Driver assistance apparatus and control method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097660-B2
Application number	US-201916538312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 9, 2015
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are a driver assistance apparatus and a control method for the same. The driver assistance apparatus includes at least one camera configured to generate a main image by capturing an image of a periphery of a vehicle, a communication unit configured to receive a plurality of sub images generated by at least one other vehicle, and a processor configured to: select at least one of the sub images based on a predetermined condition or user input; and to generate an expanded image using the main image and the selected sub image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driver assistance apparatus comprising:
a display unit configured to display an electronic map and images; and
at least one processor configured to:
generate a main image using at least one camera;
acquire, based on a user input, global positioning system (GPS) coordinate values that match a selected point within the electronic map;

transmit, through a communication unit, an image request signal to at least one of other vehicles that travel a region including the GPS coordinate values of the selected point;
receive, through the communication unit, one or more sub images generated by the at least one other vehicle; and
generate, based on first feature points of the main image and second feature points of the sub images, an expanded image using the main image and at least one of the sub images.

2. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to generate a route for the vehicle based on the expanded image.

3. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to generate a control signal to enter an autonomous driving mode with respect to the route.

4. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the expanded image.

5. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to divide a screen of the display unit into a plurality of sub screens, and
wherein the processor is configured to display the expanded image on one of the sub screens and display information regarding the expanded image on another one of the sub screens.

6. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display unit to provide a visual effect to a region within the expanded image that includes an obstacle.

7. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display unit to rotate and display the expanded image by an angle corresponding to user input.

8. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive location information of the vehicle and location information of the at least one other vehicle, and
generate the expanded image further based on the location information of the vehicle and the location information of the at least one other vehicle.

9. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
select at least one of the sub images based on a predetermined condition or user input;
generate an expanded image using the main image and the selected at least one of the sub images; and
change a generation period of the expanded image according to information of the vehicle.

10. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to change a generation period of the expanded image according to speed information of the vehicle.

11. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to receive, through the communication unit, at least one of sub images transmitted by the at least one of other vehicles in response to the image request signal.

12. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to:
display, through the display unit, the expanded image on a screen,
divide the screen into at least one of sub screens, and
display respectively information on at least one of sub screens.

13. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
divide the screen into a first sub screen and a second sub screen;
generate a control signal to display a navigation image on the first sub screen and the expanded image on the second sub screen.

14. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to display an image corresponding to the at least one of other vehicles on the expanded image.

15. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select a sub image showing an obstacle from a plurality of sub images.

16. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to generate obstacle information regarding the obstacle; and
wherein the obstacle information includes a position, a size, a color, a shape, a kind, and a movement of the obstacle.

17. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the obstacle does not fall within a visual field of view of the vehicle; and
wherein the obstacle falls within a visual field of view of at least one of the other vehicles that provides the sub image.

18. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the main image is a moving image, and the sub images are moving images, and
wherein the processor is configured to generate the expanded image as a moving image.

19. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a user input unit configured to receive the user input, and
wherein the user input unit comprises at least one of a touch input unit or a mechanical input unit.

20. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit is a touch screen display unit and is configured to receive the user input, and
wherein the selected point is a touched point within the electronic map.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc
• Lg Electionics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jinkyo
• Oh Nami

Classifications

• G06V20/588

  Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road · CPC title

• G06V20/584

  of vehicle lights or traffic lights · CPC title

• G06V20/58

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• B60R2300/303

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

• B60R2300/50

  characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller · CPC title