Vehicle and controlling method of the vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11457141-B2
Application number	US-202117337912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2021
Priority date	Sep 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

Vehicle configured for reducing cost by performing a plurality of functions using a single camera, may include a camera; a at least one sensor configured to obtain location information related to a driver; a moving portion connected to the camera and configured to adjust a photographing direction of the camera; and a controller connected to the at least one sensor and the moving portion and configured to control the moving portion so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a camera;
at least one sensor configured to obtain location information related to a driver;
an actuator connected to the camera and configured to adjust a photographing direction of the camera; and
a controller connected to the at least one sensor and the actuator and configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver,
wherein the controller is configured to:
control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle when the driver is located outside the vehicle, and
control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle even if the driver is located outside the vehicle, when a door of the vehicle is unlocked and the door is opened.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when a preset time elapses after the door is opened and the driver is located outside the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when the driver is located inside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle when the door is unlocked and the door is opened.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when a preset time elapses after the door is opened and the driver is located inside the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to authenticate the driver based on an image obtained from the camera, and to unlock the door according to a result of authenticating the driver when the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to authenticate the driver according to an image obtained from the camera, and to determine whether to allow the vehicle to start according to a result of authenticating the driver when the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a state of the driver according to an image obtained from the camera when the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a seating sensor for obtaining seating information related to the driver, a door locking device configured for detecting a locked state of the door and a door opening/closing sensor configured for detecting opening and closing of the door.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the camera is disposed on the inside of the vehicle and on an A-Pillar above a dashboard of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the driver's seat or the outside of the driver's seat side door.

12. A controlling method of a vehicle including a camera and an actuator connected to the camera and configured to adjust a photographing direction of the camera, the controlling method comprising:
obtaining, by a controller connected to the actuator, location information related to a driver; and
controlling, by the controller, the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver,
wherein the controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver includes:
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when the driver is located inside the vehicle; and
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle when a door is unlocked and the door is opened even if the driver is located inside the vehicle.

13. The controlling method of claim 12 , wherein the controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver includes:
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle, when the driver is located outside the vehicle.

14. The controlling method of claim 13 , wherein the controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver includes:
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when the door of the vehicle is unlocked and the door is opened even if the driver is located outside the vehicle.

15. The controlling method of claim 14 , wherein the controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver includes:
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside of the vehicle when a preset time elapses after the door is opened and the driver is located outside the vehicle.

16. The controlling method of claim 12 , wherein the controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the outside or the inside of the vehicle according to the location information related to the driver includes:
controlling the actuator so that the photographing direction of the camera faces the inside of the vehicle when a preset time elapses after the door is opened and the driver is located inside the vehicle.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Hyunsang
• Ann Yun Sup

Classifications

• H04N23/611 Primary

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title

• B60R2300/101

  using cameras with adjustable capturing direction · CPC title

• B60R25/34

  of conditions of vehicle components, e.g. of windows, door locks or gear selectors · CPC title

• G06V20/56

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