A transparent a-pillar system and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of transparent A column system and vehicle, it is applied to vehicle safety technical field, the transparent A column system includes: camera module, drive module and display screen module;Drive module includes SOC chip and electric control unit, and display screen module includes flexible screen;Camera module is used to collect video, and the video transmission collected to SOC chip;SOC chip is used to receive the video collected by camera module, video is handled, and the video after processing is sent to display screen module;Electric control unit is used to control flexible screen to unfold or shrink;Flexible screen covers the inner side surface of vehicle A column after unfolding;Flexible screen is used to receive the video after processing, and display the video after processing in unfolded state.The transparent A column system can process the video collected by camera module through SOC chip, control flexible screen to unfold and cover the inner side surface of vehicle A column, display video in flexible screen to eliminate A column visual blind area, improve vehicle driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle safety technology, and more specifically, to a transparent A-pillar system and a vehicle in the field of vehicle safety technology. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demands for intelligent and safe vehicles, addressing blind spots for drivers has become a crucial issue in automotive safety. The A-pillar, a key structural component in traditional vehicles, while ensuring vehicle body rigidity, creates a significant blind spot. Statistics show that traffic accidents caused by the A-pillar blind spot account for a high percentage, especially during turns or in complex road conditions, where drivers struggle to observe pedestrians, non-motorized vehicles, and obstacles, posing a significant safety hazard. Therefore, how to eliminate the A-pillar blind spot through technological means while ensuring vehicle driving safety has become an urgent technical problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a transparent A-pillar system and a vehicle. The transparent A-pillar system can process the video captured by the camera module through the SOC chip, control the flexible screen to unfold and cover the inner surface of the vehicle's A-pillar, and display the video in the flexible screen to eliminate the visual blind spot of the A-pillar and improve vehicle driving safety.

[0004] In a first aspect, a transparent A-pillar system is provided, comprising: a camera module, a drive module, and a display module; the drive module includes a SOC chip and an electronic control unit, and the display module includes a flexible screen; the camera module is used to capture video and transmit the captured video to the SOC chip; the SOC chip is used to receive the video captured by the camera module, process the video, and send the processed video to the display module; the electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to unfold or retract; the flexible screen covers the inner surface of the vehicle's A-pillar after unfolding; the flexible screen is used to receive the processed video and display the processed video in the unfolded state.

[0005] In the above technical solution, a SOC chip is used to process the video, ensuring its effectiveness. An electronic control unit and a flexible screen are also included. The flexible screen prevents damage to the screen from affecting occupants, and the electronic control unit controls the unfolding or retraction of the flexible screen to prevent damage. When unfolded, the flexible screen covers the vehicle's A-pillar and displays the processed video, eliminating the A-pillar blind spot. This allows users to observe the corresponding scene in the A-pillar blind spot through the video displayed on the flexible screen, improving vehicle driving safety.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some possible implementations, the camera module includes: a camera and a first serializer, and the driving module further includes a first deserializer; the camera is used to capture video and transmit the video to the first serializer; the first serializer is used to convert the video into first serial video data and transmit the first serial video data to the first deserializer; the first deserializer is used to decode the first serial video data into video and transmit the video to the SOC chip.

[0007] Combining the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the vehicle A-pillar includes a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar, and the camera includes a first camera and a second camera; the first camera is fixed to the left rearview mirror of the vehicle, and the acquisition angle of the first camera covers the blind spot range of the left A-pillar; the second camera is fixed to the right rearview mirror of the vehicle, and the acquisition angle of the second camera covers the blind spot range of the right A-pillar.

[0008] In the above technical solution, by setting up two cameras, which are fixed to the left rearview mirror and the right rearview mirror of the vehicle respectively, it is ensured that the captured video includes a complete picture of the blind spots of the right A-pillar and the left A-pillar, so that the blind spots of the A-pillar can be effectively eliminated based on the video.

[0009] Combining the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, both the first camera and the second camera are high-definition cameras, and both the first camera and the second camera have MIPI CSI interfaces.

[0010] In combination with the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the driving module further includes: a second serializer, and the display module further includes: a second deserializer; the second serializer is used to convert the video processed by the SOC chip into second serial video data, and transmit the second serial video data to the second deserializer; the second deserializer is used to decode the second serial video data into processed video, and transmit the processed video to the flexible screen.

