Scalable integrated electronic control unit for vehicle

• US 10,091,465 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dellantoni, Nikolaus, Schinkowitsch, Bernhard, Schoenekaes, Andre, Nix, Axel, Lynam, Niall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US14/714,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicular scalable integrated control system includes a plurality of cameras having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle. Image data captured by the cameras is processed by an image processor of a vehicular scalable integrated control unit. A display screen for displaying video images derived, at least in part, from captured image data. The system is operable to fuse captured image data with data captured by a radar device, an ultrasonic sensor and/or an infrared sensor. The system is part of an overall active safety sensing system, which includes fusion of outputs from a plurality of sensing devices to achieve environmental awareness at and surrounding the vehicle. The overall active safety sensing system is operable to at least one of (i) at least partially control the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a road and (ii) provide alert warnings to a driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicular scalable integrated control system for a vehicle, said vehicular scalable integrated control system comprising:

a plurality of cameras having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle;

said plurality of cameras comprising a front camera disposed at the front of the vehicle, a rear camera disposed at the rear of the vehicle, a first side view camera at the left side of the vehicle and a second side view camera at the right side of the vehicle;

wherein said front camera, said rear camera, said first side view camera and said second side view camera are part of a surround vision system of the vehicle;

a vehicular scalable integrated control unit, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control unit comprises an image processor, and wherein image data captured by said plurality of cameras is processed by said image processor of said vehicular scalable integrated control unit;

a display screen for displaying video information to a driver of the vehicle, and wherein said display screen displays video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to fuse image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras with data captured by at least one of (i) a radar device, (ii) an ultrasonic sensor and (iii) an infrared sensor;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is part of an overall active safety sensing system of the vehicle;

wherein said overall active safety sensing system includes fusion of outputs from a plurality of sensing devices to achieve environmental awareness at and surrounding the vehicle;

wherein said overall active safety sensing system is operable to at least one of (i) at least partially control the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a road and (ii) provide alert warnings to a driver of the vehicle;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine a current geographical location of the vehicle and is operable to download mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control unit includes a threat recognizer/evaluator and a risk assessor; and

wherein threat recognition/evaluation by the threat recognizer/evaluator and risk assessment by the risk assessor of said vehicular scalable integrated control unit of said overall active safety sensing system is responsive, at least in part, to (i) processing by said image processor of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras and (ii) said mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle.

2. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said front camera, said rear camera, said first side view camera and said second side view camera connect to said vehicular scalable integrated control unit via Ethernet cabling.

3. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system comprises a driver assistant system situation analysis vehicle control unit.

4. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said front camera for at least one of (i) a lane departure warning system of the vehicle and (ii) a lane keep assist system of the vehicle.

5. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 4, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine that the vehicle is stopped at a cross traffic situation at least in part via said image processor processing image data captured by said front camera.

6. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 4, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine a driving condition of the vehicle at least in part via said image processor processing image data captured by said front camera.

7. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 4, wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said front camera for at least one of (i) a forward collision warning system of the vehicle, (ii) a pedestrian detection system of the vehicle, (iii) a vehicle detection system of the vehicle, (iv) a hazard detection system of the vehicle, (v) an automatic headlamp control of the vehicle, and (vi) an intelligent light ranging system of the vehicle.

8. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to detect a stop sign at least in part via said image processor processing image data captured by said front camera.

9. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine that the vehicle is stopped at a cross traffic situation at least in part at least in part via said image processor processing image data captured by said front camera.

10. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras, said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine that the vehicle is at a situation.

11. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 10, wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras, said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine that the vehicle is at a parallel parking situation and wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine that the vehicle is at a parallel parking situation by determining that the vehicle is driven alongside a vacant parking space and shifted into reverse to back into the vacant parking space.

12. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to a determination that the vehicle is at a parallel parking situation, said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to display images at a display screen viewable by the driver of the vehicle to assist the driver in parking the vehicle in the vacant parking space.

13. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 12, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to display an iconistic representation of the vehicle showing distances to vehicles or objects forward and rearward of the vehicle.

14. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is at least in part responsive to a communication from another vehicle via a car to car communication system.

15. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to fusion of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras with data captured by at least one of (i) a radar device, (ii) an ultrasonic sensor and (iii) an infrared sensor, said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to at least in part control braking of the vehicle.

16. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control unit determines the current geographical location of the vehicle responsive to a global positioning system of the vehicle.

17. A vehicular scalable integrated control system for a vehicle, said vehicular scalable integrated control system comprising:

a plurality of cameras having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle;

said plurality of cameras comprising a front camera disposed at the front of the vehicle, a rear camera disposed at the rear of the vehicle, a first side view camera at the left side of the vehicle and a second side view camera at the right side of the vehicle;

wherein said front camera, said rear camera, said first side view camera and said second side view camera are part of a surround vision system of the vehicle;

a vehicular scalable integrated control unit, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control unit comprises an image processor, and wherein image data captured by said plurality of cameras is processed by said image processor of said vehicular scalable integrated control unit;

a display screen for displaying video information to a driver of the vehicle, and wherein said display screen displays video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to fuse image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras with data captured by at least one of (i) a radar device, (ii) an ultrasonic sensor and (iii) an infrared sensor;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is part of an overall active safety sensing system of the vehicle;

wherein said overall active safety sensing system includes fusion of outputs from a plurality of sensing devices to achieve environmental awareness at and surrounding the vehicle;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine a current geographical location of the vehicle and is operable to download mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein, responsive, at least in part, to (i) processing by said image processor of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras and (ii) said mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle, said overall active safety sensing system is operable to at least one of (i) at least partially control the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a road and (ii) provide alert warnings to a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said front camera for at least one of (i) a lane departure warning system of the vehicle and (ii) a lane keep assist system of the vehicle.

18. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 17, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is at least in part responsive to a communication from another vehicle via a car to car communication system.

19. The vehicular scalable integrated control system of claim 17, wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said front camera for a pedestrian detection system of the vehicle.

20. A vehicular scalable integrated control system for a vehicle, said vehicular scalable integrated control system comprising:

a plurality of cameras having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle;

said plurality of cameras comprising a front camera disposed at the front of the vehicle, a rear camera disposed at the rear of the vehicle, a first side view camera at the left side of the vehicle and a second side view camera at the right side of the vehicle;

wherein said front camera, said rear camera, said first side view camera and said second side view camera are part of a surround vision system of the vehicle;

a vehicular scalable integrated control unit, wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control unit comprises an image processor, and wherein image data captured by said plurality of cameras is processed by said image processor of said vehicular scalable integrated control unit;

a display screen for displaying video information to a driver of the vehicle, and wherein said display screen displays video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to fuse image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras with data captured by at least one of (i) a radar device, (ii) an ultrasonic sensor and (iii) an infrared sensor;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is part of an overall active safety sensing system of the vehicle;

wherein said overall active safety sensing system includes fusion of outputs from a plurality of sensing devices to achieve environmental awareness at and surrounding the vehicle;

wherein said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to determine a current geographical location of the vehicle and is operable to download mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein, responsive, at least in part, to (i) processing by said image processor of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras and (ii) said mapping data associated with the determined current geographical location of the vehicle, said overall active safety sensing system is operable to at least one of (i) at least partially control the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a road and (ii) provide alert warnings to a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, responsive to fusion of image data captured by at least one camera of said plurality of cameras with data captured by at least one of (i) a radar device, (ii) an ultrasonic sensor and (iii) an infrared sensor, said vehicular scalable integrated control system is operable to at least in part control braking of the vehicle.