VEHICLE BASED NIGHT-VISION ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20100265345A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Andersson, Lars
• Application Number:
  US12/741,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265345A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/216.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A vehicle based night-vision arrangement includes a night-vision camera, an analyzer unit for analyzing image information collected by the night-vision camera and extracting a kind and/or position of a probable obstacle ahead in a driving direction of the vehicle; and a control unit to initiate producing a light spot on the display unit indicating the probable obstacle. A method for operating such a vehicle based night-vision arrangement is also provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle based night-vision arrangement, including

a night-vision camera

an analyzer unit for analyzing image information collected by the night-vision camera and extracting a kind and/or position of a probable obstacle located ahead in driving direction of the vehicle,

a control unit for producing a light spot on the display unit indicating the probable obstacle, and

a selection unit for selecting the display unit depending on a driving direction of the vehicle.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a light source directing a light beam of the light source the display unit corresponding to the location and/or kind of the obstacle.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit is arranged to switch the light spot between a windscreen and at least one of a rear screen, a rearview interior mirror, a rearview exterior mirror.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a laser source.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, comprising an assigning unit for assigning an icon to the obstacle in order to display the obstacle as an icon indicating the kind of obstacle.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a decision unit for deciding if the obstacle represents a potential risk for the vehicle.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a link to a driver head position detection system.

8. A method for operating a vehicle based night-vision arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, including

producing an image of an environment ahead in the driving direction of a vehicle,

analyzing the image information,

extracting information representing a probable obstacle for the vehicle,

triggering a control unit to initiate producing a light spot representing the obstacle on the display unit, and

selecting the display unit depending on the driving direction of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising selecting the location in the display unit corresponding to a location where the obstacle would appear if perceived by natural vision of the driver.

10. The method according to claim 8, comprising assigning a location on the display unit representing the location of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized by directing a light beam to the display unit for producing the light spot.

12. The method according to claim 8, comprising directing the light beam to a windscreen or at least one of a rear screen, a rearview interior mirror, a rear view exterior mirror.

13. The method according to claim 8, comprising selecting an icon representing the kind of the obstacle and representing the icon as light spot on the display unit.

14. The method according to claim 8, comprising triggering the display of the tight spot only in a potentially critical situation.

15. The method according to claim 8, comprising adjusting the position of the light spot according to a driver head position detected with a driver head position system.