System and method for detecting road obstacles

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method for detecting road obstacles. A vehicle having a camera disposed at a front portion of the vehicle is disclosed. The camera may be configured to capture an image of a geographic area that may be obscured from a driver's field of view caused by the presence of a vehicle vertical body mounting post when the vehicle crosses a road curve. The vehicle may also include a processor configured to obtain a trigger signal and activate the camera in response to obtaining the trigger signal. The processor may be further configured to obtain the image from the camera and determine a presence of a road obstacle in the geographic area based on the obtained image. The processor may output a visual alarm notification or an audible alarm notification in response to determining that the road obstacle is present.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting road obstacles, and more particularly to systems and methods for detecting road obstacles in a blind spot when a vehicle traverses a road curve. Background Art

[0002] Driving on curving roads can be challenging for many drivers. The driver's perception of the vehicle's surroundings may be affected if road obstructions are present in a field of view that is obscured from the driver's field of view. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present disclosure describes a vehicle configured to determine the presence of a road obstacle on a road bend. Specifically, the present disclosure describes a vehicle that can be configured to determine the presence of a road obstacle in a geographic area in front of the vehicle that may be obscured from the driver's field of view (FOV) due to the presence of a vertical body mounting column of the vehicle when the driver navigates the road bend. The vehicle may include a camera, which may be disposed at the upper right front portion of the vehicle (e.g., at the upper right portion of the front windshield of the vehicle), and the camera may be configured to capture an image of a geographic area in front of the vehicle that is obscured from the driver's FOV (i.e., a "blind spot"). The camera may be a one-degree-of-freedom rotation camera that may be configured to rotate laterally based on input received from the vehicle. The vehicle may activate the camera when the driver rotates the vehicle steering wheel in a predefined direction (e.g., counterclockwise) or when the driver actuates a camera actuator. In response to the camera activation, the vehicle may obtain an image captured by the camera and may analyze the image to determine the presence of a road obstacle. The vehicle may output an alert in response to determining that a road obstacle is present, thereby enabling the driver to perform remedial action (eg, apply the brakes) in a timely manner.

[0004] In some aspects, the vehicle may analyze images captured by the camera to determine the presence of road obstacles by using one or more artificial intelligence (AI)-based image processing algorithms that may be pre-stored in the vehicle's memory. In other aspects, the vehicle may be configured to detect the end of a road curve in an image captured by the camera by using an AI-based image processing algorithm, and control the camera rotation based on the detected end of the road curve. Specifically, the vehicle may control the camera rotation so that when the vehicle traverses the road curve, the camera focuses on or "follows" the end of the road curve. The vehicle may also include a display screen located in the vehicle cockpit, on which the vehicle may display images captured by the camera.

[0005] The vehicle may be further configured to generate an augmented reality (AR) image by overlaying a visual warning notification on an image captured by a camera in response to determining that a road obstacle exists. The vehicle may render the generated AR image on a display screen so that the driver can conveniently view the visual warning notification on the AR image and perform remedial actions in a timely manner. The vehicle may be further configured to output an audible warning notification via a vehicle speaker system in response to determining that a road obstacle exists.

[0006] The present disclosure discloses a vehicle that assists a driver in determining the presence of an obstacle in a blind spot and performing remedial actions in a timely manner. The vehicle uses a vehicle camera to determine the presence of an obstacle in a blind spot, thereby eliminating the need to use any external system / server to detect the presence of an obstacle. The vehicle further outputs an alarm in response to determining the presence of an obstacle, thereby assisting the driver in preventing an adverse situation.

[0007] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Specific implementations are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0009] Figure 1 An example environment is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0010] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example system for detecting road obstacles according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0011] Figure 3 Depicted is an example image of a road detour displayed on a display screen in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 Depicted are snapshots of example display screens of a vehicle cockpit in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 5 An example scenario of a vehicle changing lanes according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0014] Figure 6 A flow chart of an example method for detecting road obstacles according to the present disclosure is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0016] Figure 1 An example environment 100 is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. The environment 100 may include a vehicle 102 that may take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as, for example, a sedan, a work vehicle, a crossover vehicle, a truck, a van, a minivan, a taxi, a bus, etc. The vehicle 102 may be a manually driven vehicle, and / or may be configured to operate in a partially autonomous mode, and may include any powertrain, such as, for example, a gasoline engine, one or more electrically actuated motors, a hybrid powertrain, etc. A vehicle user 104 (or driver 104) may be driving the vehicle 102 on a road 106. More specifically, the vehicle 102 may be traversing a road curve (or curve 106). Hereinafter, the road 106 and the curve 106 may be used interchangeably in the present disclosure.

[0017] In some aspects, while vehicle 102 may be traversing curve 106, portions of curve 106 may be obscured from the driver's field of view (FOV) due to the presence of one or more vehicle structural components. Figure 1 As shown, when the vehicle 102 may be traversing a left-hand curve and the vehicle 102 may be a left-hand drive vehicle, the vehicle vertical body mounting post 108 may block the driver's FOV. The vertical body mounting post 108 may be disposed at the left portion of the vehicle. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when the vehicle 102 may be traversing a right-hand curve and the vehicle 102 may be a right-hand drive vehicle, a similar vertical body mounting post on the right portion of the vehicle may block the driver's FOV.

[0018] To facilitate the driver 104 to conveniently navigate the curve 106, the vehicle 102 may include a camera 110, which may be disposed at an upper right portion of the vehicle (or, if the vehicle 102 is a right-hand drive vehicle, at an upper left portion of the vehicle). The camera 110 may be a one-degree-of-freedom rotation camera, which may be configured to rotate laterally based on input received from the vehicle 102 or one or more external devices (e.g., a server, a user device, etc.). For example, the camera 110 may rotate from left to right or from right to left based on input received from the vehicle 102 or an external device. Figure 1 In the exemplary aspect shown, the camera 110 may be disposed on the front windshield of the vehicle.

[0019] When the driver 104 navigates the curve 106 in a counterclockwise direction (or clockwise direction when the vehicle 102 may be a right-hand drive vehicle) and turns the vehicle steering wheel 112 (or steering wheel 112), the vehicle 102 may activate the camera 110. In addition to the camera activation, the vehicle 102 may also cause the camera 110 to continuously focus on the end of the curve 106 and rotate (while focusing on the end of the curve) as the vehicle 102 traverses the curve 106. The vehicle 102 may further obtain images captured from the camera 110 and display the images at a display screen 114 that may be provided in the vehicle cockpit.

[0020] The image captured by the camera 110 may be of a geographic area in front of the vehicle 102 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV (when the camera 110 is focused on the end of the curve) due to the presence of the vertical body mounting pillars 108. Thus, the image displayed on the display screen 114 may enable the driver 104 to conveniently view those portions of the curve 106 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV (or "blind spot"), thereby facilitating the driver 104 to efficiently navigate the curve 106.

[0021] In additional aspects, the vehicle 102 may determine the presence of one or more obstacles or obstructions on the curve 106 (specifically, obstacles present in the blind spot) based on the images obtained from the camera 110. In response to determining that an obstacle exists, the vehicle 102 may output an audible alarm and / or a visual alarm on the display screen 114. The driver 104 may perform one or more remedial actions (e.g., reduce vehicle speed, apply brakes, stop the vehicle 102, etc.) in response to hearing / seeing the alarm. In this way, the vehicle 102 promptly indicates to the driver 104 that an obstacle in the blind spot exists, so that the driver 104 can perform remedial actions in a timely manner.

[0022] Combined with the following Figure 2 Further details of vehicle 102 are described.

[0023] The vehicle 102 and / or driver 104 implement and / or perform operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the vehicle owner's manual and safety guidelines.

[0024] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example system 200 for detecting road obstacles according to the present disclosure is depicted. Figure 2 When Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 .

[0025] System 200 may include a vehicle 202, a user device 204, and one or more servers 206 that are communicatively coupled to each other via one or more networks 208. Vehicle 202 may be coupled to a Figure 1The user device 204 may be associated with the driver 104 and may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a laptop, a computer, a tablet, a wearable device, or any other similar device having communication capabilities. The server 206 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that provides services to the vehicle 202 and other vehicles that may be part of a commercial vehicle fleet ( Figure 2 In another aspect, server 206 may store and provide one or more artificial intelligence (AI)-based image processing algorithms to vehicle 202, which may facilitate vehicle 202 to analyze images and determine one or more objects that may be present in the images. For example, server 206 may provide vehicle 202 with an AI-based image processing algorithm, which may facilitate vehicle 202 to analyze images of a road curve obtained from camera 110 and determine the presence of one or more obstacles or obstructions on curve 106 based on the image analysis.

[0026] The network 208 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in the various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate. The network 208 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.

[0027] The vehicle 202 may include a plurality of units including, but not limited to, a vehicle computer 210, a vehicle control unit (VCU) 212, and an obstacle detection system 214. The VCU 212 may include a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) 216 arranged to communicate with the vehicle computer 210.

[0028] The user device 204 may be connected to the vehicle computer 210 and / or the obstacle detection system 214 via a network 208, which may communicate via one or more wireless connections, and / or the user device may communicate using a near field communication (NFC) protocol, Protocol, Wi-Fi, ultra-wideband (UWB), and other possible data connection and sharing technologies to connect directly with the vehicle 202.

[0029] In some aspects, according to the present disclosure, the vehicle computer 210 and / or the obstacle detection system 214 may be installed in the vehicle engine compartment (or elsewhere in the vehicle 202). In addition, the vehicle computer 210 may operate as a functional part of the obstacle detection system 214. The vehicle computer 210 may be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 218 and a memory 220. In addition, the obstacle detection system 214 may be separate from the vehicle computer 210 (e.g., Figure 2 ), or may be integrated as part of the vehicle computer 210.

[0030] The processor 218 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (eg, memory 220 and / or memory 220) configured to communicate with a corresponding computing system. Figure 2 The processor 218 may utilize the memory 220 to store programs and / or store data in code for performing aspects according to the present disclosure. The memory 220 may be a non-temporary computer-readable memory that stores obstacle detection program code. The memory 220 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0031] According to some aspects, the VCU 212 can share a power bus with the vehicle computer 210 and can be configured and / or programmed to communicate between vehicle systems, connected servers (e.g., server 206), and other vehicles operating as part of a vehicle fleet (e.g., Figure 2The VCU 212 may include or communicate with any combination of ECUs 216, such as, for example, a body control module (BCM) 222, an engine control module (ECM) 224, a transmission control module (TCM) 226, a telematics control unit (TCU) 228, a driver assistance technology (DAT) controller 230, etc. The VCU 212 may also include and / or communicate with a vehicle perception system (VPS) 232, which can connect and / or control one or more vehicle sensing systems 234. The vehicle sensing system 234 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including but not limited to radio detection and ranging (RADAR or "radar") sensors configured to detect and locate objects inside and outside the vehicle 202 using radio waves, seating area lock sensors, seating area sensors, light detection and ranging (LiDAR or "laser radar") sensors, door sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, wheel sensors, ambient weather sensors, vehicle interior and exterior cameras, steering wheel sensors, etc. In an exemplary aspect, the steering wheel sensor may be configured to detect the direction and angle of rotation of the steering wheel 112 when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112. For example, the steering wheel sensor may detect when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The steering wheel sensor may be further configured to transmit a signal (e.g., a trigger signal) to one or more processors (e.g., processor 218 (or processor 244, as described below)) when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112, the signal indicating the direction of the steering wheel rotation.

[0032] In some aspects, VCU 212 may control aspects of vehicle operation and implement one or more instruction sets received from user device 204 , from one or more instruction sets stored in memory 220 , including instructions to operate as part of obstacle detection system 214 .

[0033] The TCU 228 may be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and off the vehicle 202 and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 236 for receiving and processing GPS signals, module (BLEM) 238, a Wi-Fi transceiver, a UWB transceiver, and / or may be configured to communicate between the vehicle 202 and other systems (e.g., a vehicle key fob, Figure 2 Other wireless transceivers (not shown), wireless communications (including cellular communications) between the computer and the module Figure 2 216). The TCU 228 may be configured to communicate with the ECU 216 via a bus.

[0034] The ECU 216 may control aspects of vehicle operation and communications using input from a human driver, input from an autonomous vehicle controller, the obstacle detection system 214, and / or via wireless signal input received from other connected devices (such as a user device 204, a server 206, etc.) over a wireless connection.

[0035] BCM 222 generally includes an integration of sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and varactors associated with vehicle systems, and may include processor-based power distribution circuits that can control functions associated with the vehicle body, such as lights, windows, security devices, cameras including camera 110, audio systems, speakers, wipers, door locks and entry controls, and various comfort controls. BCM 222 may also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 2 (not shown) to interact.

[0036] The DAT controller 230 may provide Level 1 to Level 3 automated driving and driver assistance functions, which may include, for example, active park assist, vehicle back-up assist, adaptive cruise control, and / or lane keeping, among other features. The DAT controller 230 may also provide aspects of user and environmental input that may be used for user authentication.

[0037] In some aspects, the vehicle computer 210 may be connected to an infotainment system 240. The infotainment system 240 may include a touch screen interface portion, and may include a voice recognition feature, a biometric capability that may identify a user based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric means. In other aspects, the infotainment system 240 may be further configured to receive user commands via the touch screen interface portion, and / or display notifications (including visual alert notifications), navigation maps, etc. on the touch screen interface portion.

[0038] The vehicle 202 may also include a camera 110 and a display screen 114, such as in combination with Figure 1 The vehicle computer 210 and / or the obstacle detection system 214 may control the rotational movement of the camera 110 via the BCM 222 .

[0039] The computing system architecture of the vehicle computer 210, VCU 212 and / or obstacle detection system 214 may omit certain computing modules. Figure 2 The computing environment depicted in FIG. 1 is an example of possible implementations according to the present disclosure and, therefore, should not be considered limiting or exclusive.

[0040] According to some aspects, the obstacle detection system 214 can be integrated with and / or executed as part of the ECU 216. Whether the obstacle detection system 214 is integrated with the vehicle computer 210 or the ECU 216, or whether it operates as a standalone computing system in the vehicle 202, it can include a transceiver 242, a processor 244, and a computer readable memory 246.

[0041] The transceiver 242 may be configured to receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., user device 204, server 206, etc.) via the network 208. In addition, the transceiver 242 may transmit notifications (e.g., alerts / alarm signals) to the external devices or systems. In addition, the transceiver 242 may be configured to receive information / input from vehicle components (such as the infotainment system 240, the vehicle sensing system 234 (including the steering wheel sensor), etc.). In addition, the transceiver 242 may transmit notifications (e.g., alerts / alarm signals) to vehicle components (such as the infotainment system 240, the BCM 222, the display screen 114, etc.).

[0042] The processor 244 and the memory 246 may be the same or similar to the processor 218 and the memory 220, respectively. In some aspects, the processor 244 may be an AI-based processor that may utilize the memory 246 to store programs and / or store data in code for performing aspects according to the present disclosure. The memory 246 may be a non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores obstacle detection code. In some aspects, the memory 246 may additionally store information associated with the vehicle 202 and one or more sensing inputs received from the vehicle sensing system 234. In additional aspects, the memory 246 may store an AI-based image processing algorithm that the vehicle 202 may receive (via the transceiver 242) from the server 206. As described above, the AI-based image processing algorithm may facilitate the processor 244 to analyze the image obtained from the camera 110 and determine one or more obstacles that may be visible in the image (i.e., obstacles that may be present on the curve 106 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV).

[0043] In operation, the driver 104 may navigate the curve 106 and may rotate the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction (when the curve 106 may be a left curve). In response to the driver 104 rotating the steering wheel 112, the steering wheel sensor may detect the steering wheel rotation and generate a trigger signal when the steering wheel sensor detects that the driver 104 may have rotated the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction. In some aspects, if the vehicle 102 is a left-hand drive vehicle, the steering wheel sensor may generate a trigger signal when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction. If the vehicle 202 is a right-hand drive vehicle, the steering wheel sensor may generate a trigger signal when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a clockwise direction.

[0044] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction (i.e., when the vehicle is navigating a left-hand curve) and the vehicle 202 is a left-hand drive vehicle, the vertical body mounting post 108 blocks the driver's FOV. In some aspects, in a left-hand drive vehicle, when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction, the steering wheel sensor generates a trigger signal. In a similar manner, when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a clockwise direction and the vehicle 202 is a right-hand drive vehicle, the vertical body mounting post may block the driver's FOV. In some aspects, in a right-hand drive vehicle, when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a clockwise direction, the steering wheel sensor generates a trigger signal.

[0045] In response to generating the trigger signal, the steering wheel sensor may transmit the trigger signal to the transceiver 242. The transceiver 242 may receive the trigger signal and may send the trigger signal to the processor 244. The processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal from the transceiver 242 and activate the camera 110 in response to obtaining the trigger signal. In other words, when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction (or in a clockwise direction if the vehicle 202 is a right-hand drive vehicle), the processor 244 may activate the camera 110.

[0046] Although the above description describes aspects in which the steering wheel sensor generates a trigger signal and transmits it to the processor 244 (via the transceiver 242), in some aspects, the processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal from other devices or units. For example, the processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal from the user device 204 or the infotainment system 240. In this case, when the driver 104 desires to activate the camera 110, the driver 104 may transmit the trigger signal (or "camera activation signal") from the user device 204 or the infotainment system 240 to the processor 244. As another example, the processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal from a dedicated camera actuator 402, which may be disposed on the steering wheel 112 (e.g., Figure 4 ) or any other location in the vehicle 202. The camera actuator 402 may be configured to generate a trigger signal and transmit the trigger signal to the processor 244 when the driver 104 presses or actuates the camera actuator 402 to activate the camera 110.

[0047] In response to the camera activation, the camera 110 may capture an image of a geographic area in front of the vehicle 202. Specifically, the camera 110 may be configured to capture an image of a geographic area that may be obscured from the driver's FOV due to the presence of the vertical body-mounted pillars 108 as the vehicle 202 traverses the curve 106. In response to capturing the image, the camera 110 may transmit the image to the processor 244 via the transceiver 242.

[0048] Processor 244 may obtain an image from camera 110 and may analyze the obtained image based on an AI-based image processing algorithm that may be stored in memory 246. In some aspects, processor 244 may analyze the image to determine the end of curve 106 (or "curve end") in the obtained image. In response to determining the curve end, processor 244 may control the camera rotation based on the determined curve end. As described above in conjunction with Figure 1 As described above, the camera 110 may be a one-degree-of-freedom rotating camera that may be configured to rotate horizontally.

[0049] In some aspects, the processor 244 may control the camera rotation so that the camera focus is aligned with the determined end of the curve as the vehicle 202 traverses the curve 106. In other words, the processor 244 may control the camera rotation so that as the vehicle 202 navigates the curve 106, the camera 110 continuously "follows" the end of the curve.

[0050] In addition to controlling camera rotation, processor 244 may also cause display screen 114 to display images obtained from camera 110 . Figure 3 2 shows an example view of an image of the curved road 106 displayed on the display screen 114. In some aspects, the processor 244 may first process the image obtained from the camera 110 to enhance the image quality / resolution (e.g., by removing blur, etc.) before displaying the image on the display screen 114. In this way, an “enhanced image” may be displayed on the display screen 114.

[0051] Because the camera 110 is focused on the end of the curve, the end of the curve is disposed at a central portion of an image that may be displayed on the display screen 114. Positioning the end of the curve at the central portion of the image enables the driver 104 to view a significant portion of the geographic area in front of the vehicle 202 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV by the vertical body mounting pillars 108.

[0052] Although the above description describes aspects in which the processor 244 focuses the camera 110 on the end of a curve, in other aspects, the processor 244 may focus the camera 110 on other portions of the road in front of the vehicle 202. For example, in some aspects, the processor 244 may focus the camera 110 on the center portion of the road in front of the vehicle 202.

[0053] Additionally, in some aspects, the display screen 114 can have two separate portions or sections, such as a left screen portion 404 and a right screen portion 406. Figure 4 For a left-hand drive vehicle (e.g., vehicle 202), left screen portion 404 may be configured to display an image captured by camera 110, such as Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , this display screen arrangement may facilitate the driver 104 to conveniently view the image when the driver 104 rotates the steering wheel 112 in a counterclockwise direction. The right screen portion 406 may be configured to display other vehicle details, such as vehicle speed, etc. Figure 4 shown.

