Vehicle underbody environment detection camera, vehicle underbody environment detection method, and vehicle system

Abstract

Vehicle underbody environment detection camera, vehicle underbody environment detection method, and vehicle system. The camera has an arc-shaped curved surface with curvature of a preset bending angle, and includes a first reflective assembly for acquiring and reflecting a vehicle underbody ambient light signal within the range of the preset bending angle, a second reflective assembly for reflecting the vehicle underbody ambient light signal to a light-receiving assembly, and a light-receiving assembly for performing imaging processing on the vehicle underbody ambient light signal and obtaining a vehicle underbody image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflective assembly.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent applications filed on September 20, 2023 with application number 202311222618.8 and entitled "Under-vehicle environment detection camera, under-vehicle environment detection method and vehicle system", filed on January 11, 2024 with application number 202420064894.X and entitled "Self-cleaning camera and vehicle", and filed on May 17, 2024 with application number 202410621893.5 and entitled "Integrated lens structure, panoramic camera and image processing method", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of safety detection equipment, and in particular to an under-vehicle environment detection camera, an under-vehicle environment detection method, and a vehicle system. BACKGROUND ART

[0003] To ensure the use safety of vehicles, various cameras such as front view, surround view, all-around view, rear view, in-cabin occupant monitoring (OMS), and driver monitoring (DMS) are disposed inside and outside the vehicle body, so as to realize monitoring and perception of the entire range around and inside the vehicle, and improve the safety of the vehicle.

[0004] The environment at the bottom of the vehicle has a critical impact on the safety of the vehicle during starting or parking. Many safety issues are caused by insufficient or untimely observation of the under-vehicle environment during the starting phase or parking phase. For example, if a living body (such as a person or a small animal) under the vehicle cannot be observed in time when the vehicle is started, safety accidents may be caused. However, in the related art, there is a lack of observation cameras that can effectively perform observation on the environment at the bottom of the vehicle, resulting in low safety of under-vehicle environment detection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] Currently, no effective solution has been proposed to address the problem of low accuracy in detecting the undercarriage environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to various embodiments of this application, a vehicle underbody environment detection camera, a vehicle underbody environment detection method, and a vehicle system are provided.

[0007] In a first embodiment, the present application provides a vehicle under-situ environmental detection camera. The camera comprises a first reflective assembly, a second reflective assembly, and a light-receiving assembly. The first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface with curvature equal to a preset bending angle, and is used to acquire and reflect the ambient light signal from the undercarriage within the range of the preset bending angle. The second reflective assembly is used to reflect the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light-receiving assembly. The light-receiving assembly is used to perform imaging processing on the ambient light signal from the undercarriage to obtain an undercarriage image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflection assembly, where the field of view environment is determined based on a preset bending angle.

[0008] In one embodiment, the camera further comprises a lens assembly, The lens assembly is mounted between the first reflective assembly and the light-receiving assembly and is used to focus the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly.

[0009] In one embodiment, the second reflective assembly has an axis that overlaps with that of the first reflective assembly.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second reflection assembly is also used to rotate around a preset fixed point of the second reflection assembly at a preset rotation angle when it receives a preset second reflection assembly control command, where the rotation angle is determined based on the control command.

[0011] In one embodiment, the camera is equipped with a protective cover structure, The protective cover structure is provided on the outside of the first reflective assembly, the second reflective assembly, and the light-receiving assembly.

[0012] In one embodiment, the camera is connected to a preset console, The console is used to perform recognition processing on the undercarriage image results based on a trained target recognition model, obtain the undercarriage recognition result for the undercarriage environment, and send the undercarriage recognition result to a preset display module for display processing.

[0013] In one embodiment, the structure of the second reflective assembly is at least one of a planar structure and a curved structure.

[0014] In one embodiment, the camera is Mounting base and An optical lens mounted on the aforementioned mounting base, A light-transmitting cover including an annular cover fixedly attached to the mounting base and arranged to surround the optical lens, and a front cover fixedly connected to the annular cover, The first reflective assembly includes a curved mirror, and the second reflective assembly includes a reflecting / refracting element. The reflective / refracting element is fixedly provided on the rear side of the front cover, and the reflective / refracting element has a refractive region located in front of the optical lens and a reflective region arranged to surround the refractive region. The curved mirror is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the curved mirror has an optical window located in the optical path between the reflecting / refracting element and the optical lens, and an annular reflective curved surface located around the optical window and facing away from the optical lens.

[0015] In one embodiment, the reflecting and refraction element comprises a translucent substrate fixedly connected to the front cover, a refraction structure formed on the translucent substrate, and a reflective structure formed on the translucent substrate and located around the refraction structure.

[0016] In one embodiment, the refractive structure is a Fresnel lens structure formed on the light-transmissive substrate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the reflective structure is a high-reflection film attached to the front side surface or the rear side surface of the light-transmissive substrate.

[0018] In one embodiment, the curved mirror is a glass reflecting mirror with an antireflection film coated on the central region, or a metal reflecting mirror with an opening provided in the central region.

[0019] In one embodiment, the mounting base includes an annular mounting portion through which the optical lens penetrates, an annular fitting portion fitted and fixed to the curved mirror, and an annular fixing portion arranged to surround the annular fitting portion, wherein the annular cover has a front edge fixedly connected to the front cover, and a rear edge fixedly connected to the annular fixing portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the mounting base, the optical lens, the light-transmissive cover, the curved mirror, and the catadioptric element are arranged in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving assembly.

[0021] In one embodiment, the light-receiving assembly includes a circuit board, a light-receiving chip conductively mounted on the front side of the circuit board, and a connector conductively mounted on the rear side of the circuit board, wherein the optical lens is fixedly provided on the circuit board so as to be positioned in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving chip.

[0022] In one embodiment, the light-receiving chip has a central light-receiving region corresponding to the refractive region of the catadioptric element, an annular light-receiving region arranged to surround the central light-receiving region and corresponding to the reflective region of the catadioptric element, and an edge light-receiving region located around the annular light-receiving region.

[0023] In one embodiment, the camera further comprises a rear case fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the connector penetrates through the rear case.

[0024] In one embodiment, the first reflection assembly comprises a curved mirror, the second reflection assembly comprises a plane mirror, and the camera comprises a camera module comprising a light receiving assembly, a lens assembly disposed on the light receiving side of the light receiving assembly, and a light transmissive cover disposed to cover the lens assembly, wherein the lens assembly comprises an optical lens, the plane mirror positioned below the optical lens, and the curved mirror positioned around the optical lens, the plane mirror has a reflection plane facing the optical lens, and the curved mirror has a light window located in the optical path between the plane mirror and the optical lens, and an annular curved reflection surface located around the light window and facing the side opposite to the optical lens; a lifting mechanism configured to be disposed on a chassis, which is drivingly connected to the camera module, and is used to drive the camera module to lift relative to the chassis so as to switch between a retracted state and a protruding state, wherein when the camera module is in the protruding state, the light transmissive cover is used to protrude downward from the notch of the chassis so that the camera module collects under-vehicle environment information, and when the camera module is in the retracted state, the light transmissive cover retracts upward and is used to seal the notch of the chassis; a cleaning mechanism configured to be disposed on the chassis, which is arranged to surround the light transmissive cover so as to clean the light transmissive cover during the lifting of the camera module.

[0025] In one embodiment, the light transmissive cover comprises an annular cover surrounding the optical lens, and a front cover fixedly connected to the lower edge of the annular cover, and the plane mirror is fixedly disposed on the upper surface of the front cover.

[0026] In one embodiment, the camera module further comprises a retaining ring, the retaining ring comprising an annular screw fastening portion that screws onto the optical lens, a contact portion and a fixing portion provided on the annular screw fastening portion, the contact portion extending by bending from the annular screw fastening portion and contacting the curved mirror, and the fixing portion extending downward from the annular screw fastening portion and fixedly connected to the upper edge of the annular cover.

[0027] In one embodiment, the camera module further comprises an upper case, the retaining ring further comprises a mounting portion extending upward from the annular screw fastening portion, and the upper case is fixedly attached to the mounting portion so as to cover the optical lens and the light receiving assembly.

