Video display apparatus and method

• US 8,933,795 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Hansung
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US12/972,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/118, 348/128, 348/436, 340/435, 340/932.2, 340/425.5, 340/436, 701/301, 701/207
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A apparatus and method for preventing a crash between a vehicle and an obstacle are discussed. A video display apparatus includes a capturing unit configured to capture an image of a vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle. A controller is configured to detect an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit, calculate the distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle and generate an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a preset distance value. A display unit is configured to display the alert image.

Claims

1. A video display apparatus comprising:

a capturing unit configured to capture an image of a vehicle and surroundings a first distance from the vehicle;

a controller configured to detect an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit, calculate the distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle, and generate an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a second distance, the second distance being less than the first distance; and

a display unit configured to display the alert image,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive, from the capturing unit, a plurality of images including the image of the vehicle and the surroundings, the plurality of images captured in different directions;

simultaneously display the plurality of images on the display unit;

select, among the plurality of images, an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance;

enlarge the selected image; and

display the enlarged image on the display unit, the enlarged image is displayed simultaneously with the displayed plurality of images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive information relating to a current rotated angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and a current gearshift of the vehicle from a vehicle terminal via a vehicle interface;

select, among the displayed plurality of images, an image corresponding to the current rotated angle and the current gearshift; and

enlarge the selected image,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

select, among the displayed plurality of images, a first image captured in a forward direction of the vehicle when the current rotated angle is 0° and

the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarge the selected image;

select, among the displayed plurality of images, a second image captured in a right direction of the vehicle and the first image captured in the forward direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in a right direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarge the selected first and second images; and

select, among the displayed plurality of images, a third image captured in a left direction of the vehicle and the first image captured in the forward direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in a left direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarge the selected first and third images.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the alert image is the image corresponding to the area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the alert image comprises an alert message.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller outputs an alert sound when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the capturing unit comprises at least one of the following:

a first camera configured to capture a front side of the vehicle and surroundings of the front side;

a second camera configured to capture a rear side of the vehicle and surroundings of the rear side;

a third camera configured to capture a right side of the vehicle and surroundings of the right side; and

a fourth camera configured to capture a left side of the vehicle and surroundings of the left side.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller detects edge points of the obstacle, selects the closest edge point to the vehicle outline from the edge points, and calculates a straight line perpendicularly drawn from the selected edge point as the boundary line.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display unit displays a distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line when the distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display unit displays a crash-estimated location based upon the image corresponding to the area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display unit is a mobile communication terminal, a telematics terminal or a navigational system.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select, among the displayed plurality of images, a fourth image captured in a reverse direction of the vehicle when the current rotated angle is 0° and

the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarge the selected image;

select, among the displayed plurality of images, the second image captured in a right direction of the vehicle and the fourth image captured in the reverse direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in the right direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarge the selected second and fourth images; and

select among the displayed plurality of images, the third image captured in the left direction of the vehicle and the fourth image captured in the reverse direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in the left direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarge the selected third and fourth images.

12. A video display method comprising:

capturing an image of a vehicle and surroundings a first distance from the vehicle by a capturing unit;

detecting an outline of the vehicle and a boundary line of an obstacle from the image captured by the capturing unit;

calculating a distance between the outline of the vehicle and the boundary line of the obstacle;

generating an alert image when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than a second distance, the second distance being less than the first distance;

displaying the alert image on a display unit;

receiving, from the capturing unit, a plurality of images including the image of the vehicle and the surroundings, the plurality of images captured in different directions;

simultaneously displaying the plurality of images on the display unit;

selecting, among the plurality of images, an image corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance;

enlarging the selected image; and

displaying the enlarged image on the display unit, the enlarged image is displayed simultaneously with the displayed plurality of images.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving information relating to a current rotated angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and a current gearshift of the vehicle from a vehicle terminal via a vehicle interface;

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, an image corresponding to the current rotated angle and the current gearshift, and enlarging the selected image;

wherein selecting the image corresponding to the current rotated angle and the current gearshift comprises;

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, a first image captured in a forward direction of the vehicle when the current rotated angle is 0° and

the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarging the selected image;

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, a second image captured in a right direction of the vehicle and the first image captured in the forward direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in a right direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarging the selected first and second images; and

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, a third image captured in a left direction of the vehicle and the first image captured in the forward direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in a left direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the forward direction, and enlarging the selected first and third images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert image is the image corresponding to the area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

outputting an alert sound when the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting of the boundary line of the obstacle comprises:

detecting edge points of the obstacle;

selecting the closest edge point to the outline of the vehicle from the edge points; and

calculating a straight line perpendicularly drawn from the selected edge point as the boundary line.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line on the display unit when the distance value between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a crash-estimated location on the display unit corresponding to an area in which the distance between the vehicle outline and the boundary line is less than the second distance.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein selecting the image corresponding to the current rotated angle and the current gearshift comprises:

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, a fourth image captured in a reverse direction of the vehicle when the current rotated angle is 0° and

the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarging the selected image;

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, the second image captured in a right direction of the vehicle and the fourth image captured in the reverse direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in the right direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarging the selected second and fourth images; and

selecting, among the displayed plurality of images, the third image captured in the left direction of the vehicle and the fourth image captured in the reverse direction, when the current rotated angle is over 10°

in the left direction of the vehicle and the current gearshift information indicates the reverse direction, and enlarging the selected third and fourth images.