AVM system and method having video control functions that reflect vehicle operation information

Abstract

The AVM (Around View Monitoring) system includes at least one vehicle AVM device installed in a vehicle that collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle, generates and displays real-time AVM video, and automatically switches the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on pre-set video display information for events occurring while the vehicle is in operation or stopped; and a video control server connected to the vehicle AVM device via a communication network, which collects corresponding vehicle location information and the real-time AVM video from each of the vehicle AVM devices, and analyzes / manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the collected information. By transmitting the AVM video generated by each of the at least one vehicle AVM device, reflecting the operation information of each vehicle, to the video control server, it is possible to remotely monitor and centrally control AVM video that reflects the operation information of the vehicles, thus providing the advantage of enabling faster and more accurate responses in the event of an accident or emergency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an AVM (Around View Monitoring) system.

Background Art

[0002] AVM is a technology for monitoring the surrounding situation during the driving of a vehicle, and combines the images collected via a predetermined number of cameras to provide an image around the vehicle. For this purpose, AVM typically includes four cameras installed at the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle, and a display installed inside the vehicle. After combining the images collected via the cameras to generate a 360-degree omnidirectional image, the image is displayed on the display.

[0003] Therefore, AVM can greatly assist in preventing accidents that may occur during parking and driving by enabling the driver to accurately grasp the surrounding situation of the vehicle. Moreover, recently, there is a trend that such AVM is actively utilized even in autonomous driving vehicles.

[0004] In this regard, Patent Document 1: Korean Patent No. 10-1366112 discloses an AVM (Around View Monitoring) system for a vehicle, including a first camera network constructed by some of the cameras constituting the AVM system, a second camera network constructed by other some of the cameras constituting the AVM system, and a processor that generates a first image from the images generated by the cameras constituting the first camera network and generates a second image from the images generated by the cameras constituting the second camera network. The cameras constituting the first camera network and the cameras constituting the second camera network automatically vary according to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the number of cameras in the first camera network and the number of cameras in the second camera network maintain the original number. An AVM system is disclosed.

[0005] According to the aforementioned patent document, even when installing more cameras on special vehicles such as buses and trucks than in the AVM system of general vehicles to eliminate blind spots due to vehicle characteristics, smooth networking is possible and video delay does not occur, which has the advantage of preventing accidents caused by blind spots and video delay in advance.

[0006] However, conventional technologies do not provide AVM video services that take vehicle operation information into account. Therefore, they cannot adequately provide necessary information to drivers of vehicles where the vehicle's operating status (e.g., stopping, departing, etc.) changes constantly, and where the area the driver should focus on varies depending on the vehicle's operating status, such as buses with a large number of passengers boarding and alighting. Consequently, accident prevention has been limited.

[0007] In other words, conventionally, the entire image synthesized using a predetermined number of cameras is displayed around the vehicle, or the image information collected by each of the cameras is displayed collectively using multiple divided regions. This forces the driver to selectively check the area of ​​the overall image that should be focused on depending on the driving situation. However, in the former case, there are technically blind spots, and in the latter case, providing multiple divided regions simultaneously impairs cognitive ability and can actually cause accidents.

[0008] Furthermore, conventionally, it was not possible to perform video control functions to remotely monitor AVM video that reflects vehicle operation information and to integrate control. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1366112 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle AVM device and method that can appropriately provide necessary information to the driver by reflecting vehicle operation information and selectively providing information necessary for safe operation, thereby improving the driver's cognitive ability and effectively preventing accidents.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle AVM device and method that can automatically select and display information about areas that the driver should focus on, by pre-setting video display information for each predicted event that may occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, and then automatically switching the display screen of the real-time AVM video each time an actual event occurs based on the video display information, thereby effectively preventing accidents caused by driver error.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle AVM device and method that includes at least one additional camera that collects additional images under separate operating conditions, and that enhances monitoring of areas with a high risk of accidents by preferentially displaying the additional images collected from the additional camera, or composite images with the additional images, thereby enabling concentrated prevention of accidents under specific conditions with a high risk of accidents.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle AVM device and method that enables remote monitoring and integrated control of AVM video reflecting vehicle operation information by transmitting AVM video generated by at least one vehicle AVM device, reflecting the operation information of each vehicle, to a video control server. Thus, it enables faster and more accurate response in the event of an accident or emergency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above objective, the AVM (Around View Monitoring) system provided by the present invention is characterized by comprising: at least one vehicle AVM device installed in a vehicle, which collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle, generates and displays real-time AVM video, and automatically switches the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on pre-set video display information for each event occurring while the vehicle is in operation or stopped; and a video control server connected to the vehicle AVM device via a communication network, which collects corresponding vehicle location information and the real-time AVM video from each of the vehicle AVM devices, and analyzes / manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the collected information.

[0015] Preferably, the vehicle AVM device includes: an AVM operation information storage unit that stores AVM operation information including pre-set video display information for at least one predicted event expected to occur while the vehicle is running or stopped; a video collection unit that collects real-time video of the area around a first vehicle while it is running or stopped; a video processing unit that generates real-time AVM video from the collected video in response to an actual event occurring in the first vehicle; and a display unit that displays the real-time AVM video. The video processing unit is characterized by detecting video display information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit and generating the real-time AVM video based on the video display information.

[0016] Preferably, the video display information may include screen division information of the display unit, which is set to be different for each predicted event in order to display the real-time AVM video, and video matching information, which matches the video to be displayed on each of the divided screens divided based on the division information.

[0017] Preferably, the AVM operation information further includes camera drive information matched with information for at least one AVM camera to be driven for each predicted event, and the video acquisition unit can detect the camera drive information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit and drive the AVM camera based on the camera drive information to collect real-time video of the area around the first vehicle.

[0018] Preferably, the video acquisition unit further includes a first additional camera that selectively operates only when a preset first operating condition is met and acquires a first additional video, which is a real-time additional video of the right front of the first vehicle, and the display unit can switch the display screen to display the first additional video according to preset first additional video display information in response to the operation of the first additional camera.

[0019] Preferably, the vehicle AVM device further includes an object detection unit that senses the presence or absence of an object located to the right front of the first vehicle and the direction of movement of the object, and when the object detection unit detects an object approaching toward the right front of the first vehicle, it can generate a first additional event to activate the first additional camera.

[0020] Preferably, the vehicle AVM device further includes a second additional camera that selectively operates only when a preset second operating condition is met and collects a second additional image, which is a real-time additional image of the interior of the first vehicle, and the display unit can switch the display screen to display the second additional image according to preset second additional image display information in response to the operation of the second additional camera.