[0028] In one embodiment, the light-receiving assembly comprises a circuit board, a light-receiving chip mounted electrically on the underside of the circuit board, and a connector mounted electrically on the upper side of the circuit board, wherein the optical lens is fixedly mounted on the circuit board so as to be located in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving chip, and the connector penetrates the upper case.

[0029] In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism comprises a lifting guide rail fixedly mounted on the chassis, a drive lead screw mounted on the chassis, and a lead screw nut that is screwed onto the drive lead screw and externally fitted to the lifting guide rail so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, wherein the lead screw nut is fixedly connected to the camera module.

[0030] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism includes one or more of a flannel, a brush, a nozzle, and an air nozzle.

[0031] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism is an annular brush fixedly mounted on the inner wall of a notch in the chassis, and the annular brush slidably contacts the outer circumferential surface of the annular cover so as to surround the annular cover.

[0032] In a second aspect, this application further states A chassis having a notch, The present invention provides a vehicle comprising a camera as described above, provided on the chassis at a position corresponding to the notch.

[0033] In the third embodiment, this application further states The steps include separating the original image acquired via the central light-receiving region and the annular light-receiving region of the light-receiving chip in the camera to obtain a central region image and an annular region image that are independent of each other, The steps include: processing the central region image and the annular region image in correspondence using mutually independent front-view ISP flows and around-view ISP flows to obtain a front-view image and a surround-view image; The present invention provides an image processing method that includes the steps of outputting and / or displaying the front view image and the surround view image.

[0034] In the fourth aspect, this application further states A first reflective assembly acquires a vehicle bottom ambient light signal within a preset bending angle range and reflects the vehicle bottom ambient light signal, wherein the first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface and the curvature of the arc-shaped curved surface is the preset bending angle, The second reflective assembly reflects the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light-receiving assembly, The method for detecting a vehicle's underbody environment includes the steps of: a light-receiving assembly performing imaging processing on the underbody ambient light signal to obtain an underbody image result corresponding to the field of view environment of a first reflective assembly, wherein the field of view environment is determined based on a preset bending angle.

[0035] In a fifth aspect, the present application further provides a vehicle system comprising a console and a camera, The camera is located at the bottom of the vehicle and connected to a console. It is used to acquire the under-vehicle ambient light signal based on a detection command output from the console, and to execute the under-vehicle environment detection method based on the under-vehicle ambient light signal.

[0036] In one embodiment, the camera has a retractable structure, and the console is also used to control the camera to extend and detect the underside environment of the vehicle when controlling the vehicle to start and / or when controlling the vehicle to be in a reverse state. The console is also used to control the camera to retract when the vehicle's speed is controlled to be above a preset vehicle speed threshold, and / or when the vehicle is controlled to be stationary. The console is also used to control the camera so that it extends based on detection commands.

[0037] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are submitted below with the drawings and description to make other features, purposes, and advantages of this application easier to understand. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the examples or related technologies of this application, the following is a brief introduction of the drawings necessary for describing the examples or related technologies. Clearly, the drawings described below are merely examples of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the disclosed drawings without any creative work.

[0039] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of the configuration of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] This is a side view of a first reflective assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] This is a plan view of a first reflective assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing how a light-receiving assembly according to one embodiment generates a vehicle underside image result. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of a lens assembly according to one selective embodiment. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram of a lens assembly according to one selective embodiment. [Figure 5]This is a schematic diagram of a second reflective assembly according to one embodiment, shown in rotation. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the display process for the vehicle underbody recognition results according to one embodiment. [Figure 7A] This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the second reflective assembly according to one embodiment has a concave curved surface structure. [Figure 7B] This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the second reflective assembly according to one embodiment has a convex curved surface structure. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram of a camera according to one selective embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of a camera according to one selective embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of a vehicle underside environment detection method according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram of the vehicle system configuration according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] A schematic diagram of the camera mounting position according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram of an enlarged view of a lens-integrated reflector / refractor element in a vehicle underbody environmental detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a schematic plan view of the light-receiving chip of the light-receiving assembly in a vehicle under-story environmental detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram of the optical path of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a flowchart of an image processing method according to one embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a schematic three-dimensional view of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment. [Figure 20] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera according to one embodiment, showing the camera module in a protruding state. [Figure 21]This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle underbody environment detection camera in a retracted state. [Figure 22] Figure 21 is a schematic enlarged view of section A in the undercarriage environmental detection camera shown in Figure 21. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0040] The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application with reference to the drawings of the embodiments of this application. Clearly, the embodiments described are only a selection of embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application, without any creative work, are all within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the disclosure of the present invention, the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "vertical," "horizontal," "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," "right," "perpendicular," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," and "outside" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are solely for the purpose of explaining and simplifying the description of this application. They do not indicate or imply that the pointed-out device or element has a specific direction or must be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore, the above terms should not be understood as limiting this application.

[0042] In this application, the term "one" in the claims and specification should be understood as "one or more," that is, in one embodiment, the quantity of a certain element may be one, and in another embodiment, the quantity of such element may be multiple. Unless the disclosure of this application explicitly states that the quantity of such element is only one, the term "one" cannot be understood as unique or singular, nor can it be understood as limiting the quantity.

[0043] In the description of this application, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used merely to describe the purpose and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this application, unless otherwise explicitly stated and limited, "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, being a fixed connection, a attachable connection, or an integral connection; being a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection via a medium. A person skilled in the art may understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model depending on the specific circumstances.

[0044] In this specification, reference terms such as “one embodiment,” “several embodiments,” “example,” “specific example,” or “several examples” mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described by reference to such embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the general expressions for the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. The specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art can combine different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described herein, as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0045] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a vehicle underbody environment detection camera 110 is provided, comprising a first reflective assembly 111, a second reflective assembly 112, and a light-receiving assembly 60.

[0046] The first reflective assembly 111 has an arc-shaped curved surface with curvature equal to a preset bending angle, and is used to acquire and reflect the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle within the range of the preset bending angle.

[0047] Here, the first reflective assembly 111 is generally annular in structure, with a circular hole in the center, although in some embodiments it may have a square hole or the like in the center, and has an arc-shaped curved surface, which is curved according to a preset bending angle, which satisfies optical requirements and may be determined by the user, and may be manufactured as a curved surface of the form of a quadratic surface, a free-form surface, etc., by performing auxiliary design in advance using simulation software. The annular curved surface reflects incident light from 360 degrees, making the horizontal field of view 360 degrees, and the annular curved surface is designed with the vertical radians according to requirements, ensuring that the imaging angle of the field of view of the camera 110 satisfies requirements. Figure 2A is a side view of the first reflective assembly 111 according to one embodiment, and Figure 2B is a plan view of the first reflective assembly 111 according to one embodiment. The undercarriage ambient light signal is acquired based on the first reflective assembly 111, and the undercarriage ambient light signal is reflected to the second reflective assembly 112.

[0048] The second reflective assembly 112 is used to reflect the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light receiving assembly 60.

[0049] Here, the first reflective assembly 111 is generally located between the second reflective assembly 112 and the light-receiving assembly 60, and the second reflective assembly 112 is used to reflect the underbody ambient light signal acquired by the first reflective assembly 111 to the light-receiving assembly 60. The second reflective assembly 112 is generally a structure consisting of at least one reflector.

[0050] The light-receiving assembly 60 is used to perform imaging processing on the ambient light signal from the undercarriage to obtain an undercarriage image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflection assembly 111, where the field of view environment is determined based on a preset bending angle.

[0051] Here, the light receiving assembly 60 is generally composed of a photoelectric sensor and performs imaging processing on the undercarriage ambient light signal that has undergone at least two reflections to obtain an undercarriage image result. Furthermore, Figure 3 is a flowchart showing how the light receiving assembly 60 according to one embodiment generates an undercarriage image result. First, the sensor converts the undercarriage ambient light signal into an undercarriage ambient photoelectric signal, completes the transmission of the undercarriage ambient photoelectric signal based on the serial transmission unit and serial reception unit, and transmits the undercarriage ambient photoelectric signal to the camera driver. The camera driver controls the reception of the transmitted photoelectric signal, and the image signal processor performs digital image signal processing on the received undercarriage ambient photoelectric signal, optimizing the image signal by performing exposure control, brightness adjustment, white balance, color correction, etc. Then, based on the CPU or DSP, calibration such as distortion prevention is performed on the image, and finally the above undercarriage image result is obtained and output. Here, the field of view environment is determined by the preset bending angle of the first reflection assembly 111, and the preset bending angle and the field of view environment are directly proportional.

