Method for representing a front field of vision from a motor vehicle

• US 7,372,030 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hähl, Manfred, Adamietz, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, MINDY D
• Application Number:
  US11/178,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method for representing the front field of vision from a motor vehicle on a display panel of a display includes sensing, by an infrared camera system, the field of vision and feeding corresponding infrared data to a data processing unit. The infrared data is modified in the data processing unit on the basis of further information which is fed to the data processing unit and supplied as display data for actuating the display. The infrared camera system is a near-infrared camera system which senses the light from an infrared light source which is reflected from the field of vision and supplies it as corresponding near-infrared data to the data processing unit. A further infrared camera system is a far-infrared camera system which senses the thermal radiation from the field of vision which is fed as corresponding far-infrared data to the data processing unit. Furthermore, the physical variables from the field of vision which are sensed by one or more sensors are fed as corresponding sensor data to the data processing unit.

Claims

1. A method for representing the front field of vision from a motor vehicle on a display panel of a display, comprising the steps of:

sensing, by an infrared camera system, the field of vision and feeding corresponding infrared data to a data processing unit;

modifying the sensed infrared data in the data processing unit on the basis of further information fed to the data processing unit;

supplying the modified infrared data as display data for actuating the display,

wherein the infrared camera system includes a near-infrared camera system and a far infrared camera system, the near-infrared camera system senses the light from an infrared light source which is reflected from the field of vision and supplies corresponding near-infrared data to the data processing unit, the far-infrared camera system senses the thermal radiation from the field of vision and supplies corresponding far-infrared data to the data processing unit, and physical variables from the field of vision are sensed by at least one sensor and fed as corresponding sensor data to the data processing unit; and

restricting the field of vision in the data processing unit when processing the near-infrared data and identifying objects in the restricted field of vision when processing the far-infrared data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying, in the data processing unit, the near-infrared data by superimposing the near-infrared data with the far-infrared data to form display data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sensing physical variables from the field of vision by the at least one sensor and feeding the corresponding sensor data to the data processing unit, wherein the at least one sensor include at least one of a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and ultraviolet sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of feeding at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through an optimization stage in the data processing unit.

5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through a noise filter in the optimization stage.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through an edge filter in the optimization stage.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through a contrast improving stage in the optimization stage.

8. The method of claim 5, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through a contrast improving stage in the optimization stage.

9. The method of claim 4, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through a contrast improving stage in the optimization stage.

10. The method of claim 4, further including the step of passing the at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data through an edge filter in the optimization stage.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of extracting areas of the image information represented by the data in the data processing unit when processing at least one of the near-infrared data, the far-infrared data, and the sensor data.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of superimposing a virtual lattice on the display data defined by the near-infrared data.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein one side of the lattice corresponds to the boundary of the roadway.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of generating one of a visual and audible warning signal by the data processing unit when an object is identified in the restricted field of vision.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of generating one of a visual and audible warning signal by the data processing unit when an object is identified in the restricted field of vision.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating one of a visual and audible warning signal by the data processing unit when an object is identified in the restricted field of vision.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding at least a portion of the near-infrared data to the far-infrared data by the data processing unit to form complete display data items of an object.