Vehicle vision system with multi-paned view

• US 10,457,209 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Byrne, Steven V., Lu, Yuesheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansell, Jr., Richard A
• Application Number:
  US13/852,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: 348148, 348118, 348 E7085
• 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 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/08 Projecting images onto non-planar surfaces, e.g. geodetic screens

Abstract

A vehicle vision system includes a camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle and a processing system operatively coupled to the camera. The processing system is operable to process image data captured by the camera. The image data is representative of a scene viewed by the camera. The processing system may further generate an image having three image panes including a central image pane derived from a first subset of captured image data and two side image panes derived from second and third subsets of captured image data. Each of the side image panes are shaped as parallelograms and arranged with respect to the central image pane to appear folded with respect to the central image pane. The processing system can output the image to a display for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle vision system comprising:

a camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle;

a processing system operatively coupled to said camera, wherein said processing system is operable to process image data captured by said camera, the captured image data representative of a scene viewed by said camera;

wherein said processing system is operable to generate an image having three individual image panes including a first image pane derived from a first subset of image data, a second image pane derived from a second subset of image data and a third image pane derived from a third subset of image data;

wherein said processing system is operable to output the image to a display for viewing by a driver of the vehicle, wherein said display comprises a single display screen for displaying images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle;

wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, said first image pane comprises a central image pane of the displayed image and said second image pane is at a left side of said central pane and said third image pane is at a right side of said central pane;

wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, each of said first, second and third image panes displayed at said single display screen has an upper edge and a lower edge;

wherein said upper edge of said second image pane is generally parallel to said lower edge of said second image pane, and wherein said upper edge of said third image pane is generally parallel to said lower edge of said third image pane, and wherein said upper and lower edges of said second image pane are not parallel to said upper and lower edges of said third image pane; and

wherein said upper and lower edges of said second image pane are not parallel to said upper and lower edges of said first image pane and wherein said upper and lower edges of said third image pane are not parallel to said upper and lower edges of said first image pane.

2. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, said upper and lower edges of said second image pane slope generally downwardly away from said first image pane at the left side of said central image pane and said upper and lower edges of said third image pane slope generally downwardly away from said first image pane at the right side of said central image pane.

3. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein the scene viewed by said camera encompasses a bumper of the vehicle and wherein the displayed image contains at least a portion of the bumper of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein said second and third image panes are shaped and arranged with respect to said central image pane to appear folded with respect to said central image pane when the image is displayed at the display.

5. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein said central image pane has horizontal upper and lower edges when the image is displayed at the display.

6. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein the displayed image further includes static vertical bands displayed at said single display screen, each static vertical band separating one of said second and third image panes from said central image pane.

7. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein the displayed image further includes static triangular regions displayed at said single display screen, each static triangular region positioned above one of said second and third image panes.

8. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein the displayed image further includes a static trapezoidal region displayed at said single display screen below said first, second and third image panes.

9. The vehicle vision system of claim 1, wherein said single display screen comprises a rectangular display screen having upper and lower borders, and wherein said upper edge of said first image pane is generally parallel to said upper border of said single display screen.

10. A vehicle vision system comprising:

a camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle;

a processing system operatively coupled to said camera, wherein said processing system is operable to process image data captured by said camera, the captured image data representative of a scene viewed by said camera;

wherein said processing system is operable to generate an image having three individual image panes including a first image pane derived from a first subset of image data, a second image pane derived from a second subset of image data and a third image pane derived from a third subset of image data;

wherein said processing system is operable to output the image to a display for viewing by a driver of the vehicle, wherein said display comprises a single display screen for displaying images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle;

wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, said first image pane comprises a central image pane of the displayed image and said second image pane is at a left side of said central pane and said third image pane is at a right side of said central pane;

wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, each of said first, second and third image panes displayed at said single display screen has an upper edge and a lower edge;

wherein said upper edge of said second image pane is generally parallel to said lower edge of said second image pane, and wherein said upper edge of said third image pane is generally parallel to said lower edge of said third image pane, and wherein said upper and lower edges of said second image pane are not parallel to said upper and lower edges of said third image pane; and

wherein, when the image is displayed at said single display screen of said display, each of said second and third image panes are shaped as parallelograms and arranged with respect to said central image pane to appear folded with respect to said central image pane.

11. The vehicle vision system of claim 10, wherein the displayed image further includes static vertical bands displayed at said single display screen, each static vertical band separating one of said second and third image panes from said central image pane.

12. The vehicle vision system of claim 10, wherein the displayed image further includes static regions displayed at said single display screen above and below said second and third image panes and below said central image pane.

13. The vehicle vision system of claim 10, wherein the scene viewed by said camera encompasses a bumper of the vehicle and wherein the displayed image contains at least a portion of the bumper of the vehicle.

14. A method comprising:

receiving image data from a camera positioned on a vehicle, the image data representative of an image captured by said camera;

generating an image having three image panes including a first image pane derived from a first subset of captured image data, a second image pane derived from a second subset of captured image data and a third image pane derived from a third subset of captured image data; and

outputting the image to a display for viewing by a driver of the vehicle, wherein the display comprises a single display screen for displaying images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle, and wherein, when the image is displayed at the single display screen of the display, said first image pane comprises a central image pane and said second image pane is at a left side of said central image pane and said third image pane is at a right side of said central image pane;

wherein, when the image is displayed at the single display screen of the display, (i) an upper edge of said second image pane is generally parallel to a lower edge of said second image pane and (ii) an upper edge of said third image pane is generally parallel to a lower edge of said third image pane; and

wherein, when the image is displayed at the single display screen of the display, (i) said upper and lower edges of said second image pane slope generally downwardly away from said central image pane and (ii) said upper and lower edges of said third image pane slope generally downwardly away from said central image pane.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said upper edge and said lower edge of each of said second and third image panes are parallel to a horizon line of the respective image pane.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said second and third image panes are shaped and arranged with respect to said central image pane to appear folded with respect to said central image pane when the image is displayed on the single display screen of the display.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said central image pane has horizontal upper and lower edges when displayed at the single display screen of the display and viewed by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the display displays static vertical bands at the single display screen, each static vertical band separating one of said second and third image panes from said central image pane of the displayed image.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the display displays static triangular regions at the single display screen, each static triangular region positioned above one of said second and third image panes when the image is displayed at the single display screen of the display.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the display displays a static trapezoidal region at the single display screen below said three image panes of the displayed image.