Area of representation in an automotive night vision system

• US 7,408,478 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Seekircher, Juergen, Eggers, Helmuth, Wohlgemuth, Thomas, Kurz, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US10/539,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 348/148
• US Class Current: 340/901
• 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 1/24 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 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method for detecting surroundings by an automotive night vision system comprising several areas, including a detection area (3) in which surroundings related data is detected, an evaluation area within which the surroundings-related data detected by the night vision system is evaluated, and an area of representation in which information about the surroundings-related data detected therein is represented to the driver by an optical display unit. The area of representation is therefore restricted in the inventive method for detecting surroundings such that the area of representation comprises no more than the high beam area (2). The driver is shown only the surroundings related data which he/she would see anyway when actuating the conventional high beam due to the fact that the area of representation is restricted.

Claims

1. A method for detecting surroundings by means of an automotive night vision system of a vehicle having a high beam headlight illuminating a high beam area and a low beam headlight illuminating a low beam area, the method comprising:

providing a detection area in which the night vision system is sensitive at least to optical radiation in the IR wavelength region and detects data relating to the surroundings,

providing an area of representation that does not cover the entire detection area, wherein the area of representation is restricted to comprise at most the high beam area of the vehicle, and

displaying to a driver of the vehicle only information from data relating to the surroundings detected by the night vision system in the area of representation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing an evaluation area within which the data relating to the surroundings detected by means of the night vision system are subjected to evaluation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing the area of representation with a tolerance area.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the area of representation comprises at least a part of the low beam area.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the evaluation area comprises at least the high beam area.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein objects detected by means of the evaluation in the area of representation are emphasized in the optical representation.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the information relating to the objects detected during the evaluation in the evaluation area is made available to internal vehicle systems for further evaluation.

8. The method as in claim 2, wherein said evaluation is object recognition.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the evaluation area is automatically expanded when an object recognized is located only partially in the evaluation area until the object has been completely evaluated.

10. The method as in claim 2, wherein the evaluation area includes the entire detection area of the night vision system.

11. The method as in claim 8, wherein objects located directly in front of the vehicle are not recognized.

12. The method as in claim 3, wherein the tolerance area is permanently prescribed.

13. The method as in claim 3, wherein the tolerance area is automatically controlled on the basis of vehicle variables or variables of the surroundings.

14. The method as in claim 10, wherein the tolerance area is set as a function of an evaluation of data relating to the surroundings.

15. The method as in claim 11, wherein the tolerance area is automatically expanded whenever an object is situated only partially in the current area of representation in such a way that the object is covered completely by the expanded area of representation.