[0011] The above technical solution improves the video transmission rate and reduces video latency by setting up a serializer and a deserializer, making it easier for users to view the A-pillar blind spot based on the flexible screen display, thus further improving vehicle driving safety.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the driving module further includes: a communication unit; the communication unit is used to transmit vehicle operation data to the SOC chip; the SOC chip is used to receive the operation data transmitted by the communication unit, generate screen control signals based on the operation data, and transmit the screen control signals to the electronic control unit; the electronic control unit is used to receive the screen control signals and control the flexible screen to unfold or retract based on the screen control signals.

[0013] In the above technical solution, a communication unit is set up to transmit vehicle operation data to the SOC chip, so that the SOC chip generates screen control signals to instruct the electronic control unit to control the flexible screen to unfold or retract, thereby realizing automatic control of the flexible screen to unfold or retract, saving users the trouble of manual operation.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the screen control signal includes: a first screen control signal and a second screen control signal; the electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to unfold when it receives the first screen control signal; the electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to retract when it receives the second screen control signal.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the flexible screen can be unfolded to display video to eliminate the blind spot of the A-pillar when the vehicle speed is low, reversing, turning, etc., and the flexible screen can be retracted when the vehicle speed is high and the blind spot of the A-pillar does not need to be eliminated, so as to avoid damage to the flexible screen.

[0016] Combining the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the SOC chip has a multi-core structure and computing power not lower than the preset computing power.

[0017] Combining the first aspect and the above implementation methods, in some possible implementation methods, the SOC chip integrates an NPU module or a DLA module; the SOC chip is used to run a recognition algorithm through the NPU module or DLA module to identify obstacles in the video and add annotations to the video frame based on the obstacles.

[0018] In the above technical solutions, by integrating a dedicated NPU or DLA, the accuracy of obstacle recognition algorithms can be improved, thereby increasing the reliability of annotation.

[0019] In a second aspect, a vehicle is provided that includes the transparent A-pillar system described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a transparent A-pillar system provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this utility model embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this embodiment of the utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and thoroughly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in the text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this utility model, "multiple" refers to two or more than two.

[0026] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as implying or suggesting relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0028] For example, such as Figure 1 The vehicle shown includes two A-pillars, a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar. These two A-pillars are usually opaque. When the driver is sitting in the vehicle, the left A-pillar and the right A-pillar will obstruct the driver's view, creating a blind spot, which can easily lead to safety problems during vehicle driving.

[0029] To address the aforementioned issues, this utility model provides a transparent A-pillar system that can control the unfolding or retraction of a flexible screen. When the flexible screen is unfolded, it covers the inner surface of the A-pillar and displays the image captured by the camera module, thus achieving A-pillar transparency and improving vehicle safety.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a transparent A-pillar system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The transparent A-pillar system provided in this embodiment of the present invention is configured in a vehicle.

[0031] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the system 200 includes: The system comprises a camera module 10, a driver module 20, and a display module 30. The driver module 20 includes a System-on-Chip (SoC) chip 201 and an electronic control unit 202. The display module 30 includes a flexible screen 301.

[0032] The camera module 10 is connected to the driver module 20, and the driver module 20 is connected to the display module 30. Specifically, the camera module 10 is connected to the SOC chip 201, and the SOC chip 201 is connected to the flexible screen 301; the SOC chip 201 is also connected to the electronic control unit 202, and the electronic control unit 202 is connected to the flexible screen 301.

[0033] The camera module 10 is used to capture video containing the blind spot of the vehicle's A-pillar and transmit the video containing the blind spot of the vehicle's A-pillar to the drive module 20.

[0034] The driver module 20 includes a SOC chip 201, and the camera module 10 specifically transmits the captured video to the SOC chip 201 of the driver module 20.

[0035] SOC chip 201 is used to receive video transmitted from camera module 10, process the video after receiving it, and obtain the processed video. SOC chip 201 then transmits the processed video to display module 30.

[0036] In some embodiments, the SOC chip may specifically be a chip with a multi-core structure and computing power not less than a preset computing power.

