Determination of vehicle view based on relative location

• US 10,331,125 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/615,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20180348749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for determining a vehicle view based on a relative location of a remote display. An example vehicle includes a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of the vehicle surroundings. The vehicle also includes a communication system, and a processor. The processor is configured to stitch together images captured by the plurality of cameras, determine a relative location of a remote display with respect to the vehicle, determine a vehicle view based on the determined relative location, and transmit the vehicle view to the remote display.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a vehicle surroundings;

a communication system wirelessly coupled to a remote display; and

processor configured to;

stitch together the images;

determine, via the communication system, a relative location of the remote display with respect to the vehicle;

determine a vehicle view based on the stitched images and the determined relative location; and

transmit the vehicle view to the remote display.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cameras are positioned such that a 360 degree view of the vehicle surroundings is captured.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the relative location of the remote display using one or more Bluetooth®

Low Energy (BLE) antennas.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle view is a view from the vehicle opposite the determined relative location.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle view comprises a combination of images from two or more of the plurality of cameras.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the remote display comprises a screen of a mobile device.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the images of the vehicle surroundings are captured while a remote vehicle movement operation occurs.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the vehicle view based on (i) a change in a location of the vehicle and (ii) a change in the relative location of the remote display with respect to the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect one or more features in the vehicle view, and responsively provide an alert to the remote display.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising one or more vehicle sensors configured to detect the one or more features in the vehicle view, wherein the alert comprises a visual indication that a detected feature is approaching the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to predict a movement of the vehicle, and responsively modify the vehicle view transmitted to the display based on the predicted movement.

12. A method comprising:

capturing, by a plurality of cameras, images of a vehicle surroundings;

stitching together the images;

determining, via a communication system of a vehicle, a relative location of a remote display with respect to the vehicle;

determining a vehicle view based on the stitched images and the determined relative location; and

transmitting the vehicle view to the remote display for display to a user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein capturing the images of the vehicle surroundings comprises capturing a 360 degree view of the vehicle surroundings.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the relative location using one or more Bluetooth®

Low Energy (BLE) antennas.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle view is a view from the vehicle opposite the determined relative location.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising performing a remote vehicle movement operation, wherein the images of the vehicle surroundings are captured while the remote vehicle movement operation occurs.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising modifying the vehicle view based on (i) a change in a location of the vehicle and (ii) a change in the relative location of the remote display with respect to the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting one or more features in the vehicle view, and responsively providing an alert to the remote display.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising detecting the one or more features in the vehicle view using one or more vehicle sensors, wherein the alert comprises a visual indication that a detected feature is approaching the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising predicting a movement of the vehicle, and responsively modifying the vehicle view transmitted to the remote display based on the movement.