image analysis database 28, the improper illumination detection unit 32 detects that the illumination is improper, and thereafter performs an improper portion optimization process by adjusting the luminance of the image. Can be implemented.

  As described later in step S8 in FIG. 2, when the improper portion is optimized by adjusting the luminance of the image shown in FIG. 3, the process in step S9 in FIG. 2 is finally performed (FIG. 3). Step S31), guidance and display of the illumination and adjustment method at an inappropriate place (Step S9). Thereafter, the brightness is adjusted according to the content to be adjusted by the operator (step S10), and the process returns to step S5 again to determine whether or not the adjustment plate has been properly photographed. When the image is taken, the angle of view calculation operation after step S16 is performed.

  If it is determined in step S7 that the illumination on the adjustment plate is not the cause, detection of other causes other than illumination is performed (step S11), and it is determined whether other causes are detected (step S12). When the cause is detected, a countermeasure for the detected cause is displayed as a guide (step S13). Therefore, for example, when the adjustment plate is extremely improperly arranged as another cause, a guide such as “Place the adjustment plate at a predetermined position” is a countermeasure. Is displayed.

  After displaying the countermeasure for the cause detected in step S13 as guidance, when the operator performs an operation according to the guidance (step S14), the process returns to step S5 again to determine whether or not the adjustment plate has been properly photographed. Repeat the operation. If no other cause is detected in step S12, other appropriate measures such as inquiring the adjustment method to the development department of this system are taken. After taking these measures, the adjustment plate is properly set in step S5. It is determined whether or not the image has been shot, and the above operation is repeated.

  2 can be performed as shown in FIG. 3, and in the example shown in FIG. 3, the inappropriate image portion is initially caused by excessively high luminance. It is determined whether or not it is a thing (step S21). In this determination, it is possible to determine that the brightness of the improper image portion is too high when the inappropriate portion of the captured image is in a direction whiter than the standard. Conversely, when the direction is black, it is determined that the luminance of the inappropriate image portion is too low.

  If it is determined in step S21 that the improper image portion is due to too high luminance, the luminance of the image is changed to a darker direction (step S22). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the image of the improper portion has become appropriate (step S23). When it is determined that the image has not yet been appropriate, it is determined whether or not the luminance adjustment has been changed to the limit (step S24). When it is determined that the brightness adjustment has not yet been changed to the limit for the change in the direction of darkening, the process returns to step S22 and the above operation is repeated.

  During the operation, if it is determined in step S23 that the combined image of the inappropriate portion is appropriate, the process proceeds to step S28, where it is combined with the previous image data to obtain the image data of one adjustment plate. This is as shown in the lower right part of FIG. 1, and the previous image data A and the image data B obtained by changing the brightness are synthesized, and only those portions that are properly photographed are collected. Thus, the image data C of one adjustment plate is used. Thereafter, in step S29, the process proceeds to step S16 in FIG. 2 to perform camera angle-of-view calculation processing using an adjustment plate. If it is determined in step S24 that the brightness adjustment has been changed to the limit, the process proceeds to step S9 in FIG. 2 in step S30, where the illumination and adjustment method for the inappropriate location are displayed.

  If it is determined in step S21 that the inappropriate image portion is not due to excessive brightness, the brightness of the image is changed to increase (step S25). Thereafter, the same processing as in steps S22 to S24 is performed to determine whether or not the image of the inappropriate portion is appropriate (step S26). When it is determined that the image is not appropriate, the brightness adjustment is changed to the limit. That is, it is determined whether or not the change in brightness in the brightening direction has reached the maximum value (step S27). When it is determined that the change has not yet been made to the limit, the process returns to step S25 to further increase the brightness of the image. Change to.

  When it is determined in step S26 that the image of the improper portion has become appropriate in the course of this operation, in the same manner as described above, in step S28, the image is combined with the previous image data to obtain appropriate image data for one adjustment plate. As described above, in step S29, the process proceeds to step S16 in FIG. If it is determined in step S27 that the brightness adjustment has been changed to the limit, the process proceeds to step S9 in FIG. 2 in step S30, and the illumination corresponding to the inappropriate location and the adjustment method are displayed.

  As a result of performing the operation as described above, when an inappropriate image is obtained due to illumination when photographing the adjustment plate, a monitor is displayed as shown in FIG. 4 for example. That is, in the example of the camera adjustment monitor screen shown in FIG. 4, the right side in the figure indicates that the adjustment plate currently photographed is the left side of the front, rear, left and right, and 12 circular marks on the adjustment plate. Of these, an example is shown in which seven images from the front side of the vehicle are displayed as black circles when they are properly captured, and five images from the rear side are displayed as white circles.

  In addition, it can be seen from the photographed image of this adjustment plate that there is particularly bright illumination on the rear side of the vehicle as a whole compared to the other parts, and that the adjustment plate has a large uneven brightness. In order to display the location guidance, an example is shown in which this portion is displayed in an easy-to-understand manner for the operator by surrounding it with a red frame, for example.