[0037] The aforementioned SOC chip can support low-latency encoding and transmission of high-resolution camera data, improving video processing efficiency and effectively reducing video latency.

[0038] The preset computing power could be, for example, 4 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second). TOPS is a unit for measuring the computing performance of AI (Artificial Intelligence) chips, specifically used to evaluate matrix operation capabilities in AI tasks, and is widely used in the performance evaluation of AI accelerators.

[0039] Specifically, the SOC chip 201 can integrate a cropping algorithm. The SOC chip can crop the video frame according to the cropping algorithm. For example, it can crop out the frame corresponding to the blind spot of the A-pillar in the video to obtain the processed video. At this time, the processed video is the video of the frame corresponding to the blind spot of the A-pillar.

[0040] like Figure 1 The vehicle shown includes two A-pillars: a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar. The processed video obtained by cropping can include two videos: one showing the blind spot of the left A-pillar and the other showing the blind spot of the right A-pillar.

[0041] In some embodiments, the SOC chip integrates an NPU module or a DLA module; the SOC chip is used to run a recognition algorithm through the NPU module or DLA module to identify obstacles in the video and add annotations to the video frame based on the obstacles.

[0042] The NPU (Neural Processing Unit) module is a dedicated artificial intelligence computing unit integrated inside the SOC chip. It is designed for deep learning tasks (such as neural network model inference) and efficiently processes massive matrix operations through a parallel computing architecture, making it suitable for computer vision tasks such as image recognition and object detection.

[0043] The DLA (Deep Learning Accelerator) module is a dedicated computer vision acceleration unit integrated inside the SOC chip. It focuses on deep learning tasks such as image classification, object detection, and semantic segmentation. It improves the processing efficiency of vision tasks by accelerating core operators such as convolution and pooling through hardware and supports parallel processing of multiple video streams.

[0044] Figure 2 The SOC chip 201 shown integrates an NPU module or a DLA module. The recognition algorithm integrated in the NPU module or DLA module can be the YOLO algorithm or the Transformer algorithm. The SOC chip 201 is used to run the recognition algorithm (YOLO algorithm or Transformer algorithm) through the NPU module or DLA module to identify obstacles in the video.

[0045] Obstacles in the video can include objects such as pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. After the obstacle is identified based on the recognition algorithm, it can be marked in the video frame, for example, by using a bounding box to mark the obstacle, thus obtaining the processed video.

[0046] In some embodiments, the SOC chip can first crop the video, and then perform obstacle recognition and annotation on the cropped video to obtain the processed video.

[0047] In some embodiments, after an obstacle is identified, the SOC chip can also determine the distance and relative speed between the obstacle and the vehicle, display the distance and relative speed in a labeling box, thereby labeling the obstacle and obtaining the processed video.

[0048] The display module 30 includes a flexible screen 301, and the SOC chip 201 specifically sends the processed video to the flexible screen 301.

[0049] The drive module 20 also includes an electronic control unit 202 for controlling the flexible screen 301 to unfold or retract. Specifically, the SOC chip 201 can send screen control signals to the electronic control unit 202, which include unfold control signals and retraction control signals. The electronic control unit 202 controls the flexible screen 301 to unfold or retract based on the screen control signals.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the SOC chip 201 is electrically connected to the electronic control unit 202 via an SPI interface (Serial Peripheral Interface). The SOC chip 201 sends screen control signals to the electronic control unit 202 via the SPI interface.

[0051] The flexible screen 301 can specifically be an automotive-grade OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) flexible screen. Automotive-grade refers to electronic components, materials, modules, or systems that meet the stringent standards of the automotive industry for safety, reliability, durability, and environmental adaptability during the design, manufacturing, and verification process, and are qualified products suitable for pre-installation in automobiles (i.e., direct assembly by OEMs).

[0052] The flexible screen 301 may specifically include a screen body and a retractable device. One end of the screen body is fixed to the edge of the vehicle's A-pillar, and the other end is connected to the retractable device. The electronic control unit 202 controls the flexible screen 301 to unfold or retract by controlling the retractable device.

[0053] The retraction device can be a roller or a telescopic bracket. The roller can be driven by a motor to rotate or the telescopic bracket can be pushed to extend or retract, controlling the flexible screen 301 to unfold or retract. For example, when unfolded, the screen slides and lays flat as the bracket extends or the roller is released, and the unfolded screen can cover the A-pillar of the vehicle; when retracted, the screen is rolled up on the roller or folded and stored as the bracket retracts.

