DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND DISPLAYING THE REAR AND/OR SIDE VIEW OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20110043634A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg, Magna Mirrors Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg, Magna Mirrors Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stegmann, Rainer, Krebs, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,830,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• 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 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• 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 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic

Abstract

A device for detecting and displaying the rear and/or side traffic of a motor vehicle is to be improved upon such that the driver can safely and quickly detect the present traffic situation by way of the overall image shown, in particular when the direction of travel is changed. This is accomplished in that the device for detecting and displaying the rear and/or side view of a motor vehicle (1) comprises a first apparatus (3) for producing images of the optically detected rear view (A), one or more further apparatuses (2) for producing images of the optical side view (B,C) of the motor vehicle (1), a display apparatus (6) adapted to display images or image sections of the first and/or the further apparatuses (2, 3) in partial areas (T1, T2), and a control apparatus (5) adapted to select the images or image sections and to assign them to the partial areas (T1, T2). The images or image sections are selected according to the signals of a driving direction indicator (7) and/or the signals of a sensor (8) that represents the steering direction and are assigned to the partial areas (T1, T2). Also provided is a method for detecting and displaying an overall image from an image section or overlapping image sections.

Claims

1. A device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1), having a first apparatus (3) for generating images of the optically sensed surroundings (A) to the rear, having one or more further apparatuses (2) for generating images of the optical surroundings to the side (B, C) of the motor vehicle (1), having a display apparatus (6) which is configured to represent images or image excerpts of the first apparatus and/or of the further apparatuses (2, 3) in partial regions (T1, T2), and a control apparatus (5) which is configured to select the images or image excerpts and assign them to the partial regions (T1, T2), characterized in that the images or image excerpts are selected as a function of the signals of a travel direction indicator (7) and/or of the signals of a sensor (8) which represent the steering angle, and said images or image excerpts are assigned to the partial regions (T1, T2) which may be variable in terms of their horizontal extent depending on the steering angle in order to provide a dynamic composite image which is composed of image sections with dynamically adaptive variables.

2. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partial regions (T1, T2) are arranged one next to the other on the display apparatus (6).

3. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the partial regions (T1, T2) change in their horizontal extent as a function of the size of the steering angle.

4. A method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1), wherein, in a first step, images of the surroundings to the rear and side (A, B, C) of the motor vehicle (1) are acquired, and in a further step one or more of the acquired images or image excerpts are selected and displayed on a display apparatus (6) in partial regions (T1, T2), characterized in that signals of a travel direction indicator (7) and/or signals which represent the steering angle are acquired and the image excerpts are selected as a function of the acquired signals and said image excerpts are assigned to the partial regions (T1, T2) and characterized in that the partial regions (T1, T2) may be variable in terms of their horizontal extent depending on the steering angle in order to provide a dynamic composite image which is composed of image sections with dynamically adaptive variables.

6. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 4 wherein, in a travel situation in which the signals of the travel direction indicator (7) indicate a neutral position and the steering angle is 0 degrees, the image of the surroundings (A) to the rear, which is generated by the central rear view sensing device (3), is represented in a partial region (T2) on the display apparatus (6), and the partial region (T2) covers the entire display apparatus (6).

7. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein, in a travel situation in which the signals of the travel direction indicator (7) indicate a change in the direction of travel and the steering angle is 0 degrees, the image or an image excerpt of the surroundings to the side, which can be assigned to the intended direction of travel, is assigned to a first partial region (T1), and the image of the surroundings (A) to the rear is assigned to a second partial region (T2).

8. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in a travel situation in which signals of the steering angle which are unequal to 0 degrees are sensed, the size of the partial regions (T1, T2) is changed as a function of the signals of the steering angle.

9. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the selected images or image excerpts of adjacent partial regions (T1, T2) are joined together in such a way that in the representation as a composite image a seamless transition is produced in their boundary region (G).

10. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the selected images or image excerpts of adjacent partial regions (T1, T2) are joined together in such a way that in the representation as a composite image a seamless transition is produced in their boundary region (G).

11. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the selected images or image excerpts of adjacent partial regions (T1, T2) are joined together in such a way that in the representation as a composite image a seamless transition is produced in their boundary region (G).

12. The method for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the selected images or image excerpts of adjacent partial regions (T1, T2) are joined together in such a way that in the representation as a composite image a seamless transition is produced in their boundary region (G).

14. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first apparatus (3) comprises a camera arranged in the region of the bumper to the rear of the motor vehicle (1).

15. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the motor vehicle (1) is traveling in the longitudinal direction with the steering angle at around 0 degrees and with the travel direction indicator (7) in its neutral central position, an image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3) is displayed to the driver on the display of display apparatus (6) and wherein when the travel direction indicator (7) is activated to the right by the driver of the motor vehicle, an image excerpt generated by said first side image sensing camera integrated into the right-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle is displayed to the driver on the display of display apparatus (6) to the right of said image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3).

16. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the horizontal extent of said image excerpt generated by said first side image sensing camera integrated into the right-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle increases as the steering angle to the right of the motor vehicle increases.

17. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the horizontal extent of said image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3) decreases as the steering angle to the right of the motor vehicle (1) increases.

19. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 14, wherein said display apparatus (6) is located in the front upper region of the windshield of the motor vehicle (1).

20. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 15, wherein said display apparatus (6) comprises a part of an interior rearview mirror assembly.

21. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 15, wherein a second side image sensing camera is integrated into the left-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle (1).

22. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said images or image excerpts are displayed in a seamless fashion.

24. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 19, wherein said display apparatus (6) is located in the front upper region of the windshield of the motor vehicle (1) and wherein said display apparatus (6) comprises a part of an interior rearview mirror assembly.

5. (canceled)

13. A device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1), having a first apparatus (3) for generating images of the optically sensed surroundings (A) to the rear, having one or more further apparatuses (2) for generating images of the optical surroundings to the side (B, C) of the motor vehicle (1), having a display apparatus (6) which is configured to represent images or image excerpts of the first apparatus and/or of the further apparatuses (2, 3) in partial regions (T1, T2), and a control apparatus (5) which is configured to select the images or image excerpts and assign them to the partial regions (T1, T2), characterized in that the images or image excerpts are selected as a function of the signals of a travel direction indicator (7) and/or of the signals of a sensor (8) which represent the steering angle, and said images or image excerpts are assigned to the partial regions (T1, T2) which may be variable in terms of their horizontal extent depending on the steering angle in order to provide a dynamic composite image which is composed of image sections with dynamically adaptive variables and wherein said one or more further apparatuses (2) comprises a first side image sensing camera integrated into the right-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle (1).

18. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 13, wherein said image excerpts are displayed in a seamless fashion.

23. The device for sensing and displaying the surroundings to the rear and/or side of a motor vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first apparatus (3) comprises a camera arranged in the region of the bumper to the rear of the motor vehicle (1) and wherein when the motor vehicle (1) is traveling in the longitudinal direction with the steering angle at around 0 degrees and with the travel direction indicator (7) in its neutral central position, an image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3) is displayed to the driver on the display of display apparatus (6) and wherein when the travel direction indicator (7) is activated to the right by the driver of the motor vehicle, an image excerpt generated by said first side image sensing camera integrated into the right-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle is displayed to the driver on the display of display apparatus (6) to the right of said image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3) and wherein the horizontal extent of said image excerpt generated by said first side image sensing camera integrated into the right-hand exterior mirror of the motor vehicle increases as the steering angle to the right of the motor vehicle increases and wherein the horizontal extent of said image excerpt generated by said first apparatus (3) decreases as the steering angle to the right of the motor vehicle (1) increases.