System and method for providing image information around vehicle

• US 10,198,639 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Sung, Kap Je, An, Jun Sik, Lee, Joong Ryoul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Trang U
• Application Number:
  US15/193,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20170161566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A system for providing image information around a vehicle includes: an outside left camera and an outside right camera configured to photograph rear sides of the vehicle from a left outside position and a right outside position of the vehicle, respectively; a top view left camera, a top view right camera, a top view front camera, and a top view rear camera configured to photograph an outside area of the vehicle including a ground; and a controller configured to provide image data deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera to a outside left display and a outside right display, respectively, and to provide image data deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to a head unit display-mirror.

Claims

1. A system for providing image information around a vehicle, the system comprising:

an outside left camera and an outside right camera configured to photograph narrow angle images of rear sides of the vehicle from a left outside position and a right outside position of the vehicle, respectively;

a top view left camera, a top view right camera, a top view front camera, and a top view rear camera configured to photograph wide angle images of an outside area of the vehicle including a ground from a front position, a rear position, a left position, and a right position outside of the vehicle, respectively;

an outside left display and an outside right display installed at a left position and a right position, respectively, around a dash board inside of the vehicle, and a head unit display installed at a head unit inside of the vehicle; and

a controller configured to provide image data deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera to the outside left display and the outside right display, respectively, and to provide image data deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to the head unit display,

wherein the controller is further configured to provide images of all available directions deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to the head unit display, and to perform an image synthesis so that a predetermined rear region of the vehicle among the images of all available directions is replaced with images deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the outside left display and the outside right display directly receive the image data from the outside left camera and the outside right camera, respectively, depending on a failure occurrence of the controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured provide image data deriving from one or more cameras of a failure direction among the top view left camera and the top view right camera to one or more displays corresponding to the one or more cameras of the failure direction among the outside left display and the outside right display, depending on a failure occurrence of any of the outside left camera and the outside right camera.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide image data deriving from one or more cameras of a failure direction of a corresponding display among the outside left camera and the outside right camera to the head unit display, depending on a failure occurrence of any of the outside left display and the outside right display.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein when any one of the outside left camera and the outside right camera fail, and any one of the outside left display and the outside right display fail, the controller is further configured to provide image data deriving from a normally functioning outside camera to the corresponding normally functioning display of the outside left display and the outside right display, or provide the image data deriving from the normally functioning outside camera to the head unit display when there is no corresponding normally functioning display.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein when both of the outside left camera and the outside right camera fail, the controller is further configured to provide image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the corresponding normally functioning display of the outside left display and the outside right display, or provide the image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the head unit display when there is no corresponding normally functioning display.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein when both of the outside left display and the outside right display fail, the controller is further configured to provide image data deriving from a normally functioning outside camera to the head unit display, or provide image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the head unit display when there is no normally functioning outside camera.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a view having an increased amount of viewed ground obtained by synthesizing an image of the outside left camera and an image of the top view left camera and provide a view having an increased amount of viewed ground obtained by synthesizing an image of the outside right camera and an image of the top view right camera, to the outside left display and the outside right display, respectively.

9. A method for providing image information around a vehicle, the method comprising:

photographing, by an outside left camera and an outside right camera, narrow angle images of rear sides of the vehicle from a left outside position and a right outside position of the vehicle;

photographing, by a top view left camera, top view right camera, wide angle images of a top view front camera, and a top view rear camera, an outside area of the vehicle including a ground from a front position, a rear position, a left position, and a right position outside of the vehicle, respectively;

providing, by a controller, image data deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera to an outside left display and an outside right display, respectively, installed at a left position and a right position, respectively, around a dash board inside of the vehicle;

providing, by the controller, image data deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to a head unit display installed at a head unit inside of the vehicle;

providing, by the controller, images of all available directions deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to the head unit display; and

performing, by the controller, an image synthesis so that a predetermined rear region of the vehicle among the images of all available directions is replaced with images deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising directly receiving, by the outside left display and the outside right display, the image data from the outside left camera and the outside right camera, respectively, depending on a failure occurrence of the controller.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing, by the controller, image data deriving from one or more cameras of a failure direction among the top view left camera and the top view right camera to one or more displays corresponding to the one or more cameras of the failure direction among the outside left display and the outside right display, depending on a failure occurrence of any of the outside left camera and the outside right camera.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing, by the controller, image data deriving from one or more cameras of a failure direction of a corresponding display among the outside left camera and the outside right camera to the head unit display, depending on a failure occurrence of any of the outside left display and the outside right display.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising, when any one of the outside left camera and the outside right camera fail, and any one of the outside left display and the outside right display fail, providing, by the controller, image data deriving from a normally functioning outside camera to the corresponding normally functioning display of the outside left display and the outside right display, or providing, by the controller, the image data deriving from the normally functioning outside camera to the head unit display when there is no corresponding normally functioning display.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising, when both of the outside left camera and the outside right camera fail, providing, by the controller, image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the corresponding normally functioning display of the outside left display and the outside right display, or providing, by the controller, the image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the head unit display when there is no corresponding normally functioning display.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising, when both of the outside left display and the outside right display fail, providing, by the controller, image data deriving from a normally functioning outside camera to the head unit display, or providing, by the controller, image data deriving from the top view left camera and the top view right camera to the head unit display when there is no normally functioning outside camera.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing, by the controller, a view having an increased amount of viewed ground obtained by synthesizing an image of the outside left camera and an image of the top view left camera and a view having an increased amount of viewed ground obtained by synthesizing an image of the outside right camera and an image of the top view right camera, to the outside left display and the outside right display, respectively.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing image information around a vehicle, the computer readable medium comprising program instructions that:

provide image data deriving from an outside left camera and an outside right camera to an outside left display and an outside right display, respectively, installed at a left position and a right position, respectively, around a dash board inside of the vehicle;

provide image data deriving from a top view left camera, a top view right camera, a top view front camera, and a top view rear camera to a head unit display installed at a head unit inside of the vehicle;

provide image data of all available directions deriving from the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera to the head unit display; and

perform an image synthesis so that a predetermined rear region of the vehicle among the image data of all available directions is replaced with images deriving from the outside left camera and the outside right camera, wherein

the outside left camera and the outside right camera are configured to photograph narrow angle images of rear sides of the vehicle from a left outside position and a right outside position of the vehicle, respectively, and

the top view left camera, the top view right camera, the top view front camera, and the top view rear camera are configured to photograph wide angle images of an outside area of the vehicle including a ground from a front position, a rear position, a left position, and a right position outside of the vehicle, respectively.