[0054] In some embodiments, the flexible screen 301 may further include a storage cavity located at one end (top or bottom) of the A-pillar, for accommodating the flexible screen when it is in a retracted state. The storage cavity may also contain a dustproof seal and a cushioning layer.

[0055] The flexible screen 301 is used to receive the video processed by the SOC chip 201 and display the processed video in the screen when the screen body is in the unfolded state, so as to achieve the transparency of the A-pillar.

[0056] like Figure 2As shown, the vehicle includes two A-pillars: a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar. The aforementioned flexible screen 301 specifically includes a left flexible screen and a right flexible screen. As in the above embodiment, the processed video includes two videos: a video showing the blind spot of the left A-pillar and a video showing the blind spot of the right A-pillar. The left flexible screen receives and displays the video showing the blind spot of the left A-pillar, and the right flexible screen receives and displays the video showing the blind spot of the right A-pillar, thus making both A-pillars of the vehicle transparent.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the camera module 10 includes a camera 101 and a first serializer 102, and the driving module also includes a first deserializer 203.

[0059] The camera 101 is connected to the first serializer 102, the first serializer 102 is connected to the first deserializer 203, and the first deserializer 203 is connected to the SOC chip 201.

[0060] Camera 101 is used to capture video including the blind spot of the vehicle's A-pillar and transmit the video to the first serializer 102.

[0061] In some embodiments, the camera 101 may be positioned in front of the vehicle to capture video including images of the blind spots of the left and right A-pillars.

[0062] The first serializer 102 is used to receive the video transmitted by the camera 101, convert the video into first serial video data, and transmit the first serial video data to the first deserializer 203. The first deserializer 203 is used to receive the first serial video data, decode the first serial video data to obtain video, and transmit the video to the SOC chip 201.

[0063] In some embodiments, the vehicle's A-pillar includes a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar, and the camera includes a first camera and a second camera; the first camera is fixed to the vehicle's left rearview mirror, and the first camera's acquisition angle covers the blind spot area of ​​the left A-pillar; the second camera is fixed to the vehicle's right rearview mirror, and the second camera's acquisition angle covers the blind spot area of ​​the right A-pillar.

[0064] The camera 101 may include two cameras: a first camera and a second camera. The first camera is used to capture video including the blind spot of the left A-pillar, and the second camera is used to capture video including the blind spot of the right A-pillar.

[0065] like Figure 1A left-side rearview mirror is located near the left A-pillar of the vehicle, and a right-side rearview mirror is located near the right A-pillar. The first camera can be fixed to the left-side rearview mirror, and the second camera can be fixed to the right-side rearview mirror.

[0066] The first and second cameras are set at different angles. The first camera's acquisition angle covers the blind spot of the left A-pillar, while the second camera's acquisition angle covers the blind spot of the right A-pillar.

[0067] In some embodiments, both the first camera and the second camera are high-definition cameras, and both the first camera and the second camera have MIPI CSI interfaces.

[0068] Both the first and second cameras are high-definition cameras with a resolution and frame rate higher than a preset resolution and frame rate. For example, the resolution and frame rate of the first and second cameras are 1080p@60fps.

[0069] Both the first and second cameras use MIPI CSI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface Camera Serial Interface) interfaces. Specifically, the first and second cameras are electrically connected to the first serializer via the MIPI CSI interface.

[0070] The MIPI CSI interface is used for image data transmission between the camera and the processor. It supports high-speed transmission, saves bandwidth and power consumption, and is suitable for camera modules in mobile devices.

[0071] like Figure 3 As shown, the camera 101 transmits the captured video to the first serializer 102 via the MIPI CSI interface.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first serializer 102 is specifically electrically connected to the first deserializer 203 through the FPD-Link III LVDS (FlatPanel Display Link III Low-Voltage Differential Signaling) interface, and the first serializer 102 transmits the first serial data to the first deserializer 203 through the FPD-Link III LVDS interface.

[0073] FPD-Link (Flat Panel Display Link) is a high-speed data transmission interface for automotive electronics, primarily used to connect cameras, displays, and other in-vehicle devices.

