Control system for a movable object

Abstract

The present application provides a control system of a movable object, which includes a first camera, a second camera and a display unit. The first camera is used to acquire a first image of the surrounding environment of the movable object. The second camera is used to acquire a second image adjacent to the movable object according to the first camera. When the first camera detects a facility representing an intersection, the display unit is used to display the second image acquired by the second camera when the second camera detects a sign representing the intersection. The control system of the movable object provided by the present application can allow the user of the movable object to have enough time to confirm the nearby situation of the movable object at the intersection through the cooperation of two different cameras, thereby reducing accidents and improving driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a control system for a movable object. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle control systems are generally equipped with multi-view camera systems to display the front blind view zone on the screen based on image data from the front and side cameras.

[0003] However, assuming the vehicle control system switches the screen from a standard navigation display to a blind view based on user input, this would be a burden for the user. Furthermore, assuming the vehicle control system uses a camera on the windshield to detect stop lines and determine the timing of switching to a blind view, the area near the hood would create a blind spot. Therefore, even if the windshield camera could detect the stop line from a distance, it wouldn't be able to accurately detect it as the vehicle approaches the stop line, resulting in the blind view not switching at the optimal time. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention proposes a control system for movable objects, which, through the coordinated operation of two different cameras, allows users of movable objects sufficient time at intersections to confirm the surrounding conditions of the movable object, thereby reducing accidents and improving driving safety.

[0005] The control system for a movable object of the present invention includes a first camera, a second camera, and a display unit. The first camera is used to acquire a first image of the surrounding environment of the movable object. The second camera is used to acquire a second image of the movable object adjacent to it, based on the first camera. After the first camera detects a facility representing an intersection, the display unit is used to display the second image acquired by the second camera when the second camera detects a sign representing an intersection.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control system further includes a movement speed detection unit for detecting the movement speed of the movable object. After the first camera detects a facility representing an intersection, when the second camera detects a sign representing an intersection, and when the movement speed detection unit detects that the movement speed of the movable object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the display unit displays a second image acquired by the second camera.

[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the moving speed detection unit detects that the moving speed is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and the display unit displays the second image, when the moving speed detection unit detects again that the moving speed of the movable object exceeds the predetermined threshold, the display unit stops displaying the second image.

[0008] In an embodiment of the invention, the control system further includes a motion control unit for controlling the moving speed of the movable object. After the first camera detects a facility representing an intersection, and when the second camera detects a sign representing an intersection, the motion control unit performs motion control to reduce the moving speed of the movable object. When the moving speed detection unit detects that the moving speed of the movable object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the display unit displays a second image acquired by the second camera.

[0009] In an embodiment of the invention, when the first camera detects a facility representing an intersection, the display unit displays relevant information about the facility.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first camera is a multi-purpose camera and the second camera is a multi-view camera.

[0011] In an embodiment of the invention, the facilities at the intersection are signs or signals, and the markings at the intersection are stop lines. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings are included to further illustrate the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a control system for a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of a control system for a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a movable object using a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control system for a movable object according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method for controlling a movable object by a control system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a timeline diagram illustrating the control system for controlling a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] [Icon Symbol Explanation]

[0020] 100, 300: Control system;

[0021] 110, 410: First camera;

[0022] 120, 420: Second camera;

[0023] 130, 430: Display units;

[0024] 440: Movement speed detection unit;

[0025] 450: Motion Control Unit;

[0026] S301-S309, S501-S527: Method steps;

[0027] V: Movable object;

[0028] F: Surrounding environment;

[0029] N: Nearby;

[0030] 601-605: Curves;

[0031] C: Vehicle;

[0032] S: Stop sign;

[0033] L: Stop line. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same component reference numerals are used in the drawings and description to denote the same or similar parts.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a control system for a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention. First... Figure 1 First, we will introduce the various components and their configuration relationships in the control system. Detailed functions will be disclosed in conjunction with the subsequent Implementation Example 1.