[0021] On the other hand, in order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an AVM method that includes at least one vehicle AVM (Around View Monitoring) device installed in a vehicle and which collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle and generates and displays real-time AVM video, and a video control server that communicates with the vehicle AVM device, and is characterized by including: an AVM video display stage in which the vehicle AVM device automatically switches the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on video display information set in advance for each of at least one predicted event which is an event that is expected to occur while the vehicle is running or stopped; an AVM video transmission stage in which the vehicle AVM device transmits the location information of the corresponding vehicle and the real-time AVM video display screen to the video control server based on pre-set video transmission conditions; and a video control stage in which the video control server analyzes and manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the information received from the vehicle AVM device.

[0022] Preferably, the AVM video display step includes: an AVM operation information storage step in which the vehicle AVM device stores AVM operation information including video display information set in advance for each predicted event; a video collection step in which real-time video of the area around the first vehicle while it is in motion or stopped; a video processing step in which real-time AVM video is generated from the collected video in response to an actual event that occurred in the first vehicle; and a video display step in which the real-time AVM video is displayed. The video processing step can detect video display information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information and then generate the real-time AVM video based on that video display information.

[0023] Preferably, the video display information may include screen division information of the display unit, which is set to be different for each predicted event in order to display the real-time AVM video, and video matching information, which matches the video to be displayed on each of the divided screens divided based on the division information.

[0024] Preferably, the AVM operation information further includes camera driving information obtained by matching information about at least one AVM camera to be driven for each of the predicted events. In the video collection stage, after detecting the camera driving information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information, the AVM camera can be driven based on the camera driving information to collect real-time video around the first vehicle.

[0025] Preferably, the video collection stage further includes a first additional video collection stage for collecting a first additional video, which is real-time additional video for the front right side of the first vehicle, when a preset first operation condition is satisfied. In the video display stage, in response to the collection of the first additional video, the display screen of the display unit can be automatically switched to display the first additional video according to preset first additional video display information.

[0026] Preferably, the first additional video collection stage further includes a monitoring stage for centrally monitoring the front right side of the first vehicle. In the first additional video collection stage, when something approaching the front right side of the first vehicle is detected as a result of the monitoring, the first additional video can be collected.

[0027] Preferably, the video collection stage further includes a second additional video collection stage for collecting a second additional video, which is real-time additional video for the interior of the first vehicle, when a preset second operation condition is satisfied. In the video display stage, in response to the collection of the second additional video, the display screen of the display unit can be switched to display the second additional video according to preset second additional video display information.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] The vehicle AVM device and its method according to the present invention as described above can reflect the driving information of the vehicle and selectively provide the information necessary for safe driving, thereby appropriately providing the information necessary for the driver, and thereby having the advantage of improving the driver's cognitive ability and effectively preventing accidents.

[0029] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of automatically selecting and displaying information about areas that the driver should focus on, by pre-setting video display information for each predicted event that may occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, and then automatically switching the display screen of the real-time AVM video each time an actual event occurs based on the video display information. This effectively prevents accidents caused by driver error.

[0030] Furthermore, the present invention includes at least one additional camera that collects additional images under separate operating conditions, and by preferentially displaying the additional images collected from the additional camera, or images combined with the additional images, it is possible to enhance monitoring of areas with a high risk of accidents. This has the advantage of enabling concentrated prevention of accidents under specific conditions that pose a high risk of accidents.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention transmits AVM video generated by at least one vehicle AVM device, reflecting the operation information of each vehicle, to a video control server. This allows for remote monitoring and integrated control of AVM video reflecting vehicle operation information, thus offering the advantage of enabling faster and more accurate responses in the event of an accident or emergency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This is a schematic system configuration diagram of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3a] This is a diagram illustrating the installation position and operation information of an AVM camera according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3b] This is a diagram illustrating the installation position and operation information of an AVM camera according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]This figure illustrates the attachment position of a sensor unit for detecting objects approaching a vehicle equipped with an AVM device for vehicles according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5a] This figure illustrates the principle of detecting the approach of an object using a sensor attached to a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5b] This figure illustrates the principle of detecting the approach of an object using a sensor attached to a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates AVM operation information pre-configured for each predicted event according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7a] This figure illustrates a display screen of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7b] This figure illustrates a display screen of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7c] This figure illustrates a display screen of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7d] This figure illustrates a display screen of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a schematic block diagram of a video control server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the processing of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the processing of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the processing of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the processing of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] In the following description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, the descriptions will be detailed in such a way that a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the other hand, in order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description have been omitted from the drawings, and similar parts throughout the specification have been given similar reference numerals. Furthermore, descriptions of parts that can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art have been omitted.

[0034] Throughout the specification and claims, when a part is said to include a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be further included, unless otherwise stated.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle AVM device 100 installed in each of any vehicle (for example, a moving or stationary vehicle) 10, and a video control server 200 connected to the vehicle AVM device 100 via a communication network 20 to perform video control for the vehicle 10.

[0036] The vehicle AVM device 100 is installed in at least one vehicle 10 and collects real-time video of the area around the corresponding vehicle 10 to generate and display real-time AVM video. In particular, the vehicle AVM device 100 can automatically switch the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on pre-set video display information for events that may occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped. For this purpose, the vehicle AVM device 100 may include various sensors, AVM cameras, and displays. However, in the example in Figure 1, for the sake of explanation, the vehicle AVM device 100 corresponding to each vehicle 10 is shown in a simplified manner.

[0037] The configuration and specific operation of the vehicle AVM device 100 for this purpose will be described later with reference to Figures 2 to 7d.

[0038] The video control server 200 is connected to each of at least one vehicle AVM device 100 via the communication network 20, and collects location information of the corresponding vehicle and the real-time AVM video from each vehicle AVM device 100, and analyzes and manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the collected information.

[0039] In other words, the video control server 200 can recognize the operational information of at least one vehicle, as well as various situations occurring around the vehicle, from the real-time AVM video transmitted from the vehicle AVM device 100.

[0040] For example, if a bus on any route is running late, the video control server 200 can monitor the situation around the vehicle via the real-time AVM video to determine whether the delay is due to an accident or a simple delay, and then communicate the result to the manager or driver, enabling a quick and accurate response.

[0041] Furthermore, the video control server 200 can quickly respond to emergencies that may occur on the road or inside a vehicle by recognizing an emergency situation occurring inside the vehicle from the in-vehicle video feed transmitted from the vehicle AVM device 100, and then notifying the driver who has not yet been able to confirm the situation, or by notifying the relevant agencies if it is necessary to dispatch rescue personnel.

