Multi-camera vehicular vision system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142123-B2
Application number	US-202015929453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2020
Priority date	Nov 28, 2011
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes forward viewing camera and a rear camera each having a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras has an LVDS chip and connects with a control via a respective mono coaxial cable. Each mono coaxial cable carries via LVDS image data captured by the respective camera. Image data captured by the forward viewing camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable is processed at the control for object detection. The control generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle, the video display device having a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The video display screen displays video images of an area rearward of the vehicle derived from image data captured by the rear camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, each viewing exterior of the equipped vehicle;
said plurality of cameras comprising a forward viewing camera disposed at and viewing at least forward through a windshield of the equipped vehicle, said forward viewing camera comprising an imaging sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of multiple columns and multiple rows, said forward viewing camera operable to capture image data;
said plurality of cameras comprising a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, said rear camera comprising an imaging sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of multiple columns and multiple rows, said rear camera viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle and operable to capture image data;
said forward viewing camera and said rear camera each comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a respective Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) chip and (ii) a respective Ethernet chip;
a control disposed at the equipped vehicle, said control comprising an image processor, wherein said forward viewing camera communicates with said control via a first image data transfer channel, and wherein said rear camera communicates with said control via a second image data transfer channel;
wherein image data captured by said forward viewing camera is communicated by the first image data transfer channel via a first coaxial cable;
wherein image data captured by said rear camera is communicated by the second image data transfer channel via a second coaxial cable;
wherein image data captured by said forward viewing camera and carried to said control by said first coaxial cable is processed at said image processor of said control for object detection;
wherein said control generates an output provided to a video display device of the equipped vehicle, said video display device comprising a video display screen viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said video display screen displays video images of an area rearward the equipped vehicle derived from image data captured by said rear camera and carried to said control by said second coaxial cable.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein image data captured by at least said rear camera of said plurality of cameras is processed at said image processor of said control to detect an object present rearward of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 2 , wherein, responsive to said processing of captured image data at said image processor of said control, said vehicular vision system determines movement vectors, and wherein, responsive to determination of movement vectors, said vehicular vision system determines that the detected object is an object of interest rearward of the equipped vehicle.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 2 , wherein, responsive at least in part to determining, via processing of captured image data at said image processor of said control, that the detected object is a hazardous object rearward of the equipped vehicle, an alert is provided to the driver of the equipped vehicle.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to process input from at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultrasound sensor, a radar sensor, an infrared sensor and a Lidar sensor.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said control receives input from at least one non-permanently mounted device.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) said non-permanently mounted device is plugged into a port attached to a bus architecture of the equipped vehicle, (ii) said non-permanently mounted device is wirelessly connected to a bus architecture of the equipped vehicle, (iii) said non-permanently mounted device comprises a mobile phone device and (iv) said non-permanently mounted device comprises a camera.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein said non-permanently mounted device comprises a camera that is wirelessly linked to the equipped vehicle.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein each camera of said plurality of cameras comprises a wafer level camera.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said control is disposed at a head unit of the equipped vehicle.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said control comprises a graphic engine.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said rear camera comprises a rear backup camera of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of cameras comprises (i) a driver-side camera disposed at a driver side of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side camera comprising an imaging sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of multiple columns and multiple rows, said driver-side camera viewing at least sideward of the driver side of the equipped vehicle and operable to capture image data, and wherein said driver-side camera has at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) an LVDS chip and (ii) an Ethernet chip, and wherein said driver-side camera connects with said control via a third coaxial cable, and wherein said third coaxial cable carries control data from said control to said driver-side camera and carries image data captured by said driver-side camera from said driver-side camera to said control, and (ii) a passenger-side camera disposed at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side camera comprising an imaging sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of multiple columns and multiple rows, said passenger-side camera viewing at least sideward of the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and operable to capture image data, and wherein said passenger-side camera has at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) an LVDS chip and (ii) an Ethernet chip, and wherein said passenger-side camera connects with said control via a fourth coaxial cable, and wherein said fourth coaxial cable carries control data from said control to said passenger-side camera and carries image data captured by said passenger-side camera from said passenger-side camera to said control.

14. The vehicular vision system of claim 13 , wherein said driver-side camera disposed at the driver side of the equipped vehicle is part of a driver-side exterior mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said passenger-side camera disposed at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle is part of a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 13 , wherein said video display screen is operable to display birds-eye view video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by (i) said rear camera, (ii) said driver-side camera and (iii) said passenger-side camera.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of cameras comprises a front camera disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, said front camera comprising an imaging sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of multiple columns and multiple rows, said front camera viewing at least forward of the equipped vehicle and operable to capture image data, and wherein said front camera connects with said control via a fifth coaxial cable, and wherein said fifth coax

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ihlenburg Joern
• Koppe Andreas
• Gieseke Achim
• Mahmoud Hossam
• Diessner Horst D

Classifications

• H04N23/90

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

• B60R2300/105

  using multiple cameras · CPC title

• B60R2300/303

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

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title