[0036] Please refer to the following: Figure 1The control system 100 for the movable object in this embodiment includes at least a first camera 110, a second camera 120, and a display unit 130. In this embodiment, the movable object is, for example, a vehicle that can travel on a road, such as a car, motorcycle, truck, or bus. The first camera 110 is, for example, a multi-purpose camera (MPC) used to acquire images of the surrounding environment of the movable object. The advantage of a multi-purpose camera is that it can detect distant targets of the movable object (e.g., a traffic sign at a distance of 40 meters), but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to detect blind spots (e.g., forward blind spots) near the movable object. The second camera 120 is, for example, a multi-view camera (MVC) used to acquire images near the movable object. The advantage of a multi-view camera is that it can use an ultra-wide-angle lens to detect nearby movable objects, but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to detect distant movable objects. The display unit 130 is, for example, a stand-alone electronic display, an electronic display equipped with an instrument panel, navigation system or other service facilities, used to display images acquired by the second camera 120 at specific points in time, so as to display the proximity of a moving object in a timely manner.

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of a control system for a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Please refer to the following at the same time Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The control system 100 can be installed on the movable object V, allowing the movable object V to be controlled by the control system 100. A first camera 110 is, for example, mounted on the windshield of the movable object V to acquire an image of the surrounding environment F of the movable object V (hereinafter referred to as the "first image"). A second camera 120 is, for example, mounted on the front grille of the movable object V to acquire an image of the vicinity of the movable object V (hereinafter referred to as the "second image").

[0039] In this embodiment, when a movable object V is in motion, the first camera 110 detects the surrounding environment F of the movable object V, while the second camera 120 detects the nearby N of the movable object V based on the first camera 110. When the first camera 110 detects facilities representing an intersection (e.g., traffic lights or signs on the road), the second camera 120 detects whether there are any markings representing an intersection (e.g., stop lines on the road surface). When the second camera 120 further detects markings representing an intersection, the display unit 130 displays the second image acquired by the second camera 120. Therefore, through the facility detection of the first camera 110 and the marking detection of the second camera 120, the display unit 130 can display the nearby N of the movable object V at the optimal time, allowing the user of the movable object V sufficient time to confirm the surrounding conditions of the movable object V at the intersection, thereby reducing the occurrence of accidents and improving driving safety.

[0040] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the first camera 110 detects facilities representing an intersection, and when the second camera 120 further detects a sign representing an intersection, the display unit 130 will display the second image acquired by the second camera 120. However, in another embodiment, when the first camera 110 detects facilities representing an intersection, and when the navigation system of the movable object V further detects an intersection, the display unit 130 may also display the second image acquired by the second camera 120.

[0041] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first camera 110 and the second camera 120 each have a built-in processor to detect the acquired images. The processor may be, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other programmable general-purpose or special-purpose graphics processing units (GPUs), microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable controllers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), application processors (APs), or other similar devices or combinations thereof. When the first camera 110 detects facilities representing an intersection, it can instruct the second camera 120 to detect the intersection sign via a transmission interface. When the second camera 120 detects the intersection sign, it can transmit a second image to the display unit 130 for display via the transmission interface. However, in another embodiment, the first camera 110, the second camera 120, and the display 130 may be connected to an external processor. An external processor can perform image detection on the first image and the second image acquired by the first camera 110 and the second camera 120, thereby controlling the operation of the first camera 110, the second camera 120 and the display 130. This invention is not limited thereto.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a movable object using a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein... Figure 3 The method and process can Figure 1 The control system 100 is used to implement this. In this embodiment, the facilities and signs of the intersection will be described using stop signs on road facilities and stop lines on the road surface, respectively.

