CAMERA APPARATUS OF VEHICLE

• US 20140176718A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Junghum
• Granted Patent: US 10,155,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/00 Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• 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 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 : Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 : Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 : for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 : Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 : of parking space
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 : Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/50 : Control of the SSIS exposure

Abstract

A camera apparatus of a vehicle is disclosed. The camera apparatus is such that an image quality of an image can be adequately changed in response to brightness of an optical image of a subject to allow a driver to view a bright image even in the night, thereby preventing an accident and enabling a safe driving, a width of a maximally opened door of a vehicle and a width of a parking space are compared to allow a character of whether to park to be combined with an image of a subject and displayed, thereby enabling a driver to safely park the vehicle, and a driver can view a moving object or obstacle at the rear of a vehicle when the driver is driving the vehicle backward, thereby preventing an accident from happening.

Claims

1. A camera apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

an image sensor converting an optical image of a subject to an electric signal;

a brightness measurer measuring brightness of the image sensor; and

a controller controlling an image quality of the optical image of the subject using the brightness measured by the brightness measurer.

2. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to output a register to the image sensor for controlling the image sensor, and the register is configured to change the image quality of the optical image of the subject in response to the brightness of the image sensor.

3. The camera apparatus of claim 2, further comprising storage for storing the register.

4. The camera apparatus of claim 2, wherein the register includes at least any one of gamma, white balance, sharpness and contrast.

10. The camera apparatus of claim 3, wherein the register includes at least any one of gamma, white balance, sharpness and contrast.

5. A camera apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

an image sensor converting an optical image of a subject to an electric signal;

a detector detecting the subject;

an image processor processing the optical image of the subject;

a display unit displaying the image processed by the image processor on a screen;

storage storing information on width of a vehicle and whether to park; and

a controller determining whether to park in response to the width of the vehicle stored in the storage and controlling the image processor in response to the determination.

6. The camera apparatus of claim 5, wherein the image processor combines the information stored in the storage on whether to park with the optical image of the subject in response to the control of the controller.

7. The camera apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an audio output unit outputting the information on whether to park in audio sound in response to the control of the controller.

11. The camera apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an audio output unit outputting the information on whether to park in audio sound in response to the control of the controller.

8. A camera apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

an image sensor converting an optical image of a subject to an electric signal;

a detector detecting a moving object or a moving obstacle;

an image processor processing the optical image of the subject; and

a display unit displaying the image processed by the image processor on a screen.

9. The camera apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller controls the image processor so that an area where a relevant moving object or obstacle is located can be well indicated, in a case the detector detects a moving object or a moving obstacle from the optical image of the subject.