Vehicle Camera Image Processing

• US 20180025507A1
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: HUFNAGEL, Brian, EPPEL, Damian, SZEWCZYK, Przemyslaw
• Granted Patent: US 10,354,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

Methods and systems for developing image processing in a vehicle are described. In an example, a system, a tool or method may be used to determine the effect of changing parameters for processing the image data from a vehicle camera without actually processing the image. The image may be processed after the parameters reach a threshold of minimum requirements. After the image is approved, the parameters may be stored and transmitted to a separate system to be integrated into head unit instructions of a vehicle or loaded into head unit memory in a vehicle. The vehicle may display a processed image in a vehicle display. Vehicle processing circuitry may develop image processing for a vehicle are described. In an example, the image processing that relates to preparing an image for display occurs in the head unit in the vehicle may be positioned away from the camera itself.

Claims

1. A vehicle image processing system, comprising:

an image source to provide image data;

an image processor to receive the image data and process the image data to output a display image according to processing parameters, the processing parameters being generated by loading camera parameters, selection of output requirement parameters, selecting annotation settings, calculating a view of a raw image data, adjusting parameters, outputting adjusted view using adjusted parameters without recalculating the entire raw image, and when the image data passes image inspection, setting the parameters to output the display image for a specific vehicle to adjust for the camera and output device; and

a display to receive the display image and output the display

2. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image processor processes the image data by repeating, if the display image does not pass an inspection, adjusting parameters, outputting adjusted view using adjusted parameters without recalculating the entire raw image, and when the image data passes image inspection, setting the parameters to output the display image for a specific vehicle to adjust for the camera and output device.

3. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 2, further comprising a head unit with a memory to store the parameters for processing the image data when the processing passes inspection.

4. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 3, wherein the image processor processes the image data with parameters set without graphically processing a new output image from the raw image file.

5. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 3, further comprising a global positioning system to determine a location of the vehicle and to set a location parameter based on the location of the vehicle, and wherein the image processor uses the location parameter to set processing to the raw image data.

6. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image source is wide angle camera with a field of view greater than 130°

and up to about 200°

, and wherein the processing parameters correct for at least some of distortion of the image data resulting from a wide angle camera.

7. The vehicle image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the image processor is remote from the camera.

8. A vehicle image processing method, comprising:

loading processing parameters to process an image from a vehicle camera;

receiving a raw image file that was produced by a vehicle camera;

processing the raw image file using the processing parameters to output a first output image;

displaying the first output image;

changing at least one of the parameter of the processing parameters; and

outputting a reprocessed output image based on changed parameters without graphically reprocessing the raw image file.

9. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, wherein loading processing parameters includes loading a distortion strength parameter, a zoom level parameter, a vertical offset parameter, a horizontal offset parameter, and a tilt level parameter.

10. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, wherein changing at least one of the parameter of the processing parameters results a near real-time change in outputting a reprocessed output image.

11. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, further comprising outputting a graphical user interface showing more than one of the processing parameters.

12. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, wherein outputting the graphical user interface includes a single screen interface to change most of the processing parameters and then output a sample image.

13. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, wherein outputting the graphical user interface includes outputting at least one of a perspective view 3D visualization diagram, overlay parameters, car parameters, and steering wheel angle parameter, and a combination thereof.

14. The vehicle image processing method of claim 8, wherein outputting the graphical user interface includes receiving position data from a navigational positioning system, integrating the position data with the graphical user interface, and displaying the graphical user interface with camera produced video and the positional data from the navigational positioning system.