US-12623586-B2 - Light distribution controlling device, vehicle lamp system, and light distribution controlling method

US12623586B2US 12623586 B2US12623586 B2US 12623586B2US-12623586-B2

Abstract

A light distribution controlling device generates a processed image by adding a pixel line of a luminance value higher than a predetermined threshold to an end, in a width direction of a vehicle, of an image that is based on a first imaging device; extracts, from the processed image, a processing region that includes a front vehicle; generates an extracted image by subjecting the processing region to an extracting process of extracting a high-luminance pixel with use of the threshold; and sets a shaded portion to overlap the front vehicle based on a pair of high-luminance pixels included in the extracted image and determines a light distribution pattern that includes the shaded portion.

Inventors

Takuya Kataoka
Hiroki SUMITANI

Assignees

KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240909
Priority Date: 20220325

Claims (11)

1 . A light distribution controlling device configured to: generate a processed image by adding a pixel line of a luminance value higher than a predetermined threshold to an end, in a width direction of a vehicle, of an image that is based on a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of the vehicle; extract, from the processed image, a processing region that includes a front vehicle; generate an extracted image by subjecting the processing region to an extracting process of extracting a high-luminance pixel with use of the threshold; and set a shaded portion to overlap the front vehicle based on a pair of high-luminance pixels included in the extracted image and determine a light distribution pattern that includes the shaded portion.
2 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 1 , wherein the light distribution controlling device adds the pixel line also to a lower end of the image.
3 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 2 , wherein the image is an image of an imaging range matching a light illumination range of a light distribution variable lamp that forms the light distribution pattern, and the processing region is set based on position information of the front vehicle detected from a wide-angle image that is based on a second imaging device having an imaging range broader than the light illumination range.
4 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 3 , wherein the light distribution controlling device generates an upwardly dilated image that includes an upwardly dilated group by subjecting the extracted image to a dilation process of dilating the high-luminance pixel in an upward direction, generates a leftwardly dilated image that includes a leftwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a left direction, generates a rightwardly dilated image that includes a rightwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a right direction, and sets, as the shaded portion, a pixel region where the leftwardly dilated group and the rightwardly dilated group overlap.
5 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 2 , wherein the light distribution controlling device generates an upwardly dilated image that includes an upwardly dilated group by subjecting the extracted image to a dilation process of dilating the high-luminance pixel in an upward direction, generates a leftwardly dilated image that includes a leftwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a left direction, generates a rightwardly dilated image that includes a rightwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a right direction, and sets, as the shaded portion, a pixel region where the leftwardly dilated group and the rightwardly dilated group overlap.
6 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 2 , wherein the first imaging device is provided in a straddle-type vehicle.
7 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 1 , wherein the image is an image of an imaging range matching a light illumination range of a light distribution variable lamp that forms the light distribution pattern, and the processing region is set based on position information of the front vehicle detected from a wide-angle image that is based on a second imaging device having an imaging range broader than the light illumination range.
8 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 7 , wherein the light distribution controlling device generates an upwardly dilated image that includes an upwardly dilated group by subjecting the extracted image to a dilation process of dilating the high-luminance pixel in an upward direction, generates a leftwardly dilated image that includes a leftwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a left direction, generates a rightwardly dilated image that includes a rightwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a right direction, and sets, as the shaded portion, a pixel region where the leftwardly dilated group and the rightwardly dilated group overlap.
9 . The light distribution controlling device according to claim 1 , wherein the light distribution controlling device generates an upwardly dilated image that includes an upwardly dilated group by subjecting the extracted image to a dilation process of dilating the high-luminance pixel in an upward direction, generates a leftwardly dilated image that includes a leftwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a left direction, generates a rightwardly dilated image that includes a rightwardly dilated group by subjecting the upwardly dilated image to a dilation process of dilating the upwardly dilated group in a right direction, and sets, as the shaded portion, a pixel region where the leftwardly dilated group and the rightwardly dilated group overlap.
