Camera system and method capable of reducing visual blind area of vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a camera shooting system capable of reducing visual blind areas of a vehicle. The camera shooting system comprises a control unit, a camera shooting unit and a telescopic mechanism. The first end of the telescopic mechanism is installed on a vehicle body of a target vehicle, the second end of the telescopic mechanism extends out of the vehicle body, and the camera shooting unit is installed at the second end of the telescopic mechanism. The control unit obtains the self state and the driving state of the vehicle and controls the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the self state and the driving state of the vehicle, and the driving state at least comprises a turning state and / or a reversing state. The control unit at least drives the telescopic mechanism to adjust the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the turning angle and / or the reversing state of the vehicle. The camera system can greatly improve the vision flexibility of the vehicle, especially the vehicle with a hanging carriage, in the running and turning process, and reduce the vision blind area in the vehicle turning process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic rearview mirrors for vehicles, and in particular to a camera system and method for reducing blind spots in the field of vision of a vehicle, which can improve the real-time field of vision of an electronic exterior rearview mirror. Background Art

[0002] Since commercial vehicles, especially trailers, are usually longer, the movement trajectories of the front and rear wheels do not overlap when the vehicle turns due to the existence of the inner wheel difference. The longer the body, the greater the "wheel difference" formed, and the range of the inner wheel difference will also expand. The bodies of large engineering vehicles and other commercial vehicles are relatively long, especially after the front of the vehicle turns, there is still a long part of the body that has not turned around, which can easily form a "visual blind spot" for drivers of large vehicles. When non-motor vehicles or pedestrians step into the "visual blind spot" of the inner wheel, the danger increases. Because they are close to the body of the vehicle, they are dragged into the vehicle by the rear body when turning, causing traffic accidents.

[0003] With the rise of electronic rearview mirrors, vehicle styling design has become more flexible. If the fixed camera is extended outside the vehicle, it will affect the appearance of the vehicle. If it is not extended outside the vehicle, the field of view will not meet the regulatory requirements. In particular, when the vehicle is stationary, turning, or reversing, it is necessary to increase the field of view.

[0004] At present, the rearview mirrors installed on various models have blind spots, insufficient field of vision or image distortion to varying degrees. The driver cannot accurately judge the location of obstacles and the distance between the vehicle body and obstacles, which will seriously affect driving safety.

[0005] Traditional rearview mirrors are limited by their physical size and installation location and often fail to provide adequate lateral and rearward vision, especially when driving at high speeds, changing lanes or parking. These limitations may cause the driver to be unable to detect surrounding obstacles or other vehicles in a timely manner, thereby increasing the risk of accidents.

[0006] The electronic exterior rearview mirror uses a camera to capture image information around the vehicle, and usually uses a display screen to display the image captured by the camera to obtain image information of the blind spot to meet the driver's observation needs.

[0007] Chinese patent application number 201921242525.0, titled: A retractable and foldable electronic rearview mirror device, discloses a retractable and foldable electronic rearview mirror device, which is provided with an electric retractable and / or folding mechanism in a camera device bracket, so that the camera device can realize the retractable and foldable functions. When the vehicle is stopped, the occupied space of the electronic exterior rearview mirror device is reduced.

[0008] However, in the electronic exterior rearview mirrors currently used in vehicles, in special situations, such as when turning at an intersection, the right rear view camera cannot accurately obtain the full view of the right-hand vehicle; for example, when reversing, the camera's view is also limited. How to further improve the real-time view of the electronic exterior rearview mirror is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the invention

[0009] In view of the above problems, the present invention hopes to provide a camera system and method for reducing the blind spots of the vehicle's field of vision.

[0010] The inventor of this application has long been committed to the development and research of safe and reliable rearview mirrors. During the research and development process, the inventor noticed that vehicles, especially vehicles with trailers, are more prone to accidents during turns, which is closely related to the blind spot problem during turns. During the turning process, the vehicle has an inner and outer wheel difference, which often leads to deviations between the observation path and the travel path. On the other hand, during the turning process, the camera unit of the electronic rearview mirror strictly changes with the angle of the front of the vehicle, but the area to be observed is not synchronized with the change of the angle of the front of the vehicle, and a larger observation area is required during the turning process.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention proposes a camera system that can adjust the field of view according to the driving state of the vehicle.

