Mirror substitute device and vehicle

• US 9,969,330 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Brandl, Juergen, Fey, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Mishawn
• Application Number:
  US14/392,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 348148, 348149, 382103
• 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 2021/0097 Amusement vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

A mirror substitute device for a vehicle has at least one camera designed to cover at least a part of the surroundings of the vehicle and to provide a corresponding image signal, an image processing device coupled to the camera and designed to process the image signal and to output a processed image signal, and at least one display device designed to display the processed image signal.

Claims

1. A mirror substitute device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one camera configured and arranged to monitor at least a part of surroundings of a vehicle and to provide a corresponding initial image signal;

an image processing device coupled to the at least one camera and configured to process the initial image signal and to output a processed image signal,

wherein the image processing device has a selection device configured to automatically select and/or mark a first image detail as a portion from the initial image signal in response to a trigger condition, and to output the first image detail as the processed image signal,

wherein the trigger condition is that the vehicle is moving backward at a speed below a first speed threshold value,

wherein the first image detail shows the ground and/or the curbstone in the surroundings behind the vehicle, and

wherein the image processing device is configured to obtain motion data about a forward or backward motion of the vehicle and about the speed of the vehicle to determine the trigger condition by determining whether the vehicle is moving backward and whether the speed of the vehicle is below the first speed threshold value;

and

at least one display device configured and arranged to display the first image detail from the processed image signal.

2. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is configured and arranged to monitor at least the lateral and/or rear regions of the surroundings of the vehicle.

3. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera includes a plurality of cameras configured to produce respective camera image signals that complement each other and are combined to form the initial image signal.

4. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device has a communication interface which is configured to obtain the motion data from a vehicle system of the vehicle.

5. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the selection device is configured to select, when the vehicle is moving forward, a second image detail that approximately corresponds to a theoretical image theoretically shown by an inside rear view mirror and/or lateral rear view mirror in the vehicle.

6. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one camera is configured and arranged to monitor a blind spot of the vehicle;

and

wherein the selection device is configured to select, under a specified condition, a further image detail which corresponds to the blind spot of the vehicle.

7. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the selection device is configured to select, when the vehicle is loaded and/or is cornering and/or is moving uphill or downhill, another image detail that shows a road behind the vehicle.

8. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the selection device is configured to select more than one said image detail and to combine the selected image details in the processed image signal;

and/or the selection device is configured to enlarge the image detail.

9. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device has an image editing device configured to:

change, particularly to normalize, a brightness of at least one detail of the initial image signal; and

/or

change, particularly to increase, a contrast of at least one detail of the initial image signal; and

/or

change a coloration of at least one detail of the initial image signal; and

/or

stabilize contents of the initial image signal.

10. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1,

wherein the image processing device has an object detection device configured to detect objects in the initial image signal and/or in the processed image signal and to mark at least one detected object in the initial image signal;

and

wherein the object detection device is configured to mark an object by boxing the object and/or coloring the object with a predetermined color and/or zooming in on the object.

11. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device has a calculating device configured to generate a warning signal based on the initial image signal when the vehicle is on a point of deviating from a traffic lane and/or when an object is in a blind spot of the vehicle and/or when an object is approaching the vehicle from behind.

12. The mirror substitute device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device has a storage device configured to store the initial image signal.

13. A vehicle comprising a mirror substitute device according to claim 1 mounted on a vehicle body.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle includes no inside rear view mirror, no left lateral rear view mirror, and no right lateral rear view mirror.