Vehicle Camera System

• US 20170201687A1
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Edney, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 10,708,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• 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 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• 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 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• 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 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• 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: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 vehicle camera system comprising: a camera arranged to capture image data from a field of view surrounding a host vehicle; a display arranged to display the image data; and a processor arranged to: determine the presence of obstructions in the field of view; and control the display to display the image data in dependence on the detection of obstructions in the field of view.

Claims

1. A processor for a vehicle camera system, the processor configured to:

receive image data captured by a camera of the camera system, the image data providing a camera field of view surrounding a host vehicle;

determine a presence of an obstruction in the camera field of view from the image data;

determine whether the obstruction in the camera field of view obstructs a field of view of a driver of the host vehicle;

control a display to display the image data in dependence on determining that the obstruction is obstructing the driver field of view,

wherein the processor determines the presence of the obstruction in the camera field of view using an object detection algorithm wherein the image data is compared with a known reference and the determination of the presence of the obstruction in the camera field of view is made in dependence on differences found in the comparison.

2. The processor of claim 1, further configured to:

determine a speed of movement of the host vehicle; and

control the display to display the image data when the speed of the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.

3. The processor of claim 1, further configured to:

determine a speed of movement of the host vehicle; and

prevent the display of image data when the speed of the host vehicle is above a predetermined threshold.

4. The processor of claim 1, further configured to:

determine a location of the host vehicle; and

control the display to display the image data when the host vehicle is at a predetermined location or prevent the display of the image data when the host vehicle is at a predetermined location.

5. The processor of claim 1, further configured to:

determine a mode of the host vehicle; and

control the display to display the image data in dependence on the mode of the host vehicle.

6. A vehicle camera system, comprising:

the processor of claim 1;

a camera configured to capture image data surrounding a host vehicle; and

a display configured to display the image data.

7. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, wherein the known reference comprises a substantially empty three dimensional space having an expected depth.

8. The vehicle camera of claim 6, wherein the camera is positionable at a front of the host vehicle and wherein the captured image data comprises a view perpendicular to a forward facing view of the host vehicle.

9. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, wherein the camera is positionable at a rear of the host vehicle, and wherein the captured image data comprises a view perpendicular to a rearward facing view of the host vehicle.

10. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, further comprising a further camera configured to capture further image data from a further field of view surrounding the host vehicle, wherein the display is configured to display the further image data and wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a presence of an obstruction in the further field of view;

control the display to display the further image data in dependence on determining the presence of the obstruction in the further field of view,

determine a direction heading of the host vehicle; and

control the display to display one of the image data or the further image data in dependence on the direction heading.

11. The vehicle camera system of claim 10, wherein the further camera is positionable at a rear of the host vehicle and wherein the captured image data comprises a view perpendicular to a rearward facing view of the host vehicle.

12. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, wherein the camera comprises a wide angle lens, and wherein the camera field of view is equal to or greater than 180°

.

13. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, further comprising an override switch operable to control the display to display or not display the image data.

14. The vehicle camera system of claim 6, further comprising one or more sensors, and wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a presence of an obstruction in a field of view of the one or more sensors,

wherein each determined presence carries an associated confidence score and wherein each confidence score contributes to a confidence total,

wherein the processor is configured to control the display to display the image data in dependence on a comparison of the confidence total with a confidence threshold.

21. A host vehicle comprising the vehicle camera system processor of claim 1.

15. A method for selectively displaying information to a driver of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving image data, the image data providing a camera field of view surrounding the host vehicle;

determining a presence of an obstruction in the camera field of view from the image data using an object detection algorithm wherein the image data is compared with a known reference, and wherein determining the presence of the obstruction in the camera field of view is made in dependence on differences found in the comparison;

determining whether the obstruction in the camera field of view obstructs a field of view of the driver of the host vehicle; and

displaying the image data in dependence on determining that the obstruction obstructs the field of view of the driver.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a speed of movement of the host vehicle; and

controlling the display to display the image data when the speed of the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold and/or preventing the display of image data when the speed of the host vehicle is above the predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a location of the host vehicle; and

controlling the display to display the image data when the host vehicle is at a predetermined location or preventing the display of the image data when the host vehicle is at the predetermined location.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a mode of the host vehicle; and

controlling the display to display the image data in dependence on the mode of the host vehicle.

20. A vehicle camera system configured to perform the method of claim 15.

18. (canceled)

22-24. -24. (canceled)