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 2, the vehicle AVM device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an AVM camera 110, an additional camera 120, an image acquisition unit 130, an object detection unit 140, an event acquisition unit 150, an AVM operation information storage unit 160, an image processing unit 170, a display unit 180, and a control unit 190.

[0043] The AVM camera 110 is installed inside / outside the vehicle and captures real-time video of the area around the vehicle. To this end, the AVM camera 110 includes a front camera 111 that captures the area in front of the vehicle, a rear camera 112 that captures the area behind the vehicle, a right-side camera 113 that captures the area to the right of the vehicle, and a left-side camera 114 that captures the area to the left of the vehicle.

[0044] Each of the cameras 111 to 114 is driven when the vehicle is in motion or stopped, or in response to an operation command transmitted from an external source, and can capture real-time video of the area around the vehicle depending on its installation position.

[0045] Here, each of the cameras 111 to 114 can be driven simultaneously and collectively to generate real-time 360° video of the area around the vehicle, or can be selectively driven according to pre-set operation information (i.e., camera drive information) for each type of event predicted to occur on the vehicle (i.e., predicted event). To this end, the control unit 190 can either drive all cameras 111 to 114 simultaneously when the operation of the vehicle AVM device 100 starts, or detect camera drive information corresponding to an actual event by matching an event that actually occurred while the vehicle was running or stopped (i.e., an actual event) with the predicted event, and then selectively drive a camera based on the result.

[0046] Here, the predicted events may include the operation of the left / right turn signal lights, the opening and closing of the vehicle's entrance / exit gates, the operation of at least one switch installed in the driver's seat, and the operation of the exit signal bell.

[0047] For example, when the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, the control unit 190 operates all cameras 111 to 114 collectively and provides the driver with a top-view image generated using the information collected at that time. When the vehicle's right turn signal light illuminates, i.e., when a right turn signal light event occurs, the control unit 190 can selectively operate cameras 111 to 114 according to pre-set operation information. If the camera drive information corresponding to the right turn signal light event includes only the right-side camera 113, the control unit 190 can operate only the right-side camera 113, thereby controlling cameras 111 to 114 and peripheral devices (e.g., the display unit 180) to intensively collect and provide only real-time images of the right side of the vehicle.

[0048] The additional camera 120 operates under separate operating conditions that differ from the operating information of the AVM camera 110, and captures additional images. In other words, the additional camera 120 is a camera installed to intensively prevent accidents under specific conditions where the risk of accidents is high. Normally it operates in standby mode, but when a specific event occurs in the vehicle (for example, activation of the right turn signal or opening of an entrance / exit gate) or when a pre-set separate operating condition is met (for example, a request from the driver or detection of an object or person approaching the vehicle), it activates and captures the corresponding area.

[0049] Here, the specific conditions under which the risk of accident is high may include when the vehicle is turning right, when a person or object is detected around the vehicle, when a person or object is detected moving in the direction of the vehicle, when passengers are boarding / alighting a route bus, or when a dangerous situation occurs inside the vehicle.

[0050] The additional camera 120 may include a right-front camera 121 that photographs the right front of the vehicle and an interior camera 122 that photographs the interior of the vehicle. The additional images collected by the additional camera 120 may be provided to the driver independently or combined with images collected by the AVM camera 110.

[0051] The right-front camera 121 is a camera designed to focus on capturing images of the right front of the vehicle and can operate in special situations where enhanced monitoring of the right front is required. For example, if the control unit 190 detects an event that activates the vehicle's right turn signal, if the vehicle's steering wheel rotates to the right by a predetermined angle or more, or if it detects an object or person approaching the right front of the vehicle, it can activate the right-front camera 121 to enhance monitoring of the right front.

[0052] This is to reduce the risk of accidents caused by the fact that, due to the characteristics of a vehicle where the driver's seat is located on the left front of the vehicle, it is difficult for the driver to secure a field of view to the right front, making it difficult to perceive the surrounding situation to the right front of the vehicle, and also because there is a blind spot in the right front corner of the vehicle that is difficult to capture with only the front camera 111 and the right-side camera 113. Therefore, when a rightward rotation is detected by a specific event that occurs in the vehicle (for example, the illumination of the right turn signal, the angle of rotation of the steering wheel to the right, etc.), or when a person or object is detected in the right direction of travel of the vehicle or around the right front of the vehicle by a sensing device installed outside the vehicle, the control unit 190 can activate the right-side front camera 121, so that the driver can concentrate on monitoring the right front of the vehicle, thereby eliminating the blind spot to the right front of the vehicle and reducing the risk of accidents.

[0053] In particular, in traffic systems where drivers of vehicles traveling to the right turn right at an intersection without receiving a separate signal, this system can prevent safety accidents that occur when drivers of vehicles turning right are unable to recognize pedestrians.

[0054] Thus, the present invention includes a right-front camera 121 that operates according to separate operating conditions, and by operating the right-front camera 121 when those conditions are met, it is possible to prevent accidents that occur when the driver has difficulty recognizing people or objects located in the right direction of travel of the vehicle or in the right front area of ​​the vehicle.

[0055] On the other hand, in the case of vehicles where the driver's seat is located on the right front, by installing an additional camera on the left front (not the right front), monitoring of the left front can be enhanced in special situations where enhanced monitoring of the left front is necessary (for example, when turning left).

[0056] The interior camera 122 is a camera designed to intensively photograph the interior of the vehicle and can operate in special situations where enhanced monitoring of the vehicle's interior (i.e., interior) is required. For example, if the control unit 190 detects an event that causes the vehicle's entrance / exit gate to open or a request signal from the driver, it can activate the interior camera 122 to enhance monitoring of the vehicle's interior. For this purpose, at least one interior camera 122 may be installed inside the vehicle and distributed throughout the vehicle to photograph the entire interior. Furthermore, operation keys for operating such interior cameras 122 may be included around the driver's seat.

[0057] As a result, when the aforementioned entrance / exit opening event occurs, or when a driver who determines that it is necessary to monitor the interior of the vehicle operates the operation key, the interior camera 122 will activate to photograph the interior of the vehicle and provide that information to the driver in real time.

[0058] This is to prevent safety accidents that may occur when a driver is unable to accurately grasp the boarding / alighting status of passengers or to recognize people or objects located around the vehicle's stopping position, in the case of vehicles that repeatedly stop and depart to assist an unspecified number of passengers boarding / alighting, such as route buses that operate periodically on predetermined routes.

[0059] In other words, the operation of the interior camera 122 is determined in accordance with the opening and closing signal of the entrance gate, and it can operate when the entrance gate is open to collect surrounding images. Alternatively, when an entrance gate opening signal is generated, the interior camera 122 operates together with the right-side camera 113, and by combining the images collected by each, the surrounding conditions inside and outside the vehicle entrance gate can be accurately conveyed to the driver.