[0052] In related technologies, there are usually two methods for observing the underside of a vehicle: one is a fisheye camera, and the other is transparent chassis technology. Of these, the fisheye camera is relatively close to solving the problem of imaging observation of the underside of a vehicle. Fisheye cameras have a wide field of view and can achieve observation angles of 180 degrees, and even more than 190 degrees. However, achieving larger angles is difficult with a transmissive type fisheye lens. Furthermore, fisheye cameras usually have the problem of significant distortion and an excessive proportion of the foreground, and the focal lengths at different angles do not match the observation environment of the underside of the vehicle. Here, transparent chassis technology uses a camera at the front (or rear) of the vehicle to observe the conditions under the vehicle. However, transparent chassis technology has the limitation that it can only observe the vehicle while it is moving, and it cannot observe the condition of the underside of the vehicle when it is stationary. However, when the vehicle is stationary, especially immediately after it starts moving, observing the condition of the underside of the vehicle is extremely important. Furthermore, the essence of transparent chassis technology is a virtual imaging technology that uses a camera at the front (or rear) of the vehicle to supplement the environmental image of the underside of the vehicle while it is moving, and it is not real-time imaging in the physical sense. In this application, the first reflective assembly 111, the second reflective assembly 112, and the light-receiving assembly 60 described above enable 360-degree annular imaging based on the first reflective assembly 111, and by setting a preset bending angle, the camera can form a clear image even at different field of view angles. On the other hand, the second reflective assembly 112 allows the optical signal to be reflected by the light-receiving assembly 60 to form an image, making the camera more adaptable to short-range environments such as the underside of a vehicle and enabling clear imaging of the underside environment. This effectively solves the problems of large distortion, inability to form images in real time, and narrow field of view that exist in related technologies.

[0053] In one embodiment, the camera is mounted between a first reflective assembly and a light-receiving assembly and further comprises a lens assembly for focusing the underbody ambient light signal onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly.

[0054] Specifically, the lens assembly consists of multiple lenses, and this lens group collects light rays from a horizontal 360-degree range, which have undergone two reflections by the first and second reflection assemblies, and focuses them on the surface of the light-receiving assembly to form a clear 360-degree surround view image. Figures 4A and 4B show selective embodiments of two lens assemblies containing six lenses, from the first lens (number 3) to the sixth lens (reference numeral 8). In Figures 4A and 4B, (3), (4), (5), etc., represent different lens numbers, and S5, S6, etc., represent different lens surfaces. Naturally, the lens assemblies numbered (1) and (2) are the lenses of the second and first reflection assemblies described above, respectively. In practice, the number and shape of lenses in a lens assembly are not limited, and any number of lenses can be used as long as the design imaging requirements are met. The lens assembly allows the acquired ambient light signal from the undercarriage to be focused onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly, achieving a clear image. Furthermore, by selecting lenses within the lens assembly according to the actual application scenario, it is possible to meet the needs of different application environments. (9) in Figures 4A and 4B are both filters, which have different transmittances for light signals of different wavelengths. An infrared cutoff filter may be selected to make the camera a visible light camera, or a filter that transmits infrared light and cuts off visible light may be selected to make the camera an infrared camera. Surface S18 (IMA) represents the imaging surface of the photoelectric sensor chip.

[0055] In one embodiment, the second reflective assembly has an axis that overlaps with that of the first reflective assembly.

[0056] Specifically, when the second reflection assembly consists of a single reflection surface, the axes of the second reflection assembly and the first reflection assembly overlap, resulting in the center and periphery of the first reflection assembly having the same resolution.

[0057] In one embodiment, the second reflection assembly is also used to rotate around a preset fixed point of the second reflection assembly at a preset rotation angle when it receives a preset second reflection assembly control command, where the rotation angle is determined based on the control command.

[0058] Specifically, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a second reflection assembly rotated according to one embodiment. The second reflection assembly control command is generally issued by the user, and based on this command, the second reflection assembly is controlled to rotate by a preset rotation angle around a preset second reflection assembly control command fixed point. Optionally, the second reflection assembly fixed point is generally the center point of the second reflection assembly. That is, the rotated second reflection assembly is tilted with respect to the central axis of the first reflection assembly and is no longer perpendicular. In this case, after two reflections, the image is formed on the surface of the light-receiving assembly and remains a 360-degree annular shape horizontally, but the vertical angle range viewed from different directions changes with the change in the tilt angle vertically. That is, the positions of the upper and lower boundaries of the field of view move with the rotation of the second reflection assembly. In actual applications, the user can control the rotation of the second reflection assembly and observe the results after rotation. The second reflective assembly described above allows for flexible modification of the field of view relative to the undercarriage environment during actual application, enabling the camera of this application to adapt flexibly to the complex undercarriage environment and to adjust the boundary range of the field of view in real time as needed, thereby making observation and detection of the undercarriage environment more comprehensive.

[0059] In one embodiment, the camera is equipped with a protective cover structure. The protective cover structure is provided on the outside of the first reflective assembly, the second reflective assembly, and the light-receiving assembly.

[0060] Specifically, the protective cover structure is transparent, and optionally, the protective cover structure may have a parabolic cross-section to better fit the reflective assembly and lens assembly, protect the reflective assembly and light-receiving assembly, and reduce the possibility of contamination or damage to the lens.

[0061] In one embodiment, the camera is connected to a preset console, The console is used to perform recognition processing on the undercarriage image results based on a trained target recognition model, obtain the undercarriage recognition result for the undercarriage environment, and send the undercarriage recognition result to a preset display module for display processing.

[0062] Specifically, the console includes a recognition module and a display module, which are integrated within the console. The recognition module performs recognition processing on the undercarriage image results using a target recognition model, obtaining undercarriage recognition results. These undercarriage recognition results include information about living organisms or obstacles, and the console can sound an alarm based on this information. Subsequently, the display module displays the undercarriage recognition results. The user can select display modes, which include, but are not limited to, distortion prevention and top projection. Figure 6 is a flowchart of the display process for undercarriage recognition results according to one embodiment. The console described above allows the user to more easily confirm detection results regarding the undercarriage environment, effectively fulfilling the role of safety inspection and contributing to the user's control over vehicle driving.

[0063] In one embodiment, the structure of the second reflection assembly is at least one of a planar structure and a curved structure.

[0064] Specifically, Figures 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of a second reflective assembly in one embodiment. The second reflective assembly may have a planar structure or a curved structure. Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the case where the second reflective assembly has a concave curved structure. This concave curved structure works in cooperation with the first reflective assembly described above to reflect the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle. After reflecting the light signal to the lens assembly, it is imaged onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly, forming a 360-degree annular shape in the horizontal direction. The range of the vertical angle as seen from the vertical direction is jointly determined by the first reflective assembly, the concave curved second reflective assembly, and the lens assembly. Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of the case where the second reflective assembly has a convex curved surface structure. This convex curved surface structure works in cooperation with the first reflective assembly to reflect the ambient light signal from the undercarriage, reflects the signal to the lens assembly, and then images it onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly, which still forms a 360-degree annular shape horizontally. The range of the vertical angle visible from the vertical direction is jointly determined by the first reflective assembly, the convex curved second reflective assembly, and the lens assembly. Similarly, when the second reflective assembly has a planar structure, the range visible from the horizontal direction is still 360 degrees, and the range of the vertical angle visible from the vertical direction is jointly determined by the first reflective assembly, the planar second reflective assembly, and the lens assembly. The second reflective assembly described above allows for flexible modification of the field of view according to the actual application scenario, making observation and detection of the undercarriage environment more comprehensive and significantly reducing safety risks during driving.

[0065] This embodiment also provides a selective embodiment of the undercarriage environment detection camera, and Figures 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams of the camera configuration according to one of the selective embodiments.

