18280807. IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM simplified abstract (NEC Corporation)

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IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM

Organization Name

NEC Corporation

Inventor(s)

Konomi Sasayama of Tokyo (JP)

IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18280807 titled 'IMAGE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM

Simplified Explanation

The image analysis apparatus described in the patent application performs area division on images of road surfaces to classify them into different categories and detect irregularities on the road surface based on this classification and depth estimation information.

  • Area division unit: Classifies images into different categories based on road surface features.
  • Depth estimation unit: Generates depth estimation information for the images.
  • Detection unit: Detects irregularities on the road surface using the area division results and depth estimation information.

Potential Applications

This technology can be used in autonomous vehicles, road maintenance, and infrastructure monitoring.

Problems Solved

This technology helps in identifying and detecting irregularities on road surfaces, aiding in timely maintenance and ensuring road safety.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved road safety, reduced maintenance costs, and efficient infrastructure monitoring.

Potential Commercial Applications

Potential commercial applications include selling this technology to companies involved in road maintenance, autonomous vehicle development, and infrastructure monitoring.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be existing image analysis systems used in road maintenance and infrastructure monitoring.

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology handle different types of road surfaces and lighting conditions?

The patent application does not provide details on how the image analysis apparatus adapts to various road surface types and lighting conditions.

What is the accuracy rate of irregularity detection using this technology?

The patent application does not mention the accuracy rate of irregularity detection achieved by the image analysis apparatus.


Original Abstract Submitted

An image analysis apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an area division unit that performs area division on an image obtained by capturing a road surface, and generates a result of the area division in which the image is classified into image areas of a plurality of categories; a depth estimation unit that performs depth estimation on the image and generates depth estimation information; and a detection unit that detects irregularities present on the road surface based on the result of the area division and the depth estimation information. The plurality of categories include a road category, and the detection unit detects irregularities present on the road surface within the image area classified in the road category.