Apparatus for providing around view image, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10496892-B2
Application number	US-201715801466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2017
Priority date	Nov 2, 2016
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus that provides an around view image and that includes: a camera unit that is configured to obtain an outside image of the vehicle; and a processor that is configured to: determine a connection state between a trailer and the vehicle, receive the outside image of the vehicle from the camera unit, based on the outside image of the vehicle, determine an attitude of the trailer, and based on the attitude of the trailer, generate a control signal to control travel of the vehicle is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing an around view image for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a camera unit that is configured to obtain an outside image of the vehicle; and
a processor that is configured to:
determine a connection state between a trailer and the vehicle,
receive the outside image of the vehicle from the camera unit,
based on the outside image of the vehicle, determine an attitude of the trailer, and
based on the attitude of the trailer, generate a control signal to control travel of the vehicle,

wherein the processor is further configured to:
based on an attitude of the trailer, generate a control signal to control wheels of the trailer, the control signal being configured to control at least one of braking or steering of the trailer,
obtain object detection information about an object located outside the vehicle,
based on the object detection information, detect a third distance between the trailer and the object,
determine whether the third distance satisfies a second reference distance,
based on a determination that the third distance satisfies the second reference distance, determine whether there is a risk of collision between the trailer and the object, and
based on a determination that there is a risk of collision between the trailer and the object, generate a control signal to control the trailer to keep a fourth distance between the trailer and the object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interface that is configured to receive data from the trailer,
wherein the processor is configured to:
based on the data, determine the connection state between the trailer and the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory that is configured to store markers representing a preset attitude of the trailer,
wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a rear view image of the vehicle from the camera unit,
detect the trailer from the rear view image,
receive the markers from the memory,
match each of the markers with at least one portion of the trailer in the rear view image,
determine an angle between the at least one portion of the trailer and each of the markers, and
based on the angle, determine the attitude of the trailer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interface that is configured to receive gyro sensing information from a gyro sensor that is mounted on the trailer,
wherein the processor is configured to:
based on the gyro sensing information, determine the attitude of the trailer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a plurality of images from the camera unit,
based on (i) a vehicle image of the vehicle and (ii) the plurality of images, generate a first around view image, and
provide the first around view image to a display.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
an interface that is configured to receive an outside image of the trailer from a camera unit of the trailer,
wherein the processor is configured to:
based on (i) the first around view image and (ii) the outside image of the trailer, generate a second around view image, and
provide the second around view image to the display.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the interface is configured to:
receive sensing information from one or more sensors of the trailer, the one or more sensors including at least one of a radar, a lidar, an ultrasonic sensor, or an infrared sensor, and
wherein the processor is configured to:
based on the sensing information, generate a third around view image, and
provide the third around view image to the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a memory that is configured to store a plurality of Look Up Tables (LUTs), each LUT of the plurality of LUTs corresponding to a respective attitude of the trailer,
wherein, based on a current attitude of the trailer, the processor is configured to:
receive a first LUT from the plurality of LUTs, the first LUT corresponding to the current attitude of the trailer,
determine a fourth around view image that corresponds to the first LUT, and
provide the fourth around view image to the display.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
based on a driving condition of the trailer, generate a control signal to operate a hitch at (i) a fixed state in which the hitch is fixed or (ii) an adjustable state in which the hitch is adjustable.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in a state in which the vehicle travels straight, generate a control signal to operate the hitch at the fixed state.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine whether a turning angle of the vehicle satisfies a first angle, and
based on a determination that the turning angle of the vehicle satisfies the first angle, generate a control signal to operate the hitch at the adjustable state.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
based on an attitude of the trailer, generate a control signal to control at least one of acceleration, braking, or steering of the vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain object detection information about an object located outside the vehicle, and
based on an attitude of the trailer, adjust the object detection information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to:
based on the object detection information, detect a first distance between the trailer and the object,
determine whether the first distance satisfies a first reference distance,
based on a determination that the first distance satisfies the first reference distance, determine whether there is a risk of collision between the trailer and the object, and
based on a determination that there is a risk of collision between the trailer and the object, generate a control signal to control the vehicle to keep a second distance between the trailer and the object.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain one or more images from the vehicle and the trailer,
based on the one or more images, determine a travel lane of the trailer, and
generate a control signal to control the vehicle such that the trailer maintains the travel lane.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
based on an attitude of the trailer, generate a parking path for parking the trailer, and
generate a control signal to control the vehicle such that the trailer moves along the parking path.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain one or more images from the vehicle and the trailer,
based on the one or more images, determine a travel lane of the trailer, and
generate a control signal to control the trailer to maintain the travel lane.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain information about a travel path of the vehicle, and
based on the information about the travel path of the vehicle, generate the control signal to control the trailer to move along the travel path of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Son Jongin
• Park Yeonchool

Classifications

• B62D13/06 Primary

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• G06V20/586

  of parking space · CPC title

• G06T2207/30264

  Parking · CPC title

• G06T7/246 Primary

  using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments · CPC title

• G01C21/28

  with correlation of data from several navigational instruments · CPC title