Device for a motor vehicle used for the three-dimensional detection of a scene inside or outside said motor vehicle

• US 20060222207A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited), Adam Opel AG (Deutsche Post AG)
• Inventors: Becker, Guido, Balzer, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone

Abstract

An apparatus in a motor vehicle for spatial detection of a scene inside and/or outside the motor vehicle has a LIDAR sensor, which is coupled to an electronic detection device, and an image sensor, which is connected to an image processing device for recording and evaluation of images of the scene. The detection device and the image processing device are coupled to a computer in order to determine spatial data of the scene.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. An apparatus of a motor vehicle for spatial acquisition of a scene inside or outside the motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising a LIDAR sensor which is coupled to an electronic detection device, and an image sensor which is connected to an image processing device for recording and evaluation of images of the scene, wherein said detection device and said image processing device are coupled to a computer for determining spatial data of the scene, and wherein said image sensor is formed by a 3D camera for recording three-dimensional image data.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said computer combines the data from the detection device of the LIDAR sensor with two-dimensional image data from the image processing device in order to evaluate object data in the far range with respect to the motor vehicle.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said computer uses as object data in the near range with respect to the motor vehicle three-dimensional image data, which has been recorded by said 3D camera and which has been evaluated by said image processing device.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said computer uses as object data in the near range with respect to the motor vehicle three-dimensional image data, which has been recorded by said 3D camera and which has been evaluated by said image processing device.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computer transmits the data of the scene via a vehicle network to safety and/or assistance systems of the motor vehicle.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the 3D camera operates according to the time-of-flight (TOF) method.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a laser of the LIDAR sensor has optics for a near range and a far range.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the optics for the near range and the far range are formed by double optics or two lenses which are to be driven separately.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the laser of the LIDAR sensor operates with radiation in the infrared band, and serves as a light source for the image sensor.

18. An apparatus of a motor vehicle for spatial acquisition of a scene inside and outside the motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising a LIDAR sensor which is coupled to an electronic detection device, and an image sensor which is connected to an image processing device for recording and evaluation of images of the scene, wherein said detection device and said image processing device are coupled to a computer for determining spatial data of the scene, and wherein said image sensor is formed by a 3D camera for recording three-dimensional image data.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said computer combines the data from the detection device of the LIDAR sensor with two-dimensional image data from the image processing device in order to evaluate object data in the far range with respect to the motor vehicle.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said computer uses as object data in the near range with respect to the motor vehicle three-dimensional image data, which has been recorded by said 3D camera and which has been evaluated by said image processing device.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said computer uses as object data in the near range with respect to the motor vehicle three-dimensional image data, which has been recorded by said 3D camera and which has been evaluated by said image processing device.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the computer transmits the data of the scene via a vehicle network to safety and/or assistance systems of the motor vehicle.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the 3D camera operates according to the time-of-flight (TOF) method.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein a laser of the LIDAR sensor has optics for a near range and a far range.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the optics for the near range and the far range are formed by double optics or two lenses which are to be driven separately.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the laser of the LIDAR sensor operates with radiation in the infrared band, and serves as a light source for the image sensor.