IMAGE SYNCHRONIZATION FOR A MULTIPLE IMAGER SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120257045A1
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Ockerse, Harold C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• 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 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An imager system and method thereof are provided, the imager system is configured for use with a vehicle and has a plurality of imagers including a first imager having a first field of view, and a second imager having a second field of view The imager system further includes a video processor module configured to approximately synchronize at least the first and second imagers, and a serial data communication connection communicatively connecting the plurality of imagers and the video processor module, wherein at least the first and second imagers are approximately synchronized by communicating a synchronization signal via a connection other than the serial data communication connection, and the images captured by the first and second imagers are approximately synchronized without buffering the captured images.

Claims

1. An imager system configured for use with a vehicle, said imager system comprising:

a plurality of imagers comprising;

a first imager having a first field of view, and configured to capture an image of at least a portion of said first field of view; and

a second imager having a second field of view, and configured to capture an image of at least a portion of said second field of view, wherein said first field of view is approximately adjacent to said second field of view;

a video processor module configured to approximately synchronize at least said first and second imagers, and further configured to process said captured images to be at least one of displayed and used to control a vehicle component; and

a serial data communication connection communicatively connecting said plurality of imagers and said video processor module, wherein at least said first and second imagers are approximately synchronized by communicating a synchronization signal via a connection other than said serial data communication connection, and said images captured by said first and second imagers are approximately synchronized without buffering said captured images.

2. The imager system of claim 1 further comprising a dedicated synchronization communication connection communicatively connecting each of at least said first and second imagers and said video processor module, wherein a synchronize signal is communicated via said dedicated synchronization communication connection.

3. The imager system of claim 1 further comprising power and ground connections communicatively connecting each of at least said first and second imagers and said video processor module, wherein a synchronize signal is communicated via said power and ground connections.

4. The imager system of claim 3, wherein said video processor module is configured to communicate said synchronize signal as a pulse on top of a direct current (DC) voltage of said power connection.

5. The imager system of claim 3, wherein said video processor module is configured to synchronize said first and second imagers by controlling power supplied to at least said first and second imagers via said power connection.

6. The imager system of claim 1, wherein an asynchronous communication backchannel is used in a closed loop to generate a synchronization signal locally at said first and second imagers, such that at least said first and second imagers are approximately synchronized.

7. The imager system of claim 6, wherein said video processor module is configured to generate a synchronization signal, and if said image captured by one or more of said plurality of imagers is captured before or after a tracking window period that is based upon said synchronization signal, said captured frame is ignored and timing of said corresponding imager is corrected.

8. The imager system of claim 1, wherein at least said first and second imagers are approximately synchronized, such that an image captured by said first imager of at least a portion of said first field of view is processed so that data of said captured image is displayed with data from an image captured by said second imager of at least a portion of said second field of view, and said displayed data is substantially seamless.

9. The imager system of claim 8, wherein a synchronization threshold is decreased as a speed of said plurality of imagers is decreased.

10. The imager system of claim 1, wherein said image captured by said first imager of at least a portion of said first field of view and said image captured by said second imager of at least a portion of said second field of view are processed to at least one of display a bird'"'"'s eye view of at least a portion of said first and second fields of view, and be used in a blind spot detection system.

11. The imager system of claim 1, wherein said serial data communication connection is a low-voltage differential signaling connection.

12. An imager system configured for use with a vehicle, said imager system comprising:

a plurality of imagers comprising;

a first imager having a first field of view, and configured to capture an image of at least a portion of said first field of view; and

a second imager having a second field of view, and configured to capture an image of at least a portion of said second field of view, wherein said first field of view is approximately adjacent to said second field of view; and

a video processor module configured to approximately synchronize at least said first and second imagers, and further configured to process said captured images to be at least one of displayed and used to control a vehicle component;

wherein an asynchronous communication backchannel is used in a closed loop to generate a synchronization signal locally at said first and second imagers, and at least said first and second imagers are approximately synchronized.

13. The imager system of claim 12, wherein said video processor module is configured to generate a synchronization signal, and if said image captured by one or more of said plurality of imagers is captured before or after a tracking window period that is based upon said synchronization signal, said captured frame is ignored and timing of said corresponding imager is corrected.

14. The imager system of claim 12, wherein said video processor module further comprises a clock, and said video processor module is configured to generate a pulse approximately at a start of an image frame based upon said clock.

15. The imager system of claim 12, wherein at least said first and second imagers further comprise a clock, and at least said first and second imagers are configured to generate a pulse at a start of an image frame based upon said clock.

16. The imager system of claim 15, wherein data relating to said clock and said pulse are communicated to said video processor module in image data communicated from said imager to said video processor module.

17. An imager system configured for use with a vehicle, said imager system comprising:

a video processor module configured to be in communication with a plurality of imagers, said video processor module configured to approximately synchronize at least a portion of said plurality of imagers; and

a low-voltage differential signaling communication connection of said video processor module, such that said video processor module is configured to be communicatively connected to at least a portion of said plurality of imagers, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of imagers are approximately synchronized without communicating a synchronization signal via said low-voltage differential signaling communication connection, and images captured by said plurality of imagers are approximately synchronized without buffering said captured images.

18. The imager system of claim 17 further comprising a dedicated synchronization communication connection of said video processor module, such that said video processor modules is configured to be communicatively connected to at least a portion of said plurality of imagers, wherein a synchronize signal is communicated via said dedicated synchronization communication connection.

19. The imager system of claim 17 further comprising power and ground connections of said video processor module, such that said video processor module is configured to be communicatively connected to at least a portion of said plurality of imagers, wherein a synchronize signal is communicated via said power and ground connection.

20. The imager system of claim 17, wherein an asynchronous communication backchannel is used in a closed loop to generate a synchronization signal locally at least a portion of said plurality of imagers, such that at least a portion of said imagers are approximately synchronized.