Multi-camera vision system for a vehicle
DCFirst Claim
1. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said vehicular multi-camera vision system comprising:
- at least three image capture devices disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camera vision system;
said at least three image capture devices comprising a first image capture device disposed at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a first location;
said at least three image capture devices comprising a second image capture device disposed at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a second location;
said at least three image capture devices comprising a third image capture device disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle at a third location;
wherein said first image capture device has a first field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said second image capture device has a second field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said third image capture device has a third field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said first field of view of said first image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a first overlap zone;
wherein said second field of view of said second image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a second overlap zone;
wherein said first image capture device captures first image data;
wherein said second image capture device captures second image data;
wherein said third image capture device captures third image data;
an image processor;
wherein first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream;
wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream;
wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream;
wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in said first overlap zone and in said second overlap zone and wherein said synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said synthesized image is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when normally operating the equipped vehicle.
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Litigations
4 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle includes first, second and third image capture devices disposed at respective vehicle portions. The first image capture device field of view overlaps with the third image capture device field of view defining a first overlap zone, and the second image capture device field of view overlaps with the third image capture device field of view defining a second overlap zone. Responsive to processing by an image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in the first overlap zone and in the second overlap zone. The synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the vehicle, and is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle.
510 Citations
86 Claims
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1. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said vehicular multi-camera vision system comprising:
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at least three image capture devices disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camera vision system; said at least three image capture devices comprising a first image capture device disposed at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a first location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a second image capture device disposed at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a second location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a third image capture device disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle at a third location; wherein said first image capture device has a first field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said second image capture device has a second field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said third image capture device has a third field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said first field of view of said first image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a first overlap zone; wherein said second field of view of said second image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a second overlap zone; wherein said first image capture device captures first image data; wherein said second image capture device captures second image data; wherein said third image capture device captures third image data; an image processor; wherein first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream; wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream; wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor via at least one of an analog data stream and a digital data stream; wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in said first overlap zone and in said second overlap zone and wherein said synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said synthesized image is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when normally operating the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said vehicular multi-camera vision system comprising:
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at least three image capture devices disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camera vision system; said at least three image capture devices comprising a first image capture device disposed at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a first location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a second image capture device disposed at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a second location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a third image capture device disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle at a third location; wherein said first image capture device has a first field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said second image capture device has a second field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said third image capture device has a third field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said first field of view of said first image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a first overlap zone; wherein said second field of view of said second image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a second overlap zone; wherein said first image capture device captures first image data; wherein said second image capture device captures second image data; wherein said third image capture device captures second image data; wherein each of said at least three image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array; wherein said first image capture device is disposed at the equipped vehicle at substantially the same height relative to ground as is said second image capture device; wherein said third vehicular camera disposed at the rear of the equipped vehicle is operable as a backup camera; an image processor; wherein first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in said first overlap zone and in said second overlap zone and wherein said synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said synthesized image is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when normally operating the equipped vehicle; and wherein at least one of (a) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a panoramic view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle, (b) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a substantially seamless panoramic view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle and (c) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a substantially seamless view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said vehicular multi-camera vision system comprising:
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at least three image capture devices disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camera vision system; said at least three image capture devices comprising a first image capture device disposed at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a first location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a second image capture device disposed at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a second location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a third image capture device disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle at a third location; wherein said first image capture device has a first field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said second image capture device has a second field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said third image capture device has a third field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said first field of view of said first image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a first overlap zone; wherein said second field of view of said second image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a second overlap zone; wherein said first image capture device captures first image data; wherein said second image capture device captures second image data; wherein said third image capture device captures second image data; wherein each of said at least three image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array; wherein said third vehicular camera disposed at the rear of the equipped vehicle is operable as a backup camera; an image processor; wherein first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in said first overlap zone and in said second overlap zone and wherein said synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said synthesized image is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when normally operating the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said vehicular multi-camera vision system comprising:
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at least three image capture devices disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular multi-camera vision system; said at least three image capture devices comprising a first image capture device disposed at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a first location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a second image capture device disposed at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle at a second location; said at least three image capture devices comprising a third image capture device disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle at a third location; wherein said first image capture device has a first field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said second image capture device has a second field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said third image capture device has a third field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said first field of view of said first image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a first overlap zone; wherein said second field of view of said second image capture device overlaps with said third field of view of said third image capture device defining a second overlap zone; wherein said first field of view said first image capture device is bounded by the side of the equipped vehicle it is disposed at and extends outwards therefrom and wherein said second field of view said second image capture device is bounded by the side of the equipped vehicle it is disposed at and extends outwards therefrom; wherein said first image capture device captures first image data; wherein said second image capture device captures second image data; wherein said third image capture device captures second image data; wherein each of said at least three image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array; wherein said third vehicular camera disposed at the rear of the equipped vehicle is operable as a backup camera; an image processor; wherein first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor; wherein, responsive to processing by said image processor of received image data, a synthesized image is generated without duplication of objects present in said first overlap zone and in said second overlap zone and wherein said synthesized image approximates a view as would be seen by a virtual camera at a single location exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said synthesized image is displayed by a single display screen of a reconfigurable display device that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when normally operating the equipped vehicle; wherein at least one of (a) first image data captured by said first image capture device is received at said image processor via a digital data stream and wherein second image data captured by said second image capture device is received at said image processor via a digital data stream and wherein third image data captured by said third image capture device is received at said image processor via a digital data stream and (b) image data transmission from said first, second and third image capture devices to said image processor is by electrically conductive leads over a vehicle communication bus; and wherein at least one of (a) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a panoramic view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle, (b) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a substantially seamless panoramic view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle and (c) said synthesized image displayed by said display screen approximates a substantially seamless view as would be viewed from a single virtual camera located exterior the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification