Rear-view mirror capable of displaying object in various environments and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a rear-view mirror capable of displaying an object in various environments and a control method thereof. The rear-view mirror and the control method thereof according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention may: when a vehicle is being driven and the rear-view mirror is in a display mode, assess a driving environment by using an illuminance sensor, a rain sensor, weather information, and the like; and when the driving environment is determined to be an environment such as night, heavy rain, heavy snow, or fog in which a user's field of view is obstructed and it is difficult for the user to identify an object via the rear-view mirror, synthesize a color image capturing the area behind the vehicle with at least one of an infrared image and a thermal image and display the synthesized image on a display of the rear-view mirror, thereby enabling the user to easily identify an object displayed on the rear-view mirror in various driving environments.

Description

Rear-view mirror capable of displaying objects in various environments and a method for controlling the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear-view mirror and a method for controlling the same, and more specifically, to a rear-view mirror and a method for controlling the same that can effectively display objects in various environments.

[0002] Generally, vehicles are equipped with a rear-view mirror inside the cabin to allow observation of the rear of the vehicle. Conventional rear-view mirrors are limited in their functionality to simply displaying the rear view of the vehicle through a mirror, and it is difficult to clearly see the rear of the vehicle when dust or snow accumulates on the rear window.

[0003] Another conventional technology to solve these problems has proposed a digital rear-view mirror. The digital rear-view mirror installs a digital camera at the rear of the vehicle to photograph the rear of the vehicle, and by outputting the image captured by the digital camera to a display included in the digital rear-view mirror, it can provide the driver with the situation behind the vehicle regardless of the condition of the vehicle's rear window.

[0004] These conventional technologies simply install an RGB camera that outputs a color image at the rear of the vehicle, and depending on user operation, output the rear color image captured by the RGB camera through a display included in the digital rear-view mirror, or display the image reflected in the mirror to the user like a conventional rear-view mirror.

[0005] However, in environments where visibility is poor—such as at night when the surroundings are dark or in thick fog where the surroundings are difficult to identify—not only is it difficult to secure a rear view through mirrors, but even using standard RGB cameras does not guarantee an accurate view. Consequently, in such conditions, it is difficult to detect the presence or approach of objects around the vehicle, presenting a problem where preparing for potential hazards is challenging.

[0006] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a rear-view mirror and a method for controlling the same that can clearly display surrounding objects even in various environments where visibility is difficult to secure, such as at night or in bad weather.

[0007] A rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-described problem comprises: a sensing module including a wide-angle camera and at least one of an infrared camera and a thermal imaging camera; a display for outputting an image; a mirror module installed in front of the display for adjusting reflectivity and transmittance according to a control signal; and a circuit unit including a processor and a memory. The processor, which executes a command stored in the memory, performs the following steps: (a) when the display mode is a display mode, the processor checks whether the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment; (b) when the driving environment is not a visual obstruction environment, the processor outputs a color image input from the wide-angle camera to the display; and (c) when the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment, the processor synthesizes at least one of an infrared image input from the infrared camera and a thermal image input from the thermal imaging camera with a color image input from the wide-angle camera to generate a composite image and outputs it to the display.

[0008] In addition, the processor can synthesize images by setting weights for each of the images synthesized according to the driving environment in step (c).

[0009] In addition, the processor may determine in step (c) that the driving environment is a visibility-obstructing environment if the illuminance measurement is below a threshold illuminance value, if the amount of precipitation or snowfall is above a threshold, or if the area being driven is determined to be a foggy area.

[0010] In addition, in step (c), the processor receives an illuminance measurement value measured by the vehicle's illuminance sensor from the vehicle's main controller, and receives navigation information and weather information from the vehicle's main controller to determine the amount of precipitation or snowfall in the area being driven, and whether the area being driven is a foggy area.

[0011] In addition, in step (c), the processor receives navigation information of the vehicle from the vehicle's main controller and determines that the driving environment changes to a visibility-obstructing environment at the point where the vehicle enters the tunnel, and can perform image synthesis from a predetermined distance prior to the tunnel entry point.

[0012] In addition, a sensing module of a rear-view mirror according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a sensing sensor, and the processor, in step (a), when the display mode is a display mode, turns on the sensing sensor to detect the direction and distance of surrounding objects, and the processor may further perform the step of (d) receiving the distance of each object detected by the sensing sensor and investigating whether there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, and if there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, dividing the display screen in the direction corresponding to the approaching object and magnifying and displaying the approaching object on the divided screen.

[0013] In addition, the processor can control the display to be turned off and the reflectivity of the mirror module to be increased above a threshold value when the display mode is mirror mode in step (a), so that the rear view is reflected and displayed to the user.

[0014] Meanwhile, a control method for a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is a control method for a rear-view mirror performed in a rear-view mirror comprising a sensing module including a wide-angle camera and at least one of an infrared camera and a thermal imaging camera, a display, a mirror module installed in front of the display to adjust reflectivity and transmittance according to a control signal, and a circuit unit including a processor and a memory, comprising: (a) a step in which, when the display mode is a display mode, the processor checks whether the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment; (b) a step in which, when the driving environment is not a visual obstruction environment, the processor outputs a color image input from the wide-angle camera to the display; and (c) a step in which, when the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment, the processor synthesizes at least one of an infrared image input from the infrared camera and a thermal image input from the thermal imaging camera with a color image input from the wide-angle camera to generate a composite image and outputs it to the display.

[0015] In addition, in step (c) above, the processor can synthesize images by setting weights for each of the images synthesized according to the driving environment.

[0016] In addition, in step (c) above, the processor may determine that the driving environment is a visibility-obstructing environment if the illuminance measurement is below a threshold illuminance value, if the amount of precipitation or snowfall is above a threshold, or if the area being driven is determined to be a foggy area.

[0017] Additionally, in step (c) above, the processor receives an illuminance measurement value measured by the vehicle's illuminance sensor from the vehicle's main controller, and receives navigation information and weather information from the vehicle's main controller to determine the amount of precipitation or snowfall in the area being driven, and whether the area being driven is a foggy area.

[0018] In addition, in step (c) above, the processor receives navigation information of the vehicle from the vehicle's main controller and determines that the driving environment changes to a visibility-obstructing environment at the point where the vehicle enters the tunnel, and can perform image synthesis from a predetermined distance prior to the tunnel entry point.

[0019] In addition, in a method for controlling a rear-view mirror according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing module further includes a sensing sensor, and in step (a), when the display mode is a display mode, the processor turns on the sensing sensor to detect the direction and distance of surrounding objects, and (d) the processor receives the distance of each object detected by the sensing sensor and investigates whether there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, and if there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, the method may further include the step of dividing the display screen in the direction corresponding to the approaching object and magnifying and displaying the approaching object on the divided screen.

[0020] In addition, in step (a) above, when the display mode is mirror mode, the processor can control the display to be turned off and the reflectivity of the mirror module to be increased above a threshold so that the rear view is reflected and displayed to the user.

[0021] A rear-view mirror and a control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can, when driving a vehicle in the display mode of the rear-view mirror, investigate the driving environment using an illuminance sensor, a rain sensor, weather information, etc., and if it is determined that the driving environment is an environment such as night, heavy rain, heavy snow, or fog where the user's field of vision is obstructed and it is difficult for the user to identify objects through the rear-view mirror, synthesize a color image of the rear of the vehicle with at least one of an infrared image and a thermal image and display it on the display of the rear-view mirror, thereby enabling the user to easily identify objects displayed on the rear-view mirror in various driving environments.

[0022] FIGS. 1a and FIGS. 1b are drawings illustrating the functional configuration and external configuration, respectively, of a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a display in normal mode.

[0025] FIGS. 4a to 4c illustrate examples of images taken of the same field of view using a wide-angle camera, an infrared camera, and a thermal imaging camera, respectively.

[0026] FIGS. 5a to 5c are drawings illustrating examples of composite images.

[0027] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Hereinafter, the aforementioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, as the present invention is subject to various modifications and may have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail below.

[0029] Throughout the specification, identical reference numbers indicate identical components in principle. Additionally, components with identical functions within the scope of the same concept appearing in the drawings of each embodiment are described using the same reference numeral.

[0030] When a part of a specification is described as "including" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "...part" or "module" as used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0031] If it is determined that a detailed description of known functions or configurations related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted. Additionally, numbers used in the description of this specification (e.g., 1st, 2nd, etc.) are merely identification symbols to distinguish one component from another.

[0032] FIGS. 1a and FIGS. 1b are drawings illustrating the functional configuration and external configuration, respectively, of a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, a rear-view mirror (100) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a sensing module (110), a mirror module (140), a display (130), and a circuit part (120), and depending on the embodiment, may further include a GPS module (150).

[0034] The sensing module (110) includes a wide-angle camera (111), an infrared camera (113), a thermal imaging camera (115), and a radar sensor (117), and the circuit section (120) includes a processor (121), a memory (123), and a communication module (125).

[0035] The mirror module (140), display (130), and circuit (120) are included in the rear-view mirror housing (190) and installed near the front windshield of the vehicle interior.

[0036] A sensing module (110) is installed on the exterior rear of a vehicle, captures the rear of the vehicle to generate a rear image, and transmits the rear image to a processor (121). Inside the housing of the sensing module (110), a wide-angle camera (111), an infrared camera (113), and a thermal imaging camera (115) are installed adjacent to each other, and a radar sensor (117) may be installed inside the same housing as the cameras (111, 113, 115) or may be installed at a different location. However, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radar sensor (117) is included inside the same housing as the cameras.

[0037] The wide-angle camera (111) is implemented as a standard RGB camera and generates a color image and outputs it to the processor (121). The wide-angle camera (111) may be used to have a shooting angle of 120 degrees or more so that blind spots can be captured, and it is preferable to install it as a camera with a field of view of 180 degrees.

[0038] The infrared camera (113) is installed in close proximity to the wide-angle camera (111) and is turned on under the control of the processor (121) to capture an infrared image and output it to the processor (121). The infrared camera (113) is a camera that detects infrared (heat rays) instead of visible light to generate an infrared image. Since the infrared camera (113) itself is a well-known configuration, a detailed description is omitted.

[0039] The thermal imaging camera (115) is installed in close proximity to the wide-angle camera (111) and the infrared camera (113), and is turned on under the control of the processor (121) to capture a thermal image and output it to the processor (121). The thermal imaging camera (115) detects infrared radiation emitted from an object and displays the temperature distribution as an image; since the thermal imaging camera (115) itself is a well-known configuration, a detailed description is omitted.

[0040] For reference, while the thermal imaging camera (115) detects thermal radiation (radiant energy) emitted by an object and outputs a thermal image that expresses the temperature distribution in color, the infrared camera (113) detects infrared radiation reflected from an external light source, so although it is easy to identify the shape and outline like a general camera, there is a difference in that temperature measurement is not possible. Due to this difference, the thermal imaging camera (115) can quickly identify a heat source emitting heat, whereas the infrared camera (113) can only identify the outline of an object and cannot identify the heat source.

[0041] The radar sensor (117) detects an object behind it and outputs the location and distance of the detected object to the processor (121). Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a radar sensor (117), there are no limitations on the implementation example as long as the sensor is capable of detecting an approaching object, and ultrasonic sensors and Lidar sensors, etc., may also be used.

[0042] The display (130) can be implemented as an LCD module, an OLED module, etc., and is turned on / off according to the control of the processor (121), and outputs a video signal generated by the processor (121).

[0043] The mirror module (140) contains an EC (Electronic Chromic) film inside and is positioned in front of the display (130). Under the control of the processor (121), the reflectivity and transmittance of the EC film included in the mirror module (140) are adjusted. Accordingly, when the reflectivity of the mirror module (140) becomes greater than a predefined threshold and the transmittance becomes less than a predefined threshold, the mirror module (140) performs the role of a reflector. Conversely, when the reflectivity of the mirror module (140) becomes less than a predefined threshold and the transmittance exceeds a predefined threshold, the mirror module (140) transmits an image displayed on the display (130) so that the driver and passengers can view the image on the display (130).

[0044] The communication module (125) communicates with the vehicle's main controller (200) to receive information related to vehicle control from the vehicle's main controller (200) and output it to the processor (121). Additionally, the communication module (125) communicates with a navigation device (not shown) installed in the vehicle to receive navigation information and date information from the navigation device and output it to the processor (121). Furthermore, the communication module (125) can receive an illuminance measurement value measured by an illuminance sensor installed in the vehicle from the vehicle's main controller (200) and output it to the processor (121).

[0045] The GPS module (150) measures the vehicle's location information and outputs it to the processor (121). When the rear-view mirror receives GPS location information and navigation information from the vehicle main controller (200), the GPS module (150) may be omitted.

[0046] The memory (123) is implemented as an SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and stores instructions to be executed by the processor (121) and data processed by the processor (121). In addition, the memory (123) can store color images, thermal images, and infrared images, and can store detection information of the radar sensor (117).

[0047] The processor (121) can be implemented as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a similar device (e.g., MPU (Micro Processing Unit), MCU (Micro Control Unit), etc.) and controls the display (130) and mirror module (140) by executing instructions stored in memory (123), processes a color image input from a wide-angle camera (111), an infrared image input from an infrared camera (113), and a thermal image input from a thermal camera (115) to generate an image to be output to the display (130), and outputs the generated image through the display (130).

[0048] To specifically describe the function of the processor (121) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processor (121) operates the rear-view mirror (100) in display mode or mirror mode according to user input.

[0049] The rear-view mirror (100) can select a display mode or a mirror mode by pressing a button (not shown) provided in the housing. The method of the user selecting the mode can be implemented in various ways, and since the method of selecting the mode is a general design specification, a specific description is omitted.

[0050] When the user selects mirror mode, the processor (121) turns off the display (130) so that the back view is reflected by the mirror module (140) and displayed to the user.

[0051] When the user selects a display mode, the processor (121) turns on the wide-angle camera (111) to receive a color image, identifies the current driving environment, and controls the operation to either a normal mode or a visibility obstruction mode.

[0052] Specifically, when a user selects a display mode, the processor (121) determines the current illuminance and weather conditions. The processor (121) sets the display mode to normal mode if the illuminance is above a predefined threshold (threshold illuminance value), and sets the display mode to obstructed view mode if the illuminance is below a predefined threshold.

[0053] When the illuminance is below a threshold, it means that the surrounding environment is so dark that objects in the rear cannot be clearly identified in the image captured by the wide-angle camera (111). That is, when driving at night or when the surroundings are dark due to very poor weather conditions, the illuminance becomes below the threshold. At this time, the rear-view mirror (100) may further include an independent illuminance sensor (not shown) inside and may measure the illuminance using said illuminance sensor. Additionally, the processor (121) may receive and use the illuminance measurement value measured by the illuminance sensor (not shown) installed in the vehicle from the vehicle main controller (200). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the illuminance measurement value is received from the vehicle main controller (200), but it is not limited thereto.

[0054] Additionally, the processor (121) can determine in various ways whether the driving environment is a weather condition corresponding to a visibility obstruction mode. For example, by performing object recognition on a rear image input from a wide-angle camera (111), if the object recognition rate is lower than a predefined threshold, it can determine that there is fog or heavy rain and set a visibility obstruction mode.

[0055] Additionally, the processor (121) receives the amount of rainfall or snowfall measured by a rainfall sensor (not shown) installed in the vehicle from the vehicle main controller (200), and if the measured value is greater than a predefined threshold, it can set a visibility obstruction mode.

[0056] Additionally, the processor (121) receives navigation information from the vehicle main controller (200), and if the location information and weather information included in the navigation information indicate that rainfall or snowfall exceeding a threshold is occurring in the area currently being driven, it can be set to a visibility obstruction mode.

[0057] When the user sets the display mode and the general mode is set according to the driving environment, the processor (121) operates the wide-angle camera (111) and the radar sensor (117), and displays the rear image input from the wide-angle camera (111) through the display (130), while using the radar sensor (117) to detect an object approaching the vehicle from the rear. When the object approaching the vehicle comes within a threshold distance, the processor (121) divides the screen area of ​​the display (130) and enlarges and displays the approaching object in the corresponding side area.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a display (130) in normal mode. Referring to FIG. 3, when there are no vehicles approaching from behind within a critical distance, a rear view is displayed across the entire display screen (see FIG. 3 (a)).

[0059] If a vehicle on the left rear approaches within a critical distance of the vehicle, the left side of the display screen can be divided, the approaching vehicle can be enlarged and displayed in the divided area, and the entire rear view can be displayed in the remaining area (see Fig. 3(b)).

[0060] In the same way, when a vehicle behind on the right approaches within a critical distance of the vehicle, the right side of the display screen can be divided, the vehicle approaching in the divided area can be enlarged and displayed, and the entire rear view can be displayed in the remaining area (see Fig. 3 (c)).

[0061] In the example of FIG. 3, although not illustrated, when a vehicle approaches within a critical distance on both the left and right sides, the processor (121) can divide both the left and right sides of the display screen and enlarge and display the approaching vehicle on the left and right sides in each divided area.

[0062] In addition, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processor (121) may divide the display screen into three parts at all times, display the object closest to the left side of the vehicle in the left side of the screen, and display the object closest to the right side of the vehicle in the right side of the screen.

[0063] Additionally, the processor (121) can divide the screen area of ​​the display (130) for the composite image described later, and enlarge and display objects within a threshold distance in the divided area.

[0064] Meanwhile, when a visibility obstruction mode is set according to the driving environment, the processor (121) turns on the infrared camera (113) and the thermal imaging camera (115), controls the infrared camera (113) to generate an infrared image, and controls the thermal imaging camera (115) to generate a thermal image.

[0065] Infrared images and thermal images are output to a processor (121), and the processor (121) combines at least one of the input color image, infrared image, and thermal image and outputs it through a display (130).

[0066] FIGS. 4a to 4c illustrate examples of images taken of the same field of view using a wide-angle camera (111), an infrared camera (113), and a thermal imaging camera (115), respectively.

[0067] As illustrated in FIG. 4a, it is difficult to accurately identify objects in a color image captured using a wide-angle camera (111) in a dark environment. It is also difficult to identify objects in a color image captured using a wide-angle camera (111) in an environment with heavy rain or snow, or in a foggy environment, in addition to a dark environment.

[0068] Accordingly, to compensate for these problems, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a field of view obstruction mode, further generates infrared images and / or thermal images using at least one of an infrared camera (113) and a thermal camera (115), and combines the images with a color image captured by a wide-angle camera (111) and outputs them through a display (130), thereby enabling the user to identify objects more clearly.

[0069] FIG. 4b illustrates an example of an infrared image, and FIG. 4c illustrates an example of a thermal image. FIG. 4b and FIG. 4c are images of the same object as FIG. 4a taken at the same time. As illustrated, the infrared image displays the outline of the object relatively clearly, but since it is displayed with only brightness adjusted in a single color, it is difficult for the user to intuitively recognize the object quickly. In addition, since the thermal image displays different colors depending on the temperature of each object, it is easy for the user to intuitively distinguish a heat-emitting object from other objects, but it is difficult to clearly display the outline of the object as in the infrared image.

[0070] Accordingly, the processor (121) synthesizes the images with a color image to generate an output image to be displayed on the display (130) in order to compensate for the disadvantages of the infrared image and the thermal image and to maximize the advantages, and displays the output image on the display (130).

[0071] The processor (121) may synthesize a color image and an infrared image depending on the driving environment, may synthesize a color image and a thermal image, or may synthesize a color image, an infrared image, and a thermal image. At this time, the processor (121) sets a weight (transparency) for each image depending on the driving environment and synthesizes the images according to the weight (transparency) of each image. Here, the weight indicates how much the pixel value of the image is reflected, and the transparency indicates how much the pixel value of the image is not reflected. The weight and transparency have values ​​greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1, and have the relationship Transparency = 1 - Weight.

[0072] The method by which the processor (121) synthesizes images can be applied in various ways, but as a simplest example, the pixel value (A) of image 1 and the pixel value (B) of image 2 to be synthesized can be applied as in the following mathematical formula 1 to generate the pixel value (C) for each pixel of the synthesized image.

[0073] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0074]

[0075] In the above mathematical formula 1, α represents the weight for image 1, and 1-α represents the weight for image 2.

[0076] FIGS. 5a to 5c are drawings illustrating examples of composite images.

[0077] Specifically, FIG. 5a is a drawing illustrating an example of a composite image in which a color image and a thermal image are combined, FIG. 5b is a drawing illustrating an example of a composite image in which a color image and an infrared image are combined, and FIG. 5c is a drawing illustrating an example of a composite image in which a color image, a thermal image, and an infrared image are combined.

[0078] FIG. 5a is an example of synthesizing images by applying a weight of 0.3 to the color image and a weight of 0.7 to the thermal image. As shown in FIG. 5a, the synthesized image is easier to identify objects compared to the color image shown in FIG. 4a, and it can be seen that there is less color bleeding and glare compared to the thermal image in FIG. 4b.

[0079] FIG. 5b is an example of synthesizing images by applying a weight of 0.3 to the color image and a weight of 0.7 to the infrared image. As shown in FIG. 5b, the synthesized image is easier to identify objects compared to the color image shown in FIG. 4a, and compared to the infrared image in FIG. 5c, it can be seen that the vividness (realism) of the image is further increased due to the reflection of color.

[0080] FIG. 5c is a composite image of all three images by applying a weight of 0.2 to the color image, a weight of 0.4 to the infrared image, and a weight of 0.4 to the thermal image. As shown in FIG. 5c, it can be seen that the composite image includes all the advantages of the composite images shown in FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b.

[0081] Meanwhile, the processor (121) can adjust the weights for each image according to the driving environment. For example, if the illumination is low due to heavy dark clouds or severe yellow dust, the weight of the color image can be increased and the weights of the infrared image and thermal image can be lowered compared to night driving. Additionally, when driving through a dark tunnel, the processor (121) can increase the weights of the color image and infrared image and lower the weight of the thermal image so that only the lamps installed in the middle of the tunnel are highlighted by the thermal image in the composite image.

[0082] Additionally, the processor (121) can adaptively generate a composite image by using the vehicle's location information and navigation information together. For example, while the processor (121) outputs a color image captured by a wide-angle camera (111) to a display (130), it checks the tunnel entry location using navigation information. In preparation for the driving environment switching from a normal mode to a visibility obstruction mode due to dimming lighting upon entering a tunnel, the processor (121) turns on the infrared camera (113) and the thermal camera (115) from a predetermined distance prior to the tunnel entry point to generate an infrared image and a thermal image, and then synthesizes the color image, the infrared image, and the thermal image to output to the display (130). When exiting the tunnel, the processor (121) can adaptively operate by turning off the infrared camera (113) and the thermal camera (115) again to output a color image to the display (130).

[0083] Additionally, when the processor (121) confirms that there is fog on the road near the river or lake ahead from the weather information provided along with navigation information from the vehicle's main controller (200), it can turn on the infrared camera (113) and the thermal camera (115) in advance to generate infrared images and thermal images, and synthesize the images to output them to the display (130).

[0084] In addition, in the process described above, the processor (121) can minimize the sense of strangeness in the image that the user may feel when the composite image is suddenly output by adaptively changing the weights. For example, as the user approaches the point of entry into a foggy area or a tunnel, the weight of the color image is lowered and the weight of the infrared image and thermal image is increased, and when the user exits the tunnel or foggy area, the weight of the color image is increased and the weight of the infrared image and thermal image is lowered, thereby minimizing the sense of strangeness in the composite image felt by the user.