[0012] Specifically, the present application provides a camera system for reducing a blind spot in a vehicle's field of vision, the camera system comprising a control unit, a camera unit, and a telescopic mechanism; a first end of the telescopic mechanism is mounted on a body of a target vehicle, a second end of the telescopic mechanism extends outward from the body, and the camera unit is mounted on the second end of the telescopic mechanism;

[0013] The control unit obtains the vehicle's own state and driving state and controls the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the vehicle's own state and driving state, the driving state at least includes a turning and / or a reversing state, and the control unit at least drives the telescopic mechanism to adjust the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the turning angle and / or the reversing state of the vehicle.

[0014] In a preferred implementation, the control unit is further configured to perform telescopic control based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner:

[0015] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered off and the engine is turned off, the telescopic mechanism is driven to be fully retracted;

[0016] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements;

[0017] When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outwardly by a telescopic amount that is proportional to the turning angle.

[0018] In another preferred implementation, when it is detected that the vehicle is moving straight, the telescopic mechanism is driven to maintain a state of a first preset distance;

[0019] When it is detected that the vehicle is reversing, the telescopic electronic rearview mirror camera is driven to continue to extend outward by a second preset distance at the first preset distance. Preferably, the first preset distance is 5-13 cm, and the second preset distance is 2-30 cm.

[0020] In another preferred implementation, the driving state of the vehicle includes the driving speed and turning angle of the vehicle, and the vehicle's own state includes the installation position of the camera unit, the length of the front of the vehicle, and the length of the trailer, wherein the front of the vehicle and the trailer can be relatively deflected. When the vehicle moves forward, for the camera unit on the turning side, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula:

[0021]

[0022] Wherein, α is the half-viewing angle of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position of the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, b is the length of the trailer compartment, and L1 is the distance between the camera unit and the side of the front of the vehicle during normal driving;

[0023] For the camera unit on the opposite side of the turn, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula: L'=|S×tanγ-L1|, (4)

[0024] S is the longitudinal distance between the camera unit and the front end of the carriage along the forward direction of the vehicle head,

[0025] Alternatively, for the camera units on both sides, the control unit adjusts the telescopic amount based on the above formula (3) or (4).

[0026] In another preferred implementation, when the calculated telescopic amount L is greater than the maximum mechanical telescopic distance of the telescopic mechanism, the maximum mechanical telescopic distance is used as the actual telescopic amount.

[0027] In another preferred implementation, when the vehicle is in a reversing state, the telescopic mechanism of the camera system is telescoped by a fixed amount, and preferably, the fixed amount is a maximum telescopic amount.

[0028] In another preferred implementation, the telescopic direction is perpendicular to the side of the front of the vehicle and horizontally, wherein the telescopic mechanism of the camera system on the side away from the turning side and the telescopic mechanism of the camera system on the same side of the turning side both extend outward or any one of them extends outward alone.

[0029] In another aspect, the present invention provides a camera method for reducing a vehicle's blind spot, the method comprising:

[0030] The camera unit is mounted on the side of the vehicle through a telescopic mechanism;

[0031] Using a camera unit to capture images of the rear of the vehicle body in real time;

[0032] The vehicle's own state and driving state are acquired and the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism is controlled based on the vehicle's own state and driving state, wherein the driving state at least includes a turning state, and the vehicle body state at least includes a change in a target shooting area of ​​a camera unit caused by turning.

[0033] In a preferred implementation, the method includes:

[0034] The driving state of the vehicle is detected, and telescopic control is performed based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner:

[0035] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered off or the engine is turned off, the telescopic mechanism is driven to fully retract;

[0036] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements;

[0037] When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outwardly by a telescopic amount that is proportional to the turning angle.