[0043] Please refer to the following at the same time Figure 1 as well as Figure 3When a movable object is moving, the first camera 110 will identify a stop sign in the acquired first image (step S301) to determine whether a stop sign exists in the first image (step S303). If no stop sign exists in the first image, the process returns to step S301, and the first camera 110 will continue to identify a stop sign in the acquired first image. If a stop sign exists in the first image, the second camera 120 will identify a stop line in the acquired second image (step S305) to determine whether a stop line exists in the second image (step S307). If no stop line exists in the second image, the process returns to step S305, and the second camera 120 will continue to identify a stop line in the acquired second image. On the other hand, if a stop line exists in the second image, the display unit 130 will display the second image, i.e., display the forward blind zone (step S309). In this way, the user has sufficient time to safely confirm the forward blind zone of the movable object through the display unit 130 when the movable object approaches the stop line.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control system for a movable object according to another embodiment of the present invention. First Figure 4 First, we will introduce the various components and their configuration relationships in the control system. Detailed functions will be disclosed in conjunction with the subsequent Implementation Example 1.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 4 The control system 400 for the movable object in this embodiment includes at least a first camera 410, a second camera 420, a display unit 430, a movement speed detection unit 440, and a movement control unit 450. In this embodiment, the movable object is, for example, a vehicle that can travel on a road, such as a car, motorcycle, truck, or bus, and is controlled by the control system 400. The functional architecture of the first camera 410, the second camera 420, and the display unit 430 is similar to... Figure 1 The first camera 110, the second camera 120, and the display unit 130 will not be described in detail here. The movement speed detection unit 440 is, for example, a vehicle speed sensor, used to detect the movement speed of the movable object. The movement control unit 450 is, for example, a vehicle speed controller, used to control the movement speed of the movable object.

[0046] Those skilled in the art should understand that, similar to Figure 1 as well as Figure 2As explained, in this embodiment, the first camera 410, the second camera 420, and the motion speed detection unit 440 each have a built-in processor. After performing image detection and speed detection, they will instruct other components to perform the next step of operation through the transmission interface based on the detection results. However, in another embodiment, the first camera 410, the second camera 420, the display unit 430, the motion speed detection unit 440, and the motion control unit 450 can be connected to an external processor, which can then coordinate and control the operation of all components. This invention is not limited to this.

[0047] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a movable object using a control system according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein... Figure 5 The method and process can Figure 4 The control system 400 is used to implement this. In this embodiment, the facilities and signs at the intersection will be described using stop signs on the road and stop lines on the road surface, respectively.

[0048] Please refer to the following at the same time Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 When a movable object is moving, the first camera 410 will identify a stop sign in the acquired first image (step S501) to determine whether a stop sign exists in the first image (step S503). If no stop sign exists in the first image, the process returns to step S501, and the first camera 410 will continue to identify stop signs in the acquired first image. If a stop sign exists in the first image, the second camera 420 will identify a stop line in the acquired second image (step S505) to determine whether a stop line exists in the second image (step S507). Incidentally, if a stop sign exists in the first image, the display unit 430 may selectively display relevant information about the stop sign to notify the user of the intersection's existence in advance, thus increasing the user's awareness. If no stop line exists in the second image, the process returns to step S505, and the second camera 420 will continue to identify stop lines in the acquired second image. If a stop line exists in the second image, the display unit 430 will further determine the time point at which the second image acquired by the second camera 420 is displayed based on the moving speed of the movable object detected by the moving speed detection unit 440.

[0049] In detail, if a stop line exists in the second image, the second image can be used to calculate the remaining distance between the movable object and the stop line (step S509). The movement control unit 450 will then perform movement control to reduce the moving speed of the movable object based on the remaining distance, i.e., automatic braking control (step S511). Next, the movement speed detection unit 440 will detect whether the moving speed of the movable object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold TH (e.g., 25 km / h) (step S513). If the moving speed of the movable object is greater than the predetermined threshold TH, the movement speed detection unit 440 will continue to detect the moving speed of the movable object. If the moving speed of the movable object is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold TH, the display unit 430 will display the second image, i.e., display the forward blind zone (step S515). In this way, the user has sufficient time to safely confirm the forward blind zone of the movable object through the display unit 430 when the movable object approaches the stop line and its moving speed decreases.

[0050] On the other hand, when the display unit 430 is displaying the forward blind zone, the second camera 420 will continuously identify the stop line based on the acquired second image (step S517) to determine whether the movable object has reached the stop line (step S519). If the movable object has not yet reached the stop line, it will return to step S517 to continue identifying the stop line based on the second image. If the movable object has reached the stop line, the motion control unit 450 will stop executing the motion control that reduces the moving speed of the movable object, that is, stop the automatic braking control (step S521).

