MULTI-CAMERA VISION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
- a rear-mounted video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said multi-camera vision system;
said rear-mounted video camera having at least a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said rear-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least rearward of the equipped vehicle during a maneuver of the equipped vehicle;
a front-mounted video camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle;
said front-mounted video camera having at least a forward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said front-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least forward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle;
a first side-mounted video camera at a driver-side side portion of the equipped vehicle;
said first side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said first side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle;
a second side-mounted video camera at a passenger-side side portion of the equipped vehicle;
said second side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said second side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle;
a central data processor disposed in the equipped vehicle;
wherein captured image data is provided to said central data processor;
wherein image data captured by said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor;
wherein image data captured by at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor in order to detect objects that are within the field of view of at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera;
wherein detection of objects via processing at said central data processor of captured image data comprises use of an edge detection algorithm;
wherein the equipped vehicle is further equipped with a sensor system comprising at least one non-visual sensor selected from the group consisting of (i) a radar sensor and (ii) an ultrasonic sensor;
wherein said at least one non-visual sensor senses sensor data in a region external of the equipped vehicle;
wherein sensed sensor data is provided to said central data processor;
wherein data is provided to said central data processor via a vehicle network of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, via processing at said central data processor of at least one of received image data and received sensor data, a potential hazard present exterior the equipped vehicle is determined to exist;
wherein said rear-mounted video camera comprises a rear backup camera; and
wherein said rear backup camera has a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of a vehicle bumper of the equipped vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle includes a plurality of video cameras having respective fields of view external of the vehicle. Captured image data is provided to and processed at a central data processor in order to detect objects that are within the field of view of at least some of the video cameras. The vehicle is equipped with a sensor system having at least one non-visual sensor that senses sensor data in a region external of the vehicle. The sensed sensor data is provided to the central data processor. A potential hazard present exterior the vehicle is determined to exist via processing at the central data processor of at least one of received image data and received sensor data.
13 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
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a rear-mounted video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said multi-camera vision system; said rear-mounted video camera having at least a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said rear-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least rearward of the equipped vehicle during a maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a front-mounted video camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle;
said front-mounted video camera having at least a forward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said front-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least forward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a first side-mounted video camera at a driver-side side portion of the equipped vehicle;
said first side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said first side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a second side-mounted video camera at a passenger-side side portion of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a central data processor disposed in the equipped vehicle; wherein captured image data is provided to said central data processor; wherein image data captured by said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor; wherein image data captured by at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor in order to detect objects that are within the field of view of at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera; wherein detection of objects via processing at said central data processor of captured image data comprises use of an edge detection algorithm; wherein the equipped vehicle is further equipped with a sensor system comprising at least one non-visual sensor selected from the group consisting of (i) a radar sensor and (ii) an ultrasonic sensor; wherein said at least one non-visual sensor senses sensor data in a region external of the equipped vehicle; wherein sensed sensor data is provided to said central data processor; wherein data is provided to said central data processor via a vehicle network of the equipped vehicle; wherein, via processing at said central data processor of at least one of received image data and received sensor data, a potential hazard present exterior the equipped vehicle is determined to exist; wherein said rear-mounted video camera comprises a rear backup camera; and wherein said rear backup camera has a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of a vehicle bumper of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
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a rear-mounted video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said multi-camera vision system; said rear-mounted video camera having at least a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said rear-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least rearward of the equipped vehicle during a maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a front-mounted video camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle;
said front-mounted video camera having at least a forward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said front-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least forward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a first side-mounted video camera at a driver-side side portion of the equipped vehicle;
said first side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said first side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a second side-mounted video camera at a passenger-side side portion of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a central data processor disposed in the equipped vehicle; wherein captured image data is provided to said central data processor; wherein image data captured by said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor; wherein image data captured by at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor in order to detect objects that are within the field of view of at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera; wherein detection of objects via processing at said central data processor of captured image data comprises use of an edge detection algorithm; wherein the equipped vehicle is further equipped with a sensor system comprising at least one non-visual sensor selected from the group consisting of (i) a radar sensor and (ii) an ultrasonic sensor; wherein said at least one non-visual sensor senses sensor data in a region external of the equipped vehicle; wherein sensed sensor data is provided to said central data processor; wherein data is provided to said central data processor via a vehicle network of the equipped vehicle; wherein, via processing at said central data processor of at least one of received image data and received sensor data, a potential hazard present exterior the equipped vehicle is determined to exist; and wherein said potential hazard arises from presence of traffic in a side lane to the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
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a rear-mounted video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said multi-camera vision system; said rear-mounted video camera having at least a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said rear-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least rearward of the equipped vehicle during a maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a front-mounted video camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle;
said front-mounted video camera having at least a forward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said front-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least forward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a first side-mounted video camera at a driver-side side portion of the equipped vehicle;
said first side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;said first side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a second side-mounted video camera at a passenger-side side portion of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera having at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle; said second side-mounted video camera operable to capture video image data at least sideward of the equipped vehicle during the maneuver of the equipped vehicle; a central data processor disposed in the equipped vehicle; wherein captured image data is provided to said central data processor; wherein image data captured by said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor; wherein image data captured by at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera is processed at said central data processor in order to detect objects that are within the field of view of at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera; wherein detection of objects via processing at said central data processor of captured image data comprises use of an edge detection algorithm; wherein the equipped vehicle is further equipped with a sensor system comprising at least one non-visual sensor selected from the group consisting of (i) a radar sensor and (ii) an ultrasonic sensor; wherein said at least one non-visual sensor senses sensor data in a region external of the equipped vehicle; wherein sensed sensor data is provided to said central data processor; wherein, via processing at said central data processor of at least one of received image data and received sensor data, a potential hazard present exterior the equipped vehicle is determined to exist; wherein said rear-mounted video camera comprises a rear backup camera; wherein said rear backup camera has a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of a vehicle bumper of the equipped vehicle; wherein video images derived from image data captured by at least some of said front-mounted video camera, said first side-mounted video camera, said second side-mounted video camera and said rear-mounted video camera are output by said central data processor for display by a display device of the equipped vehicle; wherein said display device comprises a video screen operable to display said video images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle who is operating the equipped vehicle; wherein said video images displayed by said video screen inform the driver of the environment in which the equipped vehicle is being operated; wherein a vehicle hitch is disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the rearward field of view of said rear-mounted video camera encompasses the vehicle hitch; wherein the vehicle hitch is configured to connect to a trailer tongue of a trailer to connect the trailer to the equipped vehicle; wherein said video images comprise an overlay that guides the driver of the equipped vehicle when hitching the trailer to the vehicle hitch of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said overlay aids in guiding connection of the vehicle hitch of the equipped vehicle to a trailer tongue of the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification