Device and method for environmental detection of a commercial vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for environmental detection of a commercial vehicle (1), comprising a driver's cab with a windshield (2) and a top-view camera, wherein the device is configured to know or determine a position and inclination of the top-view camera with respect to a vehicle coordinate system of the commercial vehicle (1), to know or determine the position and inclination of a mirror plane of the windshield (2) with respect to the vehicle coordinate system, to capture an image (B) of the environment of the vehicle (1) and a mirrored image (B1) of the environment in the windshield (2) by means of the top-view camera, to rectify and de-reflective the mirrored image (B1) taking into account the position and inclination of the windshield (2) and to display it on a screen in the driver's cab of the vehicle (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for detecting the environment of a commercial vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for detecting the environment of a commercial vehicle according to the preamble of claim 3.

[0002] Road vehicles, especially large tractors, have what's known as a "blind spot." This term refers to areas around and behind the vehicle that the driver cannot directly see through the windows and can only see through the vehicle's mirrors. The area directly in front of the truck is referred to as the Class VI visibility zone, and the area directly to the right of the truck is referred to as the Class V visibility zone.

[0003] Mirror replacement systems for field of view classes V and VI already exist, which can provide the driver with a better overview of the driving situation. However, these are usually only useful for the purpose of near-surface detection, since such camera systems do not provide a good view of the scene at the edges. Neither the driver nor image processing systems can reliably detect people or vehicles, nor estimate their speed or direction of movement.

[0004] DE 10 2016 213 045 A1 describes a system for providing image information of a vehicle environment, comprising: a left exterior camera and a right exterior camera configured to photograph rear sides of the vehicle from a left exterior position and a right exterior position of the vehicle, respectively; a left top view camera, a right top view camera, a front view camera, and a rear view camera configured to photograph an exterior of the vehicle including a ground; and a controller configured to provide image data originating from the left exterior camera and the right exterior camera to a left exterior display and a right exterior display, respectively, and to provide image data originating from the right top view camera, the left top view camera, the front view camera, and the top view rear camera to a display mirror of a main unit.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a novel device and a novel method for detecting the environment of a commercial vehicle.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention by a device for detecting the environment of a commercial vehicle having the features of claim 1 and by a method for detecting the environment of a commercial vehicle having the features of claim 3.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0008] The invention relates to a device and a method for environmental detection of a commercial vehicle, comprising a driver's cab with a windshield and a top-view camera. In order to realize environmental detection even in blind spot areas, the invention proposes that the device be configured to know or determine a position and inclination of the top-view camera with respect to a vehicle coordinate system of the commercial vehicle, to know or determine the position and inclination of a mirror plane of the windshield with respect to the vehicle coordinate system, to capture an image of the vehicle's surroundings and an image of the surroundings reflected in the windshield by means of the top-view camera, to rectify and anti-reflect the reflected image taking into account the position and inclination of the windshield, and to display it on a screen in the driver's cab of the vehicle.

[0009] The solution according to the invention enables increased safety, cost reductions in sensor concepts, redundancy in object detection by a camera and stereo distance measurement by a second pseudo-viewpoint.

[0010] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.

[0011] It shows: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an image captured by a top view camera of a vehicle.

[0012] The only Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an image B captured by a top-view camera of a vehicle 1.

[0013] A method and a device for environmental detection of a vehicle 1, in particular a commercial vehicle 1 or a bus, are proposed, which includes a downward-looking camera (DLC). In order to realize environmental detection even in blind spot areas, it is proposed that the position and inclination of the downward-looking camera with respect to a vehicle coordinate system of the vehicle 1 is known or determined, that the position and inclination of a mirror plane of a windshield 2 of the vehicle 1 with respect to the vehicle coordinate system is known or determined, that the image B1 of the environment reflected in the windshield 2 is captured by means of the top-view camera, that the reflected image B1 is corrected and anti-reflective with the aid of the position and inclination of the windshield 2 and visualized on a screen in a driver's cab of the vehicle 1.

[0014] The figure shows several objects O1, O2, O3, O4, O5 in the surroundings which are visible in the windscreen 2 as reflected objects O1', O2', O3', O4', O5'.

[0015] It may be intended that the rectified image is rotated.

[0016] In one embodiment, object recognition of at least one mirrored object O1', O2', O3', O4', O5' can be performed using the mirror plane and image processing parameters.

[0017] In one embodiment, a surface of an A-pillar 3 of the vehicle 1 is formed to be reflective, the position and inclination of the A-pillar 3 with respect to the vehicle coordinate system is determined, the images B1 reflected by the A-pillar 3 are rectified and displayed on the screen in the driver's cab in addition to the image material resulting from the reflection of the windscreen 2.

[0018] In a typical application, the mirror plane may be curved and therefore not linearly dependent for each received pixel. The mirrored image B1 is rectified and anti-reflective using knowledge of the mirror plane, and optionally rotated, and can then be displayed directly to the driver on a screen. This could be the screen of a mirror-replacement camera system, the top-view camera, or another screen.

[0019] In one embodiment, object detection is performed in the resulting image B. By knowing the mirror plane and the parameters under which the previous image processing took place, the actual position and inclination of the detected, mirrored object O1', O2', O3', O4', O5' can be deduced. This is particularly advantageous because the object O1, O2, O3, O4, O5 is seen again from a different perspective and, due to the limitations of the top-view camera's lens, does not appear as distorted.

[0020] The objects O1, O2, O3, O4, O5 and their mirror images, i.e., the mirrored objects O1', O2', O3', O4', O5', appear from different perspectives. This can be an advantage when applying object recognition algorithms, as artificial intelligence provides better recognition and confidence on rectified images than on highly distorted images.

[0021] The field of view can be further enlarged by using the A-pillar 3 made of reflective material to capture even more image content from the top-view camera sensor. The dual imaging can also be used to create a stereoscopic effect for better distance estimation. List of reference symbols 1 vehicle, commercial vehicle 2 windshield 3 A-pillar B Image B1 mirrored image O1, O2, O3, O4, O5 Object O1', O2', O3', O4', O5' mirrored object QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2016 213 045 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Device for environmental detection of a commercial vehicle (1), comprising a driver's cab with a windscreen (2) and a top view camera, characterized by in that the device is configured to know or determine a position and inclination of the top-view camera in relation to a vehicle coordinate system of the commercial vehicle (1), to know or determine the position and inclination of a mirror plane of the windscreen (2) in relation to the vehicle coordinate system, to capture an image (B) of the surroundings of the vehicle (1) and an image (B1) of the surroundings reflected in the windscreen (2) by means of the top-view camera, to rectify and anti-reflect the reflected image (B1) taking into account the position and inclination of the windscreen (2) and to display it on a screen in the driver's cab of the vehicle (1). [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized bythat a surface of an A-pillar (3) of the commercial vehicle (1) is formed to be reflective, wherein the device is configured to know or determine the position and inclination of the A-pillar (3) with respect to the vehicle coordinate system, to rectify the images (B1) reflected by the A-pillar (3) and to display them on the screen in the driver's cab. [3] Method for environmental detection of a commercial vehicle (1), comprising a driver's cab with a windscreen (2) and a top view camera, characterized bythat a position and inclination of the top view camera in relation to a vehicle coordinate system of the commercial vehicle (1) is known or is determined, that the position and inclination of a mirror plane of the windscreen (2) in relation to the vehicle coordinate system is known or is determined, that an image (B) of the surroundings of the commercial vehicle (1) and an image (B1) of the surroundings reflected in the windscreen (2) are captured by means of the top view camera, that the reflected image (B1) is rectified, anti-reflective and displayed on a screen in the driver's cab of the commercial vehicle (1) taking into account the position and inclination of the windscreen (2). [4] Method according to claim 3, characterized by that the rectified image is rotated. [5] Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat an object recognition of at least one mirrored object (O1', O2', O3', O4', O5') is carried out with the help of the mirror plane and with the help of image processing parameters. [6] Method according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by that a surface of an A-pillar (3) of the commercial vehicle (1) is formed to be reflective, the position and inclination of the A-pillar (3) in relation to the vehicle coordinate system is known or is determined, the images (B1) reflected by the A-pillar (3) are rectified and displayed on the screen in the driver's cab.

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