[0038] In another preferred implementation, the driving state of the vehicle includes the driving speed and turning direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle's own state includes the installation position of the camera unit, the length of the front of the vehicle and the length of the trailer, wherein the front of the vehicle and the trailer can be relatively deflected.

[0039] For the camera unit on the turning side, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula:

[0040] Wherein, α is the half-side field of view of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position of the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, b is the length of the trailer compartment, and L1 is the distance between the camera unit and the side of the front of the vehicle during normal driving;

[0041] For the camera unit on the opposite side of the turn, the control unit controls the extension amount of the extension mechanism based on the following formula: L'=|S×tanγ-L1| (4), Where S is the longitudinal distance between the camera unit and the front end of the carriage along the direction of the vehicle's forward movement.

[0042] Alternatively, for the camera units on both sides, the control unit adjusts the telescopic amount based on the above formula (3) or (4).

[0043] In another preferred implementation, when the vehicle is in a reversing state, the telescopic mechanism of the camera system is telescoped by a fixed amount, or is telescoped according to a turning angle during reversing. Preferably, the fixed amount is a maximum telescopic amount.

[0044] The patent mentions that after the power is turned off and the engine is turned off, driving the telescopic mechanism to fully retract means that it is fully retracted immediately when the engine is turned off or fully retracted within a predetermined time after the engine is turned off, for example, 120 seconds after the engine is turned off (for the case where there is no start command for a long time, it can be considered as a power-off method).

[0045] The vehicle-mounted camera device of the present invention can be divided into two, left and right, or four, left front, right front, left rear, and right rear, or can be used in conjunction with more groups of camera devices.

[0046] The turning angle in the present invention refers to the angle between the front of the vehicle and the vehicle body (the acute angle formed by the straight line of the front of the vehicle and the side wall of the vehicle body). If the steering angle of the steering wheel is used instead of the turning angle, then taking into account the steering angle and the time required for the front of the vehicle to complete the turning, a predetermined delay is set during control. For example, S is used to approximate the length of the front of the vehicle, v represents the vehicle speed, and S / v represents the time it takes to move forward one front of the vehicle, and this time is used as the delay.

[0047] Alternatively, no delay may be set so that the camera unit can be extended and retracted in advance and the field of view can be expanded in advance.

[0048] The vehicle-mounted camera system of the present invention can be installed on a car, a truck or a trailer. When installed, it is respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle, but the telescopic amount and telescopic control mode of the left and right camera devices can be different from each other.

[0049] Those skilled in the art should understand that, since telescopic is a relative concept, the telescopic amount of the camera unit relative to the vehicle body driven by the telescopic mechanism can be adjusted based on the type of vehicle.

[0050] Beneficial Effects

[0051] 1. The camera system of the present invention can greatly improve the flexibility of the field of vision of vehicles, especially vehicles with trailers, during driving and turning, and reduce the blind spots of the field of vision during turning. By acquiring the state information of the vehicle, the telescopic electronic rearview mirror is driven to perform corresponding telescopic actions in the scenarios of vehicle turning, reversing, etc., so as to obtain a field of vision that better meets the observation needs in real time.

[0052] 2. The telescopic method of the camera system of the present invention provides different telescopic states according to different environments, further enhancing the visible area of ​​the electronic rearview mirror and ensuring the driving safety of the vehicle.

[0053] 3. The camera system of the present invention can provide different telescopic state changes for the camera units on both sides of the vehicle, respectively meeting the different changes in the field of view on both sides when turning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the camera system of the present application;

[0055] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the field of view of the left rearview mirror camera when the vehicle turns left;

[0056] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the camera's field of view when the vehicle is reversing;

[0057] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the position relationship when the right camera is blocked by the trailer when the vehicle turns left;

[0058] Figure 5 It is a simplified schematic diagram of the relationship between the right camera and the front and the cabin of the vehicle when the vehicle turns left;

[0059] Figure 6 It shows the actual shooting results when the right camera is blocked by the trailer when the vehicle turns left, as well as the field of view before and after extension. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with embodiments and drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0061] The terms such as upper, lower, left, right, inside, outside, front end, rear end, head, tail, etc. in this application document are based on the positions or positions shown in the drawings. If the drawings are different, the corresponding positions may also change accordingly, so they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection.