  In the monitor screen example of FIG. 4, various information display screens are arranged on the left side of the above image to clearly show that the camera currently being adjusted is selecting the left camera, and the adjustment result is inappropriate. As a result, the guidance is displayed as “adjust the lighting near the red frame area after darkening”. By looking at such a display, it has been difficult for the operator to know what adjustment the operator should perform, and it took a lot of time. In the present invention, the cause is easily known. In addition, since the countermeasures can be easily known, adjustment work is facilitated, and accurate adjustment is possible.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of guidance display on another monitor. In (a) of the figure, a top-view type image is displayed on the right side, and it is easily distinguished from other parts such as a red color that the left side camera is currently being adjusted. Display as possible. Also, on the left side of this screen, the camera that is currently being adjusted is guided and displayed in the same way as above, and an image of the vertical adjustment plate is displayed below it, and the circular mark on the adjustment plate is displayed appropriately. A photographed circular mark is shown as a double circle, and a circular mark that was not properly photographed is shown as a simple circle.

  Further, on the right side, the flow of the work procedure is shown, and an example in which the operation sequence from “adjustment execution” to “initialization”, “parameter setting”, and “return” is displayed is shown. In addition, an example is shown in which an adjustment guidance display portion is arranged in a lower portion thereof, and a display such as “Please darken the illumination in the vicinity of the left rear and readjust” is performed.

  FIG. 5B shows an example in the case of adjusting the camera for photographing the rear. The right screen displays the state of photographing the rear adjustment plate in the top view method, and the left screen displays the rear. It shows that the image of the camera that shoots is being adjusted. Below that, a horizontal adjustment plate is shown. Similarly to the above, regarding the circular mark on the adjustment plate, the circular mark properly shot is shown as a double circle, and the circular mark that was not properly shot is simply a circle. Is shown.

  Also, on the right side, the flow of work procedures similar to the above is shown, and in the guidance display part below those parts, “Please darken the light near the left front and readjust” An example in which a simple display is performed is shown. The present invention can be implemented in various modes based on the method described above, and the guidance display on the monitor can also be displayed in various modes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Multi image process part 11 Camera 12 Camera image input part 13 Camera image process part 14 Display image classification selection display process part 15 Single camera picked-up image formation part 16 Multiple camera picked-up image composition process part 17 Top view composition process part 18 Angle of view adjustment Unit 20 image display output unit 21 composite image display output unit 22 monitor 23 adjustment camera selection instruction input unit 24 adjustment camera captured image selection input unit 25 angle of view adjustment value calculation unit 26 adjustment plate captured image analysis unit 27 adjustment plate appropriate imaging determination unit 28 Adjustment plate inappropriate photographing analysis database 29 Cause analysis data 30 Countermeasure data 31 Adjustment plate inappropriate photographing cause detection unit 32 Improper illumination detection unit 33 Image luminance change unit 34 Adjustment plate inappropriate photographing partial optimization detection unit 35 Adjustment plate appropriate Image composition processing unit 36 Brightness adjustment limit detection unit 37 Adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guidance output unit

Claims (6)

Enter the image taken on the adjustment plate by the camera that shoots outside the vehicle,
It is determined whether or not the captured image of the adjustment plate is properly captured,
As a result of the determination, when it is determined that the image is not photographed properly, a state of the adjustment plate that is not appropriate and a countermeasure for making it appropriate are guided and output.   The camera adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein a guide for adjusting illumination around the vehicle is output when the reason that the image is not properly captured is uneven brightness of an image on the adjustment plate.   When the reason why the image is not properly captured is uneven brightness of the image on the adjustment plate, the brightness of the image captured by the camera is changed, and when the part that is not properly captured is appropriate, The camera adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the image and the captured image that has become appropriate by changing the luminance are combined to form an appropriate adjustment plate image. A camera to be adjusted for shooting outside the vehicle,
An adjustment camera photographed image input unit for inputting an image obtained by photographing an adjustment plate arranged at a predetermined position in a region photographed by the camera;
An adjustment plate appropriate photographing determination unit for determining whether or not an image obtained by photographing the adjustment plate is properly photographed;
When it is determined that the adjustment plate is not properly photographed by the adjustment plate appropriate photographing determination unit, the adjustment plate inappropriate photographing cause detection unit for detecting the cause,
An adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guidance output unit that outputs the guidance of the adjustment plate that has not been properly photographed and the countermeasure guide corresponding to the cause detected by the adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit A camera adjustment device characterized by the above. The adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit includes an illumination improper detection unit that detects that the cause of improper photographing is illumination for the adjustment plate,
The adjustment plate photographing optimization operation guidance output unit adjusts the guidance of the adjustment plate not properly photographed and the illumination around the vehicle when the illumination inappropriateness detection unit detects that the illumination is inappropriate. 5. The camera adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein a guidance for performing the operation is output. The adjustment plate improper photographing cause detection unit includes an illumination improper detection unit that detects that the cause of improper photographing is illumination for the adjustment plate,
Furthermore, when it is detected that the illumination is caused by the inappropriate illumination detection unit, an image luminance change unit that changes the luminance of the image captured by the camera;
By changing the brightness in the image brightness change unit, the adjustment plate improper shooting part optimization detection unit that detects that the part that has not been properly shot is appropriate,
An adjustment plate appropriate image composition processing unit for synthesizing the photographed image of the camera and the appropriate photographed image by changing the brightness to form one appropriate adjustment plate image is provided. The camera adjustment device according to claim 4.

Images