Method and device for generating a vehicle environment view for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10937201-B2
Application number	US-201716464006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Nov 25, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A method for generating a vehicle environment view involves: capturing camera images with vehicle cameras on a vehicle body of a vehicle; and calculating of the vehicle environment view based on the camera images. In the vehicle environment view, a texture of a non-visible region of a ground surface located under the vehicle body and not visible to the vehicle cameras is calculated based on texture data of a visible region of the ground surface that is visible to vehicles cameras and surrounds the non-visible region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of generating a vehicle environment view, comprising the steps:
a) with cameras mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle, capturing camera images of a vehicle environment including a ground surface outside the vehicle; and
b) processing the camera images and generating a vehicle environment view based on the camera images, wherein the vehicle environment view includes a visible region of the ground surface and a non-visible region of the ground surface;
wherein: the non-visible region is located under the vehicle body, is not visible to the cameras, and is not represented in the camera images;
the visible region is visible to the cameras, is represented in the camera images, and is outwardly adjacent to the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view;
the non-visible region includes an inner region and an edge region that surrounds an outer periphery of the inner region;
an outer edge of the edge region is an outer edge of the non-visible region;
the generating of the vehicle environment view comprises producing synthesized texture data for the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view based on captured texture data of the visible region represented in the camera images;
the synthesized texture data comprises synthesized color data and the captured texture data comprises captured color data;
the producing of the synthesized color data for the inner region of the non-visible region comprises producing uniform color data so that the inner region of the non-visible region has a uniform color in the vehicle environment view; and
the producing of the synthesized color data for the edge region of the non-visible region comprises producing transitionally varying color data that transitions from the captured color data in a portion of the visible region adjoining the outer edge of the edge region, to the uniform color data of the inner region, so that the edge region of the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view has a color transition from colors of the visible region in the camera images adjoining the outer edge of the non-visible region, to the uniform color of the inner region of the non-visible region.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the synthesized texture data for the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view comprises pixels respectively having synthesized pixel values, the captured texture data of the visible region represented in the camera images comprises pixels respectively having captured pixel values, and the producing of the synthesized texture data comprises extrapolating the synthesized pixel values from the captured pixel values.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the synthesized pixel values and the captured pixel values respectively comprise color values.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing and the processing of the camera images, and the generating of the vehicle environment view are performed while the vehicle is stationary on the ground surface.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing and the processing of the camera images, and the generating of the vehicle environment view are performed while the vehicle is moving over the ground surface.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying the vehicle environment view via a display unit to a driver of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing the vehicle environment view as an input to a driver assistance system of the vehicle, and controlling a driver assistance function of the driver assistance system, wherein the controlling is carried out dependent on the vehicle environment view.

8. A device for generating a vehicle environment view, comprising:
cameras that are mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle, and that are adapted to capture camera images of a vehicle environment including a ground surface outside the vehicle; and
a processor that is connected to the cameras and is configured to receive the camera images from the cameras;
wherein: the processor is configured to process the camera images and to generate a vehicle environment view based on the camera images, wherein the vehicle environment includes a visible region of the ground surface and a non-visible region of the ground surface;
the non-visible region is located under the vehicle body, is not visible to the cameras, and is not represented in the camera images;
the visible region is visible to the cameras, is represented in the camera images, and is outwardly adjacent to the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view;
the non-visible region includes an inner region and an edge region that surrounds an outer periphery of the inner region;
an outer edge of the edge region is an outer edge of the non-visible region;
the processor is configured to generate the vehicle environment view by producing synthesized texture data for the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view based on captured texture data of the visible region represented in the camera images;
the synthesized texture data comprises synthesized color data and the captured texture data comprises captured color data;
the processor is configured to produce the synthesized color data for the inner region of the non-visible region by producing uniform color data so that the inner region has a uniform color in the vehicle environment view; and the processor is configured to produce the synthesized color data for the edge region of the non-visible region by producing transitionally varying color data that transitions from the captured color data in a portion of the visible region adjoining the outer edge of the edge region, to the uniform color data of the inner region, so that the edge region of the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view has a color transition from colors of the visible region in the camera images adjoining the outer edge of the non-visible region, to the uniform color of the inner region of the non-visible region.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the synthesized texture data for the non-visible region in the vehicle environment view comprises pixels respectively having synthesized pixel values, the captured texture data of the visible region represented in the camera images comprises pixels respectively having captured pixel values, and the producing of the synthesized texture data comprises extrapolating the synthesized pixel values from the captured pixel values.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the synthesized pixel values and the captured pixel values respectively comprise color values.

11. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising the device according to claim 8 .

12. A vehicle comprising the driver assistance system according to claim 11 and the vehicle body.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 , being a watercraft or an aircraft.

14. The vehicle according to claim 12 , being a road vehicle.

Assignees

• Conti Temic Microelectronic Gmbh

Inventors

• Arbeiter Georg
• Garcia Marques Rodrigo
• Simon Martin
• Petzold Johannes
• Schrepfer Joerg
• Friebe Markus

Classifications

• G06V10/56

  relating to colour · CPC title

• G06V20/56 Primary

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G06T11/10

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G06T7/90

  Determination of colour characteristics · CPC title