VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM

• US 20160137126A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frsich, Manfred, Wierich, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,946,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/002 Details of arrangement of components in or on camera body
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera having a lens and a two dimensional imaging array sensor. The camera is disposed at a side of a body of a vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle and at least rearward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data. The imaging array sensor has a center region. The lens is configured to focus light at the imaging array sensor, and the lens has a center axis. The lens is disposed at the imaging array sensor with the center axis of the lens laterally offset from the center region of the imaging array sensor. A video display is disposed in the vehicle and is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The video display is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

Claims

1. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a side of a body of a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle and at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera captures image data;

wherein said camera comprises a lens and a two dimensional imaging array sensor having a plurality of photosensing elements arranged in an array of rows and columns;

wherein said array of said imaging array sensor has a center region;

wherein said lens is configured to focus light at said imaging array sensor, and wherein said lens has a center axis;

wherein said lens is disposed at said imaging array sensor with said center axis of said lens laterally offset from said center region of said array of said imaging array sensor; and

a video display disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle, wherein said video display is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by said camera.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, with said camera disposed at the side of the equipped vehicle, said center axis of said lens is offset laterally towards a side of said array of said imaging array sensor.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein, with said camera disposed at the side of the equipped vehicle, said center axis of said lens is laterally offset towards an inboard side of said array of said imaging array sensor that is laterally closer to the side of the body of the equipped vehicle than said center region of said array of said imaging array sensor.

4. The vision system of claim 2, wherein said array of said imaging array sensor has a width dimension and a height dimension, and wherein said center axis of said lens is offset along said width dimension of said array of said imaging array sensor.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein said center axis of said lens is offset about ¼

of said width dimension of said array of said imaging array sensor.

6. The vision system of claim 1, comprising a filtering element that reduces stray light entering said lens from interfering with said imaging array sensor.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said lens comprises a wide angle lens.

8. The vision system of claim 7, wherein said lens has a distortion at least at an f-theta distortion.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said array of said imaging array sensor has a higher density of photosensing elements at a first portion of said array of said imaging array sensor and a lower density of photosensing elements at a second portion of said array of said imaging array sensor, and wherein said center axis of said lens is disposed at said first portion of said array of said imaging array sensor.

10. The vision system of claim 1, comprising an image processor that processes image data captured by said camera, wherein said image processor at least partially corrects distortion in captured image data via processing of captured image data.

11. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the displayed images are adjustable responsive to an actuation of a user input.

12. The vision system of claim 1, wherein a head tracking system is operable to determine a movement of the driver'"'"'s head, and wherein, responsive to a determined movement of the driver'"'"'s head, said vision system adjusts the displayed images to adjust the rearward field of view to the driver of the equipped vehicle as viewed at said video display.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein said video display is operable to display three dimensional image information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

14. The vision system of claim 13, wherein the three dimensional image information is used to shift the display of nearer objects more than the display of farther objects to generate a pseudo three dimensional display for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vision system of claim 12, wherein, responsive to a determined movement of the driver'"'"'s head stronger in one direction, said vision system adjusts the displayed images to provide a wider field of view display for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

16. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said video display is operable to display images derived from image data captured by a plurality of cameras disposed at the equipped vehicle, each having a respective field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle.

18. The vision system of claim 17, wherein at least some of said cameras have a lens with a center axis of the lens being laterally offset from a center region of an array of rows and columns of photosensing elements of an imaging array sensor of said at least some of said cameras.

19. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the body of the equipped vehicle has a length dimension along the side of the body of the equipped vehicle and wherein said camera is disposed closer to the front of the equipped vehicle than to the rear of the equipped vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said array of said imaging array sensor comprises at least about 480 rows of photosensing elements and at least about 640 columns of photosensing elements, and wherein said center axis of said lens is laterally offset at least about 100 columns of photosensing elements from said center region of said array of said imaging array sensor.

21. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said array of said imaging array sensor comprises at least about 800 rows of photosensing elements and at least about 1200 columns of photosensing elements, and wherein said center axis of said lens is laterally offset at least about 200 columns of photosensing elements from said center region of said array of said imaging array sensor.

22. The vision system of claim 1, comprising an image processor that processes image data captured by said camera, wherein said vision system, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor, is operable to determine a position and relative speed of another vehicle rearward or sideward of the equipped vehicle.

23. The vision system of claim 22, wherein, at least responsive to the driver of the equipped vehicle initiating a lane change to an adjacent lane of the road, said vision system is operable to generate an overlay at the displayed image to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle that the adjacent lane is occupied by the determined other vehicle.

24. The vision system of claim 23, wherein, at least responsive to the driver of the equipped vehicle maneuvering the equipped vehicle to enter a road, said vision system is operable to generate an overlay at the displayed image to indicate when said vision system determines the presence of another vehicle or a pedestrian in the road.