10 . A vehicle lamp system, comprising: a light distribution variable lamp capable of forming a light distribution pattern that includes a shaded portion to overlap a front vehicle; a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of a vehicle; and the light distribution controlling device according to claim 1 , the light distribution controlling device controlling formation of the light distribution pattern by the light distribution variable lamp.
11 . A light distribution controlling method, comprising: generating a processed image by adding a pixel line of a luminance value higher than a predetermined threshold to an end, in a width direction of a vehicle, of an image that is based on a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of the vehicle; extracting, from the processed image, a processing region that includes a front vehicle; generating an extracted image by subjecting the processing region to an extracting process of extracting a high-luminance pixel with use of the threshold; and setting a shaded portion to overlap the front vehicle based on a pair of high-luminance pixels included in the extracted image and determining a light distribution pattern that includes the shaded portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is the continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2023/007653, filed on Mar. 1, 2023, which claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-050591, filed on Mar. 25, 2022, the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Field of the Invention The present invention relates to light distribution controlling devices, vehicle lamp systems, and light distribution controlling methods. Description of the Related Art Adaptive driving beam (ADB) control is being proposed that dynamically and adaptively controls light distribution patterns based on the circumstances surrounding the vehicle. ADB control detects, with a camera, the presence of a front vehicle that should not be illuminated with high-luminance light and blocks the region of the light that corresponds to the front vehicle (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Blocking the region of the light that corresponds to the front vehicle can reduce glare caused on the driver of the front vehicle and can also improve the visibility for the driver of the host vehicle. Patent Literature 1: JP 2015-064964 When ADB control is implemented, it is desired that there be no failure to form a shaded portion. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances and is directed, in one aspect, to providing a technology that increases reliability in forming a shaded portion. To address the problem above, one aspect of the present invention provides a light distribution controlling device. This light distribution controlling device is configured to generate a processed image by adding a pixel line of a luminance value higher than a predetermined threshold to an end, in a width direction of a vehicle, of an image that is based on a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of the vehicle; extract, from the processed image, a processing region that includes a front vehicle; generate an extracted image by subjecting the processing region to an extracting process of extracting a high-luminance pixel with use of the threshold; and set a shaded portion to overlap the front vehicle based on a pair of high-luminance pixels included in the extracted image and determine a light distribution pattern that includes the shaded portion. Another aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle lamp system. This vehicle lamp system includes a light distribution variable lamp capable of forming a light distribution pattern that includes a shaded portion to overlap a front vehicle, a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of a vehicle, and the light distribution controlling device according to the aspect above that controls formation of the light distribution pattern by the light distribution variable lamp. Another aspect of the present invention provides a light distribution controlling method. This light distribution controlling method includes generating a processed image by adding a pixel line of a luminance value higher than a predetermined threshold to an end, in a width direction of a vehicle, of an image that is based on a first imaging device that captures an image of a region ahead of the vehicle; extracting, from the processed image, a processing region that includes a front vehicle; generating an extracted image by subjecting the processing region to an extracting process of extracting a high-luminance pixel with use of the threshold; and setting a shaded portion to overlap the front vehicle based on a pair of high-luminance pixels included in the extracted image and determining a light distribution pattern that includes the shaded portion. It is to be noted that any combinations of the constituent elements above or an embodiment obtained by converting what is expressed by the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, and so forth is also valid as an aspect of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several Figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp system; FIGS. 2A to 2D are illustrations for describing an operation of a light distribution controlling device according to Embodiment 1; FIGS. 3A to 3F are illustrations for describing an operation of a light distribution controlling device according to Embodiment 1; FIGS. 4A and 4B are illustrations for describing an operation of a light distribution controlling device according to Embodiment 1; FIGS. 5A to 5D are illustrations for describing an operation of a light distribution controlling device according to Embodiment 2; FIGS. 6A to 6F are illustrations for describing an operation of a light distribution controlling device according to Embodiment 2; and FIGS. 7A and 7B are