Method and Vehicle Control System for Producing Images of a Surroundings Model, and Corresponding Vehicle

• US 20190325650A1
• Filed: 06/20/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: MILZ, Stefan, ARBEITER, Georg
• Granted Patent: US 10,692,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/08 involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for generating continuous images of a stored three-dimensional surroundings model (31) of a vehicle (21). A camera image is generated and projected onto a projection surface (32a) in the surroundings model (31). Continuous images of the projection surface (32a) are generated and output by means of a mobile virtual camera (33).

Claims

1. A method for generating continuous images of a stored three-dimensional surroundings model (31) of a vehicle (21), having the steps:

generation (S1) of at least one camera image by a camera device (22) of the vehicle (21);

projection (S2) of the generated camera image onto a projection surface (32a) in the stored three-dimensional surroundings model (31) of the vehicle (21);

generation (S3) of continuous images of the projection surface (32a) by means of a mobile virtual camera (33); and

output (S4) of the generated continuous images;

wherein the virtual camera (33) has a set of camera parameters, the elements of which comprise a camera position (P1, P2, P3) of the virtual camera (33) and an optical axis (A1, A2, A3) of the virtual camera (33);

wherein, along a first motion path (W1) in the surroundings model (31), the set of camera parameters is interpolated between a predetermined first set of camera parameters and a second set of camera parameters and, along a second motion path (W2) in the surroundings model (31), is interpolated continuously between the second set of camera parameters and a predetermined third set of camera parameters; and

wherein the optical axis (A2) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the second set of camera parameters runs through a predetermined axis point (y2) which lies on a connecting line (S) between a first reference point (y1) and a second reference point (y3), wherein the first reference point (y1) is a predetermined point on that optical axis (A1) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the first set of camera parameters and the second reference point (y3) is a predetermined point on that optical axis (A3) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the third set of camera parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first motion path (W1) and the second motion path (W2) describe a segment of a circle in the surroundings model (31).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein interpolation of the camera position (P1, P2, P3) of the mobile virtual camera (33) along the first motion path (W1) and/or along the second motion path (W2) is performed by spherical linear interpolation, SLERP.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein interpolation of the optical axis (A1, A2, A3) of the mobile virtual camera (33) along the first motion path (W1) and/or along the second motion path (W2) is performed by spherical linear interpolation, SLERP.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the camera position (P2) which is an element of the second set of camera parameters, lies in a middle third of the circle segment and in particular at a midpoint of the circle segment.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance of the first reference point (y1) from that camera position (P1) which is an element of the first set of camera parameters is substantially equal to the distance of the second reference point (y3) from that camera position (P3) which is an element of the third set of camera parameters.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the axis point (y2) lies substantially in the middle of the connecting line (S) between the first reference point (y1) and the second reference point (y3).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a driver assistance system (64) controls a function of the vehicle (21) on the basis of the output continuous images.

9. The method according to claim 1, preceding wherein the output continuous images are displayed to a driver of the vehicle on a display device.

10. A vehicle control system (61) of a vehicle (21) for generating continuous images of a stored three-dimensional surroundings model (31) of the vehicle (21) having:

a camera device (22) of the vehicle (21) for generating at least one camera image;

a computing device (62), which is configured to project the camera image generated onto a projection surface (32a) in the stored three-dimensional surroundings model (31) of the vehicle (21), and to generate continuous images of the projection surface (32a) by means of a mobile virtual camera (33); and

an output device (63) which is configured to output the generated continuous images,

wherein the virtual camera (33) has a set of camera parameters, the elements of which comprise a camera position (P1, P2, P3) of the virtual camera (33) and an optical axis (A1, A2, A3) of the virtual camera (33),

wherein the computing device (62) is configured to interpolate the set of camera parameters along a first motion path (W1) in the surroundings model (31) continuously between a predetermined first set of camera parameters and a second set of camera parameters and, along a second motion path (W2) in the surroundings model (31), continuously between the second set of camera parameters and a predetermined third set of camera parameters, and

wherein the computing device (62) is further configured to determine that optical axis (A2) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the second set of camera parameters in such a way that it runs through a predetermined axis point (y2) which lies on a connecting line (S) between a first reference point (y1) and a second reference point (y3), wherein the first reference point (y1) is a predetermined point on that optical axis (A1) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the first set of camera parameters and the second reference point (y3) is a predetermined point on that optical axis (A3) of the virtual camera (33) which is an element of the third set of camera parameters.

11. The vehicle control system (61) according to claim 10, wherein the first motion path (W1) and the second motion path (W2) describe a segment of a circle in the surroundings model (31).

12. The vehicle control system (61) according to claim 10, wherein the computing device (62) is configured to interpolate the camera position (P1, P2, P3) of the mobile virtual camera (33) along the first motion path (W1) and/or along the second motion path (W2) by spherical linear interpolation, SLERP.

13. The vehicle control system (61) according to claim 10, with a driver assistance system (64) which is configured to control a function of the vehicle (21) on the basis of the output continuous images.

14. The vehicle control system (61) according to claim 10, wherein the output device (63) comprises a display device which is configured to display the output continuous images to a driver of the vehicle (21).

15. A vehicle (21) with a vehicle control system (61) according to claim 10.