Methods and systems for displaying vehicle rear camera images in different modes

• US 8,339,253 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Chundrlik, William J. Jr., Lybecker, Kent S., Li, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/555,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 340/937, 340/932.2, 348/148, 348/143, 701/1, 701/28, 701/35, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/436
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images

Abstract

A method for displaying images of a camera associated with a vehicle includes the steps of displaying the images in a first mode if a first condition is satisfied, and displaying the images in a second mode if a second condition is satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for displaying images of a camera associated with a vehicle that is controlled/processed by a processor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data from one or more sensors of the vehicle;

displaying the images in a first mode if a first condition is satisfied, the first condition being satisfied based on an indication from the data as to an object in proximity to the vehicle; and

displaying the images in a second mode if a second condition is satisfied, the second condition being satisfied based on the indication from the data as to the object in proximity to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode, wherein;

the step of displaying the images in the first mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the first mode provided that the first condition is satisfied and provided further that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode; and

the step of displaying the images in the second mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the second mode provided that the second condition is satisfied and provided further that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving a driver request for display of the images, wherein;

the step of displaying the images in the first mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the first mode if the driver request is to display the images in the first mode; and

the step of displaying the images in the second mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the second mode if the driver request is to display the images in the second mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of displaying the images in the first mode comprises the step of displaying the images with a first field of view behind the vehicle; and

the step of displaying the images in the second mode comprises the step of displaying the images with a second field of view behind the vehicle, the second field of view being greater than the first field of view.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein:

the step of displaying the images in the first mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the first mode if the data indicates that the object is in a first region proximate the vehicle; and

the step of displaying the images in the second mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the second mode if the data indicates that the object is in a second region proximate the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the step of displaying the images in the first mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the first mode if the data indicates that an obstacle is in the first region, the first region being substantially directly behind the vehicle; and

the step of displaying the images in the second mode comprises the step of displaying the images in the second mode if the data indicates that one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both are approaching the vehicle from the second region, the second region being to the right or the left of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

calculating an estimated time to collision from the one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both; and

providing a warning if the estimated time to collision is less than a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

displaying the images in the second mode only on the further condition that the estimated time to collision is less than the predetermined threshold.

9. A method for displaying images of a camera associated with a vehicle that is controlled/processed by a processor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data from one or more sensors of the vehicle,

determining whether the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode;

displaying the images with a first field of view if a first condition is satisfied and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode, the first condition being satisfied based on an indication from the data as to an object in proximity to the vehicle; and

displaying the images with a second field of view greater than the first field of view, if a second condition is satisfied and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode, the second condition being satisfied based on the indication from the data as to the object in proximity to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

receiving a driver request for display of the images, wherein;

the step of displaying the images with the first field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the first field of view if the driver request is to display the images with the first field of view and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode; and

the step of displaying the images with the second field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the second field of view if the driver request is to display the images with the second field of view and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode.

11. The method of claim 9,

wherein:

the step of displaying the images with the first field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the first field of view if the data indicates that the object is in a first region proximate the vehicle and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode; and

the step of displaying the images with the second field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the second field of view if the data indicates that the object is in a second region proximate the vehicle and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the step of displaying the images with the first field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the first field of view if the data indicates that an obstacle is in the first region, the first region being substantially directly behind the vehicle; and

the step of displaying the images with the second field of view comprises the step of displaying the images with the second field of view if one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both, are approaching the vehicle from the second region, the second region being to the right or the left of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second condition is satisfied if one or more of a plurality of additional conditions are satisfied; and

the first condition is satisfied if none of the plurality of additional conditions are satisfied.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of additional conditions are selected from the group consisting of:

whether an object is detected behind the vehicle, whether a speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a first predetermined threshold, whether a distance travelled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to a second predetermined threshold, whether an amount of time that the vehicle has been moving is greater than or equal to a third predetermined threshold, and whether an amount of time that the vehicle has been in the reverse driving mode is greater than or equal to a fourth predetermined threshold.

15. A system for displaying images of a camera associated with a vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more first sensors configured to detect whether an object is in a first region proximate the vehicle;

one or more second sensors configured to detect whether the object is in a second region proximate the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to the one or more first sensors and the one or more second sensors and configured to facilitate;

displaying the images with a first field of view if the object is in the first region; and

displaying the images with a second field of view if the object is in the second region, the second field of view being greater than the first field of view.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to facilitate displaying the images:

with the first field of view if an obstacle is detected in the first region, the first region being substantially directly behind the vehicle; and

with the second field of view if one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both, are approaching the vehicle from the second region, the second region being to the right or the left of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode; and

facilitate displaying the images;

with the first field of view if the obstacle is detected in the first region and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode; and

with the second field of view if the one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both, are approaching the vehicle from the second region and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an interface configured to receive a driver request for display of the images;

wherein the processor is coupled to the interface and is further configured to facilitate;

displaying the images with the first field of view if the driver request is to display the images with the first field of view and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode; and

displaying the images with the second field of view if the driver request is to display the images with the second field of view and further provided that the vehicle is in the reverse driving mode.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate an estimated time to collision from the one or more approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or both, and the system further comprises:

a warning indicator coupled to the processor and configured to provide a warning if the estimated time to collision is less than a predetermined threshold.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to facilitate displaying the images with the second field of view only on the further condition that the estimated time to collision is less than the predetermined threshold.