[0051] Subsequently, regardless of whether the movable object is started by the motion control unit 450 or the driver, the motion speed detection unit 440 will determine whether the moving speed of the movable object is greater than a predetermined threshold TH (e.g., 25 km / h) (step S523). If the moving speed of the movable object is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold TH, the display unit 430 will continue to display the second image, that is, continue to display the forward blind zone (step S525). If the moving speed of the movable object is greater than the predetermined threshold TH, it means that the movable object will move away from the stop line and intersection, and the user no longer needs to confirm the safety of the surroundings. Therefore, the display unit 430 will stop displaying the second image, that is, stop displaying the forward blind zone (step S527), to avoid unnecessary display.

[0052] For easier and clearer understanding, Figure 6This is a timeline diagram illustrating the control system for controlling a movable object according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the facilities and signs of the intersection will be described as stop signs on road facilities and stop lines on the road surface, respectively. The first camera 410 and the second camera 420 will be described as MPC and MVC, respectively. The display unit 430, the moving speed detection unit 440, and the moving control unit 450 will be described as a display, a vehicle speed sensor, and a vehicle speed controller, respectively.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 6 Curve 601 represents the speed change of vehicle C on the time axis; curve 602 represents the time point (ON or OFF) when the information related to the stop sign is displayed on the display of vehicle C; curve 603 represents the braking control (ON or OFF) performed by the vehicle speed controller on the time axis; curve 604 represents the remaining distance between vehicle C and the stop line on the time axis; and curve 605 represents the time point when the forward blind spot is displayed on the display of vehicle C.

[0054] When vehicle C is moving, the MPC detects the stop sign S at time t1, and the display will show information about the stop sign S. Then, when the MVC detects the stop line L, the vehicle speed controller, based on the remaining distance between vehicle C and the stop line L, performs braking control at time t2. When the vehicle speed sensor detects that vehicle C's speed has decreased to 25 km / h at time t3, the display will show the image acquired by the MVC, i.e., the forward blind spot display.

[0055] Next, when vehicle C starts accelerating again, when the vehicle speed sensor detects that vehicle C's speed has accelerated to 25 km / h at time t4, the display on vehicle C will stop displaying the image obtained by MVC, that is, stop displaying the blind zone before stopping.

[0056] In summary, the control system for movable objects proposed in this invention can, through the coordinated operation of two different cameras, allow users of movable objects sufficient time at intersections to confirm the surrounding conditions of the movable object, thereby reducing accidents and improving driving safety.

[0057] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control system for a movable object, characterized in that, include: A first camera is used to acquire a first image of the environment surrounding the movable object; A second camera is used to acquire a second image of the movable object based on the first camera; as well as The display unit is used to display the second image acquired by the second camera when the second camera detects a sign representing the intersection after the first camera detects a facility representing the intersection.

2. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A movement speed detection unit is used to detect the movement speed of the movable object. Wherein, after the first camera detects the facility representing the intersection, when the second camera detects the sign representing the intersection and when the moving speed detection unit detects that the moving speed is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the display unit displays the second image acquired by the second camera.

3. The control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, After the movement speed detection unit detects that the movement speed is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold and the display unit displays the second image, when the movement speed detection unit detects again that the movement speed of the movable object exceeds the predetermined threshold, the display unit stops displaying the second image.

4. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: A motion control unit is used to control the movement speed of the movable object. Wherein, after the first camera detects the facility representing the intersection, and when the second camera detects the sign representing the intersection, the movement control unit executes movement control to reduce the moving speed of the movable object. When the movement speed detection unit detects that the movement speed of the movable object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the display unit displays the second image acquired by the second camera.

5. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, When the first camera detects the facility representing the intersection, the display unit displays relevant information about the facility.

6. The control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the first camera detects the facility representing the intersection, the display unit displays relevant information about the facility.

7. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first camera is a multi-purpose camera, and the second camera is a multi-view camera.

8. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The facilities at the intersection are signs or signals, and the markings at the intersection are stop lines.

Images