[0074] LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) is a technology used for high-speed digital signal transmission. It is commonly found in the interface between the display and the host, providing high-quality video signal transmission with low power consumption and interference resistance.

[0075] The first deserializer 203 is electrically connected to the SOC chip 201 through the MIPI CSI interface, and the first deserializer 203 transmits the decoded video to the SOC chip 201 through the MIPI CSI interface.

[0076] Understandably, a serializer is a signal conversion device that can receive video output from a camera via the MIPI CSI interface and convert it into a high-speed differential serial signal in FPD-Link III LVDS format, facilitating long-distance, interference-resistant transmission through a single or few cables.

[0077] A deserializer is a pairing device for a serializer. Its core function is to "split" the serial signal transmitted from the serializer back into the original multiplexed signal format.

[0078] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this utility model embodiment.

[0079] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the driving module 20 further includes a second serializer 204, and the display module 30 further includes a second deserializer 302; SOC chip 201 is connected to second serializer 204, second serializer 204 is connected to second deserializer 302, and second deserializer 302 is connected to flexible screen 301.

[0080] The SOC chip 201 transmits the processed video to the second serializer 204.

[0081] The second serializer 204 is used to convert the video processed by the SOC chip 201 into second serial video data, and transmit the second serial video data to the second deserializer 302.

[0082] The second deserializer 302 is used to decode the second serial video data into processed video and transmit the processed video to the flexible screen 301.

[0083] Specifically, such as Figure 4 The SOC chip 201 shown is electrically connected to the second serializer 204 via the LVDS interface, and transmits the processed video to the second serializer 204 via the LVDS interface.

[0084] The second serializer 204 is electrically connected to the second deserializer 302 via an FPD-Link III LVDS interface, and transmits the second serial video data to the second deserializer 302 via the FPD-Link III LVDS interface.

[0085] The second deserializer 302 is electrically connected to the flexible screen 301 via the LVDS interface, and outputs the decoded and processed video to the flexible screen 301 via the LVDS interface.

[0086] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another transparent A-pillar system provided in this embodiment of the utility model.

[0087] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the drive module 20 also includes a communication unit 205, and the SOC chip 201 is connected to the communication unit 205.

[0088] The communication unit 205 is used to transmit vehicle operating data to the SOC chip 201; SOC chip 201 is used to receive operating data transmitted by communication unit 205, generate screen control signals based on the operating data, and transmit the screen control signals to electronic control unit 202; The electronic control unit 202 is used to receive screen control signals and control the flexible screen 301 to open or retract based on the screen control signals.

[0089] Specifically, the communication unit 205 includes CAN FD PHY (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate Physical Layer), Ethernet PHY (Ethernet Physical Layer), and USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0090] The CAN FD PHY receives status or control data from each node on the CAN bus to obtain vehicle operating data and transmits the operating data to the SOC chip. The Ethernet PHY receives vehicle operating data transmitted via Ethernet and transmits the operating data to the SOC chip.

[0091] In some embodiments, the screen control signal includes: a first screen control signal and a second screen control signal; the electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to unfold when it receives the first screen control signal; the electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to retract when it receives the second screen control signal.

[0092] The first screen control signal is the unfolding control signal that controls the unfolding of the flexible screen, and the second control signal is the shrinking control signal that controls the shrinking of the flexible screen.

[0093] The vehicle's operating data may include: vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, gear position, etc. The first screen control signal can be generated based on any scenario where the vehicle speed is less than the preset speed, the vehicle is in reverse, or the vehicle is turning; the second screen control signal can be generated based on the vehicle speed being greater than the preset speed.

[0094] After obtaining the above operating data, the SOC chip determines whether the vehicle speed is greater than the preset speed. If the vehicle speed is greater than the preset speed, it determines that the vehicle is in a high-speed driving state, and at this time, it generates a second screen control signal to control the flexible screen to retract. If the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the preset speed, it determines that the vehicle is not in a high-speed driving state, and at this time, it generates a first screen control signal to control the flexible screen to unfold.

[0095] The SOC chip can also determine whether the steering wheel angle of the vehicle is greater than a preset angle. If the steering wheel angle is greater than the preset angle, the vehicle is determined to be in a turning state, and at this time, the first screen control signal for controlling the flexible screen to unfold is generated.

