Assistant monitor apparatus and the method of controlling the same

• US 7,188,014 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Liao, Yung-Sheng, Tu, Wen-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/433,619
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 701/4, 701/1, 701/49, 701/41, 701/70, 701/72, 701/96, 701/301, 340/436, 340/475, 362/494, 362/513, 362/523, 116/54, 359/872, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assistant monitor method for vehicle, comprising steps of: projecting a light beam to illuminate objects surrounding a transportation means; receiving the reflected light of the light beam so as to generate an electric image signal accordingly; generating a status signal by detecting and sensing the status of the transportation means; processing the status signal so as to correspondingly generate a control signal; and adjusting the projecting angle of the light beam and the receiving angle to receive the reflected light beam according to the control signal. Moreover, according to the method, the present invention also provides an assistant monitor apparatus of for vehicle to implement the foregoing method. By means of the aforesaid apparatus provided in the present invention, the projecting direction of the light projector and a sensing angle of the image sensor for receiving the reflected light can be controlled to reduce blind spots of a rear mirror of the transportation means while avoiding the whitening effect to be generated on the rear mirror, such that safety of the driver driving the transportation mean along with the ambient vehicles and pedestrians can be ensured.

Claims

1. An assistant monitor method for vehicles, comprising steps of:

projecting a light beam to illuminate objects surrounding a transportation means;

receiving the reflected light of the light beam so as to generate an image-related signal accordingly;

generating a status signal by performing a detection operation to sense the status of the transportation means;

processing the status signal so as to correspondingly generate a control signal; and

adjusting the projecting angle and intensity of the light beam and the angle of reception for receiving the reflection of the light beam according to the control signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection operation further comprises a step of:

detecting a moving condition of the transportation means, while the moving condition is a status selected from the group consisting of;

turning of the transportation means, moving direction of the transportation means, speed of the transportation means, and the combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection operation further comprises a step of:

detecting of the ambient luminance of the transportation means.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of:

detecting statuses of invisible light illuminating the ambient of the transportation means while using the result of the detection as a basis for evaluating the influence of whitening effect.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a sensor used for detection the invisible light is an infrared sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

processing the image-related signal to generate an image signal while adjusting the gain of the image signal accordingly.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising a step of:

enabling a display device to receive the image signal for displaying images thereon accordingly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the light beam illuminating objects surrounding the transportation means is a light beam selected form the group consisting of:

visible light, infrared light and the combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a device used for receiving the reflection of the light beam and thus used as image sensor is a device selected form the group consisting of:

a charge coupled device (CCD), and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS).

10. An assistant monitor apparatus, adapted to be arranged on a transportation means, comprising:

at least a light emitter, each for providing a light beam;

at least an image sensor, each capable of receiving the reflection of the light beams and thus generating an image-related signal accordingly;

at least a sensing controller, each capable of detecting a status of the transportation means and thus generating a status signal accordingly;

a servo control unit, coupled to each image sensor and each sensing controller, capable of processing the image-related signal of each image sensor to generate an image signal correspondingly while processing the status signal of each sensing controller to generate a control signal correspondingly;

at least a swivel seat, coupled to the servo controller unit, capable of receiving the control signal while controlling the swivel seat to rotate according to the received control signal; and

a display device, coupled to the servo controller unit, capable of receiving the image signal while display an image thereon accordingly.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the light emitter is a light source selected from the group consisting of a light source of visible light and a light source of infrared light.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the light emitter further comprises a screen, while the screen is a device selected form the group consisting of:

a parabolic reflector, and a scattering screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image sensor is a device selected from the group consisting of:

a visible light sensor, an infrared light sensor, a sensor capable sensing visible light and infrared light, and a device integrating a visible light sensor and an infrared light sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image sensor is arranged at a location selected form the group consisting of:

the front, the left front side, the right front side, the rear and the top of the transportation means.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the status of the transportation means is a status selected from the group consisting of:

a turning of the transportation means, moving direction of the transportation means, speed of the transportation means, and the combination thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensing controller is capable of detecting a variation of the steering mechanism of the transportation means as the transportation, means is turning.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each swivel seat is at least connected to a device selected from the group consisting of the light emitters and the image sensors, while being affixed to the transportation means for enabling the device connected to the swivel seat to rotate to a direction corresponding to the status of the transportation means according to the control signal of the servo control unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensing controller is capable of generating a status signal according to the ambient luminance of the transportation means detected thereby, while transmitting the status signal to the servo control unit for enabling the same to generate a corresponding control signal controlling the intensity of the light projected by the light emitters.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the light emitters and at least one of the image sensors can be configured into a module.

20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the module is arranged at a location selected form the group consisting of:

the front, the left front side, the right front side, the rear and the top of the transportation means.