[0085] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for controlling a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Since the control method illustrated in FIG. 2 is performed in the rear-view mirror (100) described with reference to FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, the function performed at each step is identical to the function of the rear-view mirror (100) of FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. Therefore, detailed descriptions that are redundant will be omitted below, and the explanation will focus on the overall flow.

[0087] First, when power is supplied to the rear-view mirror (100), the processor (121) checks the display mode set by the user (S210), and if the display mode is mirror mode, turns off the display (130) and keeps or switches the wide-angle camera (111) and radar sensor (117) to an OFF state (S213).

[0088] When the display mode is the display mode, the processor (121) turns on the display (130) and turns on the radar sensor (117) (S221), and then checks whether the current driving environment corresponds to a visibility obstruction environment (S223). As described above, a visibility obstruction environment may be determined if the illuminance measurement received from the vehicle main controller (200) is below a threshold, if the amount of rainfall or snowfall measured by the vehicle's rain sensor (not shown) or the amount of rainfall or snowfall indicated by the weather information included in the navigation information is above a threshold, or if the entry into a foggy area or tunnel confirmed by the navigation information is imminent.

[0089] If the environment is not obstructed by a view, the processor (121) displays a color image input from the wide-angle camera (111) on the display (130) (S225).

[0090] If the current driving environment is a field of view obstruction environment, the processor (121) turns on the infrared camera (113) and the thermal camera (115), and synthesizes the color image, infrared image, and thermal image and outputs them to the display (130) (S233). Since the method of synthesizing the images is as described above, a detailed explanation is omitted. In addition, as described above, depending on the driving environment, only the color image and infrared image may be synthesized, only the color image and thermal image may be synthesized, or all three images may be synthesized to generate a composite image.

[0091] When an image is displayed on the display (130), the processor (121) uses detection information input from the radar sensor (117) to check the distance between the detected object and the vehicle, and investigates vehicles approaching the vehicle within a threshold distance. If there are no objects within the threshold distance, the process is repeated starting from the above-described step S210 (S240).

[0092] If there is an object within a threshold distance, the processor (121) divides the side screen corresponding to the detected object within the entire display screen, enlarges and displays the object close to the divided screen, displays the existing entire image in the central area, and repeats the process from the above-described step S210 (S250). It should be noted that the image displayed in step S250 may be a color image or an image synthesized in step S233.

[0093] The method for controlling a rear-view mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention described so far can be implemented as a computer program that is executed as a computer-executable instruction and stored in a non-transient storage medium.

[0094] Storage media include all types of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable storage media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, and optical data storage devices. Additionally, computer-readable storage media are distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0095] The present invention has been described above with reference to its preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be embodied in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, not by the foregoing description, and all variations within the scope of the claims should be interpreted as being included in the invention.

Claims

1. A sensing module including a wide-angle camera and at least one of an infrared camera and a thermal imaging camera; A display that outputs an image; A mirror module installed in front of the above display and adjusting reflectivity and transmittance according to a control signal; and It includes a circuit section including a processor and memory, and The processor that executed the instruction stored in the memory above (a) When the display mode is a display mode, the processor checks whether the driving environment is a field of view obstruction environment; (b) when the driving environment is not a visual obstruction environment, the processor outputs a color image input from the wide-angle camera to the display; and (c) When the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment, the processor performs the step of synthesizing at least one of an infrared image input from the infrared camera and a thermal image input from the thermal camera, and a color image input from the wide-angle camera to generate a composite image and output it to the display.

2. In Paragraph 1, The processor above, in step (c), A rear-view mirror characterized by synthesizing images by setting weights for each of the images synthesized according to the driving environment.

3. In Paragraph 1, The processor above, in step (c), A rear-view mirror characterized by determining that the driving environment is a visibility-obstructing environment when the illuminance measurement value is below a threshold illuminance value, when the amount of precipitation or snowfall is above a threshold value, or when the driving area is determined to be a foggy area.