[0096] The SOC chip can also determine whether the vehicle is in reverse based on the gear position. If the gear is determined to be R, the vehicle is in reverse, and a first screen control signal is generated to control the flexible screen to unfold.

[0097] In some embodiments, the vehicle operation data may also include the vehicle's driving route, the corresponding map data, and the vehicle's location. The SOC chip can determine whether the vehicle is on a highway based on the vehicle's driving route, map data, and location data. When it is determined that the vehicle is on a highway, a second screen control signal is generated to control the flexible screen to retract.

[0098] After the SOC chip generates the screen control signal, it sends the screen control signal to the electronic control unit (ECU) via the SPI interface. Upon receiving the first screen control signal, the ECU controls the flexible screen to unfold. Upon receiving the second screen control signal, the ECU controls the flexible screen to retract.

[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the transparent A-pillar system also includes: a vehicle power supply and a CEM (Central Electronic Module) 40, which is used to supply power to the SOC chip 201 and send vehicle operation data to the SOC chip 201 or receive data processed by the SOC chip.

[0100] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the vehicle power supply and CEM controller 40 includes a battery module 401, a CAN bus 402, a 100BASE-T1 (vehicle Ethernet) 403, and a USB 404. The drive module 30 also includes a power protection circuit, an input power filtering circuit, and a PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit).

[0101] The PMIC is responsible for the device's power management, including voltage regulation, battery charging, and power consumption monitoring, ensuring efficient device operation and extending battery life. Battery module 401 is used to output current to power protection circuit. Power protection circuit performs overcurrent or overvoltage protection on the current, obtains the protected current, and transmits the current to input power filter circuit. Power filter circuit filters the current and inputs the filtered current to PMIC. PMIC converts the input "filtered + protected" current, for example, to 1.2V current, and supplies the converted current to SOC chip.

[0102] CAN BUS 402 and 100BASE-T1 403 are used to collect vehicle operating information. CAN BUS 402 transmits the operating information to the CAN FD PHY of communication unit 205. The CAN FD PHY transmits the operating information to the SOC chip 201 through the CAN-FD interface. 100BASE-T1 403 transmits the operating information to the Ethernet PHY of communication unit 205. The Ethernet PHY transmits the operating information to the SOC chip 201 through the Ethernet interface.

[0103] USB 404 is used to connect external devices, collect information from external devices and transmit it to the USB of communication unit 205, and transmit it to SOC chip 201 via the USB interface.

[0104] In some embodiments, the data generated by the SOC chip can also be transmitted to CAN BUS 402 and 100BASE-T1 403 via communication unit 205, and then transmitted to the vehicle's CEM controller via CAN BUS 402 and 100BASE-T1 403. The vehicle's CEM controller receives the data generated by the SOC chip and controls the vehicle.

[0105] For example, after the SOC chip identifies obstacles in the video, it performs a risk assessment based on distance and relative speed. When the collision risk exceeds a threshold, it triggers a flashing screen and an audible and visual alarm signal, and transmits this signal to the vehicle body (i.e., the CEM controller mentioned above) via the communication unit. The CEM controller then triggers the active braking function based on this signal to prevent a collision due to insufficient driver reaction time.

[0106] In some embodiments, the drive module 20 can also store video footage of the A-pillar blind spot for use as evidence in the event of a dispute.

[0107] like Figure 5 As shown, the driving module also includes a storage module 206, which is connected to the SOC chip 201. After the SOC chip crops the video to obtain the video corresponding to the blind spot of the A-pillar, it transmits the cropped video to the storage module 206. The storage module 206 receives the cropped video and stores it.

[0108] The storage module 206 may specifically include LPDDR4 (Low Power Double Data Rate) memory and serial flash memory.

[0109] The LPDDR4 memory supports a maximum capacity of 4GB (gigabytes) and a data transfer rate of up to 2667 Mbps (megabits per second). As the "running memory" of the SOC chip, the LPDDR4 memory temporarily stores display data, program instructions, and other data being processed by the SOC chip.

