360° vision system for a vehicle

• US 6,636,258 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Strumolo, Gary Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• APPLICATION: US 20030076415A1
• Time in patent office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 348/149, 348/148, 348/170, 348/119, 348/169, 348/113, 348/36, 340/904, 340/436, 340/435, 340/903, 701/301, 701/216, 701/213, 701/23
• US Class Current: 348/149
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements house mirrors and spies A47G1/00; antiglare equipment, e.g. polarising, for windscreens or windows B60J3/00; visual aids for tractors B62D49/0614; devices per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• 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 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vehicle monitoring system including a camera mounted on top of the vehicle reflector in operative relation to the camera. The camera and the conical reflector provide a 360° field of view image around the vehicle. A controller is also included is adapted to detect objects within the field of view image, and determine a reference angle between the vehicle and a detected object. The controller also generates a distance value between the vehicle and the detected object as a function of a lane (w) and a reference angle (q). In one embodiment, the system includes an overhead-view display system including a reference vehicle indicator representative vehicle within the environment and an indicator element adapted to display the detected object with respect to the vehicle indicator as a function of the distance value.

Claims

1. A vehicle environment monitoring system comprising:

a camera mounted on top of said vehicle;

a conical reflector in operative relation to said camera, said camera and said reflector providing a 360°

field of view image around said vehicle; and

a controller adapted to detect objects within said image, determine a reference angle between said vehicle and a detected object from said image, and generate a distance value between said vehicle and said detected object as a function of a lane width value (w) and said reference angle (q).

2. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 1 further comprising:

an overhead-view display system including a reference vehicle indicator representative of said vehicle within said environment and an indicator element adapted to display said detected object with respect to said vehicle indicator as a function of said distance value.

3. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said lane width value (w) is a fixed value.

4. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said lane width value (w) is determined as a function of lane width markers.

5. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said reference angle (q) is determined with respect to a line perpendicular to a direction of travel of said vehicle.

6. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 5 wherein said distance value is equal to an absolute distance (d₂) between said vehicle and said detected object.

7. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 5 wherein said distance value is equal to a linear distance (d₁) between said vehicle and said detected object in the direction of travel of said vehicle.

8. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 7 wherein said linear distance (d₁) is equal to w tan (q).

9. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said 360°

field of view image subdivided into a plurality of angular segments.

10. In a vehicle environment monitoring system including a conical reflector in operative relation to a camera mounted on said vehicle for providing a 360°

field of view image around said vehicle, a method of displaying surrounding objects comprising;

detecting objects within at least a segment of said image;

determining a reference angle (q) between said vehicle and a detected object from said image;

determining a lane width value (w);

generating a distance value between said vehicle and said detected object as a function of said lane width value (w) and said reference angle (q); and

displaying a representation of said detected object with respect to a reference vehicle indicator representative of said vehicle as a function of said distance value.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein determining a lane width value (w) includes measuring a distance between lane markers.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein determining a lane width value (w) includes using a predetermined lane width value.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein generating a distance value includes generating an absolute distance (d₂) between said vehicle and said detected object.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein generating a distance value includes generating a linear distance (d₁) between said vehicle and said detected object in the direction of travel of said vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein said linear distance (d₁) is equal to w tan (q).

16. A vehicle environment monitoring system comprising:

a camera mounted on top of said vehicle;

a conical reflector in operative relation to said camera, said camera and said reflector providing a 360°

field of view image around said vehicle; and

means for detecting objects within said image and determining a reference angle between said vehicle and a detected object from said image;

a controller adapted to generate a distance value between said vehicle and said detected object as a function of a lane width value (w) and said reference angle (q).

17. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 16 further comprising means for displaying a reference vehicle indicator representative of said vehicle within said environment and an icon of said detected object with respect to said vehicle indicator as a function of said distance value.

18. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 16 wherein said lane width value (w) is a fixed value.

19. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 16 wherein said distance value is equal to a linear distance (d₁) between said vehicle and said detected object in the direction of travel of said vehicle.

20. A vehicle environment monitoring system according to claim 19 wherein said linear distance (d₁) is equal to w tan (q).