[0060] On the other hand, the right-side front camera 121 and the interior camera 122 can be operated by the control unit 190, or by the control of the video acquisition unit 130 which is operated by the control unit 190.

[0061] Figures 3a and 3b are diagrams illustrating the installation position and operation information of an AVM camera according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3a illustrates the installation position and shooting area of ​​the AVM camera 110 and the additional camera 120, Figure 2b illustrates a shooting area that reflects vehicle operation information, and Figure 3b illustrates a monitoring area determined by vehicle operation information.

[0062] Referring to Figure 3a, it can be seen that the AVM device 100 for vehicles of the present invention includes a front camera 111 (shooting area 111A) installed on the front of the vehicle 10, a rear camera 112 (shooting area omitted) installed on the rear of the vehicle 10, a right-side camera 113 (shooting area 113A) installed on the right side of the vehicle 10, a left-side camera 114 (shooting area 114A) installed on the left side of the vehicle 10, a right-front camera 121 (shooting area 121A) installed on the right front of the vehicle 10 (i.e., at the right front vertex position), and an interior camera 122 (shooting area 122A) installed on the left interior side of the vehicle 10.

[0063] The AVM device 100 for vehicles of the present invention can determine a monitoring area that reflects the operation information of the vehicle 10 by operating each of the cameras 111 to 114, 121, and 122, which are installed as illustrated in Figure 3a, either collectively or selectively. Referring to Figure 3b, when the vehicle is turning right, the front camera 111, the right-side camera 113, and the front right-side camera 121 are driven to concentrate on monitoring the first area S1; when the vehicle is stopped, the right-side camera 113 and the interior camera 122 are driven to concentrate on monitoring the second area S2; and when the vehicle is turning left, the front camera 111 and the left-side camera 114 are driven to concentrate on monitoring the third area S3.

[0064] As described above, the vehicle AVM device 100 of the present invention can capture images of corresponding areas 111A to 114A, 121A, and 122A collectively or selectively, depending on the operating state of the vehicle 10, by operating cameras 111 to 114, 121, and 122 collectively or selectively, in accordance with the operating information of the vehicle 10. By selectively generating and providing real-time AVM images of the area around the vehicle 10 using this, the driver's cognitive abilities can be improved and accidents can be effectively prevented.

[0065] The video acquisition unit 130 collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle 10 from at least one of the AVM camera 110 and the additional camera 120. To this end, the video acquisition unit 130 can be controlled by the control unit 190 and collects real-time video of a corresponding area from at least one of the front camera 111, rear camera 112, right-side camera 113, left-side camera 114, right-front camera 121, and interior camera 122 installed on the vehicle 10 while it is in motion or stationary. In particular, the video acquisition unit 130 can collect real-time video from the right-front camera 121 and the interior camera 122 only when the pre-set operating conditions for each of the right-front camera 121 and the interior camera 122 are met. For example, the video acquisition unit 130 can detect camera drive information corresponding to an actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit 160 (described later), and then drive AVM cameras 111 to 114 and additional cameras 121 and 122 based on that camera drive information to collect real-time video of the area around the corresponding vehicle 10.

[0066] The object detection unit 140 senses the presence or absence of objects or people located around the vehicle and their direction of movement, and generates additional events based on the results. For example, the object detection unit 140 can sense objects or people located to the right front of the vehicle, where the driver's field of view is difficult to secure, and their direction of movement, and based on the results, it can generate an additional event to activate the right front camera 121 and transmit it to the control unit 190. For this purpose, the object detection unit 140 can be implemented by multiple ultrasonic sensors or multiple LiDAR sensors, and is preferably installed on the right front of the vehicle.

[0067] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the attachment position of a sensor unit for detecting objects approaching a vehicle equipped with an AVM device for vehicles according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing an example in which an object detection unit 140, composed of multiple sensors 141, is installed adjacent to the right front of a vehicle 10 (i.e., a bus). Figures 5a and 5b are diagrams illustrating the principle of detecting the approach of objects using a sensor unit attached to an AVM device for vehicles according to one embodiment of the present invention, with a sensor 141 attached to the right front and a detection area 141A formed in front of a vehicle rotating to the right, and Figure 5b illustrates the principle of determining whether or not an object is approaching by detecting a pedestrian and the direction of travel of the pedestrian in the detection area 141A.

[0068] Referring to Figures 4, 5a, and 5b, each of the multiple sensors 141 installed adjacent to each other on the right front of the vehicle outputs sensing signals L1 and L2 (for example, an ultrasonic signal and a laser pulse) in a linear direction to detect objects or people approaching the vehicle 10, and outputs the sensing signal in a direction in which the angle widens as the distance from the vehicle 10 increases. This is to secure a sensing area for detecting the object or person, and if the angle is narrow, the sensing distance is long but the sensing area around the vehicle becomes narrow, and conversely, if the angle is narrow, the sensing distance is short but the sensing area around the vehicle becomes wide. Therefore, it is preferable to determine the installation interval of the multiple sensors 141 by taking into consideration the height of the vehicle, the width of the vehicle, etc.

[0069] Referring to Figure 5b, each of the sensing areas 141A is formed by multiple sensing signals L1 and L2 in the manner illustrated on the left side of the figure, and as shown on the right side of the figure, the direction of travel of a pedestrian can be determined by the order in which the pedestrian comes into contact with the multiple sensing signals L1 and L2. For example, if a pedestrian passes through the first sensing signal L1 and then comes into contact with the second sensing signal L2, the direction of travel of the pedestrian is from the right side to the left side of the figure, and if it is the other way around, the direction of travel of the pedestrian is also reversed. If a pedestrian comes into contact with only one of the multiple sensing signals L1 and L2, it can be determined that the pedestrian is not approaching the vehicle 10. On the other hand, whether or not the pedestrian has come into contact with the multiple sensing signals L1 and L2 can be determined by whether or not the phenomenon of each of the multiple sensing signals L1 and L2 being interrupted occurs.

[0070] Through such operation, the object detection unit 140, which senses the presence and direction of movement of objects or people located around the vehicle, generates the additional event and may further include means for generating a warning sound to alert pedestrians of danger (e.g., a buzzer). Alternatively, the vehicle AVM device 100 of the present invention may further include sound output means (e.g., a speaker) (not shown), and the control unit 190 may output a warning sound by controlling the sound output means in response to the additional event.

