Method for displaying a vehicle environment of a vehicle

• US 10,290,080 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Esparza Garcia, Jose Domingo, Cano, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US15/554,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 348 36
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• 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 method for displaying a vehicle environment of a vehicle, including a detection of the vehicle environment in camera images with the aid of a plurality of cameras; projecting the camera images onto a geometrical projection surface in a virtual space, setting up a depth map for a visual range of a virtual camera that describes a distance of a plurality of points of the geometrical projection surface from the virtual camera in the virtual space; calculating an image from the virtual camera that images the geometrical projection surface in the virtual space; ascertaining, based on the depth map, a particular region of the image from the virtual camera in which the geometrical projection surface lies in a certain distance range in relation to the virtual camera; and Gaussian blurring of the image from the virtual camera in the region in which the particular region is imaged.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a vehicle environment of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting the vehicle environment in camera images with the aid of a plurality of cameras;

projecting the camera images onto a geometrical projection surface in a virtual space;

creating a depth map for a visual range of a virtual camera that describes a distance of a plurality of points of the geometrical projection surface from the virtual camera in the virtual space;

calculating an image from the virtual camera that images the geometrical projection surface in the virtual space;

ascertaining, on the basis of the depth map, a particular region of the image of the virtual camera in which the geometrical projection surface lies in a specific distance range in relation to the virtual camera; and

Gaussian blurring the image of the virtual camera in the region in which the particular region is imaged.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the geometrical projection surface is modeled on the basis of the vehicle environment.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specific distance range is a range that extends outside a minimum distance in relation to the virtual camera.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

a virtual model of the vehicle is located in the virtual space;

and

the depth map is set up in such a way that for those regions of the image from the virtual camera in which the virtual model of the vehicle is detected, the depth map describes a distance of the points of the virtual model of the vehicle imaged therein from the virtual camera.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

orienting the virtual camera to a particular point of interest in the virtual space.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the particular point of interest is a point at which the vehicle is approaching an object.

7. A device for displaying a vehicle environment of a vehicle, the device designed to:

detect the vehicle environment in camera images with the aid of a plurality of cameras;

project the camera images onto a geometrical projection surface in a virtual space;

create a depth map for a visual range of a virtual camera that describes a distance of a plurality of points of the geometrical projection surface from the virtual camera in the virtual space;

calculate an image from the virtual camera that images the geometrical projection surface in the virtual space;

ascertain, on the basis of the depth map, a particular region of the image of the virtual camera in which the geometrical projection surface lies in a specific distance range in relation to the virtual camera; and

Gaussian blur the image of the virtual camera in the region in which the particular region is imaged.