[0054] For right-hand drive vehicles, the above display screen arrangement can be reversed. For example, in a right-hand drive vehicle, the right screen portion 406 can display the image captured by the camera 110, and the left screen portion 404 can display other vehicle details.

[0055] In further aspects, in addition to controlling the camera rotation and causing the display screen 114 to display images captured by the camera 110, the processor 244 may also analyze the images obtained from the camera 110 (e.g., by using an AI-based image processing algorithm) and determine one or more obstacles that may be present on the curve 106. Specifically, the processor 244 may determine the presence of obstacles or obstructions that may be present in a geographic area that is obscured from the driver's FOV based on the analysis of the images obtained from the camera 110.

[0056] In response to determining an obstruction (e.g., obstruction 302, such as Figure 3 The processor 244 may output a visual warning notification 304 on the display screen 114 to detect the presence of the visual warning notification 304. Specifically, the processor 244 may generate an augmented reality (AR) image in which the visual warning notification 304 may be overlaid on the image captured by the camera 110. The obstacle 302 may be further highlighted in the AR image. The processor 244 may then render the generated AR image on the display screen 114, such as Figure 3 In additional aspects, in response to determining that an obstacle 302 is present on the curve 106 , the processor 244 can output an audible alert via a vehicle speaker system (not shown) and / or the infotainment system 240 . In further aspects, the processor 244 can transmit the alert to the user device 204 via the transceiver 242 .

[0057] In response to viewing the visual warning notification 304 and / or hearing the audible warning on the display screen 114, the driver 104 may perform remedial actions. For example, in response to viewing or hearing the warning notification, the driver 104 may apply the brakes, reduce the vehicle speed, etc. In this way, the present disclosure assists the driver 104 in detecting obstacles or obstructions that may exist in a blind spot or geographic area in front of the vehicle 202 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV (e.g., due to the vertical body mounting pillars 108), and performing remedial actions in a timely manner.

[0058] Although the above description describes aspects in which the camera 110 is used to capture images of a geographic area in front of the vehicle 202 that may be obscured from the driver's FOV, in some aspects, the driver 104 may additionally use the camera 110 to capture images of the vehicle's surroundings. For example, when the driver 104 may be on a road trip and desires to capture images of the vehicle's surroundings, the driver 104 may activate the camera 110 by actuating the camera actuator 402. The driver 104 may further transmit instructions to the processor 244 via the user device 204 for rotating the camera 110 at a rotation angle desired by the driver 104, so that the camera 110 can capture images of the vehicle's surroundings (rather than the curve 106). In response to the camera activation and in response to obtaining instructions from the user device 204, the processor 244 may rotate the camera 110 at a rotation angle desired by the driver 104. Then, the camera 110 can capture images of the vehicle's surroundings. In this case, images captured by camera 110 may be stored in memory 246 and / or transmitted to user device 204 (or any other device) or the cloud via transceiver 242 for storage purposes.

[0059] In additional aspects, when the vehicle 202 may be changing lanes, such as Figure 5 As shown, the driver 104 may use the images obtained by the camera 110. Specifically, when the driver 104 desires to change lanes and the driver's field of view may be obstructed (e.g., a large vehicle 502, such as Figure 5 4 (shown), the driver 104 may activate the camera 110 by actuating the camera actuator 402. The driver 104 may further transmit to the processor 244 via the user device 204 an instruction for rotating the camera 110 at a rotation angle desired by the driver 104, so that the camera 110 can capture an image of the right side of the vehicle 502 (which may be obscured from the driver's FOV). In response to the camera activation and in response to obtaining instructions from the user device 204, the processor 244 may rotate the camera 110 at a rotation angle desired by the driver 104 and display the image captured by the camera 110 on the display screen 114. The driver 104 can view the image on the display screen 114, thus conveniently changing lanes. In this way, the present disclosure can additionally assist the driver 104 in changing lanes.

[0060] Figure 6 A flow chart of an example method 600 for detecting road obstacles according to the present disclosure is depicted. Figure 6 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer of the steps shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from that described in the example embodiments below.

[0061] The method 600 begins at step 602. At step 604, the method 600 may include obtaining a trigger signal by the processor 244. Figure 2 As described above, the processor 244 may obtain a trigger signal from a steering wheel sensor, the user device 204 , the infotainment system 240 , or the camera actuator 402 .