[0071] The event collection unit 150 collects actual events occurring in the vehicle 10 in real time and transmits them to the control unit 190. To this end, the event collection unit 150 can collect information from the electronic control unit that controls the operation of the vehicle 10, or it can collect the actual events in real time using signals sensed via a separate sensor unit.

[0072] The AVM operation information storage unit 160 stores pre-configured operation information for the vehicle AVM device 100. Specifically, the AVM operation information storage unit 160 can store AVM operation information, including pre-configured video display information and camera drive information, for each of at least one predicted event that is expected to occur while the vehicle is running or stopped.

[0073] Here, the video display information may include screen division information of the display unit, which is set to be different for each predicted event in order to display real-time AVM video, and video matching information, which matches the video to be displayed on each of the divided screens divided based on the division information. On the other hand, the camera drive information may include information about at least one AVM camera to be driven for each predicted event.

[0074] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating AVM operation information pre-set for each predicted event according to one embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates AVM operation information stored in the AVM operation information storage unit 160.

[0075] Referring to Figure 6, the AVM operation information may include fields for event type 161, operating camera 162, and display image 163. The event type 161 field stores the predicted events that may occur, the operating camera 162 field stores information about the camera that should selectively operate in response to the predicted event, and the display image 163 field may store information about the area that should be intensively monitored in response to the predicted event in order to improve the driver's cognitive ability. Here, the types of predicted events and the corresponding operating camera and display image information are illustrated in Figure 6. On the other hand, Figure 6 is merely an example of the AVM operation information, and the types of predicted events and the corresponding AVM operation information are not limited to those illustrated in Figure 5.

[0076] The video processing unit 170 generates real-time AVM video from video collected via the video collection unit 130 in response to actual events occurring in the vehicle 10. To this end, the video processing unit 170 can detect video display information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit 160 and generate the real-time AVM video based on that video display information. For example, if the actual event collected via the event collection unit 150 is a disembarkation signal bell, the video processing unit 170 can detect AVM operation information (i.e., camera operation information and video display information) corresponding to the disembarkation signal bell from the AVM operation information storage unit 160, as illustrated in Figure 5, and then, based on the results, generate real-time AVM video that displays the interior of the vehicle by collecting video captured by cameras installed inside the vehicle.

[0077] Here, the video processing unit 170, in generating real-time AVM video using a pre-set video processing algorithm, can process the video collected from at least one camera that operates selectively according to the AVM operation information to be divided and displayed, or it can combine them.

[0078] The display unit 180 displays real-time AVM video generated by the video processing unit 170. To this end, the display unit 180 operates under the control of the control unit 190, and its display screen can be configured differently depending on the type of actual event. That is, the display unit 180 can configure and display the screen in a way that enhances the driver's cognitive ability depending on the type of actual event that may occur while the vehicle is moving or stopped. To this end, the display unit 180 displays the real-time AVM video based on video display information set so that the number of divided screens, the size and position of each divided screen differ depending on the type of actual event, and operates under the control of the control unit 190, which controls the operation of the display unit 180 based on video display information stored in the AVM operation information storage unit 160.

[0079] On the other hand, the video display information may be pre-configured to differ according to the type of predicted event and stored in the AVM operation information storage unit 160.

[0080] Furthermore, the display unit 180 can automatically switch the display screen to show additional video footage collected via the additional camera 120, in response to the operation of the additional camera 120. For this purpose, the video display information can further store additional video display information for automatically switching the screen depending on the type of additional video footage collected via the additional camera 120.

[0081] For example, when the display unit 180 automatically switches the display screen to display the right front image of the vehicle in response to the operation of the right front camera 121, if a pedestrian approaches the right front of the vehicle, the display unit 180 can automatically switch the screen so that the entire screen displays the right front image of the vehicle, switch the display state to display the right front image in a pop-up form while maintaining the current screen, or switch the display state to replace a part of the current screen with the right front image.

[0082] On the other hand, when the display unit 180 automatically switches the display screen to display the interior image of the vehicle in response to the operation of the interior camera 122, in particular, when the vehicle's entrance / exit gate closes or the vehicle enters a departure waiting state, the display unit 180 can automatically switch the screen so that the entire screen displays the images from the interior camera 122 and the right-side camera 113, or a composite image thereof, in order to inform the passengers whether there are passengers boarding or alighting, or it can switch the display state to display a real-time image including the interior image around the entrance / exit gate as a pop-up while maintaining the current screen, or it can switch the display state to replace a part of the current screen with the interior image.

[0083] For this purpose, video display information for displaying the right front image and video display information for displaying real-time video including the indoor image around the entrance / exit must be pre-registered in the AVM operation information storage unit 160, and the control unit 190 can control the operation of the display unit 180 based on the information stored in the AVM operation information storage unit 160.

[0084] Figures 7a to 7d illustrate the display screens of a vehicle AVM device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 7a and 7b illustrate screens A and B, which are displayed while the vehicle is in motion. Figure 7c illustrates screen C, which displays a video of the surroundings of a stationary vehicle. Figure 7d illustrates screen D, which displays a top-view video and an interior video of a moving vehicle together.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 7a, the display unit 180 divides the display screen A into four split screens A1, A2, A3, and A4, displaying a 360° top view image on the first split screen A1, a forward view image on the second split screen A2, a left-side view image on the third split screen A3, and a right-side view image on the fourth split screen A4.

[0086] In the example shown in Figure 7b, the display unit 180 divides the display screen B into three split screens B1, B2, and B3, with the first split screen B1 displaying the front view, the second split screen B2 displaying the left view, and the third split screen B3 displaying the right view.

[0087] In the example shown in Figure 7c, the display unit 180 divides the display screen C into five split screens C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5. The first split screen C1 displays a 360° top view of the stationary vehicle, the second split screen C2 displays the left front view of the stationary vehicle, the third split screen C3 displays the right front view of the stationary vehicle, the fourth split screen C4 displays the left rear view of the stationary vehicle, and the fifth split screen C5 displays the right rear view of the stationary vehicle.

[0088] In the example shown in Figure 7d, the display unit 180 divides the display screen D into two split screens D1 and D2, with the first split screen D1 displaying a 360° top-view image of the moving vehicle and the second split screen D2 displaying an interior image.

[0089] Thus, the present invention divides the display screen of the display unit 180 into various forms based on pre-set video display information, and by using information that is set to differ depending on the type of actual event occurring in a moving or stationary vehicle, the display screen can be operated in a way that enhances the driver's cognitive ability.

[0090] Furthermore, the present invention further includes additional video display information for displaying video footage captured in accordance with specific conditions where the risk of accidents is high, and by automatically switching the screen of the display unit 180 accordingly, the driver's awareness of dangerous situations can be further improved.