[0066] The camera is composed of a first reflective assembly, a second reflective assembly, a lens assembly, a protective cover structure, and a light-receiving assembly. The first reflective assembly has an annular structure with a circular hole in the center, and the first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface, the radians of which are a preset bending angle, and based on the first reflective assembly, it is possible to acquire the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle within the preset bending angle range, reflect the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle to the second reflective assembly, and furthermore, in the design stage of the camera, the normal angle of each point on the reflective surface of the first reflective assembly can be adjusted according to the height distance from the ground, thereby providing the same resolution at the center and around the periphery. The first reflection assembly described above is provided between the second reflection assembly and the lens assembly. The second reflection assembly may be a planar mirror structure or a curved mirror structure, and is used to reflect the ambient light signal from the undercarriage to the lens assembly. Furthermore, the second reflection assembly is often circular in shape, and its axis overlaps with that of the first reflection assembly. Based on a control command for the second reflection assembly issued by the user, it rotates by tilting around its axis to change the field of view in response to different undercarriage environments. The lens assembly is generally composed of multiple lenses, and can focus the ambient light signal from the undercarriage onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly to achieve a clear image. Furthermore, in actual applications, a color filter is provided between the light-receiving assembly and the lens assembly. Depending on the imaging requirements, the color filter may be a visible light filter with infrared cutoff or an infrared filter that transmits infrared light, and is used for color imaging or infrared imaging. Finally, protective cover structures are provided on the exterior of the first reflective assembly, the second reflective assembly, the lens assembly, the color filter, and the light-receiving assembly. These protective cover structures reduce the possibility of the camera becoming dirty and protect the assemblies. Lastly, the light-receiving assembly forms an image and calibrates based on the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle to obtain an underside image result.

[0067] All or part of the modules in the above-described underbody environmental detection camera can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Each of the above modules may be incorporated into a processor in a computer device in hardware form, or it may be independent, or it may be stored in the memory of a computer device in software form, so that the processor calls each of the above modules to perform the corresponding operation.

[0068] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application further provide a method for detecting the undercarriage environment for realizing the undercarriage environment detection camera described above. Since the solution provided by this method is similar to the solution described in the system described above, specific limitations in one or more embodiments of the undercarriage environment detection method provided below can be referenced to the limitations relating to the undercarriage environment detection camera described above, and will not be described redundantly here.

[0069] In one embodiment, a vehicle underside environment detection method is further provided, as shown in Figure 10, which is a flowchart of the vehicle underside environment detection method.

[0070] Step S1010: A first reflective assembly acquires a vehicle bottom ambient light signal within a preset bending angle range and reflects the vehicle bottom ambient light signal, wherein the first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface, and the curvature of the arc-shaped curved surface is the preset bending angle.

[0071] Specifically, the first reflective assembly generally has an annular structure with a circular hole in the center, although in some embodiments it may have a square hole or the like in the center, and has an arc-shaped curved surface, which is curved according to a preset bending angle, which satisfies optical requirements and may be determined by the user, and may be manufactured as a surface of the form of a quadratic surface, a freeform surface, etc., by performing auxiliary design in advance using simulation software. The annular curved surface reflects incident light from 360 degrees, making the horizontal field of view 360 degrees, and the annular curved surface is designed with the required vertical radians, ensuring that the imaging angle of the camera's field of view satisfies the requirements, and the undercarriage ambient light signal is acquired based on the first reflective assembly and reflected to the second reflective assembly.

[0072] Step S1020: The second reflective assembly reflects the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light-receiving assembly.

[0073] Specifically, the first reflective assembly is generally located between the second reflective assembly and the light-receiving assembly, and the second reflective assembly is used to reflect the ambient light signal from the undercarriage acquired by the first reflective assembly back to the light-receiving assembly. The second reflective assembly is generally composed of at least one reflector.

[0074] Step S1030: The light-receiving assembly performs imaging processing on the ambient light signal from the undercarriage to obtain an undercarriage image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflecting assembly, where the field of view environment is determined based on a preset bending angle.

[0075] Specifically, the light-receiving assembly is generally composed of a photoelectric sensor and performs imaging processing on the undercarriage ambient light signal that has undergone at least two reflections to obtain an undercarriage image result. Specifically, first, the undercarriage ambient light signal is transmitted to the camera driver via a serializer, and based on the camera driver, the image signal processor is controlled to perform imaging processing on the undercarriage ambient light signal and calibration such as white balance and color correction, and then calibration such as distortion prevention is performed based on the microcontroller, and finally the undercarriage ambient image result described above is obtained and output. Here, the field of view environment is determined by the preset bending angle of the first reflection assembly. According to the above method, clear and comprehensive imaging of the short-range environment of the undercarriage is achieved, the field of view is larger and imaging is more flexible compared to related technologies, and the possibility of safety accidents is effectively reduced.

[0076] It should be understood that while the steps in the flowcharts for each embodiment described above are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise explicitly stated herein, the execution of these steps is not strictly limited to a specific sequence, and these steps may be executed in other sequences. Furthermore, at least some of the steps in the flowcharts for each embodiment described above may include multiple steps or stages, and these steps or stages do not necessarily have to be executed at the same time, but may be executed at different times. The execution sequence of these steps or stages does not necessarily have to be executed sequentially, but may be executed sequentially or alternately with other steps, or at least some of the steps or stages in other steps.

[0077] In one embodiment, a vehicle system is provided that includes a console 1110 and a camera 110, as shown in Figure 11.

[0078] The camera 110 is located on the underside of the vehicle 1110 and connected to a console. Based on a detection command output from the console 1110, it acquires an ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle and is used to perform the underside environmental detection method described above based on the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle.

[0079] Specifically, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the mounting position of the camera 110 according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the camera 110 may be installed at a location on the chassis, for example, at the center of the front axle, the center of the rear axle, or near the right rear wheel. Based on a detection command output from the console 1110, it acquires the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle. In actual applications, the console 1110 integrates a recognition module, a display module, etc., and performs recognition and display based on the image generated by the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle, making it easier for the user to confirm.

[0080] In one embodiment, the camera 110 has a retractable structure, and the console 1110 is also used to control the camera 110 to extend and detect the underside of the vehicle when controlling the vehicle to start and / or when controlling the vehicle to be in a reverse state. Console 1110 is also used to control the camera to retract when the vehicle's speed is controlled to be above a preset vehicle speed threshold, and / or when the vehicle is controlled to be in a stopped state. The Consort 1110 is also used to control the camera to extend based on detection commands.

[0081] Specifically, the above vehicle speed threshold can be set by the user, for example, to 30 km / h. When the vehicle is starting or reversing, the safety risk is relatively high, and in this case, the camera can be set to automatically extend and begin detecting the underside of the vehicle. Furthermore, when the driving speed is higher than the vehicle speed threshold, the camera can be set to automatically retract to prevent it from scraping. In addition, when the user needs to check the underside of the vehicle, the camera can be set to extend based on a detection command to check the underside of the vehicle and to retract as needed. According to the above method, it is possible to effectively avoid situations such as dirt and scraping caused by the camera being exposed to the outside for a long time, and the camera's extension and retraction can be flexibly determined without affecting actual use, allowing for better adaptation to the actual application environment.

[0082] In the relevant camera, not only is there a single central blind spot, but the rear image of the plane mirror is not visible, and furthermore, the center of the acquired image is in the shadow of the lens within the plane mirror, thus it is thought that pixels in the central region of the light-receiving chip within the camera are wasted. This application provides a vehicle underbody environment detection camera and image processing method that can eliminate the central blind spot and improve pixel utilization.

[0083] Specifically, referring to Figures 13 to 16 of the drawings attached to the specification of this application, one embodiment of this application provides a vehicle under-cabin environment detection camera which may comprise a lens integrated structure 1 and a light-receiving assembly 60, wherein the lens integrated structure is positioned in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving assembly 60 such that object light is first modulated by the lens integrated structure 1 and then received by the light-receiving assembly 60 to form an image.

[0084] More specifically, as shown in Figures 14 and 16, the lens integrated structure 1 may comprise an optical lens 10, a light-transmitting cover 20, a reflecting / refracting element 30, a curved mirror 40, and a mounting base 50. The optical lens 10 is provided on the mounting base 50. The light-transmitting cover 20 includes an annular cover 21 fixedly attached to the mounting base 50 and arranged to surround the optical lens 10, and a front cover 22 fixedly connected to the annular cover 21. The reflecting / refracting element 30 is fixedly provided on the rear side of the front cover 22, and the reflecting / refracting element 30 has a refractive region 301 located in front of the optical lens 10 and a reflecting region 302 arranged to surround the refractive region 301. The curved mirror 40 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 50, and the curved mirror 40 has an optical window 401 located in the optical path between the reflecting / refracting element 30 and the optical lens 10, and an annular reflective curved surface 402 located around the optical window 401 and facing away from the optical lens 10.

