Inter-vehicle cooperation for vehicle self imaging

• US 10,600,234 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Herman, David Michael, Herman, David A., Orris, David Joseph, Scheufler, Nicholas Alexander, DeCia, Nunzio, Orris, Jr., Stephen Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Yanna
• Application Number:
  US15/846,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20190188901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/602 with an adjustable viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/32 involving image mosaicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for inter-vehicle cooperation for vehicle self imaging. An example vehicle includes an inter-vehicle communication module and a infotainment head unit. The infotainment head unit determines a pose of the vehicle and, in response to receiving an input to generate a composite image, broadcasts a request for images of the vehicle. The request message includes the pose. The infotainment head unit also generates the composite image of the vehicle based on the images and display the composite image on a display.

Claims

1. A method to generate an image of a host vehicle:

determining, by a processor of the host vehicle, a pose of the host vehicle, the pose including an orientation of the host vehicle;

receiving, at the host vehicle, an input to generate a composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose;

broadcasting, based on receiving the input to generate the composite image and via an inter-vehicle communication module of the host vehicle, a request to target vehicles for images of the host vehicle, the request including the pose;

generating, with the processor, the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose based on the images;

overlaying the composite image of the host vehicle in determined pose onto a three-dimensional model of a whole view of the host vehicle stored in memory of the host vehicle; and

displaying, on a display of the host vehicle, the three-dimensional model of the whole view of the host vehicle with the overlaid composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose;

wherein the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose is an image of the host vehicle in the determined pose.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose includes stitching the images together using a structure from motion technique.

3. The method of claim 1, including estimating a time to complete generating the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the time to complete generating the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose is based on a diversity of views of the host vehicle in the images and a rate at which the images are received.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

facilitating, via the display, changing a view angle of a scene with the three-dimensional model of the whole view of the host vehicle to generate a new composite image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pose includes coordinates of the host vehicle, an orientation of the host vehicle, and at least one of a color of the host vehicle or a model of the host vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, including displaying the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose when the composite image is partially completed as the images are received over time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input to generate the composite image of the host vehicle in the determined pose is received by a human machine interface (HMI) of the host vehicle.

9. A vehicle comprising:

an inter-vehicle communication module; and

an infotainment head unit, including memory storing a three-dimensional model of a whole view of the vehicle configured to;

determine a pose of the vehicle, the pose including an orientation of the vehicle;

receiving, at the vehicle, an input to generate a composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose;

broadcast, based on receiving the input to generate the composite image and via the inter-vehicle communication module of the vehicle, a request for images of the vehicle, the request including the pose;

generate the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose based on the images;

overlay the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose onto the three-dimensional model of the whole view of the vehicle; and

display the three-dimensional model of the whole view of the vehicle with the overlaid composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose on a display;

wherein the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose is an image of the vehicle in the determined pose.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein to generate the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose, the infotainment head unit is to stitch the images together using a structure from motion technique.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the infotainment head unit is to estimate a time to complete generating the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the time to complete generating the composite image of the vehicle in the determined pose is based on a diversity of views of the vehicle in the images and a rate at which the images are received.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the infotainment head unit is to facilitate, via the display, changing a view angle of a scene with the three-dimensional model of the whole view of the vehicle to generate a new composite image.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the pose includes coordinates of the vehicle, an orientation of the vehicle, and at least one of a color of the vehicle or a model of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the infotainment head unit is to display the composite image when the composite image is partially completed as the images are received over time.