Vehicle Surround View System

• US 20120262580A1
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Huebner, Klaus, Natroshvili, Koba, Scholl, Kay-Ulrich, Quast, Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/602 with an adjustable viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A surround view system that can provide a surround view, e.g., a 360° view, from a vehicle by way of cameras positioned at various locations on the vehicle. The cameras can generate image data corresponding to the surround view, and a processing device can process the image data and generate the surround view on a simulated predetermined shape that can be viewed from a display. The simulated predetermined shape can have a flat bottom with a rectangular shape and a rim with a parabolic shape.

Claims

1. A surround view system comprising:

a plurality of cameras positionable at different locations on a vehicle, the cameras configured to generate image data of surroundings of the vehicle;

a processing device configured to process the image data, the processing device being further configured to generate a surround view of the vehicle based on the image data, where the processing device is configured to project the image data on a simulated predetermined shape surrounding the vehicle, the simulated predetermined shape having a flat bottom with a rectangular shape, the simulated predetermined shape continuing above the bottom in horizontal cross sections, and a top cross section of the simulated predetermined shape being parabolic in shape; and

a display configured to display the surround view.

2. The surround view system according to claim 1, where the simulated predetermined shape is a bowl.

3. The surround view system according to claim 1, further comprising a user input device configured to change a viewing perspective of the surround view.

4. The surround view system according to claim 1, where a ratio of a long edge to a short edge of the rectangular shape is proportional to a ratio of a length of the vehicle to a width of the vehicle.

5. The surround view system according to claim 1, where a ratio of a long axis to a short axis of the parabolic shape is proportional to a ratio of a length of the vehicle to a width of the vehicle.

6. The surround view system according to claim 1, where a plurality of vertical cross sections of the simulated predetermined shape are formed as a parabolic shape having a flat side.

7. The surround view system according to claim 6, where a gradient at a junction of the flat bottom with a curved portion of the vertical cross sections is between about 80°

and about 100°

.

8. The surround view system according to claim 6, where a gradient at a junction of the flat bottom with a curved portion of the vertical cross sections is approximately 90°

.

9. The surround view system according to claim 1, where a horizontal cross section at the flat bottom of the simulated predetermined shape has a length-to-width ratio between about 0.6 and about 0.8.

10. The surround view system according to claim 1, where the processing device is configured to change a size of the flat bottom of the simulated predetermined shape.

11. The surround view system according to claim 1, comprising an interface configured to receive signals from additional sensors that measure distance from the vehicle to objects located around the vehicle.

12. The surround view system according to claim 1, where the processing device is further configured to determine a distance of an object shown in a surround view with respect to motion of at least one of the object or the vehicle.

13. The surround view system according to claim 1, where the cameras are wide-angle cameras having a horizontal opening angle of more than 170°

.

14. A method for generating a surround view of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of image sensors at different locations on the vehicle;

the image sensors generating image data of surroundings of the vehicle that cover the surroundings of the vehicle;

processing the image data of the image sensors to generate a surround view of the vehicle based on the image data from the image sensors, where the image data are inversely projected on a predetermined shape surrounding the vehicle, the predetermined shape having a flat bottom with a rectangular shape, the predetermined shape continuing above the flat bottom with horizontal shapes, and a top shape of the simulated predetermined shape being parabolic in shape; and

displaying the generated surround view.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

changing a position and an angle of view with which the generated surround view is displayed in accordance with a user input.

16. A surround view system comprising:

a processing device configured to process image data corresponding to surroundings of a vehicle, the processing device being further configured to generate a surround view based on the image data, where the processing device is further configured to project the image data on a simulated predetermined shape surrounding the vehicle, the simulated predetermined shape having a flat bottom with a rectangular shape, the simulated predetermined shape configured to continue above the flat bottom in horizontal cross sections, and the simulated predetermined shape having a top cross section being parabolic in shape.

17. The surround view system according to claim 16, further comprising a display configured to display the surround view.

18. The surround view system according to claim 16, where a ratio of a long edge to a short edge of the rectangular shape is proportional to a ratio of a length of the vehicle to a width of the vehicle.

19. The surround view system according to claim 16, where a ratio of a long axis to a short axis of the parabolic shape is proportional to a ratio of a length of the vehicle to a width of the vehicle.

20. The surround view system according to claim 16, where the surround view is a 360°

view.