ADAPTIVE AROUND-VIEW MONITORING DEVICE

• US 20130329005A1
• Filed: 08/20/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACARD Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: ACARD Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Shih, Yu Ting, Ho, Cheng Nan, WANG, Szu Hong, Sie, Wu Jhih
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• 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 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/402 Image calibration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An adaptive around-view monitoring device comprises a plurality of wide-angle cameras, a top-view image integration unit, a real-time image encoding/decoding unit, and an adaptive display processing unit, wherein the top-view image integration unit is further configured with a tuning/calibrating circuit which provides an acquisition and a calibration of erroneous parameters generated during the process of installation, and also substantially and efficiently reduces the routine time and procedure which repeats again and again to minimize or eliminate those parameters while the around-view monitoring device is being installed onboard the same type of vehicles. Furthermore, the adaptive display processing unit is able to adjust and output the optimized size and ratio of image to fit the display device installed on the vehicle. And, the present invention is able to provide the driver a real-time and correct around-view image and information.

Claims

1. An adaptive around-view monitoring device, comprising:

a plurality of wide-angle cameras, which are respectively mounted on locations around the structure of the vehicle to shoot the around-view raw images from different direction;

a real-time image encoding/decoding unit, which connects the plurality of wide-angle cameras to receive said around-view raw images and then outputs around-view raw images for further processing;

a top-view image integrating unit, which is further configured with a raw image acquisition unit, a top-view image corresponding unit and a tuning/calibrating circuit, wherein the around-view raw images are shot and transmitted to the top-view image corresponding unit via the acquisition and temporary storing at the raw image acquisition unit, and then are shifted into top-view images which are processed by the tuning/calibrating circuit; and

an adaptive display processing unit, which accepts top-view images from the after tuning/calibrating and the original raw images from the real-time image encoding/decoding unit simultaneously to have both images trimmed or adjusted and then appear at the screen of the display device.

2. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the original raw images from the real-time image encoding/decoding unit is displayed according to the driving status of vehicle automatically.

3. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the tuning/calibrating circuit minimizes and/or eliminates erroneous parameters routinely or provisionally.

4. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is an around-view monitor.

5. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the real-time image encoding/decoding unit is further configured with a memory which is chosen from a hard disk or a memory card.

6. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the real-time image encoding/decoding unit is further equipped with a transmission port which is an interface of USB, IEEE-1394, IDE or SCSI to output those raw images.

7. An adaptive around-view monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the raw image acquisition unit primarily consists of RAM which is an alternative of DRAM or SRAM to temporarily store the original raw images.