[0085] The first reflective assembly 111 includes a curved mirror 40, and the second reflective assembly 112 includes a reflecting / refracting element 30.

[0086] As shown in Figure 16, annular object light first passes through the annular cover 21 of the light-transmitting cover 20, is reflected by the annular reflective surface 402 of the curved mirror 40 to the reflective region 302 of the reflecting / refracting element 30, is further reflected by the reflective region 302 of the reflecting / refracting element 30, passes through the light window 401 of the curved mirror 40 and enters the optical lens 10, and is finally received by the light-receiving assembly 60 through modulation by the optical lens 10 and forms an image, thereby obtaining a surround view image. At the same time, forward object light first passes through the front cover 22 of the light-transmitting cover 20, is further refracted by the refracting region 301 of the reflecting / refracting element 30, passes through the light window 401 of the curved mirror 40 and enters the optical lens 10, and is finally received by the light-receiving assembly 60 through modulation by the optical lens 10 and forms an image, thereby obtaining a front view image.

[0087] Furthermore, in the reflecting / refracting element 30 of this application, the reflective region 302 is located around the refraction region 301, and the diameter of the reflective region 302 is controlled to a range that does not affect the imaging of the π-mirror structure consisting of the reflective region 302 and the annular reflective surface 402. Therefore, the reflective region 302 of the reflecting / refracting element 30 can reflect annular object light reflected by the annular reflective surface 402, pass through the light window 401 of the curved mirror 40, and enter the optical lens 10, and the refraction region 301 of the reflecting / refracting element 30 refracts forward object light that has passed through the front cover 22. Since light can pass through the light window 401 of the curved mirror 40 and enter the optical lens 10, the camera of this application can not only achieve a horizontal 360° annular field of view and acquire a 360° surround view image, but can also eliminate the blind spot in front and acquire a 180° front view image. In other words, the camera of this application can increase the field of view of the system and achieve a 540° omnidirectional field of view. This not only facilitates vehicle assistance control by playing a role in detecting the condition of the underside of the vehicle, safety inspection, autonomous driving, and assisted parking, but can also be applied to fields such as conference systems and security surveillance.

[0088] For example, as shown in Figure 14, the reflecting / refracting element 30 may include a translucent substrate 31 fixedly connected to the front cover 22, a refraction structure 3 formed on the translucent substrate 31, and a reflective structure 33 formed on the translucent substrate 31 and positioned around the refraction structure 32. In this way, the reflecting / refracting element 30 has an integrated structure, making it easy to install and fix and reducing the difficulty of assembly, as well as contributing to a reduction in occupied space and the overall height of the camera. At the same time, the reflecting / refracting element 30 and the curved mirror 40 are completely covered within the light-transmitting cover 20, preventing contamination by dirt.

[0089] Optionally, the refractive structure 32 is implemented as a Fresnel lens structure and is used to adjust the angle of incidence of object light in the forward direction, thereby achieving both annular and forward fields of view and eliminating blind spots in the front, as well as facilitating the expansion of the forward field of view. At the same time, the refractive structure 32 of this application can adjust the size of the forward field of view by adopting a Fresnel lens design and adjusting the focal length of the equivalent concave lens.

[0090] Optionally, the Fresnel lens structure is formed on the translucent substrate 31 and configured to be equivalent to a single concave lens, so that forward object light first forms a virtual image and is then imaged onto the central light-receiving region of the light-receiving assembly 60 by modulation by the optical lens 10. Naturally, compared to related concave lenses or lens groups, the adoption of the Fresnel lens structure in this application makes it possible to reduce the overall thickness and weight of the reflecting / refracting element 30 and makes it easier to manufacture. The Fresnel lens structure referred to in this application may be located on the front or rear side of the translucent substrate 31, but a detailed description is omitted in this application.

[0091] Optionally, the reflective structure 33 is implemented as a high-reflectivity film and is used to reflect annular object light reflected by the curved mirror 40, so that the annular object light is imaged onto the annular light-receiving region of the light-receiving assembly 60 by modulation of the optical lens 10.

[0092] Optionally, as shown in Figure 14, the high-reflectivity film is attached to the front surface of the translucent substrate 31. Naturally, the high-reflectivity film according to this application may also be a metal coating that is coated or deposited on the front surface of the translucent substrate 31.

[0093] In other examples of this application, the highly reflective film may be located on the rear surface of the translucent substrate 31, as long as it can perform the required reflective function; however, a detailed explanation is omitted in this application. Furthermore, both the annular cover 21 and the front cover 22 of the light-transmitting cover 20 mentioned in this application are made of transparent material to ensure the transmission of object light in the annular direction and object light in the forward direction, thereby avoiding the creation of blind spots.

[0094] Optionally, as shown in Figures 13 and 16, the front cover 22 and the annular cover 21 are integrally connected to form a light-transmitting cover 20 with an integrated structure.

[0095] Optionally, the surface shape of the outer circumferential surface of the annular cover 21 in the light-transmitting cover 20 of this application may be a cylindrical surface, a conical surface, or a polygonal prism surface, but is not limited to these.

[0096] Optionally, the surface shape of the annular reflective surface 402 of the curved mirror 40 may be implemented as a freeform surface. Naturally, in light of the curvature and surface shape of the freeform surface, in this application, simulation analysis can be performed during the initial optical design to ensure that the curvature of the freeform surface satisfies the design requirements.

[0097] Furthermore, the curved mirror 40 of this application may be made of a translucent material such as glass, or an opaque material such as metal, as long as it can provide the required light window 401 and annular reflective surface 402. For example, the curved mirror 40 may be implemented as a glass reflector with an anti-reflective coating on the central region, so that the central region coated with the anti-reflective coating forms the light window 401, or as a metal reflector with an opening in the central region, so that the opened central region forms the light window 401. Naturally, the central region referred to in this application refers to the region corresponding to the optical path interface between the curved mirror 40 and the optical lens 10, and the range of the interface can be determined based on the optical simulation structure, and generally, taking tolerances into consideration, the range of the interface may be made slightly wider, for example, about 1 mm to 2 mm wider.

[0098] Optionally, as shown in Figure 13, the mounting base 50 comprises an annular mounting portion 51 through which the optical lens 10 passes, an annular fitting portion 52 fitted and fixed to the curved mirror 40, and an annular fixing portion 53 arranged to surround the annular fitting portion 52, and the annular cover 21 has its front edge fixedly connected to the front cover 22 and its rear edge fixedly connected to the annular fixing portion 53. Of course, the fixing referred to in this application may be carried out as a connection method such as screw connection, fitting, engagement, or adhesive, but is not limited to these, as long as the optical lens 10, the light-transmitting cover 20, the reflecting / refracting element 30, and the curved mirror 40 can be highly integrated, contributing to a significant reduction in the number of parts and a reduction in assembly difficulty, and is suitable for meeting the development requirements for low cost and miniaturization.

[0099] According to the above embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 13 and 16, the camera may further include a rear case 70 fixedly connected to the mounting base 50 for covering the optical lens 10 and the light-receiving assembly 60.

[0100] Optionally, as shown in Figures 13 and 16, the light receiving assembly 60 comprises a circuit board 61, a light receiving chip 62 electrically mounted on the front side of the circuit board 61, and a connector 63 electrically mounted on the rear side of the circuit board 61. The optical lens 10 is fixedly mounted on the circuit board 61 so as to be located in the light receiving path of the photosensitive chip 62, and the connector 63 penetrates the rear case 70 and is used for communication or electrical connection with the outside.

[0101] Optionally, as shown in Figure 15, the light-receiving chip 62 has a central light-receiving region 621 corresponding to the refractive region 301 of the reflecting / refracting element 30, an annular light-receiving region 622 arranged to surround the central light-receiving region 621 and corresponding to the reflective region 302 of the reflecting / refracting element 30, and an edge light-receiving region 623 located around the annular light-receiving region 622. In this way, object light in the annular direction is modulated by the optical lens 10 and then transmitted to the annular light-receiving region 622 of the light-receiving chip 62, where light reception and imaging are performed to obtain a surround-view image. Simultaneously, object light in the forward direction is modulated by the optical lens 10 and then transmitted to the central light-receiving region 621 of the light-receiving chip 62, where light reception and imaging are performed to obtain a front-view image.

