VEHICULAR VISION SYSTEM

• US 20170050565A1
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nix, Axel, Lu, Yuesheng
• Granted Patent: US 9,908,473 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 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• 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 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a side-mounted camera mounted at a side portion of vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The side-mounted camera includes a video output configured for transmitting to a control a stream of video captured by an image sensor of the side-mounted camera. The stream of video is transmitted to the control via a serial data bus linking the side-mounted camera to the control. The control includes a serial data interface for communication with at least one electronic device of the vehicle. The control sends instructions to the side-mounted camera via the serial data bus linking the side-mounted camera to the control. The control receives messages from the at least one electronic device of the vehicle via the serial data interface.

Claims

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a side-mounted camera mounted at a side portion of vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

said side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said side-mounted camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said side-mounted camera comprising a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by the image sensor of said side-mounted camera;

wherein said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control;

said control comprising a serial data interface for communication with at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control sends instructions to said side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control; and

wherein said control receives messages from the at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle via said serial data interface.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said control at least one of (i) activates said side-mounted camera via instructions sent via said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control and (ii) deactivates said side-mounted camera via instructions via said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 3, wherein said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control comprises an Ethernet bus.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said control activates said side-mounted camera responsive to receipt at said control of a message received at said serial data interface from the at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 5, wherein said message indicates at least one of (i) gear position, (ii) steering angle, (iii) parking orientation information, (iv) information derived from an image processing system, (v) information derived from a radar sensor system, (vi) information derived an ultrasonic sensor system and (vii) information derived from a LIDAR sensor system.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 6, wherein said serial data interface comprises an Ethernet interface.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 6, wherein said serial data interface comprises a CAN interface.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 5, wherein said message indicates activation by a user of the equipped vehicle of a camera selection user input of the equipped vehicle.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 9, wherein said camera selection user input of the equipped vehicle is operable to select display at a video display device of the equipped vehicle of video images derived, at least in part, from said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said side-mounted camera that is transmitted to said control via said serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said side-mounted camera is part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising said side-mounted camera and at least one other camera, said at least one other camera mounted at a portion of the equipped vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, said at least one other camera comprising a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by an image sensor of said at least one other camera, said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said at least one other camera being transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said at least one other camera to said control.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 11, wherein said at least one other camera comprises a rear-mounted rearview camera.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 11, wherein a menu is provided in the cabin of the equipped vehicle that is usable by a driver of the equipped vehicle to select which camera of said multi-camera vision system to activate.

14. The vehicular vision system of claim 11, wherein said control determines which camera of said of multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle to activate based on data received at said control.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said data received at said control indicates a least one of (i) gear position, (ii) steering angle, (iii) parking orientation information, (iv) information derived from an image processing system, (v) information derived from a radar sensor system, (vi) information derived an ultrasonic sensor system and (vii) information derived from a LIDAR sensor system.

16. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a side-mounted camera mounted at a side portion of vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

said side-mounted camera comprising an image sensor;

said side-mounted camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said side-mounted camera comprising a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by the image sensor of said side-mounted camera;

wherein said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said side-mounted camera is transmitted to said control via an Ethernet serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said side-mounted camera is part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said multi-camera vision system comprises said side-mounted camera and a rear-mounted rearview camera;

wherein said rear-mounted rearview camera is mounted at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said rear-mounted rearview camera comprises a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by an image sensor of said rear-mounted rearview camera, said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted rearview camera being transmitted to said control via an Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control;

said control comprising a serial data interface for communication with at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control sends instructions to said side-mounted camera of the equipped vehicle via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said side-mounted camera to said control;

wherein said control sends instructions to said rear-mounted rearview camera of the equipped vehicle via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control; and

wherein said control receives messages from the at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle via said serial data interface.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 16, wherein a menu is provided in the cabin of the equipped vehicle that is usable by a driver of the equipped vehicle to select which camera of said multi-camera vision system to activate.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 16, wherein said control determines which camera of said of multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle to activate based on data received at said control.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein said data received at said control indicates a least one of (i) gear position, (ii) steering angle, (iii) parking orientation information, (iv) information derived from an image processing system, (v) information derived from a radar sensor system, (vi) information derived an ultrasonic sensor system and (vii) information derived from a LIDAR sensor system.

20. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a rear-mounted rearview camera mounted at a rear portion of vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

said rear-mounted rearview camera comprising an image sensor;

said rear-mounted rearview camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said rear-mounted rearview camera comprising a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted rearview camera;

wherein said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted rearview camera is transmitted to said control via an Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control;

said control comprising a serial data interface for communication with at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said control sends instructions to said rear-mounted rearview camera of the equipped vehicle via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control; and

wherein said control receives messages from the at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle via said serial data interface.

21. The vehicular vision system of claim 20, wherein said control at least one of (i) activates said rear-mounted rearview camera via instructions sent via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control and (ii) deactivates said rear-mounted rearview camera via instructions via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control.

22. The vehicular vision system of claim 20, wherein said control activates said rear-mounted rearview camera responsive to receipt at said control of a message received at said serial data interface from the at least one electronic device of the equipped vehicle.

23. The vehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein said message indicates at least one of (i) gear position, (ii) steering angle, (iii) parking orientation information, (iv) information derived from an image processing system, (v) information derived from a radar sensor system, (vi) information derived an ultrasonic sensor system and (vii) information derived from a LIDAR sensor system.

24. The vehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein said serial data interface comprises a CAN interface.

25. The vehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein said message indicates activation by a user of the equipped vehicle of a camera selection user input of the equipped vehicle.

26. The vehicular vision system of claim 25, wherein said camera selection user input of the equipped vehicle is operable to select display at a video display device of the equipped vehicle of video images derived, at least in part, from said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said rear-mounted rearview camera that is transmitted to said control via said Ethernet serial data bus linking said rear-mounted rearview camera to said control.

27. The vehicular vision system of claim 20, wherein said rear-mounted rearview camera is part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising said rear-mounted rearview camera and at least one other camera, said at least one other camera mounted at a portion of the equipped vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, said at least one other camera comprising a video output configured for transmitting to said control a stream of video captured by an image sensor of said at least one other camera, said stream of video captured by the image sensor of said at least one other camera being transmitted to said control via a serial data bus linking said at least one other camera to said control.

28. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein a menu is provided in the cabin of the equipped vehicle that is usable by a driver of the equipped vehicle to select which camera of said multi-camera vision system to activate.

29. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein said control determines which camera of said of multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle to activate based on data received at said control.

30. The vehicular vision system of claim 29, wherein said data received at said control indicates a least one of (i) gear position, (ii) steering angle, (iii) parking orientation information, (iv) information derived from an image processing system, (v) information derived from a radar sensor system, (vi) information derived an ultrasonic sensor system and (vii) information derived from a LIDAR sensor system.