Arrangement and process for monitoring the surrounding area of an automobile

• US 20020075387A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Application Number:
  US09/999,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• 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 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/006 Geometric correction correction of chromatic aberrations adapted to be used in an image pickup device containing an electronic image sensor H04N23/10; detecting, correcting, reducing or removing artefacts resulting only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" H04N25/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for monitoring the surrounding area of a motor vehicle (10) including a wide-angle camera (12), a picture-processing unit (14) with means for correcting distortion in a picture produced by the camera (12), and a picture display unit (16). The means for correcting distortion in the picture adaptively operates based on a selected picture detail (18) and a selected line of vision (20). The invention further relates to a method for monitoring the surrounding area of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. An arrangement for monitoring the surrounding area of a motor vehicle (10), comprising:

at least one wide-angle camera (12);

a picture processing unit (14) having means for correcting distortion in a picture produced by said camera (12), wherein said means for correcting distortion adaptively operates based on a selected picture detail (18) and based on a selected line of vision (20); and

a picture display unit (16).

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is performed by a driver of said motor vehicle.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is performed automatically.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is automatically performed based on the contents of said picture.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is automatically initiated when said motor vehicle is placed into reverse gear.

6. The arrangement as defined claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on the steering angle of the motor vehicle.

7. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on a speed of the motor vehicle.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on the angle of gradient of said camera (12) with reference to a roadway (30) traveled by said motor vehicle.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the camera (12) is a high dynamic range camera.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein an actor device (24) of said motor vehicle is affected by input of said picture-processing unit (14).

11. A method for monitoring the surrounding area of a motor vehicle, said methods comprising the steps of:

determining an angle region (22) with a camera;

correcting distortion in a picture produced by said camera picture-processing unit (14), wherein said distortion correction takes place based on a selected picture detail and wherein said distortion correction takes place based on a selected line of vision; and

displaying at least one picture on a picture display unit (16).

12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is performed by a driver of said motor vehicle.

13. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is performed automatically.

14. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is automatically performed based on the contents of said picture.

15. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) is automatically initiated when said motor vehicle is placed into reverse gear.

16. The method as defined claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on the steering angle of the motor vehicle.

17. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on a speed of the motor vehicle.

18. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an adjustment of said selected picture detail (18) and/or said selected line of vision (20) automatically takes place based on the angle of gradient of said camera (12) with reference to a roadway (30) traveled by said motor vehicle.

19. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the camera (12) is a high dynamic range camera.

20. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein an actor device (24) of said motor vehicle is affected by input of said picture-processing unit (14).