[0091] The control unit 190 controls the overall operation of the vehicle AVM device 100 based on a preset AVM control algorithm. Specifically, the control unit 190 controls the operation of the AVM camera 110, additional camera 120, image acquisition unit 130, object detection unit 140, event acquisition unit 150, AVM operation information storage unit 160, image processing unit 170, and display unit 180 based on the AVM control algorithm.

[0092] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of a video control server according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 to 8, the video control server 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210, an accident information storage unit 220, a communication I / F 230, a learning unit 240, a video analysis unit 250, an accident diagnosis unit 260, an accident prediction unit 270, and a control unit 280.

[0093] The vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210 stores vehicle-specific real-time AVM video along with the location of the corresponding vehicle and the time the video was collected. To this end, the vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210 operates under the control of the control unit 280, which stores information transmitted from at least one vehicle AVM device 100 in the vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210.

[0094] The accident information storage unit 220 stores the diagnosis results of the accident diagnosis unit 260 (described later) and the corresponding accident video. For example, if the accident information storage unit 220 diagnoses that an accident has occurred in any vehicle, it can receive and store the video and type of accident via the control unit 280.

[0095] The communication I / F 230 communicates with multiple vehicle AVM devices 100 via an interface with a communication network, and can collect real-time AVM video from at least one vehicle AVM device 100, or transmit arbitrary control signals to at least one vehicle AVM device 100. For this purpose, the communication I / F 230 operates under the control of the control unit 280. In particular, if an accident is predicted for any vehicle by the accident prediction unit 270 (described later), the control unit 280 can transmit a notification message generated by the control unit 280 to the corresponding vehicle's vehicle AVM device 100 to inform it of this.

[0096] The learning unit 240 generates an accident situation model by pre-learning an unspecified amount of video information on accidents or dangerous situations that may occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped. For example, the learning unit 240 can pre-learn past accident videos categorized by accident type to generate accident situation models for each type of accident.

[0097] The video analysis unit 250 analyzes real-time AVM video for each vehicle using the accident situation model. For example, the video analysis unit 250 can compare the accident situation model with the real-time AVM video for each vehicle to calculate a similarity score that serves as an accident diagnosis criterion.

[0098] The accident diagnosis unit 260, based on the processing results of the video analysis unit 250, determines in real time which second vehicle was involved in the accident or dangerous situation, the type of accident or dangerous situation, and the time the accident occurred. For example, if the similarity exceeds a preset critical similarity, the accident diagnosis unit 260 diagnoses that an accident has occurred and can determine in real time the vehicle information, the type of accident or dangerous situation, and the time the accident occurred at that time.

[0099] The accident prediction unit 270 predicts the occurrence of an accident for any vehicle based on the information stored in the vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210 and the accident information storage unit 220. For example, the accident prediction unit 270 predicts an accident for any first vehicle by comparing and analyzing past video of any second vehicle in which an accident has occurred in the past, i.e., video from a predetermined time prior to the time of the second vehicle's accident, with real-time AVM video of any first vehicle. If the video from a predetermined time prior to the time of the second vehicle's accident and the real-time AVM video of the first vehicle are similar (i.e., the similarity exceeds a preset critical value), it can be predicted that an accident will occur for the first vehicle after the predetermined time.

[0100] The control unit 280 controls the overall operation of the video control server 200 based on a pre-configured video control algorithm. Specifically, the control unit 280 controls the operation of the vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210, accident information storage unit 220, communication I / F 230, learning unit 240, video analysis unit 250, accident diagnosis unit 260, and accident prediction unit 270 based on the video control algorithm.

[0101] In particular, the control unit 280 can inform the driver of the first vehicle of the prediction results of the accident prediction unit 270.

[0102] Figures 9 to 12 are schematic flowcharts illustrating the processing of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 illustrates the general processing procedure of an AVM method having real-time video control functionality according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the processing procedure of the AVM video display process illustrated in Figure 9, and Figure 12 illustrates the processing procedure of the video control process illustrated in Figure 9.

[0103] Referring to Figures 1 to 9, the AVM (Around View Monitoring) method using the vehicle AVM device 100 and the video control server 200 is as follows.

[0104] First, in step S100, the vehicle AVM device 100 generates real-time AVM video from video collected around the vehicle and then displays it. In particular, in step S100, the vehicle AVM device 100 can automatically switch the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on video display information pre-set for each of at least one predicted event that is expected to occur while the vehicle is running or stopped. A more specific processing step for this will be described later with reference to Figures 10 and 11.

[0105] In stage S200, the vehicle AVM device 100 transmits real-time AVM video information to the video control server 200. To this end, the vehicle AVM device 100 can transmit real-time AVM video information, including the corresponding vehicle's location information and the real-time AVM video display screen, to the video control server 200 based on preset video transmission conditions (for example, a preset transmission cycle or display screen transition time).

[0106] In stage S300, the video control server 200 performs video control using the received real-time AVM video information. Here, the video control server 200 can collect the real-time AVM video information from at least one vehicle AVM device 100 and perform video control that analyzes and manages the operation information of the corresponding vehicles by combining this information. A more specific processing step for this will be described later with reference to Figure 12.

[0107] Referring to Figures 1 to 11, the above step S100 can be explained in more detail as follows.

[0108] First, in step S105, the vehicle AVM device 100 stores pre-configured AVM operation information for at least one predicted event that is expected to occur while the vehicle is running or stopped. To do this, the vehicle AVM device 100 can receive the AVM operation information via a user interface (not shown), via a communication network, or store it offline via a separate storage medium on which the AVM operation information has already been stored.

[0109] Here, the AVM operation information may include the predicted event-specific camera drive information and the video display information. The camera drive information includes information about at least one AVM camera to be driven for each predicted event (e.g., camera identification information or camera installation location information), and the video display information may include video processing information for generating the real-time AVM video (e.g., video synthesis / splitting algorithm), screen splitting information for the display unit 180 which is set differently for each predicted event in order to display the real-time AVM video, and video matching information which matches the video to be displayed on each of the split screens divided based on the splitting information.

[0110] In stage S110, the video acquisition unit 130 collects real-time video of the area around the first vehicle while it is in motion or stopped. Since stage S110 is the stage before an event (i.e., an actual event) occurs on the first vehicle, real-time video can be collected from each of the cameras 111, 114, 121, and 122 included in the vehicle AVM device 100, based on the system's initial setup information.

[0111] In step S115, the control unit 190 checks whether an event (i.e., an actual event) has occurred in the first vehicle. This is done in order to generate AVM video while taking into account the vehicle's operational information.

