System and method for image adjustment and stitching for tractor-trailer panoramic displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518702-B2
Application number	US-201715405785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 13, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided and include an image processing module configured to receive a set of images of an exterior surrounding of a vehicle from a plurality of cameras. The plurality of cameras is attached to the vehicle. A movement adjustment module is configured to adjust at least one image from the set of images to compensate for movement of the vehicle based on a difference between an original position of each of the plurality of cameras and a current position of each of the plurality of cameras, respectively. A stitching module is configured to connect the set of images to produce a single image of the exterior surrounding of the vehicle. An image display module is configured to display the single image of the exterior surrounding of the vehicle on a display unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for displaying an exterior image, the method comprising:
capturing a first set of images of an exterior surrounding of a vehicle including at least a first image and a second image, wherein:
the first image includes a lane adjacent to a driver side of the vehicle; and
the second image includes a second lane adjacent to a passenger side of the vehicle;

in response to the vehicle being detached from a trailer:
capturing only the first set of images and a rear vehicle image including a rearward view behind the vehicle; and
connecting the first set of images and the rear vehicle image to produce the exterior image of the exterior surrounding of the vehicle; and

in response to the vehicle being attached to the trailer:
capturing only the first set of images and a second set of images of an exterior surrounding of the trailer including at least a third image, a fourth image, and a rear trailer image, wherein:
the third image includes the lane adjacent to the driver side of the trailer;
the fourth image includes the second lane adjacent to the passenger side of the trailer; and
the rear trailer image includes the rearward view behind the trailer;

connecting the second set of images and the first set of images to produce the exterior image of the exterior surrounding of the vehicle and the exterior surrounding of the trailer; and

displaying the exterior image on a display unit, wherein a plurality of cameras correspond to each image and include sensors that track environmental condition data during vehicle operation for each image to compensate for movement of the vehicle and the trailer, and wherein the environmental condition data includes position information for each image to align the images during the connecting.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing an original position of each of a first plurality of cameras and a second plurality of cameras in response to the vehicle being started, wherein the first plurality of cameras are configured to capture the first set of images and the second plurality of cameras are configured to capture the second set of images.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising storing an original position of each of a first rear camera in response to the vehicle being started, wherein the first rear camera is configured to capture the rear vehicle image.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein connecting the first set of images and the rear vehicle image includes aligning the first set of images with the rear vehicle image based on the original positions of each of the first plurality of cameras and the first rear camera.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein connecting the second set of images and the first set of images includes aligning the second set of images and the first set of images based on the original positions of each of the first plurality of cameras and the second plurality of cameras.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein position information of the first plurality of cameras, the second plurality of cameras, and the first rear camera is tracked and stored.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exterior image is located in a center stack of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental condition data includes a vehicle speed and a vehicle vibration metric.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensors in each of the plurality of cameras includes a vehicle speed sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the first set of images, the second set of images, and the rear vehicle image for a predetermined period.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Al Rasheed Asif
• Gilley Adam

Classifications

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• B60R2300/302

  combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data · CPC title

• B60R2300/303

  using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images · CPC title

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title