Motor vehicle

• US 8,749,404 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Augst, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/618,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/903, 382/101
• US Class Current: 340/937
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A motor vehicle has an imaging device for generating an image of a radiation pattern on the terrain surrounding the motor vehicle. A detecting device is provided for the multiple sequential detection of images of the radiation patterns that are influenced by the terrain. A processor device is also provided. The processing device is designed such that an obstacle in the terrain is detected based on the difference between directly or indirectly sequentially detected images of the radiation pattern.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an imaging device operatively configured to generate an image of a radiation pattern in an environment of the motor vehicle;

a detecting device operatively configured for multiple, sequential detection of images of the radiation pattern influenced by the environment; and

a processor operatively configured to detect an obstacle in the environment on the basis of a difference between images detected by the detecting device at different times or sequential images of the radiation pattern, wherein the processor is operatively arranged such that a radiation pattern assigned to the motor vehicle is recognized by a correspondence between the detected image and a generated image with respect to curvature.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is operatively arranged such that the image of the radiation pattern forms an essentially closed ring around the motor vehicle.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the imaging device and the detecting device is at least partially arranged in a door handle of the motor vehicle.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the imaging device and the detecting device is at least partially arranged in the door handle of the motor vehicle together with a vehicle front end area lighting unit.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is at least partially arranged in a decorative element of the motor vehicle.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the imaging device is at least partially arranged in a decorative element of the motor vehicle.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device is arranged in a side mirror of the motor vehicle.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising at least one of a top view camera, a backup camera, and a forward direction camera, said at least one camera being arranged in the side mirror of the motor vehicle with the detecting device.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when the motor vehicle is stationary, the processor device detects a theft threat based on a difference between the sequential images of the radiation pattern and generates a corresponding warning signal.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern is generated by two partial imaging devices, each partial imaging device generating a partial radiation pattern having several parallel lines which are mutually superimposed.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a side mirror of the motor vehicle in which at least of the imaging device and the detecting device is integrated; and

wherein the processor detects an obstacle hindering opening of a vehicle door based on a difference between sequential images of the radiation pattern.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a time period between successive generating of the images of the radiation pattern and sequential detecting of the images of the radiation pattern influenced by the environment is a function of vehicle movement.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processor recognizes an obstacle based on a comparison of a displacement of the image of the radiation pattern and a displacement of other textures and/or edges in the image detected by the detecting device.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein information concerning the vehicle environment is obtained based on the sequentially detected images of the radiation pattern, a time period between successive detection of the images, and vehicle movement.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processor automatically classifies an obstacle based on the sequentially detected images of the radiation pattern.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, as a function of an obstacle recognized in the environment and/or of a recognized obstacle class, an automatic change of vehicle dynamics of the motor vehicle occurs.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the automatic change of the vehicle dynamics comprises at least one of a braking operation and an evasive maneuver operation.