REAR CROSS TRAFFIC - QUICK LOOKS

• US 20170026572A1
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Baran, Matthew T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,942,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• 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: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20092 Interactive image processing based on input by user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

System and method of performing various transformations between an omnidirectional image model and a rectilinear image model for use in vehicle imaging systems. In particular, a panel transform system and method for transforming an omnidirectional image from an omnidirectional camera positioned on a vehicle to a rectilinear image. The rectilinear image is then displayed to the driver for use while performing vehicle maneuvers. The panel transform system and method also provide a rectilinear image model based on the omnidirectional camera for use with existing rectilinear imaging processing systems. The rectilinear image model is determined based on a variable set of input parameters that are defined by both automatic and manual system inputs such as a steering wheel angle sensor and a user interface.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle imaging system, the method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic control unit, an omnidirectional image from a vehicle-based omnidirectional camera;

determining a first angular perspective vector;

generating a first rectilinear image orthogonal to the first angular perspective vector;

displaying the first rectilinear image to a driver of the vehicle;

receiving commands from a driver-operated control;

adjusting the angular perspective vector based on the commands;

generating a second rectilinear image orthogonal to the adjusted angular perspective vector; and

displaying the second rectilinear image to the driver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the angular perspective vector includes determining a yaw angle, a pitch angle, and a roll angle of the angular perspective vector in reference to an optical coordinate system defined with respect to the omnidirectional camera.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accessing an omnidirectional camera model representative of the omnidirectional image projected onto a unit sphere in the optical coordinate system,

wherein the angular perspective vector at least partially defines a local plane, and

wherein the local plane is tangent to the unit sphere and orthogonal to the angular perspective vector.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a plane extent of the local plane, wherein the plane extent defines a boundary of the local plane based, at least in part, on the commands.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining a relationship between each of a first plurality of pixels in the omnidirectional image and each of a second plurality of pixels in the second rectilinear image, and

wherein generating the second rectilinear image includes copying information from pixels in the omnidirectional image to the second rectilinear image based on the determined relationship.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining a relationship between each of the first plurality of pixels and each of the second plurality of pixels depends on the angular perspective vector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver-operated control is a steering wheel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver-operated control are buttons on a steering wheel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver-operated control is a dual-purpose control, and wherein the driver-operated control is activated based on a condition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the condition is an activation of a driver-operated control.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the driver-operated control is a gear shift control.

12. A vehicle imaging system comprising:

an omnidirectional camera;

a display;

a driver-operated control; and

an electronic control unit configured to

receive an omnidirectional image from the omnidirectional camera,

determine a first angular perspective vector,

generate a first rectilinear image orthogonal to the first angular perspective vector,

send the first rectilinear image to the display,

receive commands from the driver-operated control,

adjust the angular perspective vector based on the commands,

generate a second rectilinear image orthogonal to the adjusted angular perspective vector, and

send the second rectilinear image to the display.

13. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein an electronic control unit configured to determine the angular perspective vector also determines a yaw angle, a pitch angle, and a roll angle of the angular perspective vector in reference to an optical coordinate system defined with respect to the omnidirectional camera.

14. The vehicle imaging system of claim 13, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:

access an omnidirectional camera model representative of the omnidirectional image projected onto a unit sphere in the optical coordinate system,

wherein the angular perspective vector at least partially defines a local plane, and

wherein the local plane is tangent to the unit sphere and orthogonal to the angular perspective vector.

15. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:

determine a relationship between each of a first plurality of pixels in the omnidirectional image and each of a second plurality of pixels in the second rectilinear image, and

wherein an electronic control unit configured to generate the second rectilinear image also copies information from pixels in the omnidirectional image to the second rectilinear image based on the determined relationship.

16. The vehicle imaging system of claim 15, wherein the electronic control unit configured to determine a relationship between each of the first plurality of pixels and each of the second plurality of pixels determines the relationship based on the angular perspective vector.

17. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the driver-operated control is a steering wheel.

18. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the driver-operated control are buttons on a steering wheel.

19. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the driver-operated control is a dual-purpose control, and wherein the driver-operated control is activated based on a condition.

20. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the condition is an activation of a driver-operated control.

21. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the driver-operated control is a gear shift control.

22. The vehicle imaging system of claim 12, wherein the driver-operated control is a user-interface integrated in the display.