[0102] Furthermore, since the central light-receiving area 621 and the annular light-receiving area 622 of the light-receiving chip 62 receive object light from the forward direction and object light from the annular direction, respectively, that is, they view different fields of view, it is often difficult to achieve compatibility when processing them using the same Image Signal Processing (ISP) process. For example, when the camera is applied to the underside of a vehicle, the annular light-receiving area 622 receives relatively bright annular object light from the surroundings of the vehicle, but the central light-receiving area 621 can only receive relatively dark forward object light from the underside of the vehicle, making it impossible to form a clear image across the entire field of view. To solve this problem, one embodiment of this application further provides an image processing method that can process the front view image of the central light-receiving area and the surround view image of the annular light-receiving area using two independent image signal processing processes, thereby improving image processing efficiency and enabling clear imaging across the entire field of view.

[0103] For example, as shown in Figure 17, the image processing method of this application is: Step S100 involves separating the original image acquired via the central light-receiving region and the annular light-receiving region of the light-receiving chip in the camera to obtain a central region image and an annular region image that are independent of each other. Step S200 involves processing the central region image and the annular region image in correspondence using mutually independent front-view ISP flows and around-view ISP flows, respectively, to obtain a front-view image and a surround-view image. The procedure includes step S300, which outputs and / or displays the front view image and the surround view image.

[0104] In step S100 of the image processing method of this application, an operation to separate the original image (e.g., a RAW image) through a region of interest may be performed, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, the fore-view ISP flow and around-view ISP flow referred to in this application may include, but are not limited to, processing such as BLC (Black Level Correction), LSC (Lens Shading Correction), AE (Automatic Exposure), AWB (Auto White Balance), gamma correction, noise reduction, and sharpening.

[0105] Naturally, in other examples of this application, after obtaining the front view image and the surround view image, image fusion may be performed first, followed by image output and / or display, but a detailed explanation is omitted in this application.

[0106] Related underbody cameras are susceptible to contamination from dirt and are easily damaged by the impact of flying gravel. Furthermore, underbody cameras mounted on the bottom of the chassis reduce the vehicle's chassis height, seriously affecting the vehicle's obstacle-climbing performance. This application provides an underbody environmental detection camera and vehicle that enables self-cleaning of the camera while simultaneously solving the problem of impact from flying gravel, thereby contributing to improved safe use of the camera.

[0107] Specifically, referring to Figures 18 to 22 of the drawings attached to the specification of this application, one embodiment of this application provides a vehicle that may be equipped with a vehicle underside environmental detection camera 110, a chassis 2 having a notch, the vehicle underside environmental detection camera 110 is installed as a vehicle underside camera at a position corresponding to the notch of the chassis 2 and is used to collect vehicle underside environmental information, helping the driver to grasp the blind spot situation under the vehicle in real time and improving driving safety.

[0108] More specifically, as shown in Figures 18 to 21, the underbody environmental detection camera 110 may include a camera module 120, a lifting mechanism 16 provided on the chassis 2, and a cleaning mechanism 80 provided on the chassis 2. The camera module 120 includes a light-receiving assembly 61, a lens assembly 12 provided on the light-receiving side of the light-receiving assembly 61, and a light-transmitting cover 20 covering the lens assembly 12. The lifting mechanism 16 is driven and connected to the camera module 120 and is used to raise and lower the camera module 120 relative to the chassis 2 so as to switch between a retracted state and an extended state. When the camera module 120 is in the extended state, the light-transmitting cover 20 is used to protrude downward from a notch in the chassis 2 so that the camera module 120 can collect underbody environmental information. When the camera module 120 is in the retracted state, the light-transmitting cover 20 is used to retract upward and seal the notch in the chassis 2. The cleaning mechanism 80 is positioned to surround the light-transmitting cover 20 so as to clean the light-transmitting cover 20 while the camera module 120 is raised or lowered.

[0109] Thus, before the vehicle starts moving, as shown in Figure 20, the lifting mechanism 16 can be driven to lower the camera module 120 to a protruding state, causing the light-transmitting cover 20 of the camera module 120 to protrude from the notch in the chassis 2, and the camera module 120 collects information about the underside of the vehicle, providing feedback to the driver on the blind spot situation under the vehicle to contribute to reducing safety risks. After the vehicle starts moving (for example, when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold), as shown in Figure 21, the lifting mechanism 16 raises the camera module 120 to a retracted state. The lifting mechanism 16 can be driven to move the camera module 120 so as to retract the light-transmitting cover 20 of the camera module 120 and seal the notch in the chassis 2, thereby preventing mud and sand scattered during vehicle operation from contaminating or damaging the camera module 120, as well as preventing mud and water scattered during vehicle operation from entering the interior of the chassis 2 through the notch and causing corrosion. At the same time, the raised camera module 120 can prevent damage from obstacles and increase the chassis height of the vehicle, improving its obstacle-climbing performance. Naturally, when the vehicle begins to stop, the lifting mechanism 16 can be driven to move the camera module 120 downward, putting it in a protruding state, and after the vehicle has come to a complete stop, the camera module 120 can be driven to move upward, putting it in a retracted state.

[0110] Furthermore, during the process of the camera module 120 moving up and down by the lifting mechanism 16, the light-transmitting cover 20 of the camera module 120 slides vertically relative to the cleaning mechanism 80, thereby allowing the cleaning mechanism 80 provided on the chassis 2 to completely clean the light-transmitting cover 20, thereby sharpening the image formed by the camera module 120 and preventing the light-transmitting cover 20 from becoming contaminated and affecting the image quality of the camera module 120. Naturally, if the image formed by the camera module 120 is unclear, the lifting mechanism 16 can be driven to repeatedly move the camera module 120 up and down until the image becomes clear, and the cleaning mechanism 80 can repeatedly clean the light-transmitting cover 20.

[0111] Exemplary, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, the lens assembly 12 in the camera module 120 may include an optical lens 10, a plane mirror 122 located below the optical lens 10, and a curved mirror 40 located around the optical lens 10, wherein the plane mirror 122 has a reflective plane 1220 facing the optical lens 10, and the curved mirror 40 has a light window 401 located in the optical path between the plane mirror 122 and the optical lens 10, and an annular reflective curved surface 402 located around the light window 401 and facing away from the optical lens 10. In this manner, object light is first reflected by the annular reflective surface 402 of the curved mirror 40 onto the reflective plane 1220 of the flat mirror 122, then reflected again by the reflective plane 1220, passes through the light window 401 of the curved mirror 40 and enters the optical lens 10, and finally, is received by the light receiving assembly 60 through modulation by the optical lens 10 and imaged, easily increasing the system's field of view, realizing a horizontal 360° surround view, and meeting the requirements for the field of view of the undercarriage environment.

[0112] Optionally, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, the light-transmitting cover 20 includes an annular cover 21 surrounding the optical lens 10 and a front cover 22 fixedly connected to the lower edge of the annular cover 21, and the plane mirror 122 is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the front cover 22. Thus, when the camera module 120 is in a protruding state, the annular cover 21 of the light-transmitting cover 20 protrudes from the notch in the chassis 2, object light passes through the annular cover 21 and is sequentially reflected by the annular reflective surface 402 and the reflective plane 1220, enters the optical lens 10, is received by the light-receiving assembly 60 and forms an image. When the camera module 120 is in a retracted state, the annular cover 21 of the light-transmitting cover 20 is retracted into the chassis 2, and the front cover 22 of the light-transmitting cover 20 seals the notch in the chassis 2, thereby preventing contamination or damage to the annular cover 21 by flying mud and sand, and also preventing corrosion by blocking the intrusion of moisture into the chassis 2 with the front cover 22.