[0062] In the present invention, the terms "install", "connected", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection or mutual communication, a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, the internal connection of two components, or the interaction relationship between two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0063] Example 1

[0064] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a camera system for reducing a vehicle's blind spot in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0065] The camera system of this embodiment includes a control unit (not shown), a camera unit 101, and a telescopic mechanism 102; the first end of the telescopic mechanism 102 is mounted on the body of the target vehicle, for example, fixedly mounted on the front side or rear side of the body through a mounting base 103. The second end of the telescopic mechanism extends outward from the body, and the camera unit 101 is mounted on the second end of the telescopic mechanism 102.

[0066] The control unit can be integrated into the processor of the camera unit or the processor of the vehicle system, or a separate control unit can be provided. The control unit is used to obtain the vehicle's own state and driving state and control the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the vehicle's own state and driving state.

[0067] The driving state at least includes a turning state (including forward turning and reverse turning), and the control unit at least drives the telescopic mechanism to adjust the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the turning angle of the vehicle.

[0068] In this embodiment, the driving state of the vehicle mainly considers the blind spot caused by the vehicle turning, and secondly considers whether the vehicle is in a shutdown, stationary or normal driving state. In addition, the inventor of the present application noticed that when the vehicle turns, the expansion range required for the turning side and the opposite side of the turn is actually different. Therefore, in a preferred implementation, the expansion amount of the rear-view camera unit on the turning side and the opposite side of the turn is controlled separately.

[0069] Taking into account the above three driving states (straight driving, turning, and engine shutdown), when controlling the extension and retraction of the retractable mechanism, the retractable control can be performed in the following manner:

[0070] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered off (no start command for a long time can be considered as a power-off mode) or the engine is turned off (for example, after the engine is turned off for 120 seconds), the telescopic mechanism is driven to fully retract;

[0071] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements;

[0072] When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outwardly with a telescopic amount proportional to the turning angle. Preferably, the additional telescopic amount during turning is within a second preset distance range.

[0073] It should be noted that the telescopic function of the first predetermined distance performed when the engine is turned off and started is an optional function. One of the main functions of the present invention is to control the telescopic amount based on the turning amount.

[0074] Preferably, the first preset distance is 5-13 cm, and the second preset distance is 2-30 cm. When the calculated telescopic amount is greater than the maximum mechanical telescopic distance of the telescopic mechanism (such as the above preset 13 cm + 30 cm), the maximum telescopic distance is used as the actual telescopic amount.

[0075] In this embodiment, a truck with a trailer is taken as an example to introduce the telescopic amount control process of the telescopic mechanism.

[0076] like Figure 2 As shown, the angle relationship between the camera system and various parts of the vehicle when the vehicle turns and the extension and retraction occurs on the turning side is drawn. In order to make the diagram clearer, the extension and retraction amount is enlarged in the figure. In the figure, α is the half-viewing angle of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position from the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, and b is the length of the trailer compartment.

[0077] When the front of the vehicle turns, the trailer cannot follow the turn in time. At this time, the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer is γ. At this time, the angle β formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position C at the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer's cabin, that is, ∠CDF, constitutes the outer angle of the triangle CBD.

[0078] According to the sine theorem: a1 / sinA1=b1 / sinB1=c1 / sinC1=2r, r is the radius of the circumscribed circle corresponding to the triangle, here a1, b1, c1 are the three side lengths of any triangle, A1, B1, C1 are the three internal angles corresponding to the triangle and its sides.

[0079] exist Figure 2 In the structural relationship shown, for triangle ABC,

[0080] L / sin(∠ACB)=e / sin(∠BAC), and ∠BAC=90+α,

[0081] Therefore, L / sin(∠ACB)=e / sin(90+α),

[0082] That is, L=sin(∠ACB)*e / sin(90+α)(1)

[0083] α is a known quantity. We only need to determine the length of e to determine the length of L. The length of e can be obtained through triangle BCD.

