Vehicular vision system

• US 10,640,044 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nix, Axel, Lu, Yuesheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US16/435,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20190291643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• 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 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of cameras mounted at the vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle. The cameras include a serial data interface for transmitting captured image data to a control via a serial data bus linking the respective camera to the control. The control sends instructions to the cameras via the respective serial data bus linking the camera to the control. The control activates at least one of the cameras responsive to (i) a gear position of the vehicle, (ii) (ii) a driving condition, (iii) a steering angle of the vehicle, (iv) situational analysis information and/or (v) other vehicular sensing systems. Video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the activated camera are displayed at a video display screen of the vehicle for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.

Claims

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

a plurality of cameras mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a rear-mounted camera mounted at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle;

said rear-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said rear-mounted camera having a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a driver side-mounted camera mounted at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said driver side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a driver side of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a passenger side-mounted camera mounted at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said passenger side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said rear-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera to said control;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said rear-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said driver side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said passenger side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control activates at least one camera of said plurality of cameras responsive to a gear position of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras are displayed at a video display screen of the equipped vehicle for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 2, wherein said rear-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 3, wherein said driver side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 4, wherein said passenger side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras comprises said rear-mounted camera, and wherein said control activates said rear-mounted camera via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 6, wherein said control deactivates said rear-mounted camera via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 7, wherein said control comprises a CAN interface.

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

a plurality of cameras mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a rear-mounted camera mounted at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle;

said rear-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said rear-mounted camera having a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a driver side-mounted camera mounted at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said driver side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a driver side of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a passenger side-mounted camera mounted at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said passenger side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said rear-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera to said control;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said rear-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said driver side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said passenger side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control automatically activates at least one camera of said plurality of cameras based on at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a gear position of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a steering angle of the equipped vehicle, (iii) parking spot orientation information from a navigation system, (iv) situational analysis information derived from an image processing system of the equipped vehicle, (v) a radar sensor system of the equipped vehicle, (vi) an ultrasonic ranging system of the equipped vehicle and (vii) a LIDAR sensor system of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras are displayed at a video display screen of the equipped vehicle for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 9, wherein said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 10, wherein the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras is activated by said control responsive to a gear position of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the activated at least one camera comprises said rear-mounted camera, and wherein said control activates said rear-mounted camera via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 11, wherein said control deactivates said rear-mounted camera via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 12, wherein said rear-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor, and wherein said driver side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor, and wherein said passenger side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor.

14. The vehicular vision system of claim 11, wherein said control comprises a CAN interface.

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

a plurality of cameras mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a rear-mounted camera mounted at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle;

said rear-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said rear-mounted camera having a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a driver side-mounted camera mounted at a driver-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said driver side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a driver side of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a passenger side-mounted camera mounted at a passenger-side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said passenger side-mounted camera having a field of view at least sideward of a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said rear-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera to said control;

said driver side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

said passenger side-mounted camera comprising a serial data interface configured for transmitting image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said driver side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein image data captured by the image sensor of said passenger side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said rear-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said driver side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said passenger side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control automatically activates at least one camera of said plurality of cameras based on a driving condition; and

wherein video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras are displayed at a video display screen of the equipped vehicle for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 15, wherein said driving condition comprises parking the equipped vehicle.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 15, wherein the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras is activated by said control responsive to a gear position of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras is activated by said control via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras to said control.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 17, wherein the activated at least one camera of said plurality of cameras comprises said rear-mounted camera.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein said serial data bus linking said rear-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said driver side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus, and wherein said serial data bus linking said passenger side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus.

20. The vehicular vision system of claim 19, wherein said rear-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor, and wherein said driver side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor, and wherein said passenger side-mounted camera comprises a CMOS image sensor.