[0113] Optionally, as shown in Figures 20 to 22, the camera module 120 may further include a retaining ring 14, the retaining ring 14 comprising an annular screw fastening portion 141 that screws onto the optical lens 10, a contact portion 142 and a fixing portion 143 provided on the annular screw fastening portion 141, the contact portion 142 extending by bending from the annular screw fastening portion 141 and contacting the curved mirror 40, and the fixing portion 143 extending downward from the annular screw fastening portion 141 and fixedly connected to the upper edge of the annular cover 21. Naturally, the retaining ring 14 in the vehicle underbody environmental detection camera 110 of this application can not only firmly fix the curved mirror 40 to the optical lens 10, but can also function as a fixing base for the light-transmitting cover 20. Therefore, the optical lens 10, the light-transmitting cover 20, the flat mirror 122, and the curved mirror 40 can be highly integrated with just one part, which is advantageous in significantly reducing the number of parts and the difficulty of assembly, and is suitable for meeting the development needs for low cost and miniaturization.

[0114] For example, as shown in Figure 22, the contact portion 142 is integrally connected to the inner periphery of the annular screw fastening portion 141, and the fixing portion 143 is integrally connected to the outer periphery of the annular screw fastening portion 141, thereby forming a mounting groove suitable for the upper edge of the annular cover 21 between the fixing portion 143 and the contact portion 142.

[0115] Optionally, as shown in Figures 20 to 22, the curved mirror 40 further has an annular plane 403 located around the annular reflective surface 402, and the contact portion 142 of the retaining ring 14 is pressed against the annular plane 403 of the curved mirror 40, thereby increasing the contact area between the retaining ring 14 and the curved mirror 40, enhancing the fixing effect by pressing, and preventing the retaining ring 14 from damaging the annular reflective surface 402 by contact. Naturally, an elastic gasket may be provided between the curved mirror 40 and the optical lens 10, which can adjust the distance between the optical lens 10 and the curved mirror 40, and at the same time prevent the curved mirror 40 and / or the optical lens 10 from being crushed.

[0116] According to the above embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 19 and 22, the camera module 120 may further comprise an upper case 15, the retaining ring 14 further comprising a mounting portion 144 extending upward from the annular screw fastening portion 141, and the upper case 15 is fixedly attached to the mounting portion 144 so as to cover the optical lens 10 and the light receiving assembly 60.

[0117] The upper case 15 and the annular cover 21 may, optionally, be fixedly attached to the mounting portion 144 and mounting groove of the retaining ring 14, respectively, by adhesive bonding or screw connection, but are not limited to these methods.

[0118] Optionally, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, the light receiving assembly 60 comprises a circuit board 61, a light receiving chip 62 electrically mounted on the underside of the circuit board 61, and a connector 63 electrically mounted on the upper side of the circuit board 61. The optical lens 10 is fixedly mounted on the circuit board 61 so as to be located in the light receiving path of the photosensitive chip 62, and the connector 63 penetrates the upper case 15 and is used for communication or electrical connection with the outside.

[0119] According to the above embodiment of this application, as shown in Figures 18 to 21, the lifting mechanism 16 comprises a lifting guide rail 17 fixedly provided on the chassis 2, a drive lead screw 18 provided on the chassis 2, and a lead screw nut 19 that is screwed onto the drive lead screw 18 and externally fitted to the lifting guide rail 17 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, with the lead screw nut 19 fixedly connected to the camera module 120. In this way, when the drive lead screw 18 rotates relative to the chassis 2, the lead screw nut 19 slides along the lifting guide rail 17 by the action of the drive lead screw 18, driving the camera module 120 to move up and down to retract into or protrude from the notch in the chassis 2.

[0120] Optionally, the upper case 15 of the camera module 120 is fixedly attached to the lead screw nut 19 by a fixing screw.

[0121] The surface shape of the outer circumferential surface of the annular cover 21 in the light-transmitting cover 20 of this application may be a cylindrical surface, a conical surface, or a polygonal prism surface, but is not limited to these. The surface shape of the annular reflective surface 402 of the curved mirror 40 may be a freeform surface. Naturally, in light of the curvature and surface shape of the freeform surface, this application can ensure that the curvature of the freeform surface satisfies the design requirements by performing simulation analysis during the initial optical design.

[0122] Furthermore, the cleaning mechanism 80 of this application may include structures such as a flannel, brush, nozzle (for liquid injection), and air nozzle (for gas injection), but is not limited thereto. It is sufficient that the annular cover 21 of the light-transmitting cover 20 can be cleaned, and a detailed explanation is omitted in this application.

[0123] Optionally, as shown in Figures 19 to 21, the cleaning mechanism 80 may be implemented as an annular brush 81 fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the notch in the chassis 2. The annular brush 81 slidably contacts the outer surface of the annular cover 21 so as to surround the annular cover 21, thereby not only allowing for better cleaning of the annular cover 21 of the light-transmitting cover 20 but also enabling good sealing of the notch in the chassis 2.

[0124] The curved mirror 40 of this application may be made of a translucent material such as glass, or an opaque material such as metal, as long as it can provide the required light window 401 and annular reflective curved surface 402. In addition, the plane mirror 122 of this application may be coated with a high-reflectivity film to enhance the reflection effect and further improve the image quality.

[0125] Those skilled in the art will see that all or part of the flows in the methods of the above embodiments may be completed by a computer program that directs the relevant hardware, and the computer program may be stored in a non-losable computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program may, at runtime, include the flows of each of the above embodiment of the method. Any reference to memory, database or other medium used in each embodiment provided in this application may include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), tape, floppy disk (registered trademark), flash memory, optical storage, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM (registered trademark)), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache, etc. While not limiting, RAM may take on multiple forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases in each embodiment provided in this application may include at least one relational database and a non-relational database. The non-relational database may include, but is not limited to, a distributed database using blockchain. The processors in each embodiment provided in this application may be, but are not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a central processor, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, programmable logic, or data processing logic using quantum computing.

[0126] Any combination of the technical features of the above embodiments is possible, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above embodiments will be described. However, as long as these combinations of technical features are inconsistent, they should all be considered to fall within the scope described herein.

[0127] The embodiments described above represent only a few embodiments of the present application, and while their descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be understood as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art can make several further modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present application, and all of these fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the attached claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0128] 110 Underbody Environmental Detection Camera 111 First Reflection Assembly 112 Second Reflection Assembly 1110 Console 1. Integrated lens structure 10 Optical Lenses 20 Light-transmitting cover 21 Circular cover 22 Front Cover 30 Reflecting and Refraction Elements 30 Refraction Region 302 Reflection area 31 Translucent substrate 32 Refraction Structure 33 Reflective structure 40 curved mirror 401 Light Window 402 Circular Reflecting Surface 403 Circular plane 50 Mounting base 51 Annular mounting section 52 Annular fitting section 53 Annular fixing part 60 Light-receiving assembly 61 Circuit board 62 light-receiving chips 621 Center light receiving area 622 Annular light-receiving region 623 Edge light-receiving area 63 Connectors 70 Rear Case 120 Camera Modules 12 Lens Assembly 10 Optical Lenses 122 Plane mirror 1220 Reflection Plane 14 Retaining ring 141 Annular screw fastening part 142 Contact part 143 Fixing part 144 Mounting part 15 Upper Case 16 Lifting mechanism 17 Lifting guide rail 18 Drive feed screw 19 Lead screw nut 80 Cleaning mechanism 81 Circular brush 2 Chassis

Claims

1. It is a vehicle underbody environmental detection camera, The camera comprises a first reflection assembly, a second reflection assembly, and a light receiving assembly. The first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface with curvature equal to a preset bending angle, and is used to acquire the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle within the range of the preset bending angle and to reflect the ambient light signal from the underside of the vehicle. The second reflective assembly is used to reflect the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light receiving assembly. The light-receiving assembly is used to perform imaging processing on the ambient light signal from the undercarriage to obtain an undercarriage image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflective assembly, where the field of view environment is determined based on the preset bending angle. A vehicle underbody environment detection camera characterized by the following features.

2. The camera further comprises a lens assembly, The lens assembly is installed between the first reflective assembly and the light-receiving assembly and is used to focus the underbody ambient light signal onto the surface of the light-receiving assembly. The camera according to feature 1.

3. The second reflective assembly has an axis that overlaps with that of the first reflective assembly. The camera according to feature 1.

4. The second reflective assembly is also used to rotate around a preset fixed point of the second reflective assembly at a preset rotation angle when it receives a preset second reflective assembly control command, where the rotation angle is determined based on the control command. The camera according to feature 1.

