Video processor module for use in a vehicular video system

• US 20030025793A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McMahon, Martha A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/08 automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• 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 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle-based video processor module for a video system of a vehicle includes a video processor circuit, a plurality of electronic sensor interfaces that are operable to receive image output data from a plurality of imaging devices and at least one electronic vehicle interface that is operable to communicate with a vehicle communication bus. The video processor circuit is operable to process the image output data from the plurality of imaging devices in a single database in a standard format and enhances the image output data.

Claims

1. A vehicle-based video processor module for a video system of a vehicle, said video processor module comprising:

a video processor circuit;

a plurality of electronic sensor interfaces operable to receive image output data from a plurality of imaging devices;

at least one electronic vehicle interface operable to communicate with a vehicle communication bus;

wherein said video processor circuit is operable to process said image output data from said plurality of imaging devices into a single database in a standard format.

2. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data by at least one of (i) merging images from more than one of said imaging device, (ii) reducing distortion created by wide-angle lenses and (iii) superimposing graphical overlays on a display image.

3. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data to compensate for low visibility conditions.

4. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces are operable to receive outputs from at least one non-imaging device.

5. The video processor module of claim 4 wherein said video processor circuit processes said outputs from said at least one non-imaging device into said single database in said standard format.

6. The video processor module of claim 5 wherein said at least one non-imaging device includes at least one chosen from a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a thermal sensor, a night vision sensor, a near infrared sensor and a far infrared sensor.

7. The video processor module of claim 6 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data to compensate for low visibility conditions.

8. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data to compensate for low visibility conditions.

9. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said plurality of imaging devices are chosen from rear-facing cameras, front-facing cameras, side-facing cameras and internal-facing cabin cameras.

10. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces include at least one wired interface.

11. The video processor module of claim 10 wherein said at least one wired interface is chosen from one of a firewire transceiver and an NTSC transceiver.

12. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces include at least one wireless interface.

13. The video processor module of claim 12 wherein said at least one wireless interface is operable to communicate with a restricted-range radio-frequency communication device.

14. The video processor module of claim 13 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is housed at an interior mirror housing.

15. The video processor module of claim 13 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is housed at one of an overhead console and an instrument panel.

16. The video processor module of claim 13 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is operable to program radio-frequency devices within said vehicle.

17. The video processor module of claim 13 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is operable to receive user selection of vehicle parameters.

18. The video processor module of claim 17 wherein said vehicle parameter includes at least one chosen from a garage door opener code, memory seat position, memory mirror position and exterior mirror position.

19. The video processor module of claim 13 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency device comprises a personal display assistant device.

20. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit provides detection of other vehicles adjacent said vehicle.

21. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit provides detection of an edge of a lane on a road.

22. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit provides adaptive speed control of said vehicle.

23. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit provides reverse aid warning.

24. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit establishes ambient light sensing.

25. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit detects other vehicles and controls a state of headlamps of said vehicle.

26. The video processor module of claim 1 wherein said video processor circuit detects at least one chosen from presence, position and size of occupants inside a cabin of said vehicle.

27. A vehicle-based video processor module for a video system of a vehicle, said video processor module comprising:

a video processor circuit;

a plurality of electronic sensor interfaces operable to receive image output data from a plurality of imaging devices;

at least one electronic vehicle interface operable to communicate with a vehicle communication bus;

wherein said video processor circuit is operable to process said image output data from said plurality of imaging devices and to enhance said image output data.

28. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data by at least one of (i) merging images from more than one of said imaging device, (ii) reducing distortion created by wide-angle lenses and (iii) superimposing graphical overlays on a display image.

29. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data to compensate for low visibility conditions.

30. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces are operable to receive image outputs from a non-imaging device.

31. The video processor module of claim 30 wherein said non-imaging device includes at least one chosen from a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a thermal sensor, a night vision sensor, a near infrared sensor and a far infrared sensor.

32. The video processor module of claim 31 wherein said video processor circuit is operable to enhance said image output data to compensate for low visibility conditions.

33. The video processor module of claim 30 wherein the video processor circuit processes image output data from an imaging device and output data from said non-imaging device into a single database in a common format.

34. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said plurality of imaging devices are chosen from rear-facing cameras, front-facing cameras, side-facing cameras and interior-facing cabin cameras.

35. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces include at least one wired interface.

36. The video processor module of claim 35 wherein said at least one wired interface is chosen from one of a firewire transceiver and an NTSC transceiver.

37. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said electronic sensor interfaces include at least one wireless interface.

38. The video processor module of claim 37 wherein said at least one wireless interface is operable to communicate with a restricted-range radio-frequency communication device.

39. The video processor module of claim 38 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is housed at an interior mirror housing.

40. The video processor module of claim 38 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is housed at one of an overhead console and an instrument panel.

41. The video processor module of claim 38 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is operable to program radio-frequency devices within said vehicle.

42. The video processor module of claim 38 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency communication device is operable to receive user selection of vehicle parameters.

43. The video processor module of claim 42 wherein said vehicle parameter includes at least one chosen from a garage door opener code, memory seat position, memory mirror position and exterior mirror position.

44. The video processor module of claim 38 wherein said restricted-range radio-frequency device comprises a personal display assistant device.

45. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit provides detection of other vehicles adjacent said vehicle.

46. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit provides detection of an edge of a lane on a road.

47. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit provides adaptive speed control of said vehicle.

48. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit provides reverse aid warning.

49. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit establishes ambient light sensing.

50. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit detects other vehicles and controls a state of headlamps of said vehicle.

51. The video processor module of claim 27 wherein said video processor circuit detects at least one chosen from presence, position and size of occupants inside a cabin of said vehicle.