[0112] In other words, if the confirmation in step S115 indicates that the actual event did not occur, the control unit 190 generates AVM video based on the real-time video collected in step S110, controls the video processing unit 170 to generate initial AVM video in step S120, and controls the display unit 180 to display the initial AVM video in step S125. Here, initial AVM video refers to AVM video generated without considering vehicle operation information (i.e., the occurrence of the actual event), and may mean top-view video provided by conventional AVM systems.

[0113] On the other hand, if the confirmation in step S115 indicates that the actual event has occurred, the control unit 190 can detect AVM operation information corresponding to the actual event and control the video acquisition unit 130, the video processing unit 170, and the display unit 180 based on that information. That is, the control unit 190 can collect video corresponding to the actual event and then control the video acquisition unit 130, the video processing unit 170, and the display unit 180 to generate and display real-time AVM video from the collected video.

[0114] To this end, in step S130, the control unit 190 first checks whether camera drive information corresponding to the actual event is stored in the AVM operation information. If camera drive information corresponding to the actual event is stored, in steps S135 and S140, the control unit 190 controls the video acquisition unit 130 to select and drive the AVM camera corresponding to the actual event and then collect the selected video. That is, in step S140, the video acquisition unit 130 can collect real-time video of the region from at least one camera 111 to 114, 121, and 122 driven by the control unit 190, i.e., real-time video of the area around the first vehicle corresponding to each of the driven cameras.

[0115] If, as a result of the check in step S130, camera drive information corresponding to the actual event is not saved, steps S135 and S140 may be omitted.

[0116] In step S145, the control unit 190 detects video display information corresponding to the actual event from the event-specific video display information included in the AVM operation information. In steps S150 and S155, the control unit 190 controls the video processing unit 170 and the display unit 180 to generate and display AVM video (i.e., event-specific AVM video) that takes the actual event into account based on the detected video display information.

[0117] In step S160, the control unit 190 collects and processes additional video according to pre-set separate operating conditions, and in step S170, it controls the video collection unit 130 and the display unit 180 to automatically switch the screen in order to display the collected additional video.

[0118] To this end, the control unit 190 can store in advance the operating conditions for each of the additional cameras 120, and when a situation that satisfies those operating conditions occurs, it can operate the corresponding additional camera 120 to collect the relevant video footage. For example, the control unit 190 can store in advance specific conditions that indicate a high risk of accidents, and when a driving situation that satisfies those specific conditions occurs, it can operate the additional camera 120 to collect video footage of the corresponding area.

[0119] Here, the specific conditions under which the risk of accident is high may include when the vehicle is turning right, when a person or object is detected around the vehicle, when a person or object is detected moving in the direction of the vehicle, when passengers are boarding / alighting a route bus, or when a dangerous situation occurs inside the vehicle.

[0120] In other words, the control unit 190 can store in advance a first operating condition for operating the right front camera 121, and in steps S162 and S164, if a situation occurs that satisfies the first operating condition, it can control the right front camera 121 and the image acquisition unit 130 to collect additional images of the right front. Here, the first operating condition may include the detection of an event that causes the right turn signal light to be activated on the vehicle, the vehicle's steering wheel being rotated to the right by a predetermined angle or more, and the detection of an object or person approaching the right front of the vehicle. Therefore, if it is determined in step S162 that the first operating condition is met, the control unit 190 can activate the right front camera 121 in step S164 to enhance monitoring of the right front. To this end, the control unit 190 can detect if there is an object or person approaching the right front of the first vehicle by controlling the object detection unit 140 to centrally monitor the right front of the first vehicle.

[0121] Furthermore, the control unit 190 can store in advance a second operating condition for operating the interior camera 122, and in steps S166 and S168, if a situation arises that satisfies the second operating condition, it can control the interior camera 122 and the video acquisition unit 130 to collect additional video of the vehicle's interior. Here, the second operating condition may include the detection of an event that opens the vehicle's entrance / exit gate, or the detection of a request signal from the driver. Therefore, if it is determined in step S166 that the second operating condition is met, the control unit 190 can activate the interior camera 122 in step S168 to enhance the monitoring of the vehicle's interior.

[0122] In step S170, the control unit 190 can automatically switch the display screen of the display unit 180 to display the additional video, and can automatically switch the display screen based on information set to differ depending on the type of actual event.

[0123] For example, the control unit 190 can store in advance the degree of danger or urgency depending on the type of actual event, and when automatically switching the display screen of the display unit 180 based on that degree of danger or urgency, it can automatically switch the screen so that the entire screen of the display unit 180 displays the additional video, switch the display state so that the additional video is displayed in a pop-up form while maintaining the current screen, or switch the display state so that a part of the current screen is replaced with the additional video.

[0124] Referring to Figures 1 to 12, step S300 can be explained in more detail as follows.

[0125] First, in stage S310, the video control server 200 generates an accident situation model. To this end, in stage S310, the learning unit 240 can pre-learn an unspecified number of video data regarding accidents or dangerous situations that may occur while a vehicle is in operation or stopped, and pre-learn them by type to generate accident situation models for each type of accident.

[0126] In stages S320 and S330, the control unit 280 receives real-time AVM video via the communication interface 230 and then stores it in the vehicle-specific AVM video storage unit 210. Here, the control unit 280 can also store the position and time of the corresponding vehicle.

[0127] In step S340, the video analysis unit 250 analyzes real-time AVM video for each vehicle using the accident situation model, and in step S350, the accident diagnosis unit 260 diagnoses the accident based on the video analysis results from step S340. Specifically, in step S350, the accident diagnosis unit 260 determines in real time which second vehicle the accident or dangerous situation occurred, the type of accident or dangerous situation, and the time the accident occurred.

[0128] In step S360, the control unit 280 stores the diagnostic results from step S350 and the corresponding accident video footage in the accident information storage unit 220.

[0129] In step S370, the accident prediction unit 270 predicts an accident for any first vehicle using the information stored in steps S330 and S360. To do this, the accident prediction unit 270 can predict an accident for the first vehicle by comparing and analyzing video footage of any second vehicle that has had an accident in the past, prior to a predetermined time before the accident occurred, with the real-time AVM video footage of the first vehicle.

[0130] In step S380, the control unit 280 controls the communication I / F 230 to inform the driver of the first vehicle of the prediction result.

[0131] In this explanation of the AVM method having video control functions according to the present invention, we will omit redundant explanations of content already mentioned in Figures 1 to 7d.

[0132] Thus, the vehicle real-time AVM system and method of the present invention, as described above, reflects vehicle operation information and selectively provides information necessary for safe operation, thereby appropriately providing the driver with the necessary information, and thereby improving the driver's cognitive abilities and effectively preventing accidents.