5. The aforementioned camera is equipped with a protective cover structure, The protective cover structure is provided on the outside of the first reflective assembly, the second reflective assembly, and the light-receiving assembly. The camera according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned camera is connected to a preset console, The console is used to perform recognition processing on the vehicle underbody image results based on a trained target recognition model, obtain vehicle underbody recognition results for the vehicle underbody environment, and transmit the vehicle underbody recognition results to a preset display module for display processing. The camera according to feature 1.

7. The structure of the second reflection assembly is at least one of a planar structure and a curved structure. The camera according to feature 1.

8. The aforementioned camera, Mounting base and An optical lens mounted on the aforementioned mounting base, The light-transmitting cover further includes an annular cover fixedly attached to the mounting base and arranged to surround the optical lens, and a front cover fixedly connected to the annular cover, The first reflective assembly includes a curved mirror, and the second reflective assembly includes a reflecting / refracting element. The reflective / refracting element is fixedly provided on the rear side of the front cover, and the reflective / refracting element has a refractive region located in front of the optical lens and a reflective region arranged to surround the refractive region. The curved mirror is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the curved mirror has a light window located in the optical path between the reflecting / refracting element and the optical lens, and an annular reflective curved surface located around the light window and facing away from the optical lens. The camera according to feature 1.

9. The reflective / refracting element comprises a translucent substrate fixedly connected to the front cover, a refractive structure formed on the translucent substrate, and a reflective structure formed on the translucent substrate and located around the refractive structure. The camera according to feature 8.

10. The refractive structure is a Fresnel lens structure formed on the light-transmitting substrate. The camera according to feature 9.

11. The camera according to claim 9, The reflective structure is a highly reflective film attached to the front or rear surface of the translucent substrate.

12. The curved mirror is a glass mirror coated with an anti-reflective film in its central region, or a metal mirror with an aperture in its central region. The camera according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

13. The mounting base comprises an annular mounting portion through which the optical lens passes, an annular fitting portion fitted and fixed to the curved mirror, and an annular fixing portion arranged to surround the annular fitting portion. The annular cover has its front edge fixedly connected to the front cover and its rear edge fixedly connected to the annular fixing portion. The camera according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

14. The mounting base, the optical lens, the light-transmitting cover, the curved mirror, and the reflecting / refracting element are arranged in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving assembly. The camera according to feature 8.

15. The light-receiving assembly comprises a circuit board, a light-receiving chip mounted electrically on the front side of the circuit board, and a connector mounted electrically on the rear side of the circuit board, wherein the optical lens is fixedly mounted on the circuit board so as to be located in the light-receiving path of the light-receiving chip. The camera according to feature 14.

16. The light-receiving chip has a central light-receiving region corresponding to the refracting region of the reflecting / refracting element, an annular light-receiving region arranged to surround the central light-receiving region and corresponding to the reflective region of the reflecting / refracting element, and an edge light-receiving region located around the annular light-receiving region. The camera according to feature 15.

17. The camera further comprises a rear case fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the connector penetrates the rear case. The camera according to claim 15 or 16, characterized by the features described herein.

18. The first reflective assembly includes a curved mirror, the second reflective assembly includes a plane mirror, and the camera is A camera module comprising: a light-receiving assembly; a lens assembly provided on the light-receiving side of the light-receiving assembly; and a light-transmitting cover provided to cover the lens assembly, wherein the lens assembly includes an optical lens; a plane mirror located below the optical lens; and a curved mirror located around the optical lens, the plane mirror having a reflective plane facing the optical lens; and the curved mirror having a light window located in the optical path between the plane mirror and the optical lens; and an annular reflective curved surface located around the light window and facing away from the optical lens. A lifting mechanism provided on a chassis, which is driven and connected to the camera module, and is used to drive the camera module to move up and down relative to the chassis so as to switch between a retracted state and an extended state, and is used so that when the camera module is in the extended state, the light-transmitting cover protrudes downward from a notch in the chassis so that the camera module can collect underbody environmental information, and is used so that when the camera module is in the retracted state, the light-transmitting cover retracts upward to seal the notch in the chassis, A cleaning mechanism provided on the chassis, comprising: a cleaning mechanism arranged to surround the light-transmitting cover in order to clean the light-transmitting cover while the camera module is being raised and lowered; The camera according to feature 1.

19. The light-transmitting cover includes an annular cover surrounding the optical lens and a front cover fixedly connected to the lower edge of the annular cover, and the plane mirror is fixedly provided on the upper surface of the front cover. The camera according to feature 18.

20. The camera module further comprises a retaining ring, the retaining ring comprising an annular screw fastening portion that screws onto the optical lens, a contact portion and a fixing portion provided on the annular screw fastening portion, the contact portion extending in a bend from the annular screw fastening portion and contacting the curved mirror, and the fixing portion extending downward from the annular screw fastening portion and fixedly connected to the upper edge of the annular cover. The camera according to feature 19.

21. The camera module further comprises an upper case, the retaining ring further comprises a mounting portion extending upward from the annular screw fastening portion, and the upper case is fixedly provided on the mounting portion so as to cover the optical lens and the light receiving assembly. The camera according to claim 20, characterized by the features described above.

22. The light receiving assembly comprises a circuit board, a light receiving chip mounted electrically on the underside of the circuit board, and a connector mounted electrically on the upper side of the circuit board, wherein the optical lens is fixedly mounted on the circuit board so as to be located in the light receiving path of the light receiving chip, and the connector penetrates the upper case. The camera according to feature 21.

23. The lifting mechanism comprises a lifting guide rail fixedly mounted on the chassis, a drive screw mounted on the chassis, and a drive screw nut that is screwed onto the drive screw and externally fitted to the lifting guide rail so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, the drive screw nut being fixedly connected to the camera module. The camera according to any one of claims 18 to 22.

24. The cleaning mechanism includes one or more of the following: a flannel, a brush, a nozzle, and an air nozzle. The camera according to any one of claims 18 to 22.

25. The cleaning mechanism is an annular brush fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the notch of the chassis, and the annular brush slidably contacts the outer surface of the annular cover so as to surround the annular cover. The camera according to any one of claims 19 to 22, characterized by the above.

26. It is a vehicle, A chassis having a notch, The chassis comprises a camera according to any one of claims 1 to 25, provided at a position corresponding to the notch. A vehicle characterized by the following features.

27. An image processing method, The steps include separating the original image acquired via the central light-receiving region and the annular light-receiving region of the light-receiving chip in the camera to obtain a central region image and an annular region image that are independent of each other, The process involves processing the central region image and the annular region image in correspondence using independent front-view ISP flows and around-view ISP flows, respectively, to obtain a front-view image and a surround-view image. The step of outputting and / or displaying the front view image and the surround view image includes: An image processing method characterized by the following:

28. A method for detecting the underside environment of a vehicle, A first reflective assembly acquires a vehicle bottom ambient light signal within a preset bending angle range and reflects the vehicle bottom ambient light signal, wherein the first reflective assembly has an arc-shaped curved surface and the curvature of the arc-shaped curved surface is the preset bending angle, The second reflective assembly reflects the undercarriage ambient light signal to the light-receiving assembly, The steps include: a light-receiving assembly performing imaging processing on the underbody ambient light signal to obtain an underbody image result corresponding to the field of view environment of the first reflective assembly, wherein the field of view environment is determined based on the preset bending angle. A method for detecting the underside environment of a vehicle, characterized by the features described above.

29. It is a vehicle system, The system includes a console and a camera, The camera is located at the bottom of the vehicle and connected to the console, and is used to acquire a vehicle bottom ambient light signal based on a detection command output from the console, and to perform the vehicle bottom environment detection method described in claim 28 based on the vehicle bottom ambient light signal. A vehicle system characterized by the following features.

30. The camera has a retractable structure, and the console is also used to control the camera to extend and detect the underside of the vehicle when controlling the vehicle to start and / or when controlling the vehicle to be in a reverse state. The console is also used to control the camera to retract when the vehicle's speed is controlled to be greater than or equal to a preset vehicle speed threshold, and / or when the vehicle is controlled to be in a stopped state. The console is also used to control the camera to extend based on the detection command. The system according to feature 29.

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