4. In Paragraph 3, The processor above, in step (c), A rear-view mirror characterized by receiving an illuminance measurement value measured by an illuminance sensor of a vehicle from a main controller of a vehicle, receiving navigation information and weather information from the main controller of a vehicle, and determining the amount of precipitation or snowfall in the area being driven, and whether the area being driven is a foggy area.

5. In Paragraph 1, The processor above, in step (c), A rear-view mirror characterized by receiving navigation information of a vehicle from a main controller of a vehicle, determining that the driving environment changes to a visibility-obstructing environment at the point where the vehicle enters a tunnel, and performing image synthesis from a predetermined distance prior to the tunnel entry point.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above sensing module further includes a detection sensor, and The processor, in step (a), if the display mode is a display mode, turns on the detection sensor to detect the direction and distance of surrounding objects. The above processor (d) A rear-view mirror characterized by further performing the step of receiving the distance of each object detected by the detection sensor and investigating whether there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, and if there is an object approaching within the threshold distance, dividing the display screen in the direction corresponding to the approaching object and magnifying and displaying the approaching object on the divided screen.

7. In Paragraph 1, The processor above is in step (a) above. A rear-view mirror characterized by controlling the display to be turned off and the reflectivity of the mirror module to be increased above a threshold value when the display mode is mirror mode, so that the rear view is reflected and displayed to the user.

8. A method for controlling a rear-view mirror performed in a rear-view mirror comprising: a sensing module including a wide-angle camera and at least one of an infrared camera and a thermal imaging camera; a display; a mirror module installed in front of the display to adjust reflectivity and transmittance according to a control signal; and a circuit unit including a processor and a memory. (a) When the display mode is a display mode, the processor checks whether the driving environment is a field of view obstruction environment; (b) when the driving environment is not a visual obstruction environment, the processor outputs a color image input from the wide-angle camera to the display; and (c) When the driving environment is a visual obstruction environment, the processor synthesizes at least one of an infrared image input from the infrared camera and a thermal image input from the thermal camera, and a color image input from the wide-angle camera to generate a composite image and outputs it to the display; characterized by comprising the step of controlling a rear-view mirror.

9. In claim 8, at step (c) above A method for controlling a rear-view mirror, characterized in that the processor sets a weight for each of the synthesized images according to the driving environment and synthesizes the images.

10. In claim 8, at step (c) above A method for controlling a rear-view mirror, characterized in that the processor determines that the driving environment is a visibility obstruction environment when the illuminance measurement value is below a threshold illuminance value, when the amount of precipitation or snowfall is above a threshold value, or when the driving area is determined to be a foggy area.

11. In claim 10, at step (c) above A method for controlling a rear-view mirror, characterized in that the processor receives an illuminance measurement value measured by an illuminance sensor of the vehicle from the main controller of the vehicle, and receives navigation information and weather information from the main controller of the vehicle to determine the amount of precipitation or snowfall in the area being driven, and whether the area being driven is a foggy area.

12. In claim 8, at step (c) above A method for controlling a rear-view mirror, characterized in that the processor receives navigation information of the vehicle from the main controller of the vehicle, determines that the driving environment changes to a visibility-obstructing environment at the point where the vehicle enters a tunnel, and performs image synthesis from a predetermined distance prior to the tunnel entry point.

13. In Paragraph 8, The above sensing module further includes a detection sensor, and In step (a) above, if the display mode is a display mode, the processor turns on the detection sensor to detect the direction and distance of surrounding objects, and (d) A method for controlling a rear-view mirror, further comprising the step of the processor receiving the distance of each object detected by the detection sensor and investigating whether there is an object approaching within a threshold distance, and if there is an object approaching within the threshold distance, dividing the display screen in the direction corresponding to the approaching object and magnifying and displaying the approaching object on the divided screen.

14. In Paragraph 8, In step (a) above, the processor A method for controlling a rear-view mirror characterized by turning off the display and increasing the reflectivity of the mirror module above a threshold value when the display mode is mirror mode, thereby controlling the rear view to be reflected and displayed to the user.

15. A non-transient recording medium that records the method for controlling a rear-view mirror according to claim 8 as computer-readable and computer-executable program code.

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