Multi-camera vehicle vision system with distributed processing, data connection and power supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10694150-B2
Application number	US-201715484292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2017
Priority date	Apr 12, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes first and second camera modules disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective first and second fields of view exterior of the vehicle. The first camera module includes a first lens and a first imager, and is operable to capture image data. The second camera module includes a second lens and a second imager, and is operable to capture image data. The first camera module is powered by a first power supply line and the second camera module is powered by a second power supply line. The first camera module includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the first camera module and the second camera module. The second camera module comprises a second image processor operable to process image data captured by the first camera module and the second camera module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
a first camera module disposed at a vehicle so as to have a first field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said first camera module comprises a first lens and a first imager, wherein said first camera module is operable to capture image data;
a second camera module disposed at the vehicle so as to have a second field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said second camera module comprises a second lens and a second imager, wherein said second camera module is operable to capture image data;
wherein said first camera module is powered by a first power supply line and wherein said second camera module is powered by a second power supply line;
wherein image data captured by said first camera module is provided to said second camera module;
wherein image data captured by said second camera module is provided to said first camera module;
wherein said first camera module comprises a first image processor that (i) processes image data captured by said first camera module and (ii) processes image data captured by said second camera module that is provided to said first camera module; and
wherein said second camera module comprises a second image processor that (i) processes image data captured by said second camera module and (ii) processes image data captured by said first camera module that is provided to said second camera module.
wherein depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed simultaneously by said first and second image processors of said first and second camera modules;
wherein, for enhancement of system performance and enhanced balancing of image processing loads, some of the depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed at said first camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said first camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said second camera module that is provided to said first camera module, and others of the depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed at said second camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said second camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said first camera module that is provided to said second camera module; and
wherein said vision system selectively combines processing by said first and second image processors depending on tasks to be performed by said multi-camera vision system.

2. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , wherein said first and second camera modules share image data captured by said first and second camera modules.

3. The multi-camera vision system of claim 2 , wherein depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed simultaneously by said first and second image processors of said first and second camera modules.

4. The multi-camera vision system of claim 3 , wherein, for enhancement of system performance and enhanced balancing of image processing loads, some of the depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed at said first camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said first camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said second camera module that is provided to said first camera module, and others of the depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed at said second camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said second camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said first camera module that is provided to said second camera module.

5. The multi-camera vision system of claim 4 , wherein said vision system selectively combines processing by said first and second image processors depending on tasks to be performed by said multi-camera vision system.

6. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , wherein processing of captured image data by said first image processor determines depth information.

7. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , wherein said first and second camera modules are disposed in a common housing.

8. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , wherein said first lens is different from said second lens.

9. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , wherein said first camera module comprises spectral filtering that is different from spectral filtering of said second camera module.

10. The multi-camera vision system of claim 1 , comprising at least six camera modules each comprising a respective lens, imager and image processor, and wherein said at least six camera modules are electrically connected together and to a central controller via a connection network.

11. The multi-camera vision system of claim 10 , wherein said connection network comprises a series connection of said at least six camera modules.

12. The multi-camera vision system of claim 10 , wherein said connection network comprises two branches of serially connected camera modules connected to said central controller.

13. A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle, said multi-camera vision system comprising:
a first camera module disposed at a vehicle so as to have a first field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said first camera module comprises a first lens and a first imager, wherein said first camera module is operable to capture image data;
a second camera module disposed at the vehicle so as to have a second field of view exterior of the vehicle, wherein said second camera module comprises a second lens and a second imager, wherein said second camera module is operable to capture image data;
wherein said first camera module is powered by a first power supply line and wherein said second camera module is powered by a second power supply line;
wherein said first camera module communicates image data captured by said first camera module to said second camera module, and wherein said second camera module communicates image data captured by said second camera module to said first camera module;
wherein said first camera module comprises a first image processor that (i) processes image data captured by said first camera module and (ii) processes image data captured by said second camera module that is communicated to said first camera module;
wherein said second camera module comprises a second image processor that (i) processes image data captured by said second camera module and (ii) processes image data captured by said first camera module that is communicated to said second camera module;
wherein depth information computations and other image processing tasks are performed simulataneously by said first and second image processors of said forst and second camera modules; and
wherein, for enhancement of system performance and enhanced balancing of image processing loads, some image processing tasks are performed at said first camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said first camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said second camera module that is communicated to said first camera module, and other image processing tasks are performed at said second camera module by (i) processing image data captured by said second camera module and (ii) processing image data captured by said first camera module that is communicated to said second camera module.

14. The multi-camera vision system of claim 13 , wherein said vision system selectively combines processing by said first and second image processors depending on tasks to be performed by said multi-camera vision system.

15. The multi-camera vision system of claim 13 ,

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ihlenburg Joern
• May Benjamin
• Shulkin Boris

Classifications

• H04N13/243

  using three or more two-dimensional [2D] image sensors · CPC title

• H04N13/239

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N2013/0081

  Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals · CPC title

• H04N13/128

  Adjusting depth or disparity · CPC title

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title