Device intended to support the driving of a motor vehicle comprising a system capable of capturing stereoscopic images

• US 8,305,431 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Robert, Caroline, Rebut, Julien
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US12/211,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/47
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/25 using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor

Abstract

A system and method to support the driving of a motor vehicle comprising in particular a system capable of capturing images, wherein the system for capturing images comprises a stereoscopic image capturing system having at least a first camera and a second camera, with the first camera presenting a field of vision) greater than the field of vision of the second camera, and with the stereoscopic system thereby conferring a degree of multifunctionality to the device supporting the driving of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A device intended to support the driving of a motor vehicle for use in a system for the capture of images, wherein said system for the capture of images comprises a stereoscopic system for the capture of images, said stereoscopic system comprising a first camera and a second camera, said first camera having a first field of vision larger than a second field of vision of said second camera, so that said stereoscopic system confers a degree of multifunctionality on said device for driving support;

said first camera first field of vision is defined by a viewing angle generally centered on a direction of travel and said second camera second field of vision being generally centered on said direction of travel and said first and second fields of vision defining an overlapping zone;

wherein said second field of vision falls entirely within said first field of vision, said first and second field of visions being generally centered on a direction in which the vehicle is traveling so that both said first and second cameras capture said images of a common object in front of the vehicle so that images captured by said first and second cameras within said overlapping zone provide stereoscopic vision within said overlapping zone.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said overlapping zone is generally centered on said direction in which the vehicle is travelling.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first camera is of the grey levels camera type and said second camera is of the color camera type.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first field of vision of said first camera is between 30 and 50 degrees while said second field of vision of said second camera is between 15 and 25 degrees.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the size of said first field of vision of said first camera is a multiple of said second field of vision of said second camera.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first field of vision of said first camera and said second field of vision of said second camera are generally centered on said direction of travel in front of the motor vehicle.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first camera is of the grey levels camera type and said second camera is of the color camera type.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said first field of vision of said first camera is between 30 and 50 degrees while said second field of vision of said second camera is between 15 and 25 degrees.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the size of said first field of vision of said first camera is a multiple of said second field of vision of said second camera.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein said first field of vision of said first camera and said second field of vision of said second camera are generally centered on said direction of travel in front of the motor vehicle.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein said second camera is fitted with a sensor of the RGBi type or a sensor enabling an image to be captured in grey levels in association with the calculation of the red components of said captured image.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first field of vision of said first camera is between 30 and 50 degrees, while said second field of vision of said second camera is between 15 and 25 degrees.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the size of said first field of vision of said first camera is a multiple of said second field of vision of said second camera.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the size of said first field of vision of said first camera is a multiple of said second field of vision of said second camera.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second camera is fitted with a sensor of the RGBi type or a sensor enabling an image to be captured in grey levels in association with the calculation of the red components of said captured image.

16. A process for capturing a stereoscopic image using a device according to claim 1, comprising the following steps:

capturing at least said first image using said first camera,

capturing said second image using said second camera, and

matching of said first image and said second image.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein said step of matching of said first and second images comprises the following sub-steps:

extracting of a portion from said first image that corresponds to said second image in its full resolution, and

extracting of a third image from said second image, said third image corresponding to said second image in such a way that said third image and said portion from said first image present, in pixels, the same dimensions, with the pair of images obtained in this manner permitting the matching arrangement to be achieved.

18. A motor vehicle equipped with a device intended to support driving according to claim 1.