Surround view vision system that utilizes trailer camera

• US 10,640,042 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lu, Yuesheng, Koravadi, Krishna, Vaid, Vivek, Windeler, Joshua G., Mattern, Heinz A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsia, Sherrie
• Application Number:
  US16/364,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20190299859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 348 36, 348 39, 348118, 348122, 348139, 348142, 348148, 348153, 348159, 382103, 340461, 340435, 340903
• 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 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/406 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/408 using a data bus
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/282 for generating image signals corresponding to three or more geometrical viewpoints, e.g. multi-view systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/351 for displaying simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vehicular surround vision system includes a plurality of vehicle cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior the vehicle, a trailer camera disposed at a rear of a trailer and having a field of view rearward of the trailer, and a display device in the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) receives image data captured by the plurality of vehicle cameras. The display device displays surround view images responsive to the ECU. With the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the ECU receives image data captured by the trailer camera and the display device displays surround view images responsive to the ECU, with the displayed surround view images derived from image data captured by the trailer camera and at least some of the vehicle cameras.

Claims

1. A vehicular surround vision system, said vehicular surround vision system comprising:

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

a trailer camera disposed at a rear of a trailer and having a field of view at least rearward of the trailer;

a display device in the vehicle;

an electronic control unit (ECU) in the vehicle;

wherein, with the trailer not hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle, (i) image data captured by said plurality of vehicle cameras is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays surround view video images derived from image data captured by said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU; and

wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, (i) image data captured by said trailer camera and by said plurality of vehicle cameras is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays surround view video images derived from (a) image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by at least some of said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU.

2. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, wherein said trailer camera is one of a plurality of trailer cameras disposed at the trailer, and wherein said plurality of trailer cameras at least comprises (i) a left-side trailer camera disposed at a left side of the trailer and having a field of view at least sideward of the trailer and (ii) a right-side trailer camera disposed at a right side of the trailer and having a field of view at least sideward of the trailer.

3. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 2, wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, (i) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays surround view video images derived from image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and provided to said ECU.

4. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, wherein display by said display device of video images derived from image data captured by said trailer camera is responsive at least in part to a user input.

5. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 4, wherein the user input is actuated to selectively display by said display device (i) video images derived from image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU or (ii) surround view video images derived from (a) image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by at least some of said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU.

6. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, comprising a transmitting antenna disposed at the trailer, wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle, said transmitting antenna wirelessly transmits image data captured by said trailer camera to a data receiving device disposed at the vehicle, and wherein said data receiving device provides the transmitted captured image data to said ECU.

7. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 6, wherein said data receiving device is connected to a communication link between said ECU and a rear backup camera of said plurality of vehicle cameras.

8. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 7, wherein said data receiving device comprises (i) a processor that decompresses compressed video image data and (ii) a serializer that converts the decompressed video image data to low-voltage differential signaling.

9. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, comprising a receiving antenna at the vehicle that receives image data captured by said plurality of vehicle cameras and said trailer camera.

10. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 9, wherein said receiving antenna communicates the received captured image data to said ECU.

11. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 10, wherein said ECU decompresses the communicated received captured image data.

12. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, comprising a powerline at the trailer, wherein the powerline is electrically connected to a wire harness of the vehicle when the trailer is hitched to the vehicle, and wherein the powerline communicates image data captured by said trailer camera to a powerline module disposed at the vehicle, and wherein said powerline module receives the communicated captured image data and provides the received communicated captured image data to said ECU.

13. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 1, comprising an interior trailer camera disposed in the trailer and having a field of view interior the trailer, wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle, image data captured by said interior trailer camera is provided to said ECU, and wherein said display device displays video images that are representative of image data captured by said interior trailer camera and provided to said ECU.

14. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

at least one vehicle camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior the vehicle;

a trailer camera disposed at a rear of a trailer and having a field of view at least rearward of the trailer;

a display device in the vehicle;

an electronic control unit (ECU) in the vehicle;

wherein, with the trailer not hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle, (i) image data captured by said at least one vehicle camera is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays video images derived from the image data captured by said at least one vehicle camera and provided to said ECU; and

wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle, (i) image data captured by said trailer camera and said at least one vehicle camera is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays video images derived from at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by said at least one vehicle camera and provided to said ECU.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, comprising an interior trailer camera disposed in the trailer and having a field of view interior the trailer, wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle, image data captured by said interior trailer camera is provided to said ECU, and wherein said display device displays video images that are representative of image data captured by said interior trailer camera and provided to said ECU.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 15, wherein said display device displays video images that are representative of image data captured by said interior trailer camera responsive to a user input.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein display by said display device of video images derived from image data captured by said trailer camera is responsive at least in part to a user input.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 17, wherein the user input is actuated to selectively display by said display device (i) video images derived from image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU or (ii) video images derived from (a) image data captured by said trailer camera and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by said at least one vehicle camera and provided to said ECU.

19. A vehicular surround vision system, said vehicular surround vision system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior the vehicle, wherein said plurality of vehicle cameras at least comprises (i) a rear vehicle camera disposed at a rear of the vehicle and having a field of view at least rearward of the vehicle, (ii) a left-side vehicle camera disposed at a left side of the vehicle and having a field of view at least sideward of the vehicle and (iii) a right-side vehicle camera disposed at a right side of the vehicle and having a field of view at least sideward of the vehicle;

a plurality of trailer cameras disposed at a trailer, wherein said plurality of trailer cameras at least comprises (i) a rear trailer camera disposed at a rear of the trailer and having a field of view at least rearward of the trailer, (ii) a left-side trailer camera disposed at a left side of the trailer and having a field of view at least sideward of the trailer and (iii) a right-side trailer camera disposed at a right side of the trailer and having a field of view at least sideward of the trailer;

a display device in the vehicle;

an electronic control unit (ECU) in the vehicle;

wherein, with the trailer not hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle, (i) image data captured by said plurality of vehicle cameras is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays surround view video images derived from image data captured by said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU;

wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, (i) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and by said plurality of vehicle cameras is provided to said ECU and (ii) said display device displays surround view video images derived from one selected from the group consisting of (a) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and by at least some of said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU; and

wherein selection of said one selected from the group consisting of (a) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and provided to said ECU and (b) image data captured by said plurality of trailer cameras and by at least some of said plurality of vehicle cameras and provided to said ECU is made via actuation of a user input by a driver of the vehicle.

20. The vehicular surround vision system of claim 19, comprising an interior trailer camera disposed in the trailer and having a field of view interior the trailer, wherein, with the trailer hitched to the vehicle, image data captured by said interior trailer camera is provided to said ECU, and wherein, responsive to actuation of another user input by the driver of the vehicle, said display device displays video images that are representative of image data captured by said interior trailer camera and provided to said ECU.