Method for providing a rear mirror view of a surroundings of a vehicle

• US 10,647,256 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Cano, Raphael, Mitrovic, Aleksandra, Vujicic, Milica
• Primary Examiner(s): Schnurr, John R
• Application Number:
  US16/333,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20190202356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/10 characterised by the type of camera system used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/602 with an adjustable viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/62 Semi-transparency
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A method for providing a rear mirror view of a surroundings of a vehicle includes capturing at least one portion of the vehicle surroundings in a first image by at least one wide-angle camera that is mounted on the vehicle, computing a second image (20) on the basis of the first image; the second image corresponding to an imaged field of view of a first virtual camera that is located in a first position in the vehicle surroundings and imaging an area located behind the vehicle in the vehicle surroundings, and providing the second image for displaying a rear mirror view.

Claims

1. A method for providing a rear mirror view of a surroundings of a vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing at least one portion of the vehicle surroundings in a first image by at least one wide-angle camera located on the vehicle;

computing a second image based on the first image, wherein the second image corresponds to an imaged field of view of a first virtual camera that is located in a first position in the vehicle surroundings and that images an area located behind the vehicle in the vehicle surroundings;

providing the second image for displaying a rear mirror view;

computing an exterior view of the vehicle;

displaying the vehicle surroundings by image data of the first image; and

displaying the vehicle by a 3D model of the vehicle, wherein the second image is displayed as a mirror surface of an outside mirror of the 3D model.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first position and the field of view of the first virtual camera is at least one of variable and selected.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first position and the field of view of the first virtual camera is at least one of variable and selected based on a state parameter of the vehicle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first position and the field of view of the first virtual camera is selected based on of an input of a user.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the field of view of the first virtual camera is selected to image at least one predefined region of the vehicle surroundings.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second image is provided by at least one of a head-up display of the vehicle and a monitor in an interior of the vehicle.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first position of the first virtual camera is located ahead of a front end of the vehicle in the vehicle surroundings, and wherein a transparent model of the vehicle is inserted into the second image.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second image is computed based on the first image by computing the second image using a cylindrical correction from the first image.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing of the second image based on the first image includes:

transmitting the first image to a virtual projection surface in a virtual space that represents the vehicle surroundings, the virtual projection surface at least partially encircling a position that corresponds to a location of the vehicle in the virtual space,

transmitting the first image to the virtual projection surface so that an object pictured in the first image is imaged on the virtual projection surface in correspondence with a location of the object in the vehicle surroundings,

placing the first virtual camera in the virtual space,

capturing, by the first virtual camera, the second image, and

selecting a field of view of the first virtual camera to image an area of the virtual projection surface located behind the vehicle in the vehicle surroundings.

10. An apparatus for providing a rear mirror view of a surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:

a device configured to perform the following

capturing at least one portion of the vehicle surroundings in a first image by at least one wide-angle camera located on the vehicle;

computing a second image based on the first image, wherein the second image corresponds to an imaged field of view of a first virtual camera that is located in a first position in the vehicle surroundings and that images an area located behind the vehicle in the vehicle surroundings;

providing the second image for displaying a rear mirror view,

computing an exterior view of the vehicle;

displaying the vehicle surroundings by image data of the first image; and

displaying the vehicle by a 3D model of the vehicle, wherein the second image is displayed as a mirror surface of an outside mirror of the 3D model.