VIDEO DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20110267184A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Hansung
• Granted Patent: US 8,933,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A apparatus and method for preventing a crash between a vehicle and an obstacle are discussed. A video display apparatus includes a capturing unit configured to capture an image of a vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle. A controller is configured to detect an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit, calculate the distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle and generate an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a preset distance value. A display unit is configured to display the alert image.

Claims

1. A video display apparatus comprising:

a capturing unit configured to capture an image of a vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle;

a controller configured to detect an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit, calculate the distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle, and generate an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a preset distance value; and

a display unit configured to display the alert image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alert image is an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller captures an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value, and displays the detected image on the display unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alert image comprises an alert message.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller outputs an alert sound when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capturing unit comprises at least one of the following:

a first camera configured to capture a front side of the vehicle and surroundings of the front side;

a second camera configured to capture a rear side of the vehicle and surroundings of the rear side;

a third camera configured to capture a right side of the vehicle and surroundings of the right side; and

a fourth camera configured to capture a left side of the vehicle and surroundings of the left side.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller detects edge points of the obstacle, selects the closest edge point to the vehicle outline from the edge points, and calculates a straight line perpendicularly drawn from the selected edge point as the boundary line.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line when the distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a crash-estimated location based upon an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller enlarges an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value, and displays the enlarged image on the display unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller receives information relating to a rotated angle of a steering wheel and gearshifts of the vehicle from a vehicle terminal via a vehicle interface, and selectively enlarges the images captured by the capturing unit based upon the information relating to the rotated angle of the steering wheel and the gearshifts of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unit is a mobile communication terminal, a telematics terminal or a navigational system.

13. A video display method comprising:

capturing an image of a vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle by a capturing unit;

detecting an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit;

calculating a distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle;

generating an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a preset distance value; and

displaying the alert image on a display unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert image is an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying of the alert image comprises:

capturing an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value; and

displaying the captured image on the display unit.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert image comprises an alert message.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising outputting an alert sound when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the capturing unit comprises at least one of the following:

a first camera configured to capture a front side of the vehicle and surroundings of the front side, a second camera configured to capture a rear side of the vehicle and surroundings of the rear side, a third camera configured to capture a right side of the vehicle and surroundings of the right side, and a fourth camera configured to capture a left side of the vehicle and surroundings of the left side.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting of the boundary line of the obstacle comprises:

detecting edge points of the obstacle;

selecting the closest edge point to the outline of the vehicle from the edge points; and

calculating a straight line perpendicularly drawn from the selected edge point as the boundary line.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line on the display unit when the distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a crash-estimated location on the display unit corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

enlarging an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the preset distance value; and

displaying the enlarged image on the display unit.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving information relating to a rotated angle of a steering wheel and gearshifts of the vehicle from a vehicle terminal via a vehicle interface; and

selectively enlarging the image captured by the capturing unit based upon the information relating to the rotated angle of the steering wheel and the gearshifts of the vehicle.