Free space monitoring system for motor vehicles
First Claim
1. A process for monitoring the free space in the direction of travel of a vehicle, comprisingacquiring image data of the vehicle environment in the direction of travel using a camera system,additionally, on the basis of operating parameters and dimensions of the vehicle, pre-calculating a three dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel of the vehicle in a signal processing unit, anddisplaying to the operator of the vehicle at least the part of the acquired image data corresponding to the pre-calculated required free space,wherein the display of the image data occurs essentially as it would appear from the perspective of the operator of the vehicle directly viewing the vehicle environment in the direction of travel,wherein at least the image data associated with the three dimensional free space is subjected to a further processing,wherein as a result of this further processing the vehicle operator is informed with regard to whether or not sufficient free space is available for unimpeded travel,wherein the informing of the vehicle operator with regard to the existence of a sufficient free space occurs by the pictorial display of at least a part of the further processed image data,wherein the displayed image data has superimposed a symbolic representation of the edge boundaries of the required free space as determined by the pre-calculations in the signal processing unit, andwherein the edge boundaries are visualized by the display of a grid, a sequence of columns or a checkerboard pattern.
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Abstract
In complex vehicle maneuvers it is often difficult for the driver of the motor vehicle to estimate along which tract the vehicle will move and how much free space is necessary in order to avoid collision. A process is provided for monitoring the environment space in the direction of travel of the own vehicle, in which image data of the environment around the vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle is recorded using a camera system the three-dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel is calculated in advance in a signal processing unit and the vehicle operator is informed regarding whether or not a sufficient free space is available to him for unimpeded travel.
87 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A process for monitoring the free space in the direction of travel of a vehicle, comprising
acquiring image data of the vehicle environment in the direction of travel using a camera system, additionally, on the basis of operating parameters and dimensions of the vehicle, pre-calculating a three dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel of the vehicle in a signal processing unit, and displaying to the operator of the vehicle at least the part of the acquired image data corresponding to the pre-calculated required free space, wherein the display of the image data occurs essentially as it would appear from the perspective of the operator of the vehicle directly viewing the vehicle environment in the direction of travel, wherein at least the image data associated with the three dimensional free space is subjected to a further processing, wherein as a result of this further processing the vehicle operator is informed with regard to whether or not sufficient free space is available for unimpeded travel, wherein the informing of the vehicle operator with regard to the existence of a sufficient free space occurs by the pictorial display of at least a part of the further processed image data, wherein the displayed image data has superimposed a symbolic representation of the edge boundaries of the required free space as determined by the pre-calculations in the signal processing unit, and wherein the edge boundaries are visualized by the display of a grid, a sequence of columns or a checkerboard pattern.
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13. A device for monitoring the free space in the direction of travel of a vehicle, including:
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a camera system for acquiring image data from the vehicle environment in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a signal processing unit, which is in communication with sensors for detecting operating parameters of the vehicle and which includes a memory in which data is recorded regarding dimensions of the vehicle, the signal processing unit pre-calculating a three dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel of the vehicle on the basis of the operating parameters and the dimensions of the vehicle, a display unit in communication with the signal processing unit, for displaying to the operator of the vehicle at least that part of the acquired image data corresponding to the pre-calculated required three-dimensional free space, wherein the displayed image data has superimposed a symbolic representation of the edge boundaries of the required free space as determined by the pre-calculations in the signal processing unit, and wherein the edge boundaries are visualized by the display of a grid, a sequence of columns or a checkerboard pattern, wherein the memory associated with the signal processing unit is so designed and arranged, that a number of data sets are recorded in the memory regarding different vehicle dimensions, each of which can be specifically selected and made available to the signal processing unit by a means for specific selection of a set of data stored in memory, and/or the memory is provided with a means via which the at least one data set stored in memory can be changed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for monitoring the space behind a vehicle during backing-up or repositioning of the vehicle, comprising:
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acquiring image data of the vehicle environment in the direction of travel using a camera system, additionally, on the basis of operating parameters and dimensions of the vehicle, pre-calculating a three dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel of the vehicle in a signal processing unit, and displaying to the operator of the vehicle at least the part of the acquired image data corresponding to the pre-calculated required free space, wherein the display of the image data occurs essentially as it would appear from the perspective of the operator of the vehicle directly viewing the vehicle environment in the direction of travel, wherein at least the image data associated with the three dimensional free space is subjected to a further processing, and wherein as a result of this further processing the vehicle operator is informed with regard to whether or not sufficient free space is available for unimpeded travels, wherein the informing of the vehicle operator with regard to the existence of a sufficient free space occurs by the pictorial display of at least a part of the further processed image data, wherein the displayed image data has superimposed a symbolic representation of the edge boundaries of the required free space as determined by the pre-calculations in the signal processing unit, and wherein the edge boundaries are visualized by the display of a grid, a sequence of columns or a checkerboard pattern.
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21. A device for monitoring the space behind a vehicle during backing-up or repositioning of the vehicle,
said device including: -
a camera system for acquiring image data from the vehicle environment in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a signal processing unit, which is in communication with sensors for detecting operating parameters of the vehicle and which includes a memory in which data is recorded regarding dimensions of the vehicle, the signal processing unit pre-calculating a three dimensional free space required for unimpeded travel of the vehicle on the basis of the operating parameters and the dimensions of the vehicle, a display unit in communication with the signal processing unit, for displaying to the operator of the vehicle at least that part of the acquired image data corresponding to the pre-calculated required three-dimensional free space, wherein the displayed image data has superimposed a symbolic representation of the edge boundaries of the required free space as determined by the pre-calculations in the signal processing unit, and wherein the edge boundaries are visualized by the display of a arid, a sequence of columns or a checkerboard pattern, wherein the memory associated with the signal processing unit is so designed and arranged, that a number of data sets are recorded in the memory regarding different vehicle dimensions, each of which can be specifically selected and made available to the signal processing unit, and/or the memory is provided with a means via which the at least one data set stored in memory can be changed.
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Specification