[0084] For triangle BCD, due to the turning angle of γ degrees of the front of the vehicle, the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position C of the rear of the trailer and the camera center B is deflected by the same angle of γ degrees, so ∠CBO is equal to the deflection angle γ, and ∠CBD is equal to γ+α.

[0085] Based on the sine theorem, we have: e / sin(180-(β+γ))=e / sin(180-β-γ)=c / sin(α+γ), so,

[0086] e=c*sin(180-β-γ) / sin(γ+α), (2)

[0087] A new unknown quantity c is added here, and the length of c can be obtained from triangle CDE.

[0088] For triangle CDE, since it is a right triangle,

[0089] Substituting the c value into the above formulas (1) and (2), the theoretical required telescopic distance of the camera on the turning side is obtained (considering that the telescopic distance is not negative, the absolute value is taken. More preferably, when the value within the absolute value sign is negative, the telescopic amount is taken as 0, and when it is greater than 0, the current value is taken):

[0090] L1 is the initial telescopic length of the camera.

[0091] like Figure 4 As shown, when the camera on the opposite side of the turn extends outward by 5-15 cm, the obstructed view on the right side of the car will be basically eliminated, eliminating safety hazards and improving safety.

[0092] Specifically, if Figure 5 As shown, it is Figure 4Simplified schematic diagram of the right side view in the figure. When considering the on-board camera system far away from the turning side (the opposite side of the turning direction, here referred to as the "opposite side of the turning"), the optimal extension distance is mainly related to the longitudinal distance S between the camera unit installation position on the front of the vehicle and the car body and the turning angle γ. The angular relationship on this side can be simplified to the triangle relationship in the figure, where QT represents the side direction of the front of the vehicle, TU represents the side direction of the trailer, and there is an angle of γ between the two due to the γ-degree turn of the front of the vehicle. Point P is the position of the camera center. When the camera center is extended to be basically flush with the car body, there is no obstruction. At this time, you only need to calculate the distance QP, which is the distance L after the camera is extended and retracted. QT is the longitudinal distance S between the longitudinal position of the camera installed on the front of the car and the front end of the car body (the part that will be obstructed). ∠PQR=∠QTR=γ. If the field of view of the side of the car body needs to be unobstructed, the distance between the camera unit and the side of the front of the car after extension, QR=L*cosγ, needs to be equal to QT*sinγ=S*sinγ. Therefore, L=S*sinγ / cosγ, L=S*tanγ.

[0093] Since L is the final distance after extension and retraction, the extension amount based on turning adjustment needs to be subtracted from the initial extension amount of the camera to obtain the required extension amount L′=|S×tanγ-L1|(4), where L1 is the initial distance between the camera and the side of the front of the vehicle before extension and retraction, that is, the distance between the camera and the side of the front of the vehicle during normal driving.

[0094] When the vehicle is in a reverse state, the telescopic mechanism can be telescoped at a fixed amount, preferably, the fixed amount is the maximum telescopic amount. Alternatively, when the vehicle is in a reverse state, the telescopic mechanism is telescoped according to the turning angle during the reverse operation according to formulas (3) and (4), and if the turning angle is less than a predetermined value or is 0, the telescopic mechanism is telescoped at the maximum telescopic amount.

[0095] In one implementation, when the vehicle is reversing, the telescopic mechanism is telescoped at a maximum telescopic amount.

[0096] Figure 6 The image shown is taken by the side mirror when turning. The two images on the right of the figure, n and i, are the theoretical field of view before and after extension respectively. It can be seen from the image that no matter what, extending the camera unit outward when turning can reduce the driver's blind spot. Both n and i are divided into upper and lower parts, which are the field of view areas captured by different cameras.

[0097] In this patent application, the horizontal direction along the side wall of the front of the vehicle is assumed to be the first direction, and the telescopic direction is along the second direction, which is substantially horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In one implementation, there is a horizontal angle between the telescopic direction and the second direction, and the angle is 3 degrees to 15 degrees, and / or there is a vertical angle between the telescopic direction and the first direction, and the angle is 2 degrees to 10 degrees. If the above angle exists, the telescopic amount can be adaptively adjusted, and the final vertical telescopic amount only needs to be equal to the telescopic amount calculated by the present invention.

