Rear-view mirror simulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760263-B2
Application number	US-202117340243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Apr 19, 2010
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for generating a rear view image display for a motor vehicle. A rear view system includes an optical sensor disposed at the motor vehicle and configured to capture image data, a computational unit coupled to the optical sensor by a cable connection and configured to execute program instructions stored on a computer-readable medium to modify the image data for presentation, and a display device coupled to the computational unit and configured to receive the modified image data from the computational unit and display the modified image data to a driver of the motor vehicle. The computational unit is further configured to receive software calibration to optimize modification of the image data.

First claim

We claim:

1. A rear view system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an optical sensor disposed at the motor vehicle and configured to capture image data;
a computational unit coupled to the optical sensor by a cable connection, the computational unit being further configured to select an image rectification algorithm based on a mathematical model of a distortion of the image data, execute the image rectification algorithm only based on visible light information provided by the optical sensor, and output a modified image data wherein a plurality of pixel positions are corrected; and
a display device coupled to the computational unit and configured to receive the modified image data from the computational unit and display the modified image data to a driver of the motor vehicle.

2. The rear view system of claim 1 , wherein the computational unit is configured to modify the image data to a distorted rectified image representing a rectified image as viewed through a non-planar mirror.

3. The rear view system of claim 1 , wherein the software calibration optimizes modification of the image data for a type of mirror to be simulated.

4. The rear view system of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed in a housing fixedly secured to the motor vehicle.

5. The rear view system of claim 4 , further comprising a lens disposed in the housing and configured to focus light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image.

6. The rear view system of claim 5 , wherein the computational unit is configured to modify the image data to remove image distortions created by the lens.

7. A method for generating a rear view image display for a motor vehicle, comprising:
receiving a software calibration at a computational unit of the motor vehicle, the software calibration including measurement errors of an optical sensor, and using the software calibration to optimize program instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for modifying image data for presentation on a display device;
capturing image data with the optical sensor disposed at the motor vehicle;
modifying the image data at the computational unit using the optimized program instructions only based on visible light information provided by the optical sensor; and
displaying the modified image data on the display device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the image data is modified by the computational unit to generate a distorted rectified image representing a rectified image as viewed through a non-planar mirror.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the software calibration optimizes modification of the image data for a type of mirror to be simulated.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image data is modified by the computational unit based on visible light information provided by the optical sensor.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed in a housing fixedly secured to the motor vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising focusing light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein image data is modified by the computational unit to remove image distortions created by focusing light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image.

14. A method for generating a rear view image display for a motor vehicle, comprising:
capturing an image data using an optical sensor;
selecting an image rectification algorithm based on a distortion level of the image data;
executing the image rectification algorithm only based on visible light information provided by the optical sensor,
outputting a modified image data wherein a plurality of pixel positions are corrected to a display device; and
displaying the modified image data to a driver of the motor vehicle using the display device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the image data is modified by the computational unit to generate a distorted rectified image representing a rectified image as viewed through a non-planar mirror.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the software calibration optimizes modification of the image data for a type of mirror to be simulated.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed in a housing fixedly secured to the motor vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising focusing light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein image data is modified by the computational unit to remove image distortions created by focusing light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image.

Assignees

• Smr Patents Sarl

Inventors

• Herrmann Andreas
• Schwalb Martin
• Linsenmaier Frank
• Eder Oliver
• Rötzer Ilka
• Jochmann Thomas
• Mualla Firas

Classifications

• B60R2300/307

  virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60R1/12

  Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks · CPC title

• G08G1/0104

  Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions · CPC title

• G08G1/0175

  by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules · CPC title