[0062] At step 606, the method 600 may include activating, by the processor 244, the camera 110 in response to obtaining the trigger signal. At step 608, the method 600 may include obtaining, by the processor 244, an image captured by the camera 110 in response to the camera activation. At step 610, the method 600 may include determining, by the processor 244, the presence of the obstacle 302 in the curve 106 based on the obtained image. At step 612, the method 600 may include outputting, by the processor 244, an alert in response to determining that the obstacle is present.

[0063] Method 600 may end at step 614 .

[0064] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It should be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "one embodiment," "embodiment," "example embodiment," etc. in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures, or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0065] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0066] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the specific example described.

[0067] Computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0068] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0069] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and expected that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and change.

[0070] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary in this article, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless the claim states an explicit limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the indicated elements. Unless otherwise specifically stated or understood in other ways within the context when used, conditional language such as, in particular, "can", "may", "can" or "may" is generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require features, elements and / or steps in any way.

[0071] In one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is a left-hand drive vehicle and the predefined direction is a counter-clockwise direction.

[0072] In one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle and the predefined direction is a clockwise direction.

[0073] In one aspect of the invention, obtaining the trigger signal includes obtaining the trigger signal from a user device, a vehicle infotainment system, or a camera actuator.

[0074] In one aspect of the invention, a method includes displaying an image on a display screen in a vehicle cockpit.

[0075] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain a trigger signal; activate a camera of a vehicle in response to obtaining the trigger signal, wherein the camera is arranged at a front portion of the vehicle, and wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of a geographical area that is obscured from a driver's field of view due to the presence of a structural component of the vehicle when the vehicle traverses a curve in a road; obtain the image from the camera in response to activating the camera; determine the presence of a road obstacle in the geographical area based on the image; and output an alarm in response to determining the presence of the road obstacle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, include: a camera disposed at a front portion of the vehicle, wherein the camera is configured to capture images of a geographic area obscured from a driver's field of view due to the presence of vehicle structural components as the vehicle traverses a curve in a road; as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the camera, wherein the processor is configured to: Get a trigger signal; activating the camera in response to obtaining the trigger signal; obtaining the image from the camera in response to activating the camera; determining the presence of road obstacles in the geographic area based on the image; and An alert is output in response to determining that the road obstacle exists.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle structural member is a vehicle vertical body mounting pillar.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: include: steering wheel; as well as A steering wheel sensor, wherein the steering wheel sensor is configured to: Detect steering wheel rotation; When the steering wheel rotates in a predefined direction, generating the trigger signal; and The trigger signal is transmitted to the processor.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the vehicle is a left-hand drive vehicle and the predefined direction is a counterclockwise direction.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle and the predefined direction is a clockwise direction.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor obtains the trigger signal from a user device, a vehicle infotainment system, or a camera actuator.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: include: A vehicle cockpit, the vehicle cockpit comprising a display screen.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the display screen to display the image.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert notification, and wherein the processor outputs the visual alert notification on the display screen.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle speaker, wherein the alarm comprises an audible alarm notification, and wherein the processor outputs the audible alarm notification via the vehicle speaker.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a one degree of freedom rotation camera.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining an end of a road curve based on the image; and The camera rotation angle is controlled so that when the vehicle crosses the road curve, the camera focus is aligned with the end of the road curve.

13. A method for determining a road obstacle, the method include: A trigger signal is obtained by the processor; activating, by the processor in response to obtaining the trigger signal, a camera of the vehicle, wherein the camera is disposed at a front portion of the vehicle, and wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of a geographic area obscured from a driver's field of view by the presence of a vehicle structural component when the vehicle traverses a curve in a road; obtaining, by the processor in response to activating the camera, the image from the camera; determining, by the processor based on the image, that a road obstacle exists in the geographic area; as well as An alert is output by the processor in response to determining that the road obstacle is present.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle structural member is a vehicle vertical body mounting pillar.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein obtaining the trigger signal comprises obtaining the trigger signal from a steering wheel sensor, wherein the steering wheel sensor is configured to: Detecting steering wheel rotation of a steering wheel; and The trigger signal is generated when the steering wheel is rotated in a predefined direction.

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