[0098] The control unit controls the telescopic mechanism of the single-side camera system close to or away from the turning side to extend, or controls the telescopic mechanism of the camera system far from the turning side to extend synchronously with the telescopic mechanism of the camera system close to the turning side.

[0099] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the actual production process, the telescopic distance may not necessarily be completely extended and retracted according to the theoretical telescopic distance calculated above, and the distance may be increased or decreased based on the distance and adjusted according to the actual situation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0100] Example 2

[0101] This embodiment provides a camera method for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of view. The method of this embodiment can also be described in conjunction with the system structure in Embodiment 1.

[0102] The imaging method comprises:

[0103] The vehicle-mounted camera unit is mounted on the side of the vehicle through a telescopic mechanism;

[0104] Using the vehicle-mounted camera unit to capture the image behind the vehicle body in real time;

[0105] The vehicle's own state and driving state are acquired and the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism is controlled based on the vehicle's own state and driving state, wherein the driving state at least includes a turning state, and the vehicle body state at least includes a change in a target shooting area of ​​a camera unit caused by turning.

[0106] During driving, the driving state of the vehicle is detected, and telescopic control is performed based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner:

[0107] The control unit is also used to perform telescopic control based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner:

[0108] When the vehicle is detected and the power is turned off, the telescopic mechanism is driven to fully retract;

[0109] When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements;

[0110] When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outwardly by a telescopic amount that is proportional to the turning angle.

[0111] The driving state of the vehicle includes the driving speed and turning direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle's own state includes the installation position of the camera unit, the length of the front of the vehicle, and the length of the trailer, wherein the front of the vehicle and the trailer can be relatively deflected. For the camera unit on the turning side, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula:

[0112] Among them, α is the half-side field of view angle of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position of the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, and b is the length of the trailer compartment.

[0113] For the camera unit far away from the turning side (opposite to the turning direction), the required telescopic amount L′=|S×tanγ-L1| can be obtained by subtracting the initial telescopic amount of the camera from the telescopic amount required for turning adjustment.

[0114] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that, considering that the turning angle is large, the camera unit may not be able to extend outward to reach the ideal required distance. At this time, the maximum distance that the camera unit can achieve can be set. When the turn exceeds a predetermined angle, it extends outward with the maximum telescopic amount.

[0115] Figure 4 The actual occlusion on the right side when the vehicle turns left is drawn, and the comparison of the occlusion and the blind spot before and after the camera unit is extended is shown. It can be seen from the figure that when the camera unit is extended outward, the blind spot is greatly reduced.

[0116] In summary, it can be seen that the use of the vehicle-mounted camera system with a telescopic function of the present application can reduce blind spots, expand the effective field of view and reduce the risk of accidents.

[0117] Although the principles of the present invention are described in detail above in conjunction with the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely explanations of the exemplary implementations of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The details in the embodiments do not constitute limitations on the scope of the present invention, and any obvious changes such as equivalent transformations, simple replacements, etc. based on the technical solution of the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision, characterized in that: The camera system comprises a control unit, a camera unit and a telescopic mechanism; the first end of the telescopic mechanism is mounted on the body of the target vehicle, the second end of the telescopic mechanism extends outward from the body, and the camera unit is mounted on the second end of the telescopic mechanism; The control unit obtains the vehicle's own state and driving state and controls the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the vehicle's own state and driving state, the driving state at least includes a turning and / or a reversing state, and the control unit at least drives the telescopic mechanism to adjust the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism based on the turning angle and / or the reversing state of the vehicle.

2. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit is also used to perform telescopic control based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner: When it is detected that the vehicle is powered off or the engine is turned off, the telescopic mechanism is driven to fully retract; When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements; When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outward by an amount of telescopic movement that is positively correlated with the turning angle.

3. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 2, characterized in that: When it is detected that the vehicle is moving straight, the telescopic mechanism is driven to maintain a state of a first preset distance; When it is detected that the vehicle is reversing, the telescopic electronic rearview mirror camera is driven to continue to extend outward by a second preset distance at the first preset distance. Preferably, the first preset distance is 5-13 cm, and the second preset distance is 2-30 cm.

4. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving state of the vehicle includes the driving speed and turning angle of the vehicle, and the vehicle's own state includes the installation position of the camera unit, the length of the front of the vehicle, and the length of the trailer, wherein the front of the vehicle and the trailer can be relatively deflected. When the vehicle moves forward, for the camera unit on the turning side, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula: Wherein, α is the half-viewing angle of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position of the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, b is the length of the trailer compartment, and L1 is the distance between the camera unit and the side of the front of the vehicle during normal driving; For the camera unit on the opposite side of the turn, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula: L'=|S×tanγ-L1|, (4) S is the longitudinal distance between the camera unit and the front end of the carriage along the forward direction of the vehicle head, Alternatively, for the camera units on both sides, the control unit adjusts the telescopic amount based on the above formula (3) or (4).

5. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of the vehicle's field of vision according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the calculated telescopic amount L is greater than the maximum mechanical telescopic distance of the telescopic mechanism, the maximum mechanical telescopic distance is taken as the actual telescopic amount.

6. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the vehicle is in a reversing state, the telescopic mechanism of the camera system is telescoped by a fixed amount. Preferably, the fixed amount is a maximum telescopic amount.

7. The camera system for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic direction is perpendicular to the side of the vehicle front and horizontal, wherein the telescopic mechanism of the camera system on the side away from the turning side and the telescopic mechanism of the camera system on the same side as the turning side both extend outward or any one of them extends outward alone.

8. A camera method for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision, characterized in that: The method comprises: The camera unit is mounted on the side of the vehicle through a telescopic mechanism; Using a camera unit to capture images of the rear of the vehicle body in real time; The vehicle's own state and driving state are acquired and the telescopic length of the telescopic mechanism is controlled based on the vehicle's own state and driving state, wherein the driving state at least includes a turning state, and the vehicle body state at least includes a change in a target shooting area of ​​a camera unit caused by turning.

9. The camera method for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 8, characterized in that: The method comprises: The driving state of the vehicle is detected, and telescopic control is performed based on the driving state of the vehicle in the following manner: When it is detected that the vehicle is powered off or the engine is turned off, the telescopic mechanism is driven to fully retract; When it is detected that the vehicle is powered on, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend a first preset distance to meet normal driving requirements; When the vehicle turns, the telescopic mechanism is driven to extend outward by an amount of telescopic movement that is positively correlated with the turning angle.

10. The camera method for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 8, characterized in that: The driving state of the vehicle includes the driving speed and turning direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle's own state includes the installation position of the camera unit, the length of the front of the vehicle and the length of the trailer, wherein the front of the vehicle and the trailer can be relatively deflected. When the vehicle is moving forward, for the camera unit on the turning side, the control unit controls the telescopic amount of the telescopic mechanism based on the following formula: Wherein, α is the half-side field of view of the camera unit, a is the set minimum safe observation width from the vehicle body, β is the angle formed by the line connecting the minimum safe observation width position of the rear of the trailer and the front top angle of the trailer and the trailer compartment, γ is the turning angle of the front of the vehicle relative to the trailer, b is the length of the trailer compartment, and L1 is the distance between the camera unit and the side of the front of the vehicle during normal driving; For the camera unit on the opposite side of the turn, the control unit controls the extension amount of the extension mechanism based on the following formula: L'=|S×tanγ-L1| (4), Where S is the longitudinal distance between the camera unit and the front end of the carriage along the direction of the vehicle's forward movement. Alternatively, for the camera units on both sides, the control unit adjusts the telescopic amount based on the above formula (3) or (4).

11. The camera method for reducing the blind spot of a vehicle's field of vision according to claim 10, characterized in that: When the vehicle is in a reversing state, the telescopic mechanism of the camera system is telescoped by a fixed amount. Preferably, the fixed amount is a maximum telescopic amount.

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