Vision system for vehicle with adjustable cameras

• US 9,674,490 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Koravadi, Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): HUANG, FRANK F
• Application Number:
  US14/255,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/108 using 'non-standard' camera systems, e.g. camera sensor used for additional purposes i.a. rain sensor, camera sensor split in multiple image areas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a forward viewing imager, a rearward viewing imager and sideward viewing imagers. The forward viewing imager is disposed at a forward portion of the vehicle and has a forward field of view. The rearward viewing imager is disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and has a rearward field of view rearward of the vehicle. The sideward viewing imagers are disposed at respective sides of the vehicle and have respective sideward fields of view sideward of the vehicle. At least one of the forward viewing imager, the rearward viewing imager and the sideward viewing imagers is dynamically adjustable via a respective stepper motor. The fields of view of the imagers may be adjustable via the respective stepper motors responsive to actuation of a user input and/or a speed input indicative of the traveling speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a forward viewing imager disposed at a forward portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a forward field of view forward of the vehicle;

a rearward viewing imager disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a rearward field of view rearward of the vehicle;

sideward viewing imagers disposed at respective side portions of the vehicle and having respective sideward fields of view sideward of the vehicle at the respective side of the vehicle at which said sideward viewing imagers are disposed;

wherein at least one of (i) the forward field of view of said forward viewing imager is dynamically adjustable responsive to a vehicle input, (ii) the rearward field of view of said rearward viewing imager is dynamically adjustable responsive to a vehicle input and (iii) the sideward fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are dynamically adjustable responsive to a vehicle input;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of one of (i) rearward travel of the vehicle and (ii) traveling speed of the vehicle being less than a first threshold level, the field of view of at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass a ground region immediately adjacent the portion of the vehicle at which said at least one of said imagers is disposed;

wherein, when the field of view of said at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass the respective ground region, said vision system uses image data captured by at least some of said imagers for displaying a surround view of the vehicle derived at least in part from image data captured by at least some of said imagers;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of forward traveling speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold level, the field of view of said at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass a distant region further away from the vehicle compared to the respective ground region; and

wherein, when the field of view of said at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass the respective distant region, said vision system processes image data captured by said at least one of said imagers for a collision avoidance system.

2. The vision system of claim 1, comprising a processing unit comprising an image processor, wherein said processing unit receives image data captured by said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers, and wherein said processing unit, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data by said image processor, provides an output for at least one of a warning system of the vehicle, a steering system of the vehicle and a braking system of the vehicle.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein, when the field of view of said at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass the respective distant region, said processing unit is operable to output images to a display device of the vehicle for displaying a surround view of the vehicle derived from image data captured by said imagers.

4. The vision system of claim 3, wherein said processing unit is in communication with said at least one of a warning system of the vehicle, a steering system of the vehicle and a braking system of the vehicle via a network bus of the vehicle.

5. The vision system of claim 1, comprising a time multiplexed camera control.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said imagers is adjustable to vertically adjust the field of view of said at least one of said imagers.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, when the field of view of said at least one of said imagers is adjusted to encompass the respective ground region, the field of view of said at least one of said imagers encompasses a ground area immediately adjacent the portion of the vehicle at which said at least one of said imagers is disposed.

8. The vision system of claim 1, comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers, and wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said vision system is operable to determine the presence of objects in the fields of view of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein each of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers is adjustable to vertically adjust the respective fields of view of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of one of (i) rearward travel of the vehicle and (ii) traveling speed of the vehicle being less than the first threshold level, the field of view of each of said imagers is adjusted to encompass a respective ground region immediately adjacent the portion of the vehicle at which said at least one of said imagers is disposed.

11. The vision system of claim 10, wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of forward traveling speed of the vehicle being greater than the second threshold level, the field of view of each of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers is adjusted to encompass a respective distant region further away from the vehicle compared to the respective adjacent ground region.

12. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said sideward viewing imagers are disposed within respective exterior rearview mirror assemblies at the respective side portions of the vehicle.

13. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a forward viewing imager disposed at a forward portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a forward field of view forward of the vehicle;

a rearward viewing imager disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a rearward field of view rearward of the vehicle;

sideward viewing imagers disposed within respective exterior rearview mirror assemblies at respective side portions of the vehicle, wherein said sideward viewing imagers have respective sideward fields of view sideward of the vehicle at the respective side of the vehicle at which said sideward viewing imagers are disposed;

wherein (i) the field of view of said forward viewing imager is dynamically adjustable to vertically adjust the field of view of said forward viewing imager, (ii) the field of view of said rearward viewing imager is dynamically adjustable to vertically adjust the field of view of said rearward viewing imager and (iii) the respective fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are dynamically adjustable to vertically adjust the fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of one of (i) rearward travel of the vehicle and (ii) traveling speed of the vehicle being less than a first threshold level, said imagers are adjusted to a first orientation and are operable to capture image data for use in displaying a surround view of the vehicle derived at least in part from image data captured by said imagers;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of forward traveling speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold level, said imagers are adjusted to a second orientation and are operable to capture image data for use in a collision avoidance system; and

wherein, when in the first orientation, the fields of view of said imagers encompass respective ground areas immediately adjacent the respective portions of the vehicle at which said imagers are disposed, and wherein, when in the second orientation, the fields of view of said imagers encompass respective distant regions further away from the vehicle compared to the respective ground areas.

14. The vision system of claim 13, comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers, and wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said vision system is operable to determine the presence of objects in the fields of view of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers.

15. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a forward viewing imager disposed at a forward portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a forward field of view forward of the vehicle;

a rearward viewing imager disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle and having a rearward field of view rearward of the vehicle;

sideward viewing imagers disposed within respective exterior rearview mirror assemblies at respective side portions of the vehicle, wherein said sideward viewing imagers have respective sideward fields of view sideward of the vehicle at the respective side of the vehicle at which said sideward viewing imagers are disposed;

wherein the fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are dynamically adjustable to vertically adjust the fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of one of (i) rearward travel of the vehicle and (ii) traveling speed of the vehicle being less than a first threshold level, the field of views of said sideward viewing imagers are adjusted to encompass a respective ground region immediately adjacent the respective portion of the vehicle at which the respective sideward viewing imager is disposed;

wherein, when the fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are adjusted to encompass the respective ground region, said vision system uses image data captured by said sideward viewing imagers for displaying a surround view of the vehicle derived at least in part from image data captured by said sideward viewing imagers;

wherein, responsive to the vehicle input being indicative of forward traveling speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold level, said fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are adjusted to encompass a respective distant region further away from the vehicle compared to the respective ground region; and

wherein, when the fields of view of said sideward viewing imagers are adjusted to encompass the respective distant regions, said vision system processes image data captured by said sideward viewing imagers for a collision avoidance system.

16. The vision system of claim 15, comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers, and wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said vision system is operable to determine the presence of objects in the fields of view of said forward viewing imager, said rearward viewing imager and said sideward viewing imagers.