Multi-directional vehicle maneuvering assistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016140403-A1
Application number	US-201414542449-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Arrangements relate to providing multi-directional assistance while maneuvering a vehicle. The vehicle can have an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The vehicle can include a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side or the second lateral side. The side camera can be movable between a plurality of facing positions. It can be determined whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction. If it is determined that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, the facing position of the side camera can be automatically adjusted so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A multi-directional maneuvering assistance method for a vehicle, the vehicle having an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the vehicle including a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the side camera being movable between a plurality of facing positions, the method comprising:
determining whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction; and responsive to determining that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
activating the side camera to capture visual data from at least a portion of a respective lateral side environment of the vehicle; and presenting the captured visual data on a forward display of the vehicle.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further including:
detecting at least a portion of the respective lateral side environment for one or more objects located in the respective lateral side environment; responsive to detecting an object in the respective lateral side environment, providing an alert of the detected object.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the alert is a graphical alert indicator, and wherein the graphical alert indicator is presented over a portion of the visual data on the forward display.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the alert is an audial indicator of the detected object, whereby one or more sounds is emitted to alert a driver of the presence of the detected object.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera includes automatically rotating the camera about an axis so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein when the current vehicle movement direction is determined based on a current transmission gear selection of the vehicle, and wherein when the current transmission gear selection is park, automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera so that the facing position of the side camera is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction is performed responsive to detecting a current speed of the vehicle being below a predetermined speed threshold or responsive to receiving a driver command.

9 . A vehicle with a multi-directional maneuvering assistance system comprising:
a vehicle having an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side, a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the side camera having a plurality of facing positions; and a processor located onboard the vehicle, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
determining whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction; and
responsive to determining that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

10 . The vehicle of claim 9 , further including:
activating the side camera to capture visual data from at least a portion of a respective lateral side environment of the vehicle; and presenting the captured visual data on a forward display of the vehicle.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , further including:
a sensor system operable to selectively detect a forward lateral side environment and a rear lateral side environment of the vehicle for one or more objects located in the rear environment; detecting at least a portion of the respective lateral side environment for one or more objects located in the respective lateral side environment; responsive to detecting an object in the respective lateral side environment, providing an alert of the detected object.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the alert is a graphical alert indicator, and wherein the graphical alert indicator is presented over a portion of the visual data on the forward display.

13 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the alert is an audial indicator of the detected object, whereby one or more sounds is emitted to alert a driver of the presence of the detected object.

14 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera includes activating an actuator operatively connected to rotate the camera about an axis.

15 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein when the vehicle movement direction is determined based on a current transmission gear selection of the vehicle, and wherein when the current transmission gear selection is park, automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera so that the facing position of the side camera is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

16 . The vehicle of claim 9 , further including a wing mirror, wherein the camera is mounted on the wing mirror.

17 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the side camera is a first side camera, and further including a second side camera provided on the opposite one of the

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the facing position of the first side camera and the facing position of the second side camera are automatically adjusted independently of each other.

19 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein determining whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction is performed responsive to detecting a current speed of the vehicle being below a predetermined speed threshold.

20 . A computer program product for providing multi-directional maneuvering assistance for a vehicle, the vehicle having an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the vehicle including a side camera provided on one of the first side and the second side, the side camera being movable between a plurality of facing positions, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
determining whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction; and responsive to determining that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, automatically adjusting the facing position of the side camera so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Nagata Katsumi
• Lota Charan

Classifications

• B60R1/06 Primary

  mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · 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

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title

• B60R1/00

  Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles · CPC title

• G06T7/20

  Analysis of motion (motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51) · CPC title