OBSTACLE SENSING DEVICE, OBSTACLE SENSING METHOD, AND OBSTACLE SENSING PROGRAM

摘要

An objective of the present invention is to more accurately sense, even in a range which is as close as possible to a road surface, an obstacle from a distance image which captures a road environment. A distance image is acquired. Three-dimensional coordinates are computed of points in the real world corresponding to each pixel included in the distance image on the basis of the pixel values of each pixel. A parameter is estimated of an equation which represents a road surface plane based on the three-dimensional coordinates. The height for each pixel from the road surface plane is estimated based on the estimated parameter of the equation which represents the road surface plane and the three-dimensional coordinates which are computed for each pixel. A pixel in which the height is less than a predetermined first threshold is selected as a near road surface pixel. A determination is made for a pixel which is not selected as the near road surface pixel being an obstacle based on the pixel value of the pixel. A determination is made for the pixel which is selected as the near road surface pixel as to whether said pixel is an obstacle based also on the location relation between said pixel and the pixel which is determined to be the obstacle as well as the pixel value of said pixel.