[0110] Serial flash memory (SPI Flash) is divided into NOR Flash and NAND Flash. NOR Flash is suitable for storing boot programs and configuration files; NAND Flash is suitable for storing large amounts of data, such as system firmware and display resources. As the "solid-state storage" of a SoC, serial flash memory permanently stores the display's system firmware, drivers, preset display content, etc., and is the basic storage component for the module's power-on startup.

[0111] In some embodiments, an external storage device, such as an external memory card or USB flash drive, can be connected to the USB interface of the SOC chip. The SOC chip can then transfer the cropped video to the storage device via USB for storage.

[0112] In some embodiments, the SOC can also transmit the cropped video via CAN BUS or in-vehicle Ethernet (100BASE-T1) to the in-vehicle storage module associated with the CEM controller for storage.

[0113] In summary, the transparent A-pillar system provided by this utility model incorporates a high-performance SOC chip, capable of cropping video captured by cameras and identifying and labeling obstacles, thus enabling the transparent A-pillar system to recognize obstacles and provide warnings and alerts. By integrating a dedicated NPU or DLA, the accuracy of the obstacle recognition algorithm can be improved, thereby enhancing the reliability of labeling. Furthermore, the high-performance SOC chip supports low-latency encoding and transmission of high-resolution camera data, effectively reducing video latency issues. The flexible screen can completely cover the inner surface of the vehicle's A-pillar, improving the continuity of the displayed image, effectively eliminating blind spots, and enhancing driving safety. An electronic control unit automatically controls the expansion and contraction of the flexible screen, further improving its safety.

[0114] The vehicle provided in this embodiment includes the above-mentioned transparent A-pillar system, and therefore can achieve the same effect as using the above-mentioned transparent A-pillar system.

[0115] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0116] In the embodiments provided by this utility model, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0117] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A transparent A-pillar system, characterized in that, The transparent A-pillar system includes: a camera module, a drive module, and a display module; the drive module includes a SOC chip and an electronic control unit, and the display module includes a flexible screen. The camera module is used to capture video and transmit the captured video to the SOC chip; The SOC chip is used to receive the video captured by the camera module, process the video, and send the processed video to the display module; The electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to unfold or retract; after unfolding, the flexible screen covers the inner surface of the vehicle's A-pillar. The flexible screen is used to receive the processed video and display the processed video in the unfolded state.

2. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera module includes a camera and a first serializer, and the driving module further includes a first deserializer. The camera is used to capture video and transmit the video to the first serializer; The first serializer is used to convert the video into first serial video data and transmit the first serial video data to the first deserializer; The first deserializer is used to decode the first serial video data into the video and transmit the video to the SOC chip.

3. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vehicle's A-pillar includes a left A-pillar and a right A-pillar, and the camera includes a first camera and a second camera; The first camera is fixed to the left rearview mirror of the vehicle, and the acquisition angle of the first camera covers the blind spot of the left A-pillar; The second camera is fixed to the right-side rearview mirror of the vehicle, and the camera's shooting angle covers the blind spot of the right A-pillar.

4. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the first camera and the second camera are high-definition cameras, and both have MIPI CSI interfaces.

5. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving module further includes a second serializer, and the display module further includes a second deserializer; The second serializer is used to convert the video processed by the SOC chip into second serial video data, and transmit the second serial video data to the second deserializer; The second deserializer is used to decode the second serial video data into the processed video, and transmit the processed video to the flexible screen.

6. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving module further includes: a communication unit; The communication unit is used to transmit vehicle operating data to the SOC chip; The SOC chip is used to receive the operating data transmitted by the communication unit, generate screen control signals based on the operating data, and transmit the screen control signals to the electronic control unit; The electronic control unit is used to receive the screen control signal and control the flexible screen to unfold or retract based on the screen control signal.

7. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The screen control signals include: a first screen control signal and a second screen control signal; The electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to unfold upon receiving a first screen control signal; The electronic control unit is used to control the flexible screen to shrink upon receiving a second screen control signal.

8. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The SOC chip has a multi-core structure and its computing power is no less than the preset computing power.

9. The transparent A-pillar system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The SOC chip integrates an NPU module or a DLA module; The SOC chip is used to run a recognition algorithm through the NPU module or DLA module to identify obstacles in the video and add annotations to the video frame based on the obstacles.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes the transparent A-pillar system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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