| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an obstacle detection unit for discriminating, using a distance image, whether a passable path or an obstacle to which collision has to be avoided, and capable of high-speed processing with a small processing load. <P>SOLUTION: A distance image sensor 11 images obliquely downward a space region including a plane on which an autonomous moving device 2 is to run, and generates the distance image of which pixel value represents a distance value. A difference image generator 13 generates a difference image between the distance image obtained from the distance image sensor 11 and the distance image of a reference plane. Further, a height image generator 14 projects the distance image onto the reference plane in regard to a region in the difference image having a difference value being a prescribed distance threshold or more, and then generates a height image in which a height value from the reference plane is set as a pixel value. A first and a second binary coding sections 15a, 15b perform binary coding of the height image with two-stage thresholds, and generate two binary-coded images. From each binary-coded image, a decision section 16 decides whether there is an obstacle by comparing the areas having height values from the reference plane being a threshold value or more. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