[0133] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of automatically selecting and displaying information about areas that the driver should focus on, by pre-setting video display information for each predicted event that may occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, and then automatically switching the display screen of the real-time AVM video each time an actual event occurs based on the video display information. This effectively prevents accidents caused by driver error.

[0134] Furthermore, the present invention includes at least one additional camera that collects additional images under separate operating conditions, and by preferentially displaying the additional images collected by the additional camera, or images combined with the additional images, it is possible to enhance monitoring of areas with a high risk of accidents, thereby enabling concentrated prevention of accidents under specific conditions that pose a high risk of accidents.

[0135] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of enabling remote monitoring and integrated control of AVM video reflecting vehicle operation information by transmitting AVM video generated by at least one vehicle AVM device to a video control server, reflecting the operation information of each vehicle. Therefore, it enables faster and more accurate response in the event of an accident or emergency.

[0136] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto and includes all changes and modifications that are readily apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains and are deemed equivalent thereto. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0137] 100 Vehicle AVM (Automated VM) System 110 AVM Camera 120 additional cameras 130 Video Collection Department 140 Object sensing part 150 Event Collection Department 160 AVM operation information storage section 170 Video Processing Section 180 Display section 190 Control Unit

Claims

1. It is an AVM (Around View Monitoring) system, A vehicle AVM device installed in a vehicle, which collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle, generates and displays real-time AVM video, and automatically switches the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on pre-set video display information for each event that occurs while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, Includes a video control server connected to the aforementioned vehicle AVM device via a communication network, which collects location information and real-time AVM video from each of the vehicle AVM devices, and analyzes / manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the collected information. An AVM system having video control functions, characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned vehicle AVM device is AVM operation information storage unit that stores AVM operation information including pre-configured video display information for each of at least one predicted events that are expected to occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, A video collection unit that collects real-time video footage of the area around the first vehicle while it is in operation or stopped, A video processing unit that generates real-time AVM video from the collected video in response to an actual event occurring in the first vehicle, It includes a display unit that displays the real-time AVM video, The video processing unit detects video display information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit and generates the real-time AVM video based on that video display information. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 1.

3. The aforementioned video display information is: In order to display the real-time AVM video, the screen division information of the display unit is set differently for each predicted event, Includes video matching information which matches the video to be displayed on each of the split screens divided based on the aforementioned division information. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 2.

4. The AVM operation information further includes camera drive information obtained by matching information for at least one AVM camera to be driven according to the predicted event, The video acquisition unit detects the camera drive information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information storage unit, and drives the AVM camera based on the camera drive information to acquire real-time video of the area around the first vehicle. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 3.

5. The video acquisition unit further includes a first additional camera that selectively operates only when a preset first operating condition is met and acquires a first additional video, which is a real-time additional video of the right front of the first vehicle. The display unit switches the display screen to display the first additional video according to the preset first additional video display information in response to the operation of the first additional camera. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 2.

6. The aforementioned vehicle AVM device further includes an object sensing unit that senses the presence or absence of an object located to the right front of the first vehicle and the direction of movement of the object, When the object detection unit detects an object approaching the right front of the first vehicle, it generates a first additional event to activate the first additional camera. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 5.

7. The vehicle AVM device further includes a second additional camera that selectively operates only when a preset second operating condition is met, and collects a second additional image which is a real-time additional image of the interior of the first vehicle. The display unit switches the display screen to display the second additional video according to the second additional video display information that has been set in advance, in response to the operation of the second additional camera. An AVM system having the video control function described in claim 5.

8. An AVM method using at least one vehicle AVM (Around View Monitoring) device installed in a vehicle that collects real-time video of the area around the vehicle and generates and displays real-time AVM video, and a video control server that communicates with the vehicle AVM device, The vehicle AVM device includes an AVM video display stage in which it automatically switches the display screen of the real-time AVM video based on pre-set video display information for at least one predicted event which is an event expected to occur while the vehicle is in operation or stopped, Based on pre-set video transmission conditions, the vehicle AVM device transmits the corresponding vehicle's location information and the real-time AVM video display screen to the video control server in an AVM video transmission stage, The video control server includes a video control stage in which it analyzes and manages the operation information of each corresponding vehicle based on the information received from the vehicle AVM device. An AVM method having video control functions, characterized by the following features.

9. The aforementioned AVM video display stage is The vehicle AVM device includes an AVM operation information storage step in which it stores AVM operation information including video display information that has been set in advance for each predicted event, The video collection stage involves collecting real-time video footage of the area around the first vehicle while it is in operation or stopped, A video processing step in which, in response to an actual event occurring in the first vehicle, real-time AVM video is generated from the collected video, The process includes a video display step in which the real-time AVM video is displayed, The aforementioned video processing step involves detecting video display information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information, and then generating the real-time AVM video based on that video display information. AVM method having the video control function according to claim 8.

10. The aforementioned video display information is: In order to display the real-time AVM video, the screen division information of the display unit is set differently for each predicted event, Includes video matching information which matches the video to be displayed on each of the split screens divided based on the aforementioned division information. AVM method having the video control function described in claim 9.

11. The AVM operation information further includes camera drive information obtained by matching information for at least one AVM camera to be driven according to the predicted event, The aforementioned video acquisition step involves detecting the camera drive information corresponding to the actual event from the AVM operation information, and then driving the AVM camera based on that camera drive information to acquire real-time video of the area around the first vehicle. AVM method having the video control function described in claim 9.

12. The aforementioned video acquisition stage further includes a first additional video acquisition stage, which, when a predetermined first operating condition is met, acquires a first additional video, which is a real-time additional video of the right front of the first vehicle. In the aforementioned video display stage, the display screen of the display unit is automatically switched to display the first additional video according to the first additional video display information set in advance, in response to the collection of the first additional video. AVM method having the video control function described in claim 9.

13. The first additional video acquisition stage further includes a monitoring stage in which the right front of the first vehicle is centrally monitored. The first additional video collection stage involves collecting the first additional video if, as a result of the monitoring, an object approaching the right front of the first vehicle is detected. AVM method having video control function as described in claim 12.

14. The aforementioned video acquisition stage further includes a second additional video acquisition stage, which, if a pre-set second operating condition is met, acquires a second additional video, which is a real-time additional video of the interior of the first vehicle. In the aforementioned video display stage, in response to the collection of the second additional video, the display screen of the display unit is changed to display the second additional video according to the pre-set second additional video display information. AVM method having video control function as described in claim 12.

Images