VEHICLE CAMERA SYSTEM WITH IMAGE MANIPULATION

• US 20150022665A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lu, Yuesheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,493,916 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 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning

Abstract

An image, such as a frame of video, is captured by a single camera positioned on a vehicle to capture a scene external to the vehicle. A first image manipulation is performed on a first region of the image to generate a first manipulated region. A second image manipulation is performed on a second region of the image to generate a second manipulated region. The second region is different from the first region. The second image manipulation is different from the first image manipulation. A manipulated image including the first manipulated region and the second manipulated region is generated by a processor and displayed on a display in the cabin of the vehicle. In this way, central, left, and right regions of the image can be manipulated differently to aid the driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle camera system comprising:

a single camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle equipped with the vehicle camera system;

a display configured to be positioned in a cabin of the equipped vehicle so as to be viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle; and

a processor operatively coupled to the single camera and the display;

wherein the processor is operable to receive image data captured by the single camera, the image data representative of a scene viewed by the single camera;

wherein the processor is operable to perform a first image manipulation on a first portion of captured image data corresponding to a first region of the scene to generate first region manipulated image data;

wherein the processor is operable to perform a second image manipulation on a second portion of captured image data corresponding to a second region of the scene to generate second region manipulated image data, the second region being different from the first region, the second image manipulation being different from the first image manipulation;

wherein the processor is operable to generate manipulated image data including the first region manipulated image data and the second region manipulated image data; and

wherein, responsive to the generated manipulated image data, the display is operable to display a manipulated image based at least in part on the manipulated image data, the displayed manipulated image having a first manipulated region at least partially derived from the first region manipulated image data and a second manipulated region at least partially derived from the second region manipulated image data.

2. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein first image manipulation comprises dewarping.

3. The vehicle camera system of claim 2, wherein the second image manipulation comprises reshaping.

4. The vehicle camera system of claim 3, wherein the second image manipulation further comprises dewarping.

5. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the second image manipulation is configured to move an apparent viewpoint of the single camera along a path of travel of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to perform a third image manipulation on a third portion of captured image data corresponding to a third region of the scene to generate third region manipulated image data, wherein the third region is different from the first region and the second region, and wherein the third image manipulation is of a same type as the second image manipulation, and wherein the manipulated image data includes the third region manipulated image data, and wherein the third region manipulated image data is at least partially derived from a third manipulated region forming part of the displayed manipulated image.

7. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, wherein the third manipulated region of the displayed manipulated image has a shape that is mirror-symmetric to a shape of the second manipulated region of the displayed manipulated image.

8. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, wherein the first region comprises a central region, the second region comprises a left region, and the third region comprises a right region of the scene viewed by the single camera.

9. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the displayed manipulated image includes a generally discontinuous seam between the first manipulated region and the second manipulated region.

10. The vehicle camera system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to graphically enhance the generally discontinuous seam.

11. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the image data is representative of at least a frame of video captured by the single camera.

12. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the single camera includes a wide-angle lens.

13. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the manipulated image based on image data received from only the single camera.

14. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the single camera is configured to be rear-facing on the equipped vehicle.

15. The vehicle camera system of claim 1, wherein the single camera is configured to be forward-facing on the equipped vehicle.

16. A vehicle camera system comprising:

a single camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle equipped with the vehicle camera system;

a display configured to be positioned in a cabin of the equipped vehicle; and

a processor operatively coupled to the single camera and the display, the processor configured to manipulate image data captured by the single camera to generate a manipulated image, wherein pixels of a central region of the image data being manipulated by a different type of manipulation than pixels of left and right regions of the image data, the pixels of the left and right regions of the image data being manipulated symmetrically about a vertical axis central to the central region.

28. The vehicle camera system of claim 16, wherein the manipulated image is displayed on the display, and wherein the displayed manipulated image includes a generally discontinuous seam between the first manipulated region and the second manipulated region.

17-27. -27. (canceled)

29. A vehicle camera system comprising:

a single camera configured to be positioned on a vehicle equipped with the vehicle camera system;

a display configured to be positioned in a cabin of the equipped vehicle so as to be viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle; and

a processor operatively coupled to the single camera and the display;

wherein the processor is operable to receive image data captured by the single camera, the image data representative of a scene viewed by the single camera;

wherein the processor is operable to perform a first image manipulation on a first portion of captured image data corresponding to a first region of the scene to generate first region manipulated image data;

wherein the processor is operable to perform a second image manipulation on a second portion of captured image data corresponding to a second region of the scene to generate second region manipulated image data, and wherein the second image manipulation is different from the first image manipulation;

wherein the processor is further operable to perform a third image manipulation on a third portion of captured image data corresponding to a third region of the scene to generate third region manipulated image data, and wherein the third image manipulation is of a same type as the second image manipulation;

wherein the first region comprises a central region, the second region comprises a left region, and the third region comprises a right region of the scene viewed by the single camera

wherein the processor is operable to generate manipulated image data including the first region manipulated image data, the second region manipulated image data and the third region manipulated image data; and

wherein, responsive to the generated manipulated image data, the display is operable to display a manipulated image based at least in part on the manipulated image data, the displayed manipulated image having a first manipulated region at least partially derived from the first region manipulated image data, a second manipulated region at least partially derived from the second region manipulated image data and a third manipulated region at least partially derived from the third region manipulated image data; and

wherein the third manipulated region of the displayed manipulated image has a shape that is mirror-symmetric to a shape of the second manipulated region of the displayed manipulated image, and wherein the second and third manipulated regions of the displayed manipulated image are at opposite sides of the first manipulated region of the displayed manipulated image.

30. The vehicle camera system of claim 29, wherein the second and third image manipulations provide a different apparent viewpoint of the single camera that is moved along a path of travel of the equipped vehicle.

31. The vehicle camera system of claim 29, wherein the displayed manipulated image includes a generally discontinuous seam between the first manipulated region and the second manipulated region, and wherein the processor